Matthew Chandler (soccer)

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Matthew Chandler

|image =

|fullname = Matthew Peter Chandler

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|2|7|mf=yes}}

|birth_place = Toronto, Ontario, Canada

|height = {{height|ft=6|in=6}}

|position = Defender

|currentclub = Adelaide Comets

|clubnumber =

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 = Markham FC

|youthyears2 =

|youthclubs2 =

|collegeyears1 = 2018–2021

|college1 = St. John's Red Storm

|collegecaps1 = 52

|collegegoals1 = 0

|collegeyears2 = 2022

|college2 = Wisconsin Badgers

|collegecaps2 = 16

|collegegoals2 = 2

|years1 = 2021 |clubs1 = Manhattan SC |caps1 = 11 |goals1 = 0

|years2 = 2022 |clubs2 = Blue Devils FC |caps2 = 13 |goals2 = 0

|years3 = 2023 |clubs3 = Valour FC |caps3 = 1 |goals3 = 0

|years4 = 2024 |clubs4 = North Toronto Nitros |caps4 = 18 |goals4 = 1

|years5 = 2025– |clubs5 = Adelaide Comets |caps5 = 0 |goals5 = 0

|nationalyears1 =

|nationalteam1 =

|nationalcaps1 =

|nationalgoals1 =

|club-update = August 24, 2024

|nationalteam-update =

}}

Matthew Peter Chandler (born February 7, 2000) is a Canadian soccer player who plays for the Adelaide Comets in NPL South Australia.

Early life

Chandler played youth soccer with Markham FC.{{cite web|url=https://redstormsports.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/matt-chandler/4410|title=Matt Chandler St. John's profile|work=St. John's Red Storm}}

College career

In 2018, he began attending St. John's University, where he played for the men's soccer team. On September 21, 2018, he made his collegiate debut against the Xavier Musketeers.{{Cite web|url=https://redstormsports.com/news/2018/9/21/mens-soccer-st-johns-draws-with-unbeaten-xavier-1-1-in-cincinnati.aspx|title=St. John’s Draws with Unbeaten Xavier, 1-1, in Cincinnati|date=September 21, 2018|work=St. John's Red Storm}} He earned his first start on September 25, 2018 against the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers.{{cite web|url=https://redstormsports.com/news/2018/9/25/mens-soccer-st-johns-sinks-mount-st-marys-2-1|title=St. John’s Sinks Mount St. Mary’s, 2-1|date=September 25, 2018|work=St. John's Red Storm}} In September 2019, he was named the Big East Conference Defensive Player of the Week.{{Cite web|url=https://redstormsports.com/news/2019/9/16/mens-soccer-chandler-named-defensive-player-of-the-week-lye-gets-honor-roll-nod|date=September 16, 2019|work=St. John's Red Storm|title=Chandler Named Defensive Player of the Week, Lye Gets Honor Roll Nod|first=Andrew|last=O'Connell}} In October 2021, he was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll.{{Cite web|url=https://redstormsports.com/news/2021/10/18/mens-soccer-chandler-named-to-big-east-weekly-honor-roll.aspx|title=Chandler Named to BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll|date=October 18, 2021|first=Andrew|last=O'Connell|work=St. John's Red Storm}} He graduated with a degree in sports management, with a minor in business, and was named to the Big East Conference All-Academic Team each year from 2018 through 2021.{{cite web|url=https://uwbadgers.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/matt-chandler/11213|title=Matt Chandler Wisconsin profile|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221021010940/https://uwbadgers.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/matt-chandler/11213|archive-date=October 21, 2022|work=Wisconsin Badgers|url-status=dead}}

