Nicky Eaden
{{short description|English footballer (born 1972)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Nicky Eaden
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Nicholas Jeremy Eaden
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1972|12|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = Sheffield, England
| currentclub = Barnsley
(senior professional development coach)
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}
| position = Full-back
| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Barnsley
| years1 = 1992–2000 | clubs1 = Barnsley | caps1 = 293 | goals1 = 10
| years2 = 2000–2002 | clubs2 = Birmingham City{{efn|Soccerbase attributes Birmingham's goal against Portsmouth in October 2000 to Eaden,{{soccerbase season|2252|2000|access-date=10 February 2016}} where other sources, e.g. the English National Football Archive, Tony Matthews' Birmingham City Complete Record{{cite book |last=Matthews |first=Tony |title=Birmingham City: The Complete Record |date=2010 |publisher=Derby Books |location=Derby |isbn=978-1-85983-853-2 |page=436}} and the BBC match report{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/994479.stm |title=Portsmouth 1–1 Birmingham |website=BBC Sport |date=28 October 2000 |access-date=22 October 2014}} give it to Dele Adebola.}} | caps2 = 74 | goals2 = 3
| years3 = 2002 | clubs3 = → Wigan Athletic (loan) | caps3 = 5 | goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2002–2005 | clubs4 = Wigan Athletic | caps4 = 117 | goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2005–2007 | clubs5 = Nottingham Forest | caps5 = 28 | goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2006 | clubs6 = → Lincoln City (loan) | caps6 = 17 | goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2007 | clubs7 = → Lincoln City (loan) | caps7 = 16 | goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2007 | clubs8 = Halesowen Town | caps8 = 1 | goals8 = 0
| years9 = 2007 | clubs9 = Solihull Moors | caps9 = 1 | goals9 = 0
| years10 = 2007–2009 | clubs10 = Kettering Town{{efn|The Kettering Town appearances and goals only include the 2008–09 and 2009–10 seasons in the Conference National, not the 2007–08 season in the Conference North, which Soccerbase does not cover.}} | caps10 = 28 | goals10 = 0
| totalcaps = 580 | totalgoals = 13
| manageryears1 = 2016 | managerclubs1 = Rotherham United (caretaker)
| manageryears2 = 2018 | managerclubs2 = Nuneaton Borough
| manageryears3 = 2018–2019 | managerclubs3 = Hednesford Town
| manageryears4 = 2019 | managerclubs4 = Kettering Town
}}
Nicholas Jeremy Eaden (born 12 December 1972) is an English football coach and former professional footballer, he is a senior professional development coach at EFL League One side Barnsley.
As a player he was as a full-back who accumulated 550 appearances in the Football League. He was part of the Barnsley team who played in the Premier League during the 1997–98 season. He also won promotions to the top flight with both Birmingham City and Wigan Athletic, also playing professionally for Nottingham Forest and Lincoln City. He rounded his career off with spells with non-league sides Halesowen Town, Solihull Moors and Kettering Town.
Eaden moved into coaching during his final playing stint with Kettering and was appointed assistant manager, a position he also held at Peterborough United and Rotherham United. He has also held various coaching positions at Leicester City, Tamworth, Coventry City and Chesterfield, as well as spells as manager of non-league sides Nuneaton Borough, Hednesford Town and Kettering Town.
