Adam Miller (footballer, born 1982)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Adam Miller

| image = AdamMillerGills.jpg

| caption = Miller with Gillingham in 2009

| image_size =

| alt = A man wearing a black t-shirt and blue shorts standing on a grass pitch, with a spherical football ball next to one of his feet.

| fullname = Adam Edward Miller{{cite book | editor-last = Hugman | editor-first = Barry J. | title = The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2008–09 | publisher = Mainstream | year = 2008 | isbn = 978-1-84596-324-8}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1982|2|19}}

| birth_place = Hemel Hempstead, England

| height = 1.80 m

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1=

| youthclubs1=

| years1 = 1999–2000

| years2 = 2000–2002

| years3 = 2002–2003

| years4 = 2003

| years5 = 2003–2004

| years6 = 2004–2006

| years7 = 2005

| years8 = 2006–2008

| years9 = 2007–2008

| years10 = 2008–2010

| years11 = 2009–2010

| years12 = 2010–2012

| clubs1 = Ipswich Town

| clubs2 = Canvey Island

| clubs3 = Grays Athletic

| clubs4 = Gravesend & Northfleet

| clubs5 = Aldershot Town

| clubs6 = Queens Park Rangers

| clubs7 = → Peterborough United (loan)

| clubs8 = Stevenage Borough

| clubs9 = → Gillingham (loan)

| clubs10 = Gillingham

| clubs11 = → Dagenham & Redbridge (loan)

| clubs12 = Cambridge United

| caps1 = 0

| goals1 = 0

| caps2 = 59

| goals2 = 9

| caps3 = 26

| goals3 = 6

| caps4 = 4

| goals4 = 1

| caps5 = 38

| goals5 = 9

| caps6 = 15

| goals6 = 0

| caps7 = 2

| goals7 = 0

| caps8 = 59

| goals8 = 11

| caps9 = 7

| goals9 = 2

| caps10 = 82

| goals10 = 11

| caps11 = 8

| goals11 = 0

| caps12 = 5

| goals12 = 0

| totalcaps = 305

| totalgoals = 49

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalyears2 = 2004

| nationalteam1 = Northern Ireland U18

| nationalteam2 = England National Game XI

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| nationalcaps2 = 1

| nationalgoals2 = 0

}}

Adam Edward Miller (born 19 February 1982) is a retired footballer. He began his career with Ipswich Town but failed to make the first team and played for several non-league teams before joining Queens Park Rangers, where he made his Football League debut in December 2004. He later joined Stevenage Borough, but followed manager Mark Stimson to Gillingham in late 2007. He represented the England National Game XI and played at Wembley Stadium in the final of the FA Trophy.

Early life

Miller was born in Hemel Hempstead, but grew up in the Monkwick district of Colchester, where his family still lived as of 2004. He attended The Stanway School in the town.{{cite news|publisher=Chelmsford Weekly News|title=Soccer: Miller's living the dream|date=10 December 2004}}{{cite news|publisher=Chelmsford Weekly News|title=Soccer: Miller eyes a cup shock|date=13 November 2003}} At the age of 16 he joined Ipswich Town as a trainee.{{cite web|url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=5634 |publisher=Non League Daily |title=Ryman clubs swap players |date=26 August 2002 |access-date=22 April 2008 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604054217/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=5634 |archive-date=4 June 2012 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.tmwmtt.com/sql/players/profile.phtml?fullname=Adam%20Miller|publisher=Pride of Anglia|title=Adam Miller|access-date=22 April 2008}} At around the same time he was called up to represent Northern Ireland at under-18 level, qualifying by virtue of the fact that his maternal grandfather was born in the country.{{cite news|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/adam-millerrsquos-delight-at-grabbing-gillingham--goal-14746133.html|work=Belfast Telegraph|title=Adam Miller's delight at grabbing Gillingham goal|access-date=10 October 2010|date=29 March 2010}}

Career

=Canvey Island=

Miller proved unable to break into Ipswich's first team and was permitted to undertake a trial with Southend United in August 2000. He played for the Essex club's reserve team,{{cite news|publisher=Braintree and Witham Times|title=Soccer: Late mistake costs Blues' reserves|date=31 August 2000}} which led to him being offered a professional contract, but Alan Little was dismissed as the club's manager shortly afterwards, and the offer of a contract was withdrawn.{{cite news|publisher=Basildon Recorder|title=Soccer: Mixed views of Gulls-Blues clash|date=3 August 2001}} In October 2000, Miller was released from his contract at Ipswich and dropped into non-league football, joining Canvey Island of the Isthmian League. In the 2000–01 season he made 36 appearances for the "Gulls" and helped the team reach the final of the FA Trophy, although he was an unused substitute for Canvey's victory over Forest Green Rovers in the final.{{cite web|url=http://www.canveyfc.com/2000/statistics.htm|title=Canvey Statistics at a Glance (2000–01)|publisher=Canvey Island F.C.|access-date=22 April 2008}}{{cite web|url=http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=355647|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911102554/http://www.soccerbase.com/results3.sd?gameid=355647|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 September 2012|publisher=Soccerbase|title=FA Trophy Final 2000–01|access-date=22 April 2008}} The following season, he was a key member of the team that finished second in the Isthmian League Premier Division, playing 48 times in total.{{cite web|url=http://www.canveyfc.com/2001/statistics.htm|title=Canvey Statistics at a Glance (2001–02)|publisher=Canvey Island F.C.|access-date=22 April 2008}}

