Nathan Ralph
{{short description|English footballer (born 1993)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox football biography
| image =
| fullname = Nathanael Anthony Ralph{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/201920/general-news/efl-squad-numbering-06.09.2019.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Southend United |publisher=English Football League |page=67 |accessdate=27 October 2019}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|2|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = Dunmow, England{{cite book|editor1-first=Glenda|editor1-last=Rollin|editor2-first=Jack|editor2-last=Rollin|title=Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013|year=2012|publisher=Headline|location=London|isbn=978-0-7553-6356-8|page=511|edition=43rd}}
| height = {{convert|1.75|m|order=flip}}{{soccerway|id=154838 |accessdate=25 February 2020 }}
| position = Left back / Left winger
| currentclub = Southend United
| clubnumber = 3
| youthyears1 = 2005–2009
| youthclubs1 = Ipswich Town
| youthyears2 = 2009–2011
| youthclubs2 = Peterborough United
| years1 = 2010–2012
| clubs1 = Peterborough United
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2012
| clubs2 = → Kettering Town (loan)
| caps2 = 14
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2012–2015
| clubs3 = Yeovil Town
| caps3 = 35
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2015–2016
| clubs4 = Newport County
| caps4 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2016
| clubs5 = → Aldershot Town (loan)
| caps5 = 12
| goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2016–2018
| clubs6 = Woking
| caps6 = 63
| goals6 = 1
| years7 = 2018–2019
| clubs7 = Dundee
| caps7 = 26
| goals7 = 1
| years8 = 2019–
| clubs8 = Southend United
| caps8 = 155
| goals8 = 6
| club-update = 16:00, 5 May 2025 (UTC)
}}
Nathanael Anthony Ralph (born 14 February 1993) is an English footballer, who plays as a left back or winger for {{English football updater|SouthenU}} club Southend United, for whom he also serves as club captain.
Career
=Yeovil Town=
On 14 August 2012, Ralph made his Yeovil debut in the Football League Cup against Colchester United in a 3–0 victory.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19159735 |title=Yeovil 3–0 Colchester |publisher=BBC Sport |date=14 August 2012 |accessdate=14 August 2012 }} He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 victory over Preston in a League One match, having come on as a substitute midway through the second half.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21332971 |title=Yeovil 3–1 Preston |publisher=BBC Sport |date=12 February 2013 |accessdate=14 February 2012 }} He made 17 appearances in the 2012–13 campaign, though did not feature in the play-off final victory over Brentford which took the "Glovers" into the Championship.
Ralph was released by Yeovil at the end of the 2014–15 season following their relegation to League Two.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32662260 |title=Yeovil Town: Paul Sturrock releases 11 players |publisher=BBC Sport |date=8 May 2015 |accessdate=8 May 2015 }}
=Newport County=
On 25 June 2015, Ralph signed for League Two club Newport County. His time at Newport was beset by injuries and although he made the substitutes bench on a number of occasions he did not make a competitive appearance. On 12 February 2016 he joined Aldershot Town on loan until the end of the 2015–16 season. He was released by Newport on 10 May 2016 at the end of his contract.{{Cite web|url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/14482407.newport-county-release-8-players/|title=Newport County release 8 players|website=South Wales Argus|date=10 May 2016 }}
=Woking=
On 3 August 2016, Ralph signed a one-year contract with Woking.{{Cite news |title=Woking sign ex-Charlton striker Zak Ansah and Nathan Ralph |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36964070 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=3 August 2016 |accessdate=21 September 2016}} On 6 August 2016, Ralph made his Woking debut in a 3–1 home defeat against Lincoln City, playing the full 90 minutes.{{Cite news |title=Woking 1-3 Lincoln City |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36930699 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=6 August 2016 |accessdate=21 September 2016}} Three days later, Ralph went onto score his first Woking goal in a 2–2 draw with Solihull Moors.{{Cite news |title=Solihull Moors 2-2 Woking |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36949530 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=9 August 2016 |accessdate=21 September 2016}} On 15 June 2017, Ralph signed a new one-year deal for the 2017–18 campaign.{{Cite news |title=Nathan Ralph signs for another season |url=http://www.wokingfc.co.uk/news/article/5870/nathan-ralph-signs-for-another-season/ |publisher=Woking Official Site |date=15 June 2017 |accessdate=15 June 2017}}
=Dundee=
On 31 May 2018, Ralph signed a two-year deal with Scottish Premiership side Dundee.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44323363 |title=Dundee: Nathan Ralph agrees a two-year deal to become fourth summer signing |publisher=BBC Sport |date=31 May 2018 |accessdate=31 May 2018}} He won the club's player of the year award for 2018/19, but they were relegated.{{Cite web |date=2019-05-20 |title=Ralph wins De Vries Trophy |url=https://dundeefc.co.uk/news/ralph-wins-de-vries-trophy/ |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=Dundee Football Club - Official Website |language=en-US}} Ralph then exercised a clause in his contract that allowed him to become a free agent.{{cite web |date=9 July 2019 |title=Nathan Ralph: Southend United sign Dundee left-back on two-year deal |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48928592 |accessdate=10 July 2019 |publisher=BBC Sport}}
=Southend United=
Southend United signed Ralph to a two-year contract, with an option for a third year, in July 2019. He scored his first goal for Southend when he scored in an EFL Trophy tie against AFC Wimbledon on 13 November 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50412766 |title=Leasing.com Trophy: Top-tier academy sides flourish as group stages finish|date=14 November 2019 |publisher=BBC Sport |accessdate=14 November 2019}} He dislocated his shoulder in December.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50665716|title=Nathan Ralph: Southend United left-back out after dislocating shoulder|date=4 December 2019|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=6 December 2019}}
In December 2023, Ralph signed a contract extension with Southend until the summer of 2025, having become club captain during his time there.{{Cite web |last=fc |first=southend united |date=2023-12-29 |title=Ralph, Bridge and Demetriou Sign New Contracts |url=https://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/2023/december/29/ralph-bridge-demetriou-extend-their-deals-/ |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=southend united fc |language=en}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 15 May 2025}}
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
Honours
;Yeovil Town
= Individual =
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
{{Southend United F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ralph, Nathan}}
Category:People from Great Dunmow
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football fullbacks
Category:English Football League players
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:Peterborough United F.C. players
Category:Kettering Town F.C. players
Category:Yeovil Town F.C. players
Category:Newport County A.F.C. players
Category:Aldershot Town F.C. players
Category:Men's association football wingers
Category:Southend United F.C. players
Category:Scottish Professional Football League players