Playing career
Eaden was born in Sheffield,{{Hugman|5654|access-date=17 March 2022}} and began his playing career with Barnsley as a youngster. He was initially not taken on when he left school in 1989, but was given a deal later that year, and turned professional in 1991. Manager Mel Machin was critical of the player, and listed him among the players to be released at the end of the 1992–93 season. However, he gave Eaden his club and Football League debut as a substitute away to Brentford on 1 May.{{cite web |url=https://www.enfa.co.uk/playersearch.php |title=Player search: Eaden, NJ (Nicky) |website=English National Football Archive |access-date=17 March 2022 |url-access=subscription}} Four days later, Machin pre-empted the board's rumoured intention of sacking him by resigning.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/97801870/machin-resigns/ |title=Defiant Clough says he will not now retire until suspended director is removed |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=6 May 1993 |page=18 |via=Newspapers.com}} Eaden started the last match of the season, and the decision to release him was reversed on the recommendation of coach Eric Winstanley.{{cite news |url=https://www.barnsleychronicle.com/article/18904/oakwell-legends-eaden-was-released-twice-before-playing-339-games |title=Oakwell legends: Eaden was released twice before playing 339 games |newspaper=Barnsley Chronicle |date=11 June 2020 |access-date=17 March 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.barnsleychronicle.com/article/20919/barnsley-heroes-pay-tribute-to-club-legend-eric-winstanley |title=Barnsley heroes pay tribute to club legend Eric Winstanley |first=Doug |last=O'Kane |newspaper=Barnsley Chronicle |date=28 May 2021 |access-date=17 March 2022}}
Under the management of Viv Anderson and Danny Wilson, Eaden became a regular in the side and contributed to their promotion to the Premiership, but after Barnsley would not meet his wage demands when his contract was due to expire in 2000, he left. A proposed move to Bolton Wanderers in late 1999 did not materialise,{{cite news |url=https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/6103466.sams-player-search-goes-on/ |title=Sam's player search goes on |newspaper=The Bolton News |date=10 November 1999 |access-date=17 March 2022}} and Eaden joined First Division club Birmingham City in July 2000 on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling.{{cite news |url=http://www.bcfc.com/99_00/news/000704x.htm |title=Blues take on Eaden |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |first=Alex |last=Griffiths |date=4 July 2000 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010217061537/http://www.bcfc.com/99_00/news/000704x.htm |archive-date=17 February 2001}} While at Birmingham he played in the 2001 Football League Cup Final{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/worthington_cup/1187654.stm |title=Blues shot down as Liverpool lift cup |website=BBC Sport |date=25 February 2001 |access-date=17 March 2022}} and made 29 league appearances in the 2001–02 season as Birmingham were promoted to the Premier League via the play-offs.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/1979806.stm |title=Birmingham reach Premiership |website=BBC Sport |date=12 May 2002 |access-date=17 March 2022}}
Eaden also had a successful spell with Wigan Athletic, winning promotion from the Second Division and then into the Premier League.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/2976377.stm |title=Wigan 1–0 Barnsley |website=BBC Sport |date=3 May 2003 |access-date=17 March 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/football-league/after-27-years-and-whelan-s-acirc-pound-75m-wigan-cruise-to-the-promised-land-490049.html |title=After 27 years and Whelan's £75m, Wigan cruise to the promised land |first=Phil |last=Shaw |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=9 May 2005 |access-date=17 March 2022}}
He joined Nottingham Forest in 2005. Despite being successful with most of his previous clubs, caretaker managers Frank Barlow and Ian McParland did not include him in the first matchday squad in the 2006–07 season after an indifferent debut season in the East Midlands, although he had been promoted with every club he had been at prior to joining Forest.
