Dan Preston
Encyclopedia
Daniel Sean "Dan" Preston (born 26 September 1991) is an English footballer who plays for AFC Telford United. A centre half
, he made his debut for Birmingham City
in the League Cup
in September 2009, and his first appearance in the Football League
while on loan to Hereford United
in February 2010. After he was released by Birmingham at the end of the 2010–11 season, he joined AFC Telford United.
district of Birmingham
where he attended St Thomas Aquinas School
. In his final year he helped the school football team to victory in the final of the 2008 Birmingham City Cup. His stepbrothers James and Mitchell McPike are both footballers: James had a professional contract with Birmingham City
before moving into non-League football
, and, as of the 2009–10 season, Mitchell was a first-year professional with the club and had played for England at under-17 level
.
in 2002. He played in Birmingham's under-18 team which reached the semi-final of the 2008–09 FA Youth Cup, in which they lost 6–1 on aggregate to their Liverpool
counterparts.
Included in the squads for first-team pre-season friendlies
, Preston injured a medial knee ligament
playing for a reserve XI
against Tamworth
. Following an injury crisis, Preston, still in the second year of his academy scholarship, was given a squad number
and made his first-team debut on 22 September 2009 as a second-half substitute in the League Cup
third-round match at Sunderland
, replacing the injured Stuart Parnaby
in the 79th minute; he received a yellow card in stoppage time.
To gain first-team experience, Preston joined League Two
club Hereford United
on a month's loan on 26 February 2010. He went straight into the starting eleven for the following day's visit to Notts County
, which ended in a 5–0 defeat as goalkeeper Chris Adamson
and defender Paul Downing
were sent off and Preston himself was booked. After three more League Two appearances, the loan was extended for a second month. Preston returned to Birmingham at the end of his second month without making any more first-team appearances for Hereford.
He rejoined Hereford on a Football League youth loan – an arrangement which allows the player to train with and play non-first-team matches for his parent club when not required by the loaning club – in January 2011 until the end of the season. He failed to make a first-team appearance and the loan was ended on 12 April. He was released when his contract expired at the end of the 2010–11 season.
Preston joined Conference National
club AFC Telford United in July 2011.
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
, he made his debut for Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
in September 2009, and his first appearance in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
while on loan to Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
in February 2010. After he was released by Birmingham at the end of the 2010–11 season, he joined AFC Telford United.
Personal life
Preston was brought up in the Kings NortonKings Norton
Kings Norton is an area of Birmingham, England. It is also a Birmingham City Council ward within the formal district of Northfield.-History:...
district of Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
where he attended St Thomas Aquinas School
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, Birmingham
St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School is a mixed Catholic secondary school in Kings Norton, Birmingham, England that specialises in mathematics and computing. The school, which is part of the Birmingham Catholic Partnership, consists of key stage three , key stage four and a Sixth form college...
. In his final year he helped the school football team to victory in the final of the 2008 Birmingham City Cup. His stepbrothers James and Mitchell McPike are both footballers: James had a professional contract with Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
before moving into non-League football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
, and, as of the 2009–10 season, Mitchell was a first-year professional with the club and had played for England at under-17 level
England national under-17 football team
-Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round....
.
Playing career
Preston joined Birmingham City's youth academyBirmingham City F.C. Reserves and Academy
Birmingham City F.C. Reserves and Academy are the reserve team and the youth development system respectively of Birmingham City Football Club. The reserve team, established in 1879, played in the Premier Reserve League South in the 2009–10 season but have not entered a league since...
in 2002. He played in Birmingham's under-18 team which reached the semi-final of the 2008–09 FA Youth Cup, in which they lost 6–1 on aggregate to their Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
counterparts.
Included in the squads for first-team pre-season friendlies
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
, Preston injured a medial knee ligament
Medial collateral ligament
The medial collateral ligament of the knee is one of the four major ligaments of the knee. It is on the medial side of the knee joint in humans and other primates. It is also known as the tibial collateral ligament, or abbreviated as the MCL.- Structure :It is a broad, flat, membranous band,...
playing for a reserve XI
Reserve team
Large professional sports clubs often have far more players under contract than could possibly play in a match. As a result, many of these clubs create second teams composed of players who need playing time, but have little hope of playing on the first team. The players on this second team are...
against Tamworth
Tamworth F.C.
Tamworth Football Club are an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Tamworth, Staffordshire. Nicknamed 'The Lambs', they are currently members of the Conference National, the fifth highest tier in the English league system....
. Following an injury crisis, Preston, still in the second year of his academy scholarship, was given a squad number
Squad number
In team sports, the squad number, shirt number, jersey number, sweater number, uniform number or simply a number is the number worn on a player's uniform, to identify and distinguish each player from others wearing the same or similar uniforms...
and made his first-team debut on 22 September 2009 as a second-half substitute in the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
third-round match at Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
, replacing the injured Stuart Parnaby
Stuart Parnaby
Stuart Parnaby is an English footballer who plays as a right back.Parnaby graduated from Middlesbrough F.C.'s Academy, which was run by his father, Dave. He went on to make more than 100 appearances for Middlesbrough's first team before joining Birmingham City in 2007...
in the 79th minute; he received a yellow card in stoppage time.
To gain first-team experience, Preston joined League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
club Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
on a month's loan on 26 February 2010. He went straight into the starting eleven for the following day's visit to Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
, which ended in a 5–0 defeat as goalkeeper Chris Adamson
Chris Adamson
Christopher "Chris" Adamson is an English football goalkeeper who was a player and coach for Hereford United but was released in May 2010. Adamson is currently training with Boston United and played 80 minutes of their 3-1 friendly win over Belper Town on 31 July 2010...
and defender Paul Downing
Paul Downing (footballer)
Paul Michael Downing is an English footballer who plays for West Bromwich Albion as a defender.-External links:*, www.wba.co.uk...
were sent off and Preston himself was booked. After three more League Two appearances, the loan was extended for a second month. Preston returned to Birmingham at the end of his second month without making any more first-team appearances for Hereford.
He rejoined Hereford on a Football League youth loan – an arrangement which allows the player to train with and play non-first-team matches for his parent club when not required by the loaning club – in January 2011 until the end of the season. He failed to make a first-team appearance and the loan was ended on 12 April. He was released when his contract expired at the end of the 2010–11 season.
Preston joined Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
club AFC Telford United in July 2011.
External links
- Profile at Birmingham City F.C.