Matt Green (footballer)

Matthew James Green (born 2 January 1987) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for League Two club Grimsby Town.

Matt Green

Green training with Birmingham City in July 2013
Personal information
Full name	Matthew James Green[1]
Date of birth	(1987-01-02) 2 January 1987[2]
Place of birth	Bath, England
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Playing position(s)	Striker
Club information
Current team	Grimsby Town
Number	7
Youth career
	Bristol City
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2007	Newport County	56	(8)
2007–2008	Cardiff City	6	(0)
2007	→ Darlington (loan)	4	(0)
2007	→ Oxford United (loan)	2	(1)
2008	→ Oxford United (loan)	18	(9)
2008–2010	Torquay United	29	(4)
2009–2010	→ Oxford United (loan)	38	(10)
2010–2012	Oxford United	17	(0)
2011	→ Cheltenham Town (loan)	19	(0)
2011	→ Mansfield Town (loan)	25	(14)
2012–2013	Mansfield Town	62	(40)
2013–2015	Birmingham City	10	(1)
2015–2017	Mansfield Town	86	(26)
2017–2018	Lincoln City	63	(15)
2018–2019	Salford City	21	(4)
2019–	Grimsby Town	29	(2)
National team
2009	England C	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15:12, 20 March 2020 (UTC)

Green started his senior career at Conference South club Newport County in 2005, having been released from Bristol City's youth academy. He made 56 league appearances for Newport County in a two-season spell at the club, before joining Championship side Cardiff City in January 2007. Having made six appearances for Cardiff during the 2006–07 season, he had three loan spells away from the club the following season: one at League Two club Darlington in October 2007, where he made five appearances, and two for Conference Premier side Oxford United, where he made 21 appearances.

Released by Cardiff at the end of the 2007–08 season, he switched to Conference side Torquay United in May 2008. He made 29 league appearances for Torquay during the 2008–09 season, but joined Oxford United for a third loan spell the following season. Having made 41 league appearances for Oxford during the 2009–10 season, he signed a permanent deal with the club, where he made a further 17 appearances. He spent the latter half of the 2010–11 season on loan to League Two side Cheltenham Town, where he made 19 league appearances and then joined Conference side Mansfield Town in July 2011, initially on loan, but permanently from January 2012 onwards. He made 87 league appearances for Mansfield, scoring 54 goals, before signing for Championship club Birmingham City, where he spent two seasons, one-and-a-half of which were lost to injury. He returned to Mansfield, where he was nearly ever-present for two seasons, then spent 18 months at Lincoln City, with whom he won the 2017–18 EFL Trophy, before signing for Salford City in December 2018. He joined Grimsby Town in June 2019.

Club career

Early career

Born in Bath, Somerset, Green was a member of the Bristol City youth programme but was released by the club as they deemed he was too small to play professional football. An England schoolboy international, Green went on to join the Cirencester Academy under the direction of former Newport County and Welsh international player Steve Lowndes who recommended him to Newport in the 2005 close season.[3] A pacey striker, he made a big impact in his first season, making 30 appearances for the Newport County first team in all competitions. He was a part-time player at Newport and worked full-time at a nearby car auction warehouse before he began to attract interest.

Several teams watched him while he played for Newport, including Bristol City, Reading, Stoke City and Swansea City,[3][4] but instead Green joined Cardiff City in January 2007 for a fee of £10,000 with possible add-ons depending on appearances.[5] Green had played alongside several former Cardiff players at Newport including Nathan Blake, Jason Bowen and Damon Searle. Green made his debut for his new club against Preston North End on 23 February, coming on for the final few minutes as a substitute for Michael Chopra in Cardiff's 4–1 home win.[6] He made five further appearances, all as a substitute, later that season. At the start of the 2007–08 season Green was included in a two-game pre-season tour of Portugal where he made appearances in both games, scoring in one. He also appeared as a substitute in Cardiff's first-round League Cup win at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.[7]

In October 2007 Green signed a one-month loan deal at League Two club Darlington.[8] He made his debut for Darlington on 9 October against Leeds United in the Football League Trophy. He started the match on the bench, but was brought on earlier than planned due to the injury of teammate Tommy Wright. He hit the post late in the game as Leeds won 1–0.[9] He returned to Cardiff on 8 November after making five appearances in all competitions for Darlington.

