Greg Draper

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Greg Draper

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Gregory Alexander Draper{{Cite web |title=FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 – List of Players |url=http://www.fifadata.com/document/FWYC/2007/pdf/FWYC_2007_SquadLists.pdf |publisher=FIFA |page=15 |date=5 July 2007 |access-date=18 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231000046/http://www.fifadata.com/document/FWYC/2007/pdf/FWYC_2007_SquadLists.pdf |archive-date=31 December 2013}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1989|8|13}}

| birth_place = Chard, England

| height = 1.91m

| position = Striker

| currentclub = The New Saints under-21s (player-coach)

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Ferrymead Bays

| years1 = 2006–2007

| years2 = 2007–2009

| years3 = 2009

| years4 = 2009–2010

| years5 = 2010–2011

| years6 = 2011–2021

| years7 = 2021–2022

| years8 = 2022–

| clubs1 = Canterbury United

| clubs2 = Wellington Phoenix

| clubs3 = Melbourne Knights

| clubs4 = Team Wellington

| clubs5 = Basingstoke Town

| clubs6 = The New Saints{{Soccerway|17653}}

| clubs7 = Guilsfield

| clubs8 = The New Saints under-21s

| caps1 = 14

| caps2 = 2

| caps3 = 20

| caps4 = 16

| caps5 = 28

| caps6 = 252

| caps7 = 9

| caps8 = 8

| goals1 = 4

| goals2 = 0

| goals3 = 8

| goals4 = 10

| goals5 = 15

| goals6 = 163

| goals7 = 4

| goals8 = 20

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalyears2 = 2007

| nationalyears3 = 2008–2012

| nationalyears4 = 2008

| nationalteam1 = New Zealand U17

| nationalteam2 = New Zealand U20

| nationalteam3 = New Zealand U23

| nationalteam4 = New Zealand

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalcaps2 = 5

| nationalcaps3 = 6

| nationalcaps4 = 1

| nationalgoals1 =

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalgoals3 = 3

| nationalgoals4 = 0

| pcupdate = 13:07, 26 July 2021 (UTC)

| ntupdate = 19:52, 24 March 2012 (UTC)

}}

Gregory Alexander Draper (born 13 August 1989) is an English-born New Zealand footballer and coach who is currently a player-coach with The New Saints under-21s.

Early life

Draper was born and raised in Chard, Somerset, before his parents decided to emigrate to Christchurch in New Zealand when he was 12 years old.{{cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/anzacs-abroad-a-qa-with-greg-draper-the-kiwi-wizard-of-welsh-football/ |title= A Q&A with Greg Draper – the Kiwi Wizard of Welsh Football |publisher=Vice Sports |author=Ben Stanley |date=1 May 2017 |access-date=18 July 2017}}

Club career

Having begun playing youth football at the age of ten, Draper joined Canterbury United shortly after moving to New Zealand. Having played for a number of clubs in Australia and New Zealand, Draper joined English non-league club Basingstoke Town in August 2010{{cite web|url=http://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/sport/8312378.Town_close_in_on_signing_of_an_international_striker/|title=Town close in on signing of an international striker|publisher=Basingstoke Gazette|date=8 August 2010|access-date=17 June 2011}} and made his competitive debut for the club on 17 August against St. Albans.{{cite web|url=http://www.basingstokegazette.co.uk/sport/8338953.Striker_is_a_big_hit_with_boss/|title=Striker is a big hit with boss|publisher=Basingstoke Gazette|date=20 August 2010|access-date=17 June 2011}}

In June 2011 he joined The New Saints{{cite web|url=http://www.saints-alive.co.uk/index.php/component/content/article/42-rokstories/912-kiwi-international-striker-greg-signs-for-the-saints|title=Kiwi international striker Greg signs for the Saints|publisher=The New Saints FC|date=17 June 2011|access-date=17 June 2011}} making his debut for the club on 18 June in a pre-season friendly against Cliftonville.{{cite news|url=http://www.saints-alive.co.uk/index.php/component/content/article/42-rokstories/913-saints-fall-to-stoppage-time-winner|title=Saints fall to stoppage time winner|work=The New Saints FC|date=18 June 2011|access-date=18 June 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629181036/http://www.saints-alive.co.uk/index.php/component/content/article/42-rokstories/913-saints-fall-to-stoppage-time-winner|archive-date=29 June 2011}} His competitive debut came on 30 June against the same team in a Europa League first qualifying round match, where he was a 74th-minute substitute.{{cite news|url=http://www.saints-alive.co.uk/tpl/matchdetails.php?id=1383|title=New Saints 1–1 Cliftonville|work=The New Saints FC|date=30 June 2011|access-date=16 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120324172119/http://www.saints-alive.co.uk/tpl/matchdetails.php?id=1383|archive-date=24 March 2012}} He scored his first competitive goal for his new club on 3 September in a Welsh Premier League game against Llanelli where he scored the only goal of the game.{{cite news |url=http://www.welsh-premier.com/matchdetail.php?mid=2426 |title=Draper fires Saints to important win |work=www.welsh-premier.com |date=3 September 2011|access-date=4 September 2011}}

His rich vein of form led to him being awarded the Welsh Premier League player of the month for February 2012.{{cite news |url=http://welsh-premier.com/index.php/headline-news/4423-oleary-and-draper-win-latest-awards |title=O'Leary and Draper win latest awards |work=www.welsh-premier.com |date=12 March 2012 |access-date=15 March 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121203081818/http://welsh-premier.com/index.php/headline-news/4423-oleary-and-draper-win-latest-awards |archive-date=3 December 2012 |url-status=dead }} He finished the season as the club's top scorer and was awarded the club's player of the season award.{{cite news |url=http://www.saints-alive.co.uk/index.php/component/content/article/42-rokstories/1110-greg-and-tom-scoop-player-awards|title=Greg and Tom scoop player awards |work=The New Saints |date=1 May 2012|access-date=2 May 2012}}