On 31 August 2006, Eaden joined League Two side Lincoln City on loan, initially for a month,{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/lincoln_city/5301790.stm |title=Lincoln seal loan deal for Eaden |website=BBC Sport |date=31 August 2006 |access-date=25 February 2008}}{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/lincoln_city/5403814.stm |title=Forest's Eaden stays at Lincoln |website=BBC Sport |date=3 October 2006 |access-date=25 February 2008}} which was later extended to the maximum 93-day total.{{cite web |url=http://www.redimps.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10440~32937,00.html |title=Macclesfield vs Lincoln City |publisher=Lincoln City F.C. |date=1 January 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080112190443/http://www.redimps.premiumtv.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10440~32937,00.html |archive-date=12 January 2008}} He then returned to Forest, but was again loaned to Lincoln in January 2007, this time for the rest of the season.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/l/lincoln_city/6316293.stm |title=Imps land Forest's Eaden on loan |website=BBC Sport |date=31 January 2007 |access-date=25 February 2008}}
Released by Forest, Eaden signed for Halesowen Town of the Southern League, making just one appearance.{{cite web |url=http://www.halesowentownfc.co.uk/statistics.asp?offset=25 |title=Statistics |publisher=Halesowen Town F.C. |access-date=25 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080328102005/http://www.halesowentownfc.co.uk/statistics.asp?offset=25 |archive-date=28 March 2008}} He signed for Solihull Moors of the Conference North in September 2007, and again made a single appearance before leaving,{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7012637.stm |title=Solihull Moors 0–1 Blyth Spartans |website=BBC Sport |date=25 September 2007 |access-date=25 February 2008}} this time for divisional rivals Kettering Town, for whom he made his debut in a 1–1 draw away to Nuneaton Borough on 20 October.{{cite web |url=http://www.poppiesfans.com/2007/10/poppies-pegged-back-at-nuneaton-borough/ |title=Poppies pegged back at Nuneaton Borough |website=PoppiesFans.com |date=20 October 2007 |access-date=18 February 2016 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160223115833/http://www.poppiesfans.com/2007/10/poppies-pegged-back-at-nuneaton-borough/ |archive-date=23 February 2016}}
Coaching career
Eaden, initially a player-coach at Kettering, became assistant to manager Mark Cooper after the 2008–09 season.{{cite web |url=http://www.ketteringtownfc.co.uk/player.php?player_id=10 |title=Nicky Eaden |publisher=Kettering Town F.C. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724043500/http://www.ketteringtownfc.co.uk/player.php?player_id=10 |archive-date=24 July 2011}}{{cite news |url=http://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/sport/sinclair-leaves-poppies-but-two-set-to-sign-1-732480 |title=Sinclair leaves Poppies but two set to sign |newspaper=Northants Telegraph |date=14 May 2009 |access-date=10 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309130046/http://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/sport/sinclair-leaves-poppies-but-two-set-to-sign-1-732480 |archive-date=9 March 2016}} In November 2009, Cooper was appointed manager of Championship club Peterborough United, and Eaden accompanied him, again as assistant manager.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/peterborough_united/8354912.stm |title=Cooper confirmed as Posh manager |website=BBC Sport |date=14 November 2009 |access-date=16 November 2009}} A year later, he left the club by mutual consent.{{cite news |url=http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/sport/football/peterborough-united/assistant-manager-eaden-carries-the-can-for-poor-defensive-form-1-1679613 |title=Assistant manager Eaden carries the can for poor defensive form |newspaper=Peterborough Telegraph |date=26 November 2010 |access-date=10 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303051729/http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/sport/football/peterborough-united/assistant-manager-eaden-carries-the-can-for-poor-defensive-form-1-1679613 |archive-date=3 March 2016}}
