Paul Edwards (footballer born 1980)
Encyclopedia
Paul Edwards is an English
footballer currently playing as a midfielder
for Conference National
side Fleetwood Town
. He has made 254 appearances in the Football League
.
Starting in non-league football, he played for Ashton United
and Curzon Ashton
, before briefly appearing with League club Doncaster Rovers
in 1997. Spells at Knutsford Town and Altrincham
followed, before he was picked up by Swindon Town
in 1999. After three years he moved on to Welsh club Wrexham, before switching to Blackpool
for the 2004–05 season. After two years with Oldham Athletic
, he signed with Port Vale
in summer 2007. After two years with Vale he dropped into the Conference
to play for Barrow
. In 2011 he switched clubs to Fleetwood Town.
, Edwards started his career with Crewe Alexandra
, never making the first team he dropped into non-league football with Ashton United
, Curzon Ashton
, Doncaster Rovers
, Knutsford Town and Altrincham
before he returned to the Football League
with Swindon Town
for the start of the 2001–02 season. After the season finished he signed with Welsh
club Wrexham in June 2002. He spent two seasons at the Racecourse Ground
before rejecting a new contract with the club, instead joining Blackpool
. After 31 games for the Seasiders in the 2004–05 season he joined Oldham Athletic
on a free transfer in May 2005.
Rejecting a new deal at Oldham, Edwards signed with Port Vale
in June 2007. After not making much of an impression at Vale Park
he was placed on the transfer list. After hearing about this he gave an outburst in the Stoke-on-Trent
local newspaper, The Sentinel claiming he was the best player playing at Port Vale. Despite denying the remarks, the following game against AFC Bournemouth
, every time Edwards touched the ball he got booed by a portion of the crowd. Vale lost that game 3–1 but the game after that against Yeovil Town
saw Edwards answer his critics as he scored in a 2–2 draw.
During the build-up to the 2008–09
, Edwards suffered an ankle injury in pre-season that threatened to cut short his Port Vale career. However, after overcoming this he soon found himself back on the bench after a run of superb performances in the reserves. He came on during Vale's 2–1 home defeat to Notts County
and was arguably the best player with his trickery and pace on the left of midfield. He found himself back in the first-team the following week and gave a man-of-the-match performance against Shrewsbury Town
on 11 October 2008 at the New Meadow
, which Vale won 2–1. Following the conclusion of the season he was offered a new contract, but after the appointment of new manager Micky Adams
the offer was withdrawn.
It had been suggested that he will link up again with John Sheridan, his manager at Oldham, now at Chesterfield
. But this came to nothing and after a brief trial with his former club Wrexham in late 2009, he signed for Barrow
in March 2010, and ironically made his debut against Wrexham later in the month. Two months he lifted his first trophy with the club after a 2–1 win
over Stevenage Borough in the FA Trophy
final. At the end of the season the club released left-back Gareth Jelleyman
, with the intention that Edwards would fulfil this role the following season. However the club soon discovered that Edwards had also been offered a trial with Inverness Caledonian Thistle
. Edwards failed to gain a contract in Scotland however, and returned to Barrow just after the start of the 2010–11 season. In May 2011 he was offered a new contract by Barrow, having made a 43 game haul in the 2010–11
campaign.
In June 2011 he signed with Barrow's Conference rivals Fleetwood Town
.
|1997–98||Doncaster Rovers
||Third Division
||9||0||0||0||0||0||9||0
|-
|2001–02||Swindon Town
||Second Division
||20||0||1||1||1||0||22||1
|-
|2002–03||Wrexham||Third Division
||38||4||1||0||2||0||41||4
|-
|2003–04||Wrexham||Second Division
||41||0||0||0||1||0||42||0
|-
|2004–05||Blackpool
||League One
||28||3||1||0||0||0||31||3
|-
|2005–06||Oldham Athletic
||League One
||34||0||2||0||1||0||37||0
|-
|2006–07||Oldham Athletic
||League One
||28||0||3||0||1||0||32||0
|-
|2007–08
||Port Vale
||League One
||25||2||2||0||1||0||28||2
|-
|2008–09
||Port Vale
||League Two
||31||0||2||0||0||0||33||0
|-
|2009–10
||Barrow
||Conference National
||12||0||0||0||0||0||12||0
|-
|2010–11
||Barrow
||Conference National
||43||0||0||0||0||0||43||0
|-
|2011–12
||Fleetwood Town
||Conference National
||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
309||9||12||1||6||0||330||10
309||9||12||1||6||0||330||10
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
footballer currently playing as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
for 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...
side Fleetwood Town
Fleetwood Town F.C.
