Michael Townsend

Michael Townsend
Personal information
Full name Michael Townsend
Date of birth (1986-05-17) 17 May 1986
Place of birth Walsall, England
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current team
Rushall Olympic
Number 4
Youth career
2003–2004 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2010 Cheltenham Town 134 (7)
2008–2009Barnet (loan) 13 (0)
2010–2013 Hereford United 90 (1)
2014–2015 Tamworth 29 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:00, 9 January 2015 (UTC).


Michael John Townsend (born 17 May 1986 in Walsall) is a former English footballer who last played for Conference North side Tamworth, where he played as a defender.

Playing career

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Townsend started his career at Wolverhampton Wanderers as a youth team player where he signed a three-year scholarship.He impressed in the youth teams and was quickly promoted to the reserve side where he established himself as a regular for two seasons.Having not made the breakthrough into the first team Townsend was released by manager Glenn Hoddle at the end of the 2003–04 season.

Cheltenham Town

Townsend then joined Cheltenham Town on a free transfer in January 2005. He became a regular in the Cheltenham team the following season, he appeared 35 times in his first season in defence.

It was a successful season which saw Cheltenham promoted into League One, Townsend went on to make 70 appearances for Cheltenham at this level scoring twice.

Following a lengthy period of injury Townsend returned to regain his place in the Cheltenham side alongside Shane Duff, and helping Cheltenham to avoid relegation. As of August 2009, Townsend has made 140 appearances for Cheltenham Town.

Barnet (loan)

He joined Barnet on a months loan in October 2008, the loan was then extended after a few good performances.[1]

Townsend turned down the chance of rejoining Barnet on loan in early 2009 and vowed to fight for a place in the Cheltenham Town team. Shortly afterwards Cheltenham Town manager Martin Allen commented that some players at the club would rather sit on the bench and waste their careers than go out to another club and play football. However, through a mixture of attitude, hard work and determination, he had re-established himself as a key member of the Cheltenham Town defence by September 2009 following several man of the match performances at the end of the 2008–09 and the start of the 2009–10 seasons, including three goals.

He was released by the club along with seven other players in May 2010.[2]

Hereford United

On 15 July 2010, he signed a two-year deal with Hereford United.[3] On 25 January 2012, Townsend then signed an extension to his contract to keep him at Edgar Street after several strong performances, he scooped the 'Players Player' of the year award and made more appearances than any other player for the second consecutıve year.[4]

Townsend was released by Hereford United at the end of the 2012–13 season after making only seven league appearances due to injury.[5]

Tamworth

After rehab from injury Townsend joined Conference National side Tamworth on 9 January 2014 as Dale Belford looked to bolster his defensive options. His first game was against Rugby Town in the Birmingham Senior Cup, a match that Tamworth won 1–0.

Townsend went on to make six league appearances for Tamworth during the 2013–14 season, before fracturing a vertebrae in the 2–1 defeat at home to Forest Green Rovers on 15 March 2014.[6] This injury ruled him out for the remainder of the season, a season in which Tamworth were relegated to the Conference North.

Townsend was the first player to commit to Tamworth for the 2014–15 Conference North season.[7] Shortly before the start of the Conference North season, manager Dale Belford unveiled Townsend as the club captain.

Rushall Olympic

Townsend moved to Dales Lane after deciding to leave Tamworth to link up with former coach Richard Sneekes. Sneekes admitted to admiring Townsend after working closely with him at Hereford United in League 2 and quickly installed him in the middle of his defence and has also used him in a central midfield. A local lad, Townsend reviled in the press that Rushall was his very first club as a boy and is enjoying his football back at 'home'.

Career statistics

As of match played 22 May 2014.[8]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[Note 1] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Cheltenham Town 2004–05 League Two 0000000000
2005–06 310301020370
2006–07 League One 301000000301
2007–08 131000010141
2008–09 260002100281
Barnet (loan) 2008–09 League Two 130200000150
Cheltenham Town 2009–10 343101010373
Cheltenham Town total 13464040401466
Hereford United 2010–11 League Two 431501010501
2011–12 390101010420
2012–13 Conference National 70000070
Hereford United total 891602020991
Tamworth 2013–14 Conference National 60000060
2014–15 Conference North 00000000
Tamworth total 60000060
Career totals 236712060602607
  1. Includes other competitive competitions, including the FA Trophy

References

  1. "Townsend extends loan with Barnet". BBC News. 21 November 2008. Retrieved 25 November 2008.
  2. "Cheltenham Town release eight players". BBC Sport. 11 May 2010. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
  3. "Hereford sign Sam Malsom and Michael Townsend". BBC Sport. 15 July 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2010.
  4. "Hereford United sign trio for next season". BBC Sport. 25 January 2012.
  5. "Released & Retained List". Hereford United. 22 April 2013.
  6. "Tamworth 1–2 Forest Green Rovers". BBC Sport. 15 March 2014.
  7. "Former Wolverhampton Wanderers trainee lands new Tamworth FC deal". Tamworth Herald. 21 May 2014.
  8. "Michael Townsend Stats". Soccerbase.
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