Michael Oliver (footballer, born 1975)

Michael Oliver (born 2 August 1975) is an English former footballer who made 276 appearances in the Football League playing as a midfielder for Stockport County, Darlington and Rochdale in the 1990s and 2000s.[2]

Michael Oliver
Personal information
Full name Michael Oliver[1]
Date of birth (1975-08-02) 2 August 1975[2]
Place of birth Middlesbrough,[2] England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[3]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Middlesbrough
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1994 Middlesbrough 0 (0)
1994–1996 Stockport County 22 (1)
1996–2000 Darlington 151 (14)
2000–2003 Rochdale 103 (9)
2003–2004 Barrow
2004–2005 Spennymoor United
2005 Thornaby
2005 Bishop Auckland
2005–2006 Newcastle Blue Star
2006 Gateshead 8 (0)
2006–20?? Durham City
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Life and career

Oliver was born in Middlesbrough, and began his career in the youth system of Middlesbrough F.C. He turned professional with the club, but his only first-team appearance came on 16 November 1993, as a substitute in the Anglo-Italian Cup against Ancona.[4] In 1994, he signed for Stockport County; the fee was determined by tribunal.[5] He made his Stockport and Football League debut on 28 February 1995, at the age of 19, as a substitute in a 4–0 defeat at Oxford United in the Second Division, and played in 12 of the remaining 14 matches in the 1994–95 season.[6][7] He was used infrequently in his second season,[6] was released at its end, and dropped down two divisions to sign for Darlington.

He settled well at Darlington, where he spent four years, and played at least 40 matches in each season in all competitions.[8] His last game for the club was in the 2000 Third Division play-off final defeat to Peterborough United.[9] When his contract expired, he left the club and signed for another Third Division club, Rochdale.[10] He played regularly for two seasons, but his 2002–03 season was disrupted by injury and by disciplinary issues,[11][12] and he was released at its end.[13]

After leaving Rochdale, Oliver moved into non-league football with Barrow of the Northern Premier League, and went on to play for clubs including Spennymoor United,[14] Thornaby, Bishop Auckland,[15] Newcastle Blue Star,[16] Gateshead,[17] and Durham City.[18]

References
  1. "Michael Oliver". In The Mad Crowd. John Phillips. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  2. "Michael Oliver". Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Players Database. Neil Brown. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  3. Rollin, Glenda, ed. (1997). Playfair Football Annual 1997–98. Headline. p. 44. ISBN 978-0-7472-5644-1.
  4. "Player search: Oliver, M (Michael)". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  5. "Football: Ins and outs in the First Division: Who went where and for how much". The Independent. London. 12 August 1994. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  6. "Michael Oliver". Go Go Go County. I. Watts. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  7. "First team 1994–95 – Football League: Division Two". Go Go Go County. I. Watts. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  8. "Darlington (old) squad details: 1996/97". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 August 2014. Select other seasons via dropdown menu.
  9. "Posh pull it off at Wembley". BBC Sport. 14 September 2004. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  10. Baynes, Ciaran (7 July 2000). "Oliver signs for Dale". Sky Sports. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  11. Ogden, Mark (15 February 2003). "A big gig for the young marble giant-killers". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  12. "Oliver Twist". Manchester Evening News. October 2002. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  13. "Rovers land Hodges". BBC Sport. 12 May 2003. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  14. "Revolving door still turning at Spennymoor". Non-League Daily. 14 September 2004. Archived from the original on 1 October 2004.
  15. "Latest moves". Non-League Daily. 24 October 2005. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012.
  16. "Arngrove Northern League". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle. 3 December 2005. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  17. "Boss Lee to the four in signing swoop". Gateshead F.C. 29 June 2006. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
    "Gateshead F.C. Season 2006/07". Heedarmy Stats. Archived from the original on 27 February 2012.
  18. "Michael Oliver leaves Gateshead". Gateshead F.C. 8 October 2006. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
  • Michael Oliver at Soccerbase . The page merges details for two players of the same name: the statistics up to and including Rochdale are for this Michael Oliver, but the personal details and appearances for Clyde are not.
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