Fleetwood Town F.C. is an English football club based in Fleetwood, Lancashire. They currently play in the Conference National having been defeated in the Conference National play-off semi-final by AFC Wimbledon in the 2010–11 season.-History:...
. He has made 254 appearances 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...
.
Starting in non-league football, he played for Ashton United
Ashton United F.C.
Ashton United Football Club is an English football club, based in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester.-History:The club was originally founded in 1878 as Hurst F.C. and the earliest known match report dates back to March 1879. By 1880 the club were playing at Hurst Cross, their current ground....
and Curzon Ashton
Curzon Ashton F.C.
Curzon Ashton F.C. are a football club who currently play in the Northern Premier League Division One North. Nicknamed "The Blues", the club play their home games at the Tameside Stadium in Ashton-under-Lyne.-History:...
, before briefly appearing with League club Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
in 1997. Spells at Knutsford Town and Altrincham
Altrincham F.C.
Altrincham Football Club is an English association football club from Altrincham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Conference North, having been relegated from the Conference National at the end of the 2010–11 season.-History:...
followed, before he was picked up by 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...
in 1999. After three years he moved on to Welsh club Wrexham, before switching to Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
for the 2004–05 season. After two years with Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
, he signed with Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
in summer 2007. After two years with Vale he dropped into the Conference
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...
to play for Barrow
Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have...
. In 2011 he switched clubs to Fleetwood Town.
Playing style
In a 2009 interview with Mark Weatherup, printed in the Port Vale match day programme, Edwards described himself as a player who "like[s] to get forward and beat players getting crosses into the box. I used to be a winger but I also play left back and I'm comfortable in either position."Playing career
Born in ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Edwards started his career with Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
, never making the first team he dropped into non-league football with Ashton United
Ashton United F.C.
Ashton United Football Club is an English football club, based in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester.-History:The club was originally founded in 1878 as Hurst F.C. and the earliest known match report dates back to March 1879. By 1880 the club were playing at Hurst Cross, their current ground....
, Curzon Ashton
Curzon Ashton F.C.
Curzon Ashton F.C. are a football club who currently play in the Northern Premier League Division One North. Nicknamed "The Blues", the club play their home games at the Tameside Stadium in Ashton-under-Lyne.-History:...
, Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
, Knutsford Town and Altrincham
Altrincham F.C.
Altrincham Football Club is an English association football club from Altrincham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Conference North, having been relegated from the Conference National at the end of the 2010–11 season.-History:...
before he returned to 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...
with 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...
for the start of the 2001–02 season. After the season finished he signed with Welsh
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...
club Wrexham in June 2002. He spent two seasons at the Racecourse Ground
Racecourse Ground
The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium AKA The Racecourse Ground is a stadium located in Wrexham, North Wales. It is the home of Wrexham F.C. and, since 2010, the Crusaders Rugby League team who play in the engage Super League...
before rejecting a new contract with the club, instead joining Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
. After 31 games for the Seasiders in the 2004–05 season he joined Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
on a free transfer in May 2005.
Rejecting a new deal at Oldham, Edwards signed with Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
in June 2007. After not making much of an impression at Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
he was placed on the transfer list. After hearing about this he gave an outburst in the Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
local newspaper, The Sentinel claiming he was the best player playing at Port Vale. Despite denying the remarks, the following game against AFC Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
, every time Edwards touched the ball he got booed by a portion of the crowd. Vale lost that game 3–1 but the game after that against Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
saw Edwards answer his critics as he scored in a 2–2 draw.
During the build-up to the 2008–09
2008–09 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2008–09 season was Port Vale's ninety-seventh season of football in the Football League, and first season in League Two, following their relegation from League One. After a poor start to the season manager Lee Sinnott was sacked in September, and was replaced by Dean Glover. Despite a brief...
, Edwards suffered an ankle injury in pre-season that threatened to cut short his Port Vale career. However, after overcoming this he soon found himself back on the bench after a run of superb performances in the reserves. He came on during Vale's 2–1 home defeat 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...
and was arguably the best player with his trickery and pace on the left of midfield. He found himself back in the first-team the following week and gave a man-of-the-match performance against Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
on 11 October 2008 at the New Meadow
New Meadow
The New Meadow, also known as the Greenhous Meadow for sponsorship purposes, is the home ground of Shrewsbury Town Football Club and is a UEFA Category Four stadium. The stadium is situated on the southern outskirts of Shrewsbury, England, between the districts of Meole Brace and Sutton Farm...
, which Vale won 2–1. Following the conclusion of the season he was offered a new contract, but after the appointment of new manager Micky Adams
Micky Adams
Michael Richard "Micky" Adams is an English former professional footballer turned football manager who is in charge of League Two side Port Vale. As a player he was a full back, and made a total of 438 league appearances in a nineteen year professional career in the Football League, including five...
the offer was withdrawn.
