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Preston Edwards

{{short description|English association football player}}

{{EngvarB|date=July 2013}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Preston Edwards

| image = File:Preston Edwards, goalkeeper, April 2016.jpg

| caption = Edwards playing for Dulwich Hamlet in 2016

| fullname = Preston Matthew Edwards{{cite web |url=http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/RulesandRegulations/~/media/Files/PDF/TheFA/PlayerRegistrations/October%202009.ashx/October%202009.pdf |title=List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/10/2009 and 31/10/2009 |publisher=The Football Association |page=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012024418/http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/RulesandRegulations/~/media/Files/PDF/TheFA/PlayerRegistrations/October%202009.ashx/October%202009.pdf |archive-date=12 October 2012}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|9|5|df=y}}

| birth_place = Cheshunt, England{{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}}

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=0}}

| position = Goalkeeper

| currentclub = Dulwich Hamlet

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 2006–2009

| years2 = 2009

| years3 = 2009–2010

| years4 = 2010–2016

| years5 = 2015–2016

| years6 = 2016

| years7 = 2016–2020

| years8 = 2020

| years9 = 2020

| years10 = 2020

| years11 = 2020–2022

| years12 = 2022–2023

| years13 = 2023

| years14 = 2023–

| clubs1 = Millwall

| clubs2 = → Dover Athletic (loan)

| clubs3 = Grays Athletic

| clubs4 = Ebbsfleet United

| clubs5 = → Boreham Wood (loan)

| clubs6 = → Dulwich Hamlet (loan)

| clubs7 = Dulwich Hamlet

| clubs8 = → Cheshunt (loan)

| clubs9 = Dartford

| clubs10 = Brentwood Town

| clubs11 = Braintree Town

| clubs12 = Cheshunt

| clubs13 = Potters Bar Town

| clubs14 = Dulwich Hamlet

| caps1 = 1

| goals1 = 0

| caps2 = 13

| goals2 = 0

| caps3 = 20

| goals3 = 0

| caps4 = 174

| goals4 = 0

| caps5 = 6

| goals5 = 0

| caps6 = 12

| goals6 = 0

| caps7 = 123

| goals7 = 0

| caps8 = 2

| goals8 = 0

| caps9 = 0

| goals9 = 0

| caps10 = 3

| goals10 = 0

| caps11 = 12

| goals11 = 0

| caps12 = 14

| goals12 = 0

| caps13 = 10

| goals13 = 0

| caps14 = 0

| goals14 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2006

| nationalyears2 = 2006

| nationalyears3 = 2011

| nationalteam1 = England U17

| nationalteam2 = England U18

| nationalteam3 = England C

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalcaps2 = 1

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalcaps3 = 1

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| club-update = 17:05, 9 October 2023 (UTC)

}}

Preston Matthew Edwards (born 5 September 1989) is an English footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Dulwich Hamlet.

Club career

On 4 September 2007, Edwards made his first professional appearance for Millwall when coming on as a sub against Swansea City in the Football League Trophy first round.

In January 2009, he joined Isthmian League Premier Division club Dover Athletic on loan after an injury to the club's first-choice goalkeeper, John Whitehouse. He made his debut in a 0–0 draw against local rivals Ramsgate. Whilst at Dover Athletic, he helped them secure the title and promotion to the Conference South. On 22 June 2009, he rejected a new one-year deal from Millwall, and was therefore out of contract and released.{{cite news

| title = Edwards leaves Lions

| url = http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12875_5396541,00.html

| publisher = Sky Sports

| date = 22 June 2009

| accessdate = 23 June 2009}}

At the start of the 2009–10 season, Edwards signed for Grays Athletic along with eight other players.{{cite news

| title = Grays sign nine players in a day

| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/grays_athletic/8186119.stm

| publisher = BBC Sport

| date = 5 August 2009

| accessdate = 7 August 2009}} On 24 March 2010, Edwards played in a behind closed doors reserve match for Crystal Palace against Millwall.{{cite web |url=http://www.cpfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10323~2002991,00.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308212301/http://www.cpfc.co.uk/page/News/0,,10323~2002991,00.html |archivedate=8 March 2012 |title=Crystal Palace Res. 2-1 Millwall Res. |publisher= Crystal Palace FC|date=25 March 2010 |accessdate=12 October 2013}} He was released at the end of the 2009–10 season.

Edwards signed for Ebbsfleet United on 28 July 2010, after a successful trial period.{{cite web |url=http://www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=897:the-new-fleet-number-one&catid=63:headline-news |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724153729/http://www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=897:the-new-fleet-number-one&catid=63:headline-news |archivedate=24 July 2011 |title=The new Fleet number one |publisher= Ebbsfleet FC|date=28 July 2010|accessdate=12 October 2013}}

