Nigel Edwards (footballer)

Nigel Edwards (born 31 December 1950) is a Welsh former footballer who played as a full back. He made more than 400 Football League appearances for Chester City and Aldershot.

Nigel Edwards
Personal information
Full name Nigel Steven Edwards
Date of birth (1950-12-31) 31 December 1950
Place of birth Wrexham, Wales
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1]
Playing position(s) Full back
Youth career
c.1966–1968 Blackburn Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1968–1978 Chester 291 (15)
1973 → Rotherham United (loan) 0 (0)
1978–1982 Aldershot 137 (6)
1982–1983 Chester 8 (1)
1983–? Oswestry Town
National team
Wales U23 3 (?)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Born Wrexham, Edwards was signed by Chester as a youngster in September 1968 after being at Blackburn Rovers on amateur terms.[2] After impressing in the reserve side,[3] Edwards made his Football League debut on 23 April 1969 against Lincoln City, alongside fellow youngster Grenville Millington.[3] The pair would go on to make more than 500 league appearances for the club between them.

By 1971–72, Edwards was first-choice right-back at Chester and the subject of constant transfer speculation,[4] having been involved in a tour of New Zealand and the Far East with Wales the previous summer.[5] Although he had a brief loan spell at Rotherham United in the first half of 1973–1974 while out of Chester's first team, Edwards returned to Chester without appearing for the Millers and soon regained his place in the side.

In 1974–1975, Edwards missed just four games as Chester were promoted from Division Four and reached the Football League Cup semi-finals. Despite playing at full back, Edwards scored seven times during the season.[4] Two years later he helped Chester reach the fifth round of the FA Cup and win the spin-off Debenhams Cup competition at the end of the season. He remained with the club until he joined Aldershot in July 1978.

After four seasons with Aldershot, Edwards returned to Chester in June 1982 with funds raised by supporters through the Seals Player Appeal Fund.[6] He marked his first league game back with the winning goal against Crewe Alexandra,[6] but he made just seven more league appearances and moved on to Oswestry Town the following year.[7]

In May 2004, 53-year-old Edwards played in Chester goalkeeper Wayne Brown's testimonial at Deva Stadium.[8]

Honours

Chester

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References
  1. Rollin, Jack, ed. (1980). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 46. ISBN 0362020175.
  2. "Chester City: 1946/47-1999/2000 & 2004/05-2006/07". Neil Brown. Retrieved 18 February 2008.
  3. Chas Sumner (1997). On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885–1997. Yore Publications. p. 81. ISBN 1-874427-52-6.
  4. Chas Sumner (1997). On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885–1997. Yore Publications. pp. stats section. ISBN 1-874427-52-6.
  5. Chas Sumner (1997). On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885–1997. Yore Publications. p. 83. ISBN 1-874427-52-6.
  6. Chas Sumner (1997). On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885–1997. Yore Publications. p. 98. ISBN 1-874427-52-6.
  7. Chas Sumner (1997). On the Borderline: The Official History of Chester City 1885–1997. Yore Publications. p. 145. ISBN 1-874427-52-6.
  8. "Chester City 4, Chester City All Stars 5". chester-city.co.uk. Retrieved 18 February 2008.
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