Mel Nurse
Encyclopedia
Melvyn Tudor George Nurse (born 11 October 1937 in Swansea
, Wales
) is a former Wales
international football player. A centre-half
, he played for Swansea City
, Middlesbrough
and Swindon Town
.
, his hometown club, from Manselton Secondary Modern school, at a time when he had already won Schoolboy caps for Wales. At over tall, he quickly made it to Swansea's first team and into the national under-23 side.
Shortly after the Munich air disaster
, Manchester United
offered a fee of £
35,000 for him, but Swansea turned the offer down. Two years later, Middlesbrough
came along, and their offer of £25,000, a club record fee, was accepted. Nurse wanted to remain in Wales, but the club made it clear he had no future there if he refused to move.
After signing for Middlesbrough on a wage of £25 a week, he made his debut against Grimsby Town
in a 4–3 victory. Within a week of joining, he was made captain.
In 1965, Nurse became unsettled after the appointment of new manager Raich Carter
and, with his wife homesick, Middlesbrough placed him on the transfer list. He moved back to the West Country
, joining Swindon Town
.
Nurse played a dozen games for the Welsh national team
, limited by the players of the side, including John Charles
and Mike England
.
. He later joined the board of Swansea City, and ran a country club hotel in the city as part of a property empire.
At the start of the 21st century, Swansea was in crisis, and was seeking a new owner. The difficult times saw 7 players sacked, and in November 2001, Nurse resigned from the board. The following day, he bought the club's £801,000 debt from former owners Ninth Floor plc. On 19 January 2002, Swansea was finally sold, after a bitter stand-off with a consortium headed by Nurse which was supported by the majority of the club's fans.
Mel now runs a B&B Hotel in Swansea called Seahaven Hotel
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
) is a former Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
international football player. A centre-half
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 played for Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
and Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
.
Playing career
Nurse joined Swansea CitySwansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
, his hometown club, from Manselton Secondary Modern school, at a time when he had already won Schoolboy caps for Wales. At over tall, he quickly made it to Swansea's first team and into the national under-23 side.
Shortly after the Munich air disaster
Munich air disaster
The Munich air disaster occurred on 6 February 1958, when British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport in Munich, West Germany. On board the plane was the Manchester United football team, nicknamed the "Busby Babes",...
, Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
offered a fee of £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
35,000 for him, but Swansea turned the offer down. Two years later, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
came along, and their offer of £25,000, a club record fee, was accepted. Nurse wanted to remain in Wales, but the club made it clear he had no future there if he refused to move.
After signing for Middlesbrough on a wage of £25 a week, he made his debut against Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
in a 4–3 victory. Within a week of joining, he was made captain.
In 1965, Nurse became unsettled after the appointment of new manager Raich Carter
Raich Carter
Horatio Stratton "Raich" Carter was one of the greatest English footballers of the pre-war era...
and, with his wife homesick, Middlesbrough placed him on the transfer list. He moved back to the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
, joining Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
.
Nurse played a dozen games for the Welsh national team
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
, limited by the players of the side, including John Charles
John Charles
William John Charles, CBE , commonly known as John Charles, was a Welsh international footballer best remembered for spells with Leeds United and Juventus. Rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Wales, he was equally adept at centre-forward or centre-back...
and Mike England
Mike England
Harold Michael "Mike" England, MBE was a popular Welsh footballer and manager.-Playing career:Born Holywell, Wales, Mike England was a tall commanding centre-half, who could also play effectively as a centre-forward. He played for Blackburn Rovers, Tottenham Hotspur, Cardiff, and for the Wales...
.
Non-playing career
His playing days ended when he broke a leg playing for Merthyr TydfilMerthyr Tydfil F.C.
Merthyr Tydfil Football Club was a Welsh football club based at the Penydarren Park ground in Merthyr Tydfil. In 2010 the club was liquidated and reformed under the name Merthyr Town, which was accepted into Division One of the Western League.-History:...
. He later joined the board of Swansea City, and ran a country club hotel in the city as part of a property empire.
At the start of the 21st century, Swansea was in crisis, and was seeking a new owner. The difficult times saw 7 players sacked, and in November 2001, Nurse resigned from the board. The following day, he bought the club's £801,000 debt from former owners Ninth Floor plc. On 19 January 2002, Swansea was finally sold, after a bitter stand-off with a consortium headed by Nurse which was supported by the majority of the club's fans.
Mel now runs a B&B Hotel in Swansea called Seahaven Hotel