=Grays Athletic and Aldershot Town=

In August 2002, after two final games for Canvey,{{cite web|url=http://www.canveyfc.com/2002/statistics.htm|title=Canvey Statistics at a Glance (2002–03)|publisher=Canvey Island F.C.|access-date=22 April 2008}} he moved to Grays Athletic in a swap deal which saw Jeff Minton go in the opposite direction. Although he played 26 times for Grays in the 2002–03 season, scoring six goals,{{cite web|url=http://soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2002/player_details.php?playerid=3292|title=Player Details: Season 2002–2003: Adam Miller|publisher=soccerfactsuk|access-date=23 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724120808/http://soccerfactsuk.co.uk/s2002/player_details.php?playerid=3292|archive-date=24 July 2011|url-status=dead}} he was made available for transfer at the end of the season.{{cite web|url=http://www.graysathletic.co.uk/news/archives/2003/05/index.html|publisher=Grays Athletic F.C.|title=News & features archive – May 2003|access-date=23 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030707190406/http://www.graysathletic.co.uk/news/archives/2003/05/index.html |archive-date=7 July 2003}} He joined Gravesend & Northfleet in September 2003,{{cite book|title=Non-League Club Directory 2007|first=Mike|last=Williams|author2=Tony Williams|year=2007|publisher=Tony Williams Publications Ltd|id=1-8698-3355-4|page=144}} but played just four games for the club before moving on to Aldershot Town a month later.{{cite web|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=28802&season_id=133|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910101558/http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=28802&seasonid=133|url-status=live|archive-date=10 September 2012|publisher=Soccerbase|title=Games played by Adam Miller in 2003/2004|access-date=23 April 2008}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aldershot/3207572.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Shots make double swoop |access-date=22 April 2008|date=20 October 2003}} His form at Aldershot won him The Non-League Paper's Young Player of the Year award for the 2003–04 season,{{cite web|url=http://www.chester-city.co.uk/may04news.asp|publisher=Chester City F.C.|title=News from Deva Stadium 2004 |access-date=22 April 2008|date=30 May 2004}} and also led to a call-up to the England National Game XI in February 2004, although it was to be his only cap for the semi-professional national team.{{cite book|title=Non-League Club Directory 2007|last=Williams|page=859}} In November 2004, Miller played for Aldershot against the reserve team of Queens Park Rangers, the team he had supported since childhood.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/low/football/teams/q/qpr/4015597.stm|publisher=BBC|title=QPR sign Shots midfielder Miller|access-date=22 April 2008|date=16 November 2004}}

=Queens Park Rangers=

Rangers manager Ian Holloway, who had received promising reports about Miller from scouts, was sufficiently impressed to sign the player after watching him in person.{{cite web|url=http://www.aldershot.co.uk/sport/26/26334/its_miller_time|publisher=Aldershot News and Mail|title=It's Miller time!|access-date=23 April 2008|date=27 January 2005}} Although the exact amount was undisclosed, the transfer fee was the highest ever received by Aldershot Town.{{cite web|url=http://www.farnborough.co.uk/sport/26/26154/miller_bids_fond_farewell_to_shots|publisher=Farnborough News and Mail|title=Miller bids fond farewell to Shots|access-date=23 April 2008|date=16 November 2004|archive-date=13 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713152920/https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/all-about/farnborough|url-status=dead}} Miller made his Football League debut on 4 December 2004 in a 2–1 defeat to Nottingham Forest, and played in more than half of the team's remaining league matches that season.{{cite web|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=28802&season_id=134|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911064614/http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=28802&seasonid=134|url-status=live|archive-date=11 September 2012|publisher=Soccerbase|title=Games played by Adam Miller in 2004/2005|access-date=23 April 2008}} By late September 2005, he had made just one league appearances since the start of the season, and was sent to Peterborough United on what was originally intended to be a three-month loan.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/peterborough_united/4271476.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Posh beat Millers to sign Miller |access-date=22 April 2008|date=22 September 2005}} A month later he was recalled to Loftus Road,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/peterborough_united/4376438.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Peterborough extend Hand's loan |access-date=22 April 2008|date=25 October 2005}} but he was not to feature again in the Rangers team.{{cite web|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=28802&season_id=135|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130202113333/http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=28802&seasonid=135|url-status=live|archive-date=2 February 2013|publisher=Soccerbase|title=Games played by Adam Miller in 2005/2006|access-date=23 April 2008}}

=Stevenage=

In January 2006, he had a brief trial with Oxford United but the following week he joined Stevenage Borough of the Conference National, initially on an 18-month contract.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stevenage/4642560.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Stevenage swoop for QPR's Miller |access-date=22 April 2008|date=24 January 2006}}

