Gunnar Nielsen (footballer)

Gunnar Nielsen (born 7 October 1986) is a Faroese professional footballer who last played as a goalkeeper for Icelandic club FH. Nielsen has also represented HB, Boldklubben Frem, Gøtu Ítróttarfelag, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Wrexham, Tranmere Rovers, Silkeborg, Motherwell, Stjarnan and the Faroe Islands national football team at all age levels. Nielsen is considered to be one of the best Faroese players of all time.

Gunnar Nielsen
Nielsen with the Faroe Islands in 2013
Personal information
Full name Gunnar Nielsen[1]
Date of birth (1986-10-07) 7 October 1986[2]
Place of birth Tórshavn, Faroe Islands[2]
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
HB
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
0000–2004 HB 0 (0)
2004–2007 BK Frem 16 (0)
2007–2009 Blackburn Rovers 0 (0)
2008 → Motherwell (loan) 0 (0)
2009–2012 Manchester City 1 (0)
2009 → Wrexham (loan) 4 (0)
2010–2011 → Tranmere Rovers (loan) 2 (0)
2013 Silkeborg 8 (0)
2013–2015 Motherwell 19 (0)
2015 Stjarnan 20 (0)
2016–2023 FH 120 (0)
International career‡
2001–2002 Faroe Islands U17 13 (0)
2002–2004 Faroe Islands U19 8 (0)
2007–2008 Faroe Islands U21 10 (0)
2009– Faroe Islands 70 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:00, 26 June 2022 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:00, 26 June 2022 (UTC)

Club career
Nielsen against Austria, 2013

Born in Tórshavn, Nielsen was signed by Blackburn Rovers for a "small" but undisclosed fee on 2 July 2007 from BK Frem. Nielsen, who was on trial with Rovers in May, told the club website: "I am very pleased – it is a massive chance for me just to develop. I'm glad the manager and staff believe in me and I won't let them down."[3] He transferred Motherwell of the Scottish Premier League on a six-month loan on 8 August 2008,[4] before returning to Blackburn on 30 December 2008.[5]

Nielsen signed for Manchester City on a two-and-a-half-year contract in 2009[6] and joined Conference National side Wrexham on loan shortly afterwards.[7] He made his debut in a 1–0 defeat to Histon on 28 March.[8] He was suspected to have sustained a thumb injury during a game against Oxford United in April, meaning he returned to City for a scan,[9] which confirmed the suspected injury.[10] Nielsen made his Premier League debut on 24 April 2010 as a substitute for injured Shay Given in the 76th minute during Manchester City's stalemate against Arsenal.[11] As a result, he became the first Faroese footballer to play in the Premier League. In the summer of 2010, he signed a contract extension with Manchester City that ran until 2012.[12]

On 23 July 2010 Nielsen joined League One team Tranmere Rovers on loan until January 2011.[13] He made his debut for Tranmere in a 2–1 defeat by Oldham Athletic on 7 August,[14] After picking up an injury on international duty, he spent over three months out, before returning to the first team at Tranmere in December 2010.

He was released by Man City at the end of the 2011–12 season.[15] However, weeks later he rejoined the Manchester City squad, but was again released by the club after signing former England international Richard Wright on transfer deadline day. He officially left the club on 7 December and told the Manchester City website he hopes to join a team in England or the Scandinavian Region in January 2013.[16]

In early April 2013, Nielsen signed for Silkeborg of the Danish Superliga. Nielsen immediately debuted for the club on 8 April 2013, a 1–0 defeat to Aalborg.[17]

On 3 July 2013, Nielsen signed a 2-year deal with Motherwell where he had previously spent six months on loan in 2008.[18] He left Motherwell on 4 March 2015, by mutual consent.[19]

On 4 April 2015, Nielsen signed a one-year contract with the Icelandic club Stjarnan.[20][21] He made his debut for them on 27 April, in an Icelandic Super Cup win over KR.[22] At the end of the 2015 season, Nielsen was elected player of the year for Stjarnan both by the players and the management. On 28 October 2015, Nielsen signed a three-year contract with 2015 Icelandic champions FH.[23]

International career

Nielsen made his international debut for the Faroe Islands after starting in a 2–1 win over Iceland on 22 March 2009.[24][25]

On 3 June 2016, he captained the team for the first time in a 2–0 friendly defeat against Kosovo in Frankfurt.[26]