On 22 March 2011, Eaden joined the coaching staff of Rotherham United on a contract until the end of the season, working under his one-time Barnsley teammate Andy Liddell.{{cite web |url=http://www.themillers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10360~2322092,00.html |title=Millers add Eaden to coaching staff |publisher=Rotherham United F.C. |date=22 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005105359/http://www.themillers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10360~2322092,00.html |archive-date=5 October 2011}} After Liddell lost out to Andy Scott for the full-time manager's role at the club, Eaden departed at the end of his contract,{{cite web |url=http://www.themillers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10360~2372792,00.html |title=Scott praise for departing Liddell |publisher=Rotherham United F.C. |date=7 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005105720/http://www.themillers.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10360~2372792,00.html |archive-date=5 October 2011}} but was quickly back in work agreeing a two-year contract to become assistant manager to Marcus Law at Tamworth.{{cite news |url=http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=76158 |title=Eaden is new Tamworth assistant |website=NonLeagueDaily.com |date=16 June 2011 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003031826/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?&newsmode=FULL&nid=76158 |archive-date=3 October 2012}} However, just a week later Eaden announced he had "had a change of heart" and would not be taking up the post,{{cite news |url=http://nonleague.pitchero.com/news/eaden-does-a-u-turn-4262/ |title=Eaden does a U-turn |website=Pitchero Non-League |date=22 June 2011 |access-date=24 June 2011}} instead taking up the same role at Kettering Town.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/k/kettering_town/9521780.stm |title=Kettering Town appoint Morell Maison and Nicky Eaden |website=BBC Sport |date=24 June 2011 |access-date=24 June 2011}}
During the 2012–13 season, Eaden worked alongside Steve Beaglehole for Leicester City under-21s as a coach, and was named on the bench for a game against Huddersfield Town as one of three over-aged players.{{cite web |url=https://www.lcfc.com/news/434914/city-staff-scale-the-peaks |title=City staff scale the peaks |publisher=Leicester City F.C. |date=24 May 2013 |access-date=12 August 2022}}{{cite web |url=http://www.lcfc.com/news/article/110313-under-21s-lose-to-terriers-707996.aspx |title=Under-21s lose to Terriers |publisher=Leicester City F.C. |date=9 May 2013 |access-date=13 April 2013}} He left in 2016 to join Rotherham United as assistant manager to Neil Redfearn, and signed a contract until the end of the 2017–18 season.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35494843 |title=Nicky Eaden: Rotherham United appoint new assistant manager |website=BBC Sport |date=4 February 2016 |access-date=18 February 2016}} Five days later, Redfearn was dismissed, and Eaden took on the role of caretaker manager. Before their next match, Rotherham appointed Neil Warnock as manager; Eaden was kept on the staff as first-team coach, but had little input to the first team. After Alan Stubbs' appointment as manager at the start of June, Eaden left the club by mutual consent.{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/rotherham-united-eaden-confident-millers-can-beat-drop-460444 |title=Rotherham United: Eaden confident Millers can beat the drop |first=Paul |last=Davis |newspaper=The Star |location=Sheffield |date=12 February 2016 |access-date=17 March 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/rotherham-united-end-eaden-and-best-and-beginning-stubbs-61767 |title=Rotherham United: The end of Eaden and Best and the beginning for Stubbs |newspaper=The Star |location=Sheffield |date=5 June 2016 |access-date=17 March 2022}}
In July 2016, Eaden was appointed as senior development coach at Coventry City under Tony Mowbray.{{cite web |url=https://www.ccfc.co.uk/news/2016/july/news-nicky-eaden-is-appointed-as-coventry-citys-senior-professional-development-phase-coach/ |title=News: Nicky Eaden is appointed as Coventry City's Senior Professional Development Phase Coach |first=Laura |last=Hunter |publisher=Coventry City F.C. |date=19 July 2016 |access-date=12 August 2022}} He also briefly acted as first-team coach under Mark Venus's caretaker managership, before leaving in September 2017 to become Jack Lester's assistant manager at Chesterfield.{{cite web |url=https://www.ccfc.co.uk/news/2017/september/news-ccfc-can-confirm-that-nicky-eaden-has-left-his-role-at-the-club/ |title=News: Coventry City can confirm that Nicky Eaden has left his role at the Club |first=Billie |last=Marshall |publisher=Coventry City F.C. |date=29 September 2017 |access-date=12 August 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/sport/football/nicky-eaden-appointed-jack-lesters-assistant-at-chesterfield-52025 |title=Nicky Eaden appointed Jack Lester's assistant at Chesterfield |newspaper=Derbyshire Times |location=Chesterfield |date=29 September 2017 |access-date=12 August 2022}} Lester and his staff left the club after Chesterfield were relegated from the Football League at the end of the 2017–18 season.{{cite news |url=https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/sport/football/breaking-chesterfield-management-team-depart-wake-relegation-football-league-48004 |title=Breaking: Chesterfield management team depart in wake of relegation from Football League |newspaper=Derbyshire Times |location=Chesterfield |date=23 April 2018 |access-date=12 August 2022}}