Miller featured regularly for Stevenage,{{cite web|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=28802|publisher=Soccerbase|title=Adam Miller – All time playing career |access-date=22 July 2010}} and was in the starting line-up for the 2007 FA Trophy final, the first competitive match at the new Wembley Stadium, in which Borough came back from two goals down to beat Kidderminster Harriers and win the Trophy.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6649807.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Kidderminster 2–3 Stevenage |access-date=22 April 2008|date=12 May 2008|author=Ian Hughes}}

=Gillingham=

Stevenage manager, Mark Stimson, was appointed as the new manager of Gillingham in November 2007,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/7073636.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Gills unveil Stimson as new boss |access-date=22 April 2008|date=1 November 2007}} and quickly moved to sign Miller and his teammate John Nutter on loan.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/7105653.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Gillingham capture Stevenage pair|access-date=22 April 2008|date=23 November 2007}} Miller made his debut for the Kent club in the 2–1 home win over Hartlepool United on 24 November 2007,{{cite web|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=28802&season_id=137|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120910045246/http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=28802&seasonid=137|url-status=live|archive-date=10 September 2012|publisher=Soccerbase|title=Games played by Adam Miller in 2007/2008|access-date=23 April 2008}} and signed a permanent contract in January 2008, set to keep him at the club until 2010.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/7171859.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Miller & Nutter make Gills switch|access-date=22 April 2008|date=4 January 2008}} During the team's ultimately unsuccessful struggle to avoid relegation from League One in the 2007–08 season, Miller was identified as a key player and singled out for praise by Stimson, who said "If eight players play like Adam Miller we won't be in this position but if we've only got one or two we will be".{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/7285733.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Time to do the basics – Stimson|access-date=23 April 2008|date=9 March 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080313023953/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/7285733.stm| archive-date= 13 March 2008 | url-status= live}}

The following season, he remained a regular selection in Stimson's team, acting as captain in Barry Fuller's absence,{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} but injury kept him out of the team at the end of the season as Gillingham clinched a place in, and ultimately promotion through, the play-offs.

In the 2009–10 season, however, he failed to hold down a regular place in the team, and in November 2009 went to Dagenham & Redbridge on a one-month loan.{{cite web|url=http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10416~1871921,00.html |publisher=Gillingham F.C. |title=Miller joins the Daggers |access-date=10 November 2009 |date=10 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326110710/http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10416~1871921%2C00.html |archive-date=26 March 2012 }} Miller's debut for Dagenham came on 14 November in a 1–0 away win against Accrington Stanley.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/8328175.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Accrington Stanley 0 – 1 Dag & Red|access-date=16 November 2009|date=14 November 2009| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091117103106/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_3/8328175.stm| archive-date= 17 November 2009 | url-status= live}} He returned to Gillingham at the end of his loan spell, but Stimson announced that the club was considering paying off the remainder of the player's contract.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/8459272.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Gillingham look to pay off Adam Miller|access-date=19 January 2010|date=14 January 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100117023825/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/gillingham/8459272.stm| archive-date= 17 January 2010 | url-status= live}} Despite this, Miller played regularly during the remainder of the 2009–10 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=28802&season_id=139|title=Games played by Adam Miller in 2009/2010|access-date=23 May 2010}}

=Cambridge United and retirement=

At the end of the season he left Gillingham and joined Cambridge United.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cambridge_utd/8757044.stm|title=Midfielder Adam Miller makes Cambridge move|date=23 June 2010|access-date=23 June 2010|publisher=BBC| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100626101047/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cambridge_utd/8757044.stm| archive-date= 26 June 2010 | url-status= live}} Miller played several times at the start of the 2010–11 campaign, but was seriously injured in early September against Eastbourne Borough.{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cambridge_utd/9106412.stm|publisher=BBC|title=Cambridge United's Miller positive following surgery|date=19 October 2010|access-date=7 August 2011}} Two years later, he announced his retirement from football as a result of the injury.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19555605|title=Cambridge's Adam Miller retires after long fitness battle|publisher=BBC|date=11 September 2012|access-date=11 September 2012}} He subsequently set up a company leasing luxury cars to other footballers.{{cite news|title=Hugh'd do very well to follow Mac's lead|work=The Non-League Paper|date=23 September 2012|first=Stuart|last=Hammond}}

Honours

FA Trophy: 2001, 2007

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20081010155341/http://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0%2C%2C10416~21673%2C00.html Adam Miller player profile] at gillinghamfootballclub.com
{{Soccerbase}}

Category:1982 births

Category:Aldershot Town F.C. players

Category:Men's association football midfielders

Category:Men's association footballers from Northern Ireland

Category:Cambridge United F.C. players

Category:Canvey Island F.C. players

Category:Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. players

Category:Ebbsfleet United F.C. players

Category:England men's semi-pro international footballers

Category:English men's footballers

Category:English people of Northern Ireland descent

Category:National League (English football) players