Honours

FH

Stjarnan

Career statistics
As of match played 21 October 2019.
Club statistics
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Manchester City 2009–10[11] Premier League 1 0 0 0 0 0 — — 1 0
Motherwell (loan) 2008–09[8] Scottish Premier League 0 0 — 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
Wrexham (loan) 2008–09[8] Conference Premier 4 0 — — — — 4 0
Tranmere Rovers (loan) 2010–11[14] League One 2 0 0 0 0 0 — 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 3 0
Silkeborg 2012–13[28] Danish Superliga 8 0 — — — — 8 0
Motherwell 2013–14[29] Scottish Premiership 19 0 1 0 2 0 1[lower-alpha 2] 0 — 23 0
2014–15[30] 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
Motherwell total 19 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 — 23 0
Stjarnan 2015[22] Úrvalsdeild 20 0 1 0 0 0 2[lower-alpha 3] 0 1[lower-alpha 4] 0 24 0
FH 2016[27] Úrvalsdeild 22 0 3 0 3 0 2[lower-alpha 3] 0 1[lower-alpha 5] 0 31 0
2017[31] 21 0 1 0 3 0 6[lower-alpha 6] 0 1[lower-alpha 4] 0 32 0
2018[32] 22 0 1 0 4 0 0 0 4[lower-alpha 5] 0 31 0
2019 3 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
FH Total 68 0 6 0 12 0 8 0 6 0 100 0
Career total 122 0 7 0 12 0 11 0 8 0 163 0
  1. Appearances in Football League Trophy.
  2. Appearance in Europa League.
  3. Appearances in Champions League.
  4. Appearance in Icelandic Super Cup.
  5. 1 appearance in Fótbolti.net Cup.
  6. 4 appearances in Champions League, 2 appearances in Europa League.

References
  1. "Premier League Clubs submit Squad Lists" (PDF). Premier League. 2 September 2011. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  2. "Gunnar Nielsen profile". Official Motherwell FC Site. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  3. "Blackburn sign Faroes goalkeeper". BBC Sport. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 2 July 2007.
  4. "Motherwell seal double transfer". BBC Sport. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
  5. "Linfield keeper interesting Well". BBC Sport. 30 December 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  6. Oscroft, Tim (25 February 2009). "City sign keeper Gunnar Nielsen". Manchester City F.C. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  7. "Wrexham recruit international duo". BBC Sport. 26 March 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
  8. "Gunnar Nielsen | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2008/2009 | 2000– | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  9. "Neilsen injury blow for Wrexham". BBC Sport. 12 April 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  10. "Gunnar Has Broken His Hand". Wrexham F.C. 13 April 2009. Archived from the original on 14 April 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
  11. "Gunnar Nielsen | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2009/2010 | 2000– | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  12. "Gunnar Nielsen inks Man City deal ahead of Tranmere Rovers loan move | Premiership News | tribalfootball.com". Archived from the original on 27 July 2010. Retrieved 2 August 2010.
  13. "Rovers Sign International Goalkeeper". Tranmere Rovers F.C. 21 July 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  14. "Gunnar Nielsen | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2010/2011 | 2000– | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  15. "FREE TRANSFER LIST 2011/12" (PDF). Premier League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 June 2012.
  16. "Gunnar leaves City". MCFC. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  17. "Silkeborg Profile". Silkeborg IF. Archived from the original on 26 April 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  18. "Nielsen Returns to Fir Park". Motherwell FC. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  19. "Goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen departs". Motherwell F.C. 4 March 2015. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  20. "Gunnar Nielsen til meistaralið". www.in.fo (in Faroese). Archived from the original on 14 October 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  21. "Stjarnan hefur samið við Gunnar Nielsen". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  22. "Leikmaður – Gunnar Nielsen". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  23. "Stjarnan gav Gunnari duppultan heiður". Archived from the original on 14 October 2016. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  24. "Alt gekk sum tað skuldi" (in Faroese). Faroe Islands Football Association. 22 March 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  25. "FaroeSoccer – Kappingar". Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  26. "Gunnar Nielsen". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  27. "Leikmaður – Gunnar Nielsen". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  28. "Faroe Islands – G. Nielsen – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  29. "Gunnar Nielsen | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2013/2014 | 2000– | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  30. "Gunnar Nielsen | Football Stats | No Club | Season 2014/2015 | 2000– | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  31. "Leikmaður – Gunnar Nielsen". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  32. "Leikmaður – Gunnar Nielsen". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 17 June 2018.
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