In the 2017–18 season, Draper won the Welsh Premier League golden boot for finishing as the league's top goalscorer with 22 goals.{{cite web |url=http://www.countytimes.co.uk/sport/16207116.Golden_boot_Draper_scoops_top_accolades/ |title=Golden boot Draper scoops top accolades |publisher=Powys County Times |author=Gavin Grosvenor |date=5 May 2018 |access-date=6 May 2018}} He repeated the feat the following year, scoring a career high 27 goals.{{cite news |url=https://www.wpl.cymru/news/Late-drama-rounds-off-201819-Season/118243/ |title=Late drama rounds off 2018/19 Season |publisher=Welsh Premier League |date=26 April 2019 |access-date=27 April 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48893420|title=Champions League: More goals than Messi, but that's not enough for Draper|date=8 July 2019|website=BBC Sport|access-date=27 August 2019}}

In May 2019 he signed a two-year contract extension with the club./www.tnsfc.co.uk/2019/05/09/greg-draper-signs-new-deal-with-the-champions-of-wales/ Draper was released by the club at the end of the 2020–21 season.{{Cite web|url=https://clwbpeldroed.org/2021/06/01/greg-draper-simon-spender-new-saints-2/|title=Greg Draper and Simon Spender among eight released by Saints|date=June 2021}}

In June 2021, Draper dropped down a division to join Cymru North side Guilsfield.{{cite tweet|number=1404861553422241804|user=GUILS1957|title=SIGNING 🔴⚫ We are delighted to announce the signing of ex Welsh Premier league and TNS legend Greg Draper! Greg ha… |date=15 June 2021}}

International career

He represented New Zealand national football team in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada.[http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/D/DR.html Australian Players Database]

Draper was included in the New Zealand squad for the football tournament at the Summer Olympics in Beijing.{{cite news|title=Olympic Football Squads Named |url=http://www.olympic.org.nz/Article.aspx?Mode=1&ID=6019 |publisher=New Zealand Olympic Committee |date=4 July 2008 |access-date=4 July 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705171737/http://www.olympic.org.nz/Article.aspx?Mode=1&ID=6019 |archive-date=5 July 2008 }} He played in New Zealand's group matches against Brazil (0–5) and Belgium (0–1).{{Cite web|url=http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/mensolympic/beijing2008/teams/team=1889829/squadlist.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111112819/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/mensolympic/beijing2008/teams/team=1889829/squadlist.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 November 2012|title=Olympic Football Tournaments Beijing 2008 - New Zealand - Squad List|website=FIFA.com}}

His senior international debut for the All Whites came in 2008 in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Fiji.{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=271882/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024200445/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=271882/|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 October 2012|title=Greg Draper FIFA Player Statistics|publisher=FIFA|access-date=26 March 2012}}

He was called up March 2012 for the 2012 Olympic qualifiers{{cite news |url=http://welsh-premier.com/index.php/headline-news/4422-draper-jets-off-for-kiwis-olympic-bid |title=Draper jets off for Kiwi's Olympic bid |work=www.welsh-premier.com |date=15 March 2012 |access-date=15 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320173430/http://welsh-premier.com/index.php/headline-news/4422-draper-jets-off-for-kiwis-olympic-bid |archive-date=20 March 2014 |url-status=dead }} and scored his first international goal in New Zealand's second group match against Tonga. Draper scored the only goal in the final{{cite web|url=http://210.48.80.94/OFC/Portals/0/Images/Articles/MOQ%202012%20Final%20FIJ%20v%20NZL.pdf|title=Match report: Fiji 0 – 1 New Zealand|work=OFC|date=25 March 2012|access-date=26 March 2012|type=PDF|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329074553/http://210.48.80.94/OFC/Portals/0/Images/Articles/MOQ%202012%20Final%20FIJ%20v%20NZL.pdf|archive-date=29 March 2012}} to qualify New Zealand for the 2012 Olympic Games in Great Britain. He finished the qualifying tournament with three goals in four games. He was shortlisted for the final squad for the tournament.

Honours

;The New Saints

Welsh Premier League (9): 2011–12,{{cite news|title=Welsh Cup final: Cefn Druids 0–2 The New Saints|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17957364|access-date=5 May 2012|newspaper=BBC|date=5 May 2012}} 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
Welsh Cup (5): 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2018–19
Welsh League Cup (4): 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18

;Individual

Welsh Premier League Team of the Year: 2011–12,{{cite web |url=https://welsh-premier.com/index.php/dream-team-2011-12 |title=Dream team 2011/12 |publisher=welsh-premier.com |access-date=5 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612153445/https://welsh-premier.com/index.php/dream-team-2011-12 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=dead }} 2017–18{{cite web |url=https://welsh-premier.com/index.php/hot-news/latest-news/14162-only-two-players-retain-places-in-dream-team |title=Only two players retain places in dream team |publisher=welsh-premier.com |date=3 June 2018 |access-date=5 June 2018 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
Welsh Premier League Golden Boot (2): 2017–18, 2018–19

References

External links

{{FIFA player|271882|Greg Draper}}
[https://web.archive.org/web/20110718025038/http://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/default.aspx?s=wellfc_playerprofile_item&pid=1510 Wellington Phoenix profile]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20080720032558/http://www.nzsoccer.com/page/greg_draper.html NZF – New Zealand U-20 profile]

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Category:Living people

Category:1989 births

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:New Zealand men's association footballers

Category:New Zealand men's international footballers