National League North club Nuneaton Borough appointed Eaden as manager on 15 June 2018.{{cite news |title=Nuneaton appoint Nicky Eaden as manager |url=https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/23089/nuneaton-appoint-nicky-eaden-as-manager/ |newspaper=The Non-League Paper |date=15 June 2018 |access-date=28 June 2018}} He left the club on 22 November 2018.{{cite news |title=Nicky Eaden leaves Nuneaton Borough by mutual consent |url=https://www.thenonleaguefootballpaper.com/latest-news/24575/nicky-eaden-leaves-nuneaton-borough-by-mutual-consent/ |newspaper=The Non-League Paper |date=22 November 2018 |access-date=8 December 2018}} The following month he was appointed manager of Hednesford Town of the Northern Premier League.{{cite news |url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/non-league/hednesford-town/2018/12/27/hednesford-town-appoint-nicky-eaden-as-manager/ |title=Hednesford Town appoint Nicky Eaden as manager |first=Luke |last=Hatfield |newspaper=Express and Star |location=Wolverhampton |date=27 December 2018 |access-date=17 March 2022}} He left the club in April 2019.{{cite news |url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/non-league/hednesford-town/2019/04/17/nicky-eaden-leaves-hednesford-town/ |title=Nicky Eaden leaves Hednesford Town |first=Nathan |last=Judah |newspaper=Express and Star |location=Wolverhampton |date=17 April 2019 |access-date=17 March 2022}} In June 2019 he was appointed manager of National League North club Kettering Town, but was sacked in September.{{cite news |url=https://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/eaden-sacked-by-poppies-1-9084754 |title=Eaden sacked by Poppies |newspaper=Northamptonshire Telegraph |date=25 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925194553/https://www.northantstelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/eaden-sacked-by-poppies-1-9084754 |archive-date=25 September 2019}}
In August 2022, after spending a year coaching at Jamaican club Mount Pleasant, Eaden returned to Barnsley as senior professional development coach.{{cite web |url=https://www.barnsleyfc.co.uk/news/2022/august/eaden-colgan/ |title=Latest additions to Academy setup |publisher=Barnsley F.C. |date=12 August 2022 |access-date=12 August 2022}}
Honours
Barnsley
- Football League First Division second-place promotion: 1996–97
Birmingham City
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2000–01{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/worthington_cup/1187654.stm |title=Blues shot down as Liverpool lift cup |website=BBC Sport |date=25 February 2001 |access-date=28 March 2024}}
Wigan Athletic
- Football League Second Division: 2002–03
- Football League Championship second-place promotion: 2004–05
Kettering Town
Individual
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
- {{NeilBrownPlayers|player2/nickyeaden}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20000919113004/http://www.bcfc.com/00_01/squad/eaden.htm Nicky Eaden] at BCFC.com
{{1996–97 Football League First Division PFA Team of the Year}}
{{2002–03 Football League Second Division Team of the Year}}
{{Nuneaton Borough F.C. managers}}
{{Kettering Town F.C. managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Eaden, Nicky}}
Category:Footballers from Sheffield
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Barnsley F.C. players
Category:Birmingham City F.C. players
Category:Wigan Athletic F.C. players
Category:Nottingham Forest F.C. players
Category:Lincoln City F.C. players
Category:Halesowen Town F.C. players
Category:Solihull Moors F.C. players
Category:Kettering Town F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Premier League players
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:Southern Football League players
Category:English football managers
Category:Rotherham United F.C. managers
Category:Nuneaton Town F.C. managers
Category:Hednesford Town F.C. managers
Category:Kettering Town F.C. managers
Category:English Football League managers
Category:National League (English football) managers
Category:Northern Premier League managers
Category:Leicester City F.C. non-playing staff
Category:Coventry City F.C. non-playing staff