He became a YouTube sensation in February 2011, racking up over eight million views (as of late June 2014), after being sent off just ten seconds into a 3–0 defeat to Farnborough.{{cite news

| title = YouTube video of the incident

| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEVlW3g7gW0

| accessdate = 15 February 2011}} This is believed to be a record for a goalkeeper.{{cite news

| title = BBC Sport article

| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/9398401.stm

| publisher = BBC Sport

| date = 15 February 2011

| accessdate = 15 February 2011}}

Despite this setback, Preston became a fan favourite amongst club fans and a key asset for the club. After promotion, Preston asserted himself as Ebbsfleet number one before an ankle injury cut his season short. Despite the club finishing second bottom of the Conference Premier in the 2012–13 season, Edwards drew praise from many{{citation needed|date=May 2014}} for his performances throughout the season and went on to dominate the club's end of season awards ceremony, winning a large majority of the trophies on offer including the Players player of the year and the Fans player of the year award. Although it was rumoured{{citation needed|date=May 2014}} that his services were wanted by John Still, the recently appointed manager of Luton Town, Edwards signed a new contract with the club, keeping him on for the 2013–14 season.

Edwards continued as the club's first-choice goalkeeper for the 2013–14 season and was kept on for the 2014-15 campaign. During that season, his spot as the club's first choice goalkeeper was challenged by Brandon Hall. Manager Jamie Day brought him back into the team for the FA Trophy clash with Forest Green Rovers on 10 January in which he helped secure a 1–0 win. Edwards made his 200th appearance for the club in the 2–2 draw with Hemel Hempstead Town in late February.

Ahead of the 2015–16 season, Edwards joined newly promoted National League side Boreham Wood on a season-long loan deal.{{Cite web|url=http://nonleague.pitchero.com/news/wood-bring-england-c-keeper-in-on-loan-40798/|title = Wood Bring England C Keeper in on Loan|date = 17 July 2015}} However the deal was cut short with Edwards making only six league appearances, and he went on to join Isthmian League Premier Division side Dulwich Hamlet on loan on 20 February 2016 for the remainder of the season.{{cite news

| url = http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/news/edwards-joins-on-loan-1570487.html

| title = Edwards Joins on Loan

| accessdate = 20 February 2016}}

With his contract at Ebbsfleet expiring, Edwards signed for Dulwich Hamlet ahead of the 2016–17 season,{{cite news

| url = http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/news/edwards-arrives-for-keeps-1622512.html

| title = Edwards Arrives For Keeps

| accessdate = 30 May 2016}} going on to make 66 appearances in all competitions in his first full season at the club.

In January 2022, Edwards returned to Cheshunt having spent time with the club on loan in 2020.{{cite web|url=https://cheshuntfc.com/2022/01/16/fa-trophy-4th-round-report/|title=FA Trophy 4th Round Report|website=cheshuntfc.com|date=15 January 2022|accessdate=19 January 2022}} At the end of the season, he signed for Potters Bar Town.{{cite web|url=https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/pottersbartownfc/news/edwards-signs-2784725.html|title=Edwards signs|publisher=Potters Bar Town F.C.|date=10 June 2023|accessdate=12 June 2023}}

On 7 October 2023, Edwards' return to Dulwich Hamlet was announced.{{cite web|url=https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/news/welcome-home-preston-edwards-2809088.html|title=Welcome Home Preston Edwards|publisher=Dulwich Hamlet F.C.|date=7 October 2023|accessdate=9 October 2023}}

International career

In October 2010 Edwards was called up to the England C team for the first time.{{cite news| url = http://www.kentnews.co.uk/sport/fleet_stopper_gets_england_call_up_1_943623| title = Fleet stopper gets England call-up| accessdate = 12 October 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131014201104/http://www.kentnews.co.uk/sport/fleet_stopper_gets_england_call_up_1_943623| archive-date = 14 October 2013| url-status = dead}}

Family

His sister Steph reached the final of the 2013 series of Britain's Got Talent as part of the band Luminites.{{citation|date=9 June 2013|work=The Non-League Paper|page=19|title=You'll Need Some Talent to Impress Edwards!}}

Career statistics

{{updated|match played 30 September 2023}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|FA Cup

!colspan="2"|League Cup

!colspan="2"|Other

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
rowspan="3"|Millwall

| 2007–08{{Cite news |title=Games played by Preston Edwards in 2007/2008 |url=https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=44560&season_id=137 |publisher=Soccerbase |accessdate=18 October 2020}}

|League One

|1

000001Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy020
2008–09

|League One

|0

000000000
colspan=2|Total

!1||0||0||0||0||0||1||0||2||0

rowspan="1"|Dover Athletic (loan)

| 2008–09

|Isthmian League Premier Division

|13

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—130
rowspan="1"|Grays Athletic

| 2009–10{{Cite news |title=P. Edwards |url=https://uk.soccerway.com/players/preston-edwards/50997/ |publisher=Soccerway |accessdate=18 October 2020}}

|Conference Premier

|20

000colspan="2"|—00200
rowspan="7"|Ebbsfleet United

| 2010–11

|Conference South

|41

030colspan="2"|—2Appearance(s) in FA Trophy0460
2011–12

|Conference Premier

|31

010colspan="2"|—30350
2012–13

|Conference Premier

|43

020colspan="2"|—10460
2013–14

|Conference South

|44

020colspan="2"|—30490
2014–15

|Conference South

|15

000colspan="2"|—40190
2015–16

|National League South

|0

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—0000
colspan=2|Total

!174||0||8||0||colspan="2"|—||13||0||195||0

rowspan="1"|Boreham Wood (loan)