He joined Oxford United on an emergency one-month loan on 22 November and scored on his debut two days later against Kidderminster Harriers.[10][11] He made two further appearances for Oxford during his loan spell, an FA Cup draw at home to Southend United and in the Conference Premier defeat away to Northwich Victoria,[12] before suffering a broken collarbone and returning to Cardiff for treatment.

He rejoined Oxford on 25 January 2008 on loan until the end of the season.[13] He scored twice in the 3–0 home win against Histon on 9 February,[14] and went on to make a total of 18 appearances before returning to Cardiff where he was released on his return.

Despite Oxford's interest in taking Green on a permanent deal,[15] and suggestions from manager Darren Patterson that the player had verbally agreed to sign,[16] on 31 May he signed for Conference rivals Torquay United.[17] Green began the season on the bench for Torquay, making regular substitute appearances, and on 23 September he scored his first goal for the club with a late winner away to Forest Green Rovers.[18] On 3 January 2009, he scored the only goal of the game as Torquay eliminated Championship team Blackpool in the FA Cup third round.[19]

Green rejoined Oxford on loan for the 2009–10 season.[20] He was named in the England C squad to face a Polish under-23 team in November, but had to withdraw with an ankle injury.[21]

He helped Oxford finish third in the Conference, scoring 10 goals.[22] On 16 May 2010, he scored the opening goal at Wembley Stadium as Oxford defeated York City 3–1 in the 2010 Conference Premier play-off Final to return to the Football League after a four-year exile.[23] He signed a two-year contract with Oxford on 2 June; the fee was undisclosed.[24] On 31 January 2011, he signed on loan at Cheltenham Town until the end of the season.[25]

Mansfield Town

Green playing for Mansfield Town in 2013

On 22 July 2011, it was announced that Green would be joining Mansfield Town on loan until 31 December of the same year, with £2,000 donated towards the transfer by fans' group The 12th Stag.[26] He was an immediate hit, scoring 14 goals in 25 appearances, and signed an 18-month contract with the club on 1 January 2012.[27] He scored on his first day as a permanent Mansfield player in a 2–2 away draw with York City, and went on to score 56 goals in just 92 appearances for the club in the Conference.[28]

Birmingham City

After a trial with Championship club Birmingham City in May 2013,[29] Green signed a two-year contract with the club on 3 July 2013.[30] He scored his first goal for the club against Shamrock Rovers during a pre-season tour of Ireland, but was then knocked unconscious in a challenge and received eight minutes of treatment before being stretchered off.[31] He made his competitive debut in a 1–0 defeat at home to Watford on 3 August, and his first competitive goal for the club opened the scoring in a 3–2 defeat at Leicester City three weeks later.[32] Green scored the second goal, "a superb right-foot finish at the back post" from Mitch Hancox's cross, as Birmingham beat holders Swansea City 3–1 in the third round of the League Cup.[33] He started the next three games, without scoring, but was omitted from the matchday squad thereafter. In early November, Green damaged cruciate ligaments in training and was expected to miss the rest of the season.[34] His recovery was beset by complications, and he finally regained fitness towards the end of the 2014–15 season, making appearances for the development squad and scoring in the Birmingham Senior Cup final.[35] The club confirmed he would be released when his contract expired.[36]

Return to Mansfield Town

Following his release by Birmingham, Green returned to Mansfield Town on 22 May 2015. He scored a header against Carlisle United to keep Mansfield's hopes of promotion alive. This goal proved to be his last for Mansfield.[37] He was released by Mansfield at the end of the 2016–17 season.[38]

