Nixon Eric
Eric Walter Nixon is an English former professional footballer who played as goalkeeper. His career spanned 22 years, thirteen of which were spent at Tranmere Rovers. He played for thirteen different clubs and made over 500 league appearances before his retirement in 2004. Born in Manchester, Nixon began his career in August 1982 at Non-League club Curzon Ashton from Ashton-under-Lyne in Greater Manchester. Nixon then walked into Manchester City’s stadium, Maine Road and asked for a trial. On 10 December 1983, he signed for Manchester City for a transfer fee of £1,000. He made 84 appearances in five years at the club, and was sent out on loan five times. And it was with four of those loan spells in the 1986–87 season that he achieved the rare distinction of playing for clubs in all four divisions of the Football League in a single season- in fact, in only nine weeks. In August 1986 he went on loan to Wolverhampton Wanderers, who were then in the Fourth Division, making sixteen league appearances. This was followed by a short spell on loan at Bradford City, who were then in the Second Division, in November 1986. In December 1986 he briefly replaced an injured Peter Shilton at Southampton, who were then in the First Division. The following month he went out on loan again, this time to Carlisle United, who were then in the Third Division, where he made sixteen league appearances. He finished the 1986-87 season back at Manchester City, playing five more games in the First Division. Nixon’s final loan move while at Manchester City came in March 1988, when he was sent to Tranmere Rovers, for whom he made eight league appearances.
Did you Know?
This shirt was worn by Eric Nixon during the Anglo-Italian Cup game between Reggiana and Tranmere Rovers which took place in Reggio Emilia, “Stadio Mirabello”, on November 11th 1992. The game ended 0-0 and at the end of the game Nixon swapped his shirt with the Reggiana’s goalkeeper whom we got it from. Nixon signed for Tranmere Rovers permanently for a fee of £60,000 on 26 July 1988. In nine years at Prenton Park Nixon made 432 appearances, including 333 league appearances, and was with the club during their rise from the Fourth Division to the First Division play-offs in 1992–93. In the 1988–89 season he kept 25 clean sheets, which still stands as a club record for the most clean sheets in a season. He was also a part of the Tranmere team that won the Associate Members’ Cup in 1989–90, beating Bristol Rovers 2–1 in the final at Wembley with goals by forwards Ian Muir and Jim Steel. In 1996, towards the end of his time at Tranmere, Nixon found himself again being sent out on loan three times. In January, he joined Reading; the following month he was loaned to Blackpool, for whom he made 20 league appearances; and in September he spent a second loan spell at Bradford City, making twelve league appearances. On 27 August 1997, Nixon was signed by Stockport County for £100,000. In 19 months at Edgeley Park, he made 42 league appearances, and he was also sent on loan again, this time to Wigan Athletic in August 1998, before signing for them permanently in March 1999 on a free transfer. However, his time at Wigan was short-lived, and on 4 July he was back at Tranmere Rovers for a third time, on another free transfer, where he stayed for a further four years, becoming a part-time goalkeeping coach. After focussing on coaching rather than playing, Nixon spent one short loan spell at Kidderminster Harriers in October 2001, for whom he kept three clean sheets in three games. On his return, he signed non-contract terms with Tranmere. On 8 August 2002, he again signed as a non-contract player with the club to provide cover for Keith Welch, who Tranmere had just signed. The 2002–03 season was his testimonial season and his testimonial match was played at Prenton Park on 6 August against the club he supported as a youngster, and for whom he first played professionally – Manchester City. When he played in goal against Crewe Alexandra on 21 September 2002, Nixon, at 39 years and 352 days old, became the oldest player to ever play for the club: his record was subsequently broken by Ian Goodison. Nixon’s final club was Sheffield Wednesday, for whom he signed on a free transfer on 1 July 2003, and where he was used as a goalkeeping coach, making one league appearance – on 27 September 2003 against Grimsby Town. His spell with the club was spent coaching three days a week, and spending two days back at Tranmere Rovers coaching.