Nicky Forster
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| Nicky Forster | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nicholas Michael Forster | |
| Date of birth | 8 September 1973 | |
| Place of birth | Caterham, England | |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | |
| Playing position | Striker | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Brighton & Hove Albion | |
| Number | 9 | |
| Senior career1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1991–1992 1992–1994 1994–1997 1997–1999 1999–2005 2005–2006 2006–2007 2007– |
Horley Town Gillingham Brentford Birmingham City Reading Ipswich Town Hull City Brighton & Hove Albion |
? (?) 67 (24) 109 (39) 67 (11) 186 (59) 24 (8) 35 (5) 71 (27) |
| National team2 | ||
| 1995 | England U21 | 4 (1) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
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Nicholas Michael "Nicky" Forster (born 8 September 1973) is a professional footballer currently playing for Brighton & Hove Albion.
Contents |
[edit] Football career
[edit] Early years
Forster, who was born in Caterham, Surrey, was spotted playing for non-league Horley Town and invited for trials by Gillingham in December 1991. After impressing with the youth and reserve teams he signed a professional contract in May 1992, making his debut the following September.[1] He starred for the club during the otherwise disappointing 1993-94 season, scoring 18 goals, but at the end of the season he turned down a new contract and instead joined Brentford for £320,000, a move which provoked bad feeling from Gillingham fans which persisted for many years.[2]
[edit] Brentford and Birmingham City
While at Brentford, Forster formed prolific partnerships with Carl Asaba and Robert Taylor, both of whom would later join his former club Gillingham. He made 109 league appearances for Brentford and scored 39 goals during his time at Griffin Park.[3] He was later capped by England at under-21 level soon afterwards.[3] In January 1997, Forster moved to Birmingham City for a fee of £700,000.[3] He made 67 league appearances and scored eleven league goals as a Blue.[4]
[edit] Reading
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Two years later he was on the move again, this time to Reading, where he spent six years at the club at a cost of £650,000 between 1999 and 2005. Forster receives part of the credit for salvaging Reading's 1999–2000 season, during which the club rose from Division Two's relegation zone at Christmas to a finish in the top ten under caretaker manager Alan Pardew.[5] However, an injured Forster was unable to contribute to the club's good fortune the following season.[5] However, he did return in time for the 2000-2001 Division Two play-off semi final against Wigan Athletic. In the second leg with Wigan leading 1-0 on aggregate, Forster came on as a late substiute to set up Martin Butler for the equalizer before winning the penalty which he scored off the rebound after Jamie Cureton's effort was saved. Reading were to lose the final 3-2 after extra time to Walsall. He then scored 18 goals the following season as Reading were promoted to Division One.
Forster regards Reading's 2002–03 campaign as his best period of form during his career, when he notched 17 goals, including hattricks against Ipswich Town and Preston North End as Reading finished 4th. He scored the opening goal in the play-off semi final against Wolves, but went off injured and Reading were to lose 3-1 on aggregate.
Forster considers the club as "home".[6]
[edit] Ipswich Town
Despite being a popular player at Reading, he was allowed to join Ipswich Town on a free transfer in 2005. Unable to replicate for Ipswich the form he showed with Reading due to several injury setbacks over the 2005-06 season, Forster signed a two year contract with Hull City on 31 August 2006 for a £250,000 transfer fee.[7] He had been a team-mate of Hull City manager Phil Parkinson while at Reading.
[edit] Hull City
During his time at Hull City, Forster made 37 appearances and scored six goals for the club;[8] these totals include one goal in two FA Cup appearances.[3]
His form helped propel him to third place in the club's Player of the Year awards for the 2006-07 season.[8]
[edit] Brighton & Hove Albion
In January 2007, Brighton & Hove Albion made an unsuccessful £100,000 bid for Forster.[9] However, at the end of the 2006-07 season, Forster stated his wish to move back to the south of England for family reasons,[citation needed] and eventually signed a three year contract with Brighton in late June 2007 for a £75,000 fee.[8]
Forster stated his decision to drop down to Football League One from the Championship was due to the ambition shown by Brighton manager Dean Wilkins and chairman Dick Knight.[10]
Forster was named as the new Brighton club captain after the departure of Dean Hammond during January 2008,[citation needed] and confirmed in the role by new manager Micky Adams for the 2008-09 season.[11]
[edit] References
- ^ Roger Triggs (2001). The Men Who Made Gillingham Football Club. Tempus Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7524-2243-X.
- ^ keith Pestell (2002-11-09). "Gillingham 0 Reading 1 - Match Report". gillsconnect.com. Archived from the original on 2003-01-27. http://web.archive.org/web/20030127080213/http://gillingham.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=934&p=2&stid=8284211. "As the teams were announced Marlon King, who was starting his first match since being released from Standford Hill prison, received a standing ovation from the home supporters, whilst Readings Nicky Forster was greeted by boos and chants of "judas"."
- ^ a b c d "Player Profile: Nicky Forster". Hull City A.F.C.. http://www.hullcityafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10338~9397,00.html. Retrieved on 2007-06-26.
- ^ "Player Statistics: Nicky Forster". soccerbase.com. Centurycomm Limited. http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=2610. Retrieved on 2007-06-26.
- ^ a b "The History of Reading Football Club". Reading F.C.. http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/History/0,,10306,00.html. Retrieved on 2007-06-26.
- ^ "Forster reveals affection for Royals". Reading F.C.. 2008-03-21. http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1270370,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-03-21.
- ^ "Tigers Snap Up Forster". Hull City A.F.C.. 2006-08-31. http://www.hullcityafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10338~890743,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-08-05.
- ^ a b c "Breaking news: Forster wings his way to Seagulls". Hull Daily Mail. 2007-06-25. http://www.sporthull.co.uk/football/hull_city/tigers_news/displayarticle.php?ID=1258. Retrieved on 2007-06-25.
- ^ "Brighton thwarted in striker bids". BBC Sport. 2007-02-01. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brighton/6319373.stm. Retrieved on 2007-06-27.
- ^ Paul Camillin (2007-06-26). "Forster: Ambition Made Me Sign". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.. http://www.seagulls.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Latest/0,,10433~1058660,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-08-05.
- ^ Paul Camillin (2008-08-05). "Fozzy Given the Armband". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.. http://www.seagulls.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Latest/0,,10433~1358845,00.html. Retrieved on 2008-08-05.
[edit] External links
- Nicky Forster player profile at seagulls.co.uk
- Nicky Forster player profile at hullcityafc.net
- Nicky Forster player profile at readingfc.co.uk
- Nicky Forster career stats at Soccerbase
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