Lincoln City

On 27 June 2017, Green signed a two-year contract with newly promoted League Two side Lincoln City.[39] He scored his first goal for Lincoln on his debut in a 2–2 draw with Wycombe Wanderers on the opening day of the season.[40] Green finished the season as Lincoln's top scorer, with 17 goals from 56 appearances in all competitions, as his team reached the play-offs,[41] in which they lost to Exeter City on aggregate despite Green's lively performance in the first leg and goal in the second.[42] He contributed three goals to their run to the 2018 EFL Trophy Final, and played almost the whole of the match – he was substituted deep into stoppage time – as Lincoln beat League One club Shrewsbury Town 1–0.[43] After the club made John Akinde – a similar style of player – their record signing in the close season, Green found himself out of the starting eleven.[41] By mid-December he had made 19 league appearances, of which 17 were from the bench.[44]

Salford City

Lincoln accepted an undisclosed offer from National League club Salford City, and Green signed a two-and-a-half-year contract on 20 December 2018.[41] He scored four goals from 21 appearances as Salford reached the 2018–19 National League#Play-offs, but was sent off in the last match of the season so missed out on the club's promotion to the Football League.[45] He left the club at the end of the season.[46]

Grimsby Town

On 10 June 2019, Green joined League Two club Grimsby Town on a two-year contract.[45]

International career

Green was capped once by the England national C team, in a 1–1 draw with Hungary on 15 September 2009.[47]

Career statistics

As of match played 7 March 2020

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Newport County	2005–06[48][49]	Conference South	36	4	1	0	—		3[lower-alpha 1]	1	40	5
	2006–07[48][50]	Conference South	20	4	4	0	—		5[lower-alpha 2]	3	29	7
	Total		56	8	5	0	—		8	4	69	12
Cardiff City	2006–07[51]	Championship	6	0	—		—		—		6	0
	2007–08[12]	Championship	0	0	0	0	1	0	—		1	0
	Total		6	0	0	0	1	0	—		7	0
Darlington (loan)	2007–08[12]	League Two	4	0	—		—		1[lower-alpha 3]	0	5	0
Oxford United (loan)	2007–08[12]	Conference Premier	20	10	1	0	—		—		21	10
Torquay United	2008–09[19][52]	Conference Premier	29	4	3	1	—		5[lower-alpha 4]	0	37	5
Oxford United (loan)	2009–10[22]	Conference Premier	38	10	2	0	—		7[lower-alpha 5]	4	47	14
Oxford United	2010–11[53]	League Two	17	0	1	0	2	1	1[lower-alpha 3]	0	21	1
	Total		55	10	3	0	2	1	8	4	68	15
Cheltenham Town (loan)	2010–11[53]	League Two	19	0	—		—		—		19	0
Mansfield Town (loan)	2011–12[28][44]	Conference Premier	25	14	1	0	—		1[lower-alpha 6]	1	27	15
Mansfield Town	2011–12[28]	Conference Premier	20	15	—		—		1[lower-alpha 7]	0	21	15
	2012–13[44][54]	Conference Premier	42	25	5	2	—		2[lower-alpha 6]	0	49	27
	Total		87	54	6	2	—		4	1	97	57
Birmingham City	2013–14[32]	Championship	10	1	0	0	2	1	—		12	2
	2014–15[55]	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	Total		10	1	0	0	2	1	—		12	2
Mansfield Town	2015–16[56]	League Two	44	16	2	0	0	0	0	0	46	16
	2016–17[57]	League Two	42	10	1	0	1	0	5[lower-alpha 8]	3	49	13
	Total		86	26	3	0	1	0	5	3	95	29
Lincoln City	2017–18[58]	League Two	45	13	1	0	1	0	9[lower-alpha 9]	4	56	17
	2018–19[59]	League Two	19	2	2	0	2	1	3[lower-alpha 8]	3	26	6
	Total		64	15	3	0	3	1	12	7	82	23
Salford City	2018–19[59]	National League	21	4	—		—		0	0	21	4
Grimsby Town	2019-20[60]	League Two	29	2	2	0	3	1	1[lower-alpha 8]	1	35	4
Career total			486	134	26	3	12	4	44	20	568	161