| 2015–16

|National League

|6

010colspan="2"|—0070
rowspan="1"|Dulwich Hamlet (loan)

| 2015–16{{Cite news |title=Dulwich Hamlet – Appearances – Preston Edwards – 2015-2016 |url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/dulwich-hamlet/appearances/2015-2016/preston-edwards/44849 |publisher=Football Web Pages |accessdate=18 October 2020}}

|Isthmian League Premier Division

|12

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—2Appearance(s) in Isthmian League Premier Division play-offs0140
rowspan="5"|Dulwich Hamlet

| 2016–17{{Cite news |title=Dulwich Hamlet – Appearances – Preston Edwards – 2016-2017 |url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/dulwich-hamlet/appearances/2016-2017/preston-edwards/44849 |publisher=Football Web Pages |accessdate=18 October 2020}}

|Isthmian League Premier Division

|44

020colspan="2"|—17Five appearances in Alan Turvey Trophy, ten in FA Trophy, two in Isthmian League Premier Division play-offs0630
2017–18{{Cite news |title=Dulwich Hamlet – Appearances – Preston Edwards – 2017-2018 |url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/dulwich-hamlet/appearances/2017-2018/preston-edwards/44849 |publisher=Football Web Pages |accessdate=18 October 2020}}

|Isthmian League Premier Division

|34

020colspan="2"|—3One appearance in Alan Turvey Trophy, two in FA Trophy0390
2018–19

|National League South

|40

020colspan="2"|—30450
2019–20

|National League South

|5

000colspan="2"|—2070
colspan=2|Total

!123||0||6||0||colspan="2"|—||25||0||154||0

rowspan="1"|Cheshunt (loan)

| 2019–20{{Cite news |title=Cheshunt – Appearances – Preston Edwards – 2019-2020 |url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/cheshunt/appearances/2019-2020/preston-edwards/44849 |publisher=Football Web Pages |accessdate=18 October 2020}}

|Isthmian League Premier Division

|2

000colspan="2"|—0020
rowspan="1"|Dartford

| 2019–20

|National League South

|0

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—0000
rowspan="1"|Brentwood Town

| 2020–21{{Cite news |title=Brentwood Town – Appearances – Preston Edwards |url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/brentwood-town/appearances/preston-edwards/44849 |publisher=Football Web Pages |accessdate=18 October 2020}}

|Isthmian League North Division

|3

030colspan="2"|—0060
rowspan="3"|Braintree Town

| 2020–21

|National League South

|6

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—0060
2021–22

|National League South

|6

010colspan="2"|—0070
colspan=2|Total

!12||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||0||0||13||0

rowspan="3"|Cheshunt

| 2021–22{{Cite news |title=Cheshunt – Appearances – Preston Edwards |url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/cheshunt/appearances/preston-edwards/935808 |publisher=Football Web Pages |accessdate=19 January 2022}}

|Isthmian League Premier Division

|18

0colspan="2"|—colspan="2"|—5One appearance in the FA Trophy, two in the Alan Turvey Trophy, two in the Isthmian League Premier Division play-offs0230
2022–23For FA Cup Second Qualifying Round: {{Cite news |title=Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round – Cheshunt 3 - 1 St Neots Town |url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/match/2022-2023/fa-cup/cheshunt/st-neots-town/424817 |publisher=Football Web Pages |accessdate=2 May 2023}}

|National League South

|14

010colspan="2"|—00150
colspan=2|Total

!32||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||5||0||38||0

Potters Bar Town

|2023–24{{cite web|url=https://www.footballwebpages.co.uk/potters-bar-town/appearances/preston-edwards/935808|title=Potters Bar Town – Appearances – Preston Edwards|website=www.footballwebpages.co.uk|accessdate=9 October 2023}}

|Isthmian League Premier Division

|10

010colspan="2"|—00110
colspan=3|Career total

!408||0||21||0||0||0||46||0||475||0

{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

Honours

;Ebbsfleet United

Conference South play-off winners: 2010–2011

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{Soccerbase}}
  • [http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dulwichhamlet/teams/56196/player/preston-edwards-1651513 Preston Edwards] at Dulwich Hamlet F.C.

{{Dulwich Hamlet F.C. squad}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Edwards, Preston}}

Category:1988 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Cheshunt

Category:English men's footballers

Category:England men's youth international footballers

Category:England men's semi-pro international footballers

Category:Men's association football goalkeepers

Category:Millwall F.C. players

Category:Dover Athletic F.C. players

Category:Grays Athletic F.C. players

Category:Ebbsfleet United F.C. players

Category:Boreham Wood F.C. players

Category:Dulwich Hamlet F.C. players

Category:Cheshunt F.C. players

Category:Dartford F.C. players

Category:Brentwood Town F.C. players

Category:Braintree Town F.C. players

Category:Potters Bar Town F.C. players

Category:English Football League players

Category:National League (English football) players

Category:Isthmian League players

Category:Footballers from Hertfordshire

Category:21st-century English sportsmen