In 2022, after graduating from St. John's, Chandler began attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison for his master's degree, also joining the men's soccer team.{{cite web|url=https://uwbadgers.com/news/2022/7/19/mens-soccer-mens-soccer-announces-nine-incoming-recruits.aspx|title=Men’s soccer announces nine incoming recruits|date=July 19, 2022|work=Wisconsin Badgers}} He was named a team captain that season.{{cite web|url=https://uwbadgers.com/news/2022/8/24/mens-soccer-three-named-badger-mens-soccer-captains.aspx|title=Three named Badger men’s soccer captains|date=August 24, 2023|work=Wisconsin Badgers}} He scored his first goal in the season opener on August 25 against the Utah Tech Trailblazers.{{Cite web|url=https://uwbadgers.com/news/2022/8/25/mens-soccer-mens-soccer-opens-2022-with-a-5-0-victory.aspx|title=Men’s soccer opens 2022 with a 5-0 victory|date=August 25, 2022|work=Wisconsin Badgers}}

Club career

In 2021, he played with Manhattan SC in USL League Two.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/46771309|title=Matthew Chandler 2021 USL2 Stats|work=USL League Two}}

In 2022, he played with Blue Devils FC in League1 Ontario.{{Cite web|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/roster_players/54276431|title=Matthew Chandler 2022 L1O Stats|work=League1 Ontario}} He helped the club reach the playoffs, although he returned to school and was unable to participate in them.{{Cite web|url=https://oakvillenews.org/oakville-sports-news/blue-devils-fc-aiming-for-a-first-round-bye-in-leauge1-ontar/|title=Blue Devils FC aiming for a First Round bye in League1 Ontario Men’s playoffs|date=August 20, 2022|work=Oakville News|first=Pierce|last=Lang}} He was named a league Second Team All-Star after the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.league1ontario.com/news_article/show/1247891|title=Ilyass, Green, and Ferrin lead the line in the 2022 Men’s Premier Division All-Star team|date=November 17, 2022|work=League1 Ontario}}

In April 2023, Chandler signed with Valour FC of the Canadian Premier League, after joining the club as a pre-season trialist.{{cite web|url=https://valourfc.canpl.ca/article/valour-fc-sign-canadian-defender-matthew-chandler|title=Valour FC sign Canadian defender Matthew Chandler|date=April 6, 2023|work=Valour FC}}{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/valour-fc-matthew-chandler/|title=Valour Adds To Defence With Matthew Chandler|date=April 7, 2023|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}} He made his debut on April 16 in a league match against York United FC and earned his first start on April 19 in a Canadian Championship match against TSS FC Rovers.{{cite web|url=https://northerntribune.ca/valour-fc-matthew-chandler-injury/|title=Valour Defender Matthew Chandler Out Long-Term|date=April 26, 2023|work=Northern Tribune|first=John|last=Jacques}} However, afterwards, he suffered an ACL injury, sidelining him indefinitely.{{Cite web|url=https://valourfc.canpl.ca/article/matthew-chandler-out-indefinitely|title=Matthew Chandler out indefinitely|work=Valour FC|date=April 26, 2023}}

In 2024, he played with the North Toronto Nitros in League1 Ontario.{{cite web|url=https://league1ontario.com/player/6777938-matthew-chandler/|title=Matthew Chandler 2024 L1O Stats|work=League1 Ontario}} He was named a league Second Team All-Star.{{cite web|url=https://league1ontario.com/article/premier-division-stars-celebrated-in-2024-awards/|title=Premier Division stars celebrated in 2024 awards|date=November 1, 2024|work=League1 Ontario}}

In October 2024, he signed with the Adelaide Comets in NPL South Australia for the 2025 season.{{cite tweet|user=NT_SoccerClub|number=1848021444787089849|date=October 20, 2024|title=Matt Chandler ➡️ Adelaide Comets FC}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Playoffs !colspan="2"\|Domestic Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
Division !Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Manhattan SC \|2021 \|USL League Two \|11	0	colspan="2"\|–	colspan="2"\|–	colspan="2"\|–	11	0
Blue Devils FC \|2022 \|League1 Ontario \|13	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|–	colspan="2"\|–	13	0
Valour FC \|2023 \|Canadian Premier League \|1	0	colspan="2"\|–	1	0	colspan="2"\|–	2	0
North Toronto Nitros \|2024 \|League1 Ontario Premier \|18	1	colspan="2"\|–	colspan="2"\|–	4	0	22	1
colspan="3" \|Career total !43	1	0	0	1	0	4	0	48	1