1. One appearance one goal in Gwent Senior Cup, one appearance in FA Trophy, one in FAW Premier Cup
2. One appearance in FAW Premier Cup, four appearances three goals in FA Trophy
3. Appearance in Football League Trophy
4. Three appearances in FA Trophy, two in Conference League Cup
5. Four appearances two goals in FA Trophy, three appearances two goals in Conference Premier play-offs
6. Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
7. Appearances in Conference Premier play-offs
8. Appearances in EFL Trophy
9. Seven appearances three goals in EFL Trophy, two appearances one goal in League Two play-offs

Honours

Club

Oxford United

• Conference Premier play-offs: 2010[61]

Mansfield Town

• Conference Premier: 2012–13[62]

Lincoln City

• EFL Trophy: 2017–18[63]
• EFL League Two: 2018–19[64]

Individual

• Conference Premier Golden boot: 2012–13

References

1. "List of Players under Written Contract Transferred Between 01/01/2012 and 31/01/2012" (PDF). The Football Association. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
2. "First team: Matthew Green". Oxford United F.C. Archived from the original on 12 June 2012.
3. "Beadle resigned to losing Green". NonLeagueDaily. 26 December 2006. Archived from the original on 9 August 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
4. Phillips, Terry (3 July 2007). "Green in a hurry to make a mark with City". South Wales Echo. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
5. "Green in for Glombard at Cardiff". BBC Sport. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
6. "Cardiff 4–1 Preston". BBC Sport. 23 February 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
7. "Cardiff 1–0 Brighton (aet)". BBC Sport. 14 August 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
8. "Cardiff striker set for Quakers". BBC Sport. 8 October 2007. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
9. "Darlington 0–1 Leeds". BBC Sport. 9 October 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
10. "Oxford sign deadline day strikers". BBC Sport. 22 November 2007. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
11. "Kidderminster 0–2 Oxford". BBC Sport. 24 November 2007. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
12. "Games played by Matt Green in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
13. "Patterson signs trio of new faces". BBC Sport. 25 January 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
14. "Oxford Utd 3–0 Histon". BBC Sport. 9 February 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
15. "Six players shown door by Oxford". BBC Sport. 29 April 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
16. "Green move shows 'little respect'". BBC Sport. 2 June 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
17. "I'm better off at Torquay – Green". BBC Sport. 1 June 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
18. "Forest Green 1–2 Torquay". BBC Sport. 23 September 2008. Retrieved 9 December 2008.
19. "Games played by Matt Green in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
20. "Oxford sign Torquay striker Green". BBC Sport. 22 June 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
21. Murray, Jon (17 November 2009). "Oxford United striker Green faces spell on sidelines". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
22. Williams, Tony; Wright, James, eds. (2010). Non-League Club Directory 2011. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 168–169. ISBN 978-1-869833-68-8.
23. Marshall, Steve (16 May 2010). "Oxford United 3–1 York City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
24. "Oxford United seal permanent Matt Green deal". BBC Sport. 2 June 2010. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
25. "Oxford United loan out Matt Green to Cheltenham Town". BBC Sport. 31 January 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
26. "Green joins Stags from Oxford". Mansfield Town F.C. 22 July 2011. Archived from the original on 14 June 2012.
27. "Mansfield Town sign Hutchinson, Green and Roberts". BBC Sport. 30 December 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
28. "Games played by Matt Green in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
29. "Stags star Matt Green on trial at Birmingham City, and Luke Jones may join League One club". Mansfield Chad. 13 May 2013. Archived from the original on 8 June 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
30. Walker, Andy (3 July 2013). "Blues go Green". Birmingham City F.C. Archived from the original on 6 July 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
31. Tattum, Colin (9 July 2013). "Shamrock Rovers 0 Birmingham City 4". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
32. "Games played by Matt Green in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
33. "Birmingham 3–1 Swansea". BBC Sport. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