It had been suggested that he will link up again with John Sheridan, his manager at Oldham, now at Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
. But this came to nothing and after a brief trial with his former club Wrexham in late 2009, he signed for Barrow
Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have...
in March 2010, and ironically made his debut against Wrexham later in the month. Two months he lifted his first trophy with the club after a 2–1 win
2010 FA Trophy Final
The 2010 FA Trophy Final was the 40th final of the Football Association's cup competition for levels 5-8 of the English football league system. The match was contested by Stevenage Borough who won the competition in 2007 and 2009, and Barrow who won the competition in 1990...
over Stevenage Borough in the FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
final. At the end of the season the club released left-back Gareth Jelleyman
Gareth Jelleyman
Gareth Jelleyman is a Welsh footballer who plays as a defender. He has previously played for Peterborough United, Boston United, Mansfield Town, Rushden & Diamonds and Barrow AFC...
, with the intention that Edwards would fulfil this role the following season. However the club soon discovered that Edwards had also been offered a trial with Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club are a Scottish football club from Inverness who compete in the Scottish Premier League. They are currently managed by Terry Butcher and assistant manager Maurice Malpas...
. Edwards failed to gain a contract in Scotland however, and returned to Barrow just after the start of the 2010–11 season. In May 2011 he was offered a new contract by Barrow, having made a 43 game haul in the 2010–11
2010–11 Football Conference
The 2010–11 Football Conference season was the seventh season with the Conference consisting of three divisions and the thirty-second season overall. The Conference covers the top two levels of Non-League football in England. The Conference National is the fifth highest level of the overall...
campaign.
In June 2011 he signed with Barrow's Conference rivals Fleetwood Town
Fleetwood Town F.C.
Fleetwood Town F.C. is an English football club based in Fleetwood, Lancashire. They currently play in the Conference National having been defeated in the Conference National play-off semi-final by AFC Wimbledon in the 2010–11 season.-History:...
.
Statistics
|-|1997–98||Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
||Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
||9||0||0||0||0||0||9||0
|-
|2001–02||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...
||Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||20||0||1||1||1||0||22||1
|-
|2002–03||Wrexham||Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
||38||4||1||0||2||0||41||4
|-
|2003–04||Wrexham||Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||41||0||0||0||1||0||42||0
|-
|2004–05||Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
||League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||28||3||1||0||0||0||31||3
|-
|2005–06||Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
||League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||34||0||2||0||1||0||37||0
|-
|2006–07||Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
||League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||28||0||3||0||1||0||32||0
|-
|2007–08
2007–08 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2007–08 season was Port Vale's ninety-sixth season of football in the Football League, and fourth successive season in League One. Vale finished second-from-bottom, and were relegated, some twelve points from safety. Manager Martin Foyle left the club in September, and Lee Sinnott failed to...
||Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
||League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
||25||2||2||0||1||0||28||2
|-
|2008–09
2008–09 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2008–09 season was Port Vale's ninety-seventh season of football in the Football League, and first season in League Two, following their relegation from League One. After a poor start to the season manager Lee Sinnott was sacked in September, and was replaced by Dean Glover. Despite a brief...
||Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
||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....
||31||0||2||0||0||0||33||0
|-
|2009–10
2009–10 Football Conference
The 2009–10 Football Conference season was the sixth season with the Conference consisting of three divisions, and the thirty-first season overall. The Conference covers the top two levels of Non-League football in England. The Conference National is the fifth highest level of the overall pyramid,...
||Barrow
Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have...
||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...
||12||0||0||0||0||0||12||0
|-
|2010–11
2010–11 Football Conference
The 2010–11 Football Conference season was the seventh season with the Conference consisting of three divisions and the thirty-second season overall. The Conference covers the top two levels of Non-League football in England. The Conference National is the fifth highest level of the overall...
||Barrow
Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have...
||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...
||43||0||0||0||0||0||43||0
|-
|2011–12
2011–12 Football Conference
The 2011–12 Football Conference season will be the eighth season with the Conference consisting of three divisions and the thirty-third season overall. The Conference covers the top two levels of Non-League football in England. The Conference National is the fifth highest level of the overall...
||Fleetwood Town
Fleetwood Town F.C.
Fleetwood Town F.C. is an English football club based in Fleetwood, Lancashire. They currently play in the Conference National having been defeated in the Conference National play-off semi-final by AFC Wimbledon in the 2010–11 season.-History:...
||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...
||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0
|-
309||9||12||1||6||0||330||10
309||9||12||1||6||0||330||10
- Career stats between 1998 and 2001 not known.