Nicki Paterson
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Stephen "Nicki" Paterson (born January 19, 1985 in Lanark
) is a Scottish
footballer currently playing for Charleston Battery
in the USL Professional Division.
, and was a member of the academy at storied Scottish football club Motherwell
, before signing a professional deal with Hamilton Academical in 2002. He made his professional debut on August 3, 2002 in a Scottish Second Division game against Cowdenbeath as a 17-year old. He went on to play six league and three Scottish League Cup
games for Hamilton over the next two seasons, usually from the substitute's bench, before leaving at the end of the 2003/2004 season.
for the UNLV Rebels, earning Second Team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honors as a sophomore in 2006. During his college years Paterson also played two seasons for Des Moines Menace
in the USL Premier Development League
.
of the USL Second Division
. He made his debut for Harrisburg on April 18, 2009 in Harrisburg's 2-2 opening day tie with the Richmond Kickers
.
After playing for USL-2 club Real Maryland Monarchs
in 2010, Paterson transferred up a division to USSF Division 2 club AC St. Louis
. However, after only a few days at the club it emerged that Paterson could not extend his current visa and had to return to the UK with an option to sign with AC St. Louis next season.
Paterson signed for Scottish Third Division side Clyde
in September 2010, and played his first game for the team on September 25, an 8-1 loss to Montrose. He scored his first goal for the Bully Wee on October 16 in a 3-2 loss to Arbroath.
Paterson signed a contract on January 21, 2011 to play the 2011 season for Charleston Battery
in the American Third Division USL Pro
league. However, due to visa issues, Paterson continued to play for Clyde, until March 2011.
Lanark
Lanark is a small town in the central belt of Scotland. Its population of 8,253 makes it the 100th largest settlement in Scotland. The name is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning "clear space, glade"....
) is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
footballer currently playing for Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery is an American professional soccer team based in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in the USL Professional Division.
Early career in Scotland
Paterson grew up in MotherwellMotherwell
Motherwell is a town and former burgh in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, south east of Glasgow. The name "Moderwelt" appears on a map of Lanarkshire made by Timothy Pont some time between 1583 and 1611 and printed in the Netherlands in around 1652, although the settlement was probably little more...
, and was a member of the academy at storied Scottish football club Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
, before signing a professional deal with Hamilton Academical in 2002. He made his professional debut on August 3, 2002 in a Scottish Second Division game against Cowdenbeath as a 17-year old. He went on to play six league and three Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
games for Hamilton over the next two seasons, usually from the substitute's bench, before leaving at the end of the 2003/2004 season.
College and amateur
Paterson moved to the United States in 2005 after being offered a college scholarship by the University of Nevada Las Vegas. He played four years of college soccerCollege soccer
College soccer is a term used to describe association football played by teams who are operated by colleges and universities as opposed to a professional league operated for exclusively financial purposes...
for the UNLV Rebels, earning Second Team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honors as a sophomore in 2006. During his college years Paterson also played two seasons for Des Moines Menace
Des Moines Menace
Des Moines Menace is an American soccer team based in Des Moines, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Heartland Division of the Central Conference.The team plays its home games at Valley...
in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.
Professional
Paterson returned to the professional ranks in 2009 when he was signed by the Harrisburg City IslandersHarrisburg City Islanders
Harrisburg City Islanders is an American professional soccer team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 2004, the team plays in the National Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
of the USL Second Division
USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues league pyramid...
. He made his debut for Harrisburg on April 18, 2009 in Harrisburg's 2-2 opening day tie with the Richmond Kickers
Richmond Kickers
The Richmond Kickers are an American professional soccer club based in Richmond, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.
After playing for USL-2 club Real Maryland Monarchs
Real Maryland Monarchs
Real Maryland F.C., commonly known as the Real Maryland Monarchs, is an American soccer team based in Rockville, Maryland, United States...
in 2010, Paterson transferred up a division to USSF Division 2 club AC St. Louis
AC St. Louis
Athletic Club of St. Louis, commonly referred to as AC St. Louis, was an American professional soccer team based in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in December 2009, the team played its first and only season the next year in the NASL Conference of the temporary USSF D2 Pro League, the...
. However, after only a few days at the club it emerged that Paterson could not extend his current visa and had to return to the UK with an option to sign with AC St. Louis next season.
Paterson signed for Scottish Third Division side Clyde
Clyde F.C.
Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Although based for the last fifteen years in the new town of Cumbernauld, they are traditionally associated with an area that covers Rutherglen in South...
in September 2010, and played his first game for the team on September 25, an 8-1 loss to Montrose. He scored his first goal for the Bully Wee on October 16 in a 3-2 loss to Arbroath.
Paterson signed a contract on January 21, 2011 to play the 2011 season for Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery is an American professional soccer team based in Charleston, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1993, the team plays in the American Division of the new USL Professional Division, the third tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in the American Third Division USL Pro
USL Pro
The USL Professional Division, commonly known as USL Pro , is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011....
league. However, due to visa issues, Paterson continued to play for Clyde, until March 2011.