34. "Birmingham striker Matt Green won't play again this season due to knee injury". Sky Sports. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
35. Dick, Brian (24 March 2015). "Long term casualties Matt Green and Gavin Gunning targeting first team returns this season". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
    Campbell, Darren (30 April 2015). "Birmingham City 2 Nuneaton Town 1: Report and pictures as Nikola Zigic bids Blues farewell". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
36. Tattum, Colin (5 May 2015). "Blues announce squad departures". Birmingham City F.C. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
37. Stevenson, Mark (22 May 2015). "Greeny is back!". Mansfield Town F.C. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
38. "Matt Green: Mansfield striker among 11 released by Stags". BBC Sport. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
39. Ireland, Shane (26 June 2017). "Former Birmingham City striker completes League Two switch". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 27 June 2017.
40. "Wycombe Wanderers 2–2 Lincoln City". BBC Sport. 5 August 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
41. Whiley, Matt (20 December 2018). "Lincoln City striker Matt Green completes move to Salford City". Lincolnshire Live. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
    Whiley, Matt (20 December 2018). "Danny Cowley explains the reasons behind selling Matt Green to Salford City". Lincolnshire Live. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
42. Phillips, Owen (12 May 2018). "Lincoln City 0–0 Exeter City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
    Pilnick, Brent (17 May 2018). "Exeter City 3–1 Lincoln City (Agg 3–1)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
43. Cox, Lewis (8 April 2018). "Checkatrade Trophy final: Shrewsbury 0 Lincoln 1 - Report and pictures". Shropshire Star. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
44. "M. Green". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
45. "Matt Green: Grimsby Town sign ex-Salford City forward". BBC Sport. 10 June 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
46. "Matt Green leaves Salford City". Salford City F.C. 8 June 2019. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
47. Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2012). Non-League Club Directory 2013. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 1003, 1005, 1007. ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0.
48. "Season 2005/2006". Newport County A.F.C. Archived from the original on 21 September 2007.
49. "County humiliated". South Wales Argus. Newport. 26 September 2005. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
    "Beadle targets two/County's brave fight". South Wales Argus. Newport. 26 January 2006. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
50. "Season 2006/2007". Newport County A.F.C. Archived from the original on 7 October 2007.
    "All time appearance chart". Newport County A.F.C. Archived from the original on 21 September 2007.
51. "Games played by Matt Green in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
52. "Fixtures 2008/2009". Torquay United F.C. Archived from the original on 1 June 2009.
    Siddle, John (4 February 2009). "Giantkillers Southport have Wembley in their sights". Southport Visiter. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
    "Weymouth 0 Torquay United 3 – An emphatic win for the Gulls". The Herald Express. Torquay. 5 November 2008. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
53. "Games played by Matt Green in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
54. "Games played by Matt Green in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
55. "Games played by Matt Green in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
56. "Games played by Matt Green in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
57. "Games played by Matt Green in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
58. "Games played by Matt Green in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
59. "Games played by Matt Green in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
60. "Games played by Matt Green in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
61. Marshall, Steve (16 May 2010). "Oxford United 3–1 York City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
62. Anderson, John, ed. (2013). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2013–2014. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 652–653. ISBN 978-0-7553-6413-8.
63. Scott, Ged (8 April 2018). "Lincoln City 1–0 Shrewsbury Town". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
64. "League Two: 2018/19: Current table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
    "Lincoln: Squad details: 2018/19". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 May 2019.

External links

• Player profile at Mansfield Town F.C.'s website
• Matt Green at Soccerbase