Michael Maidens

British footballer

Michael MaidensPersonal information

Full name|  Michael Douglas Maidens[1]
Date of birth|  (1987-05-07)7 May 1987[1]
Place of birth|  Middlesbrough, England
Date of death|  19 October 2007(2007-10-19) (aged 20)
Place of death|  Lazenby, England
Height|  5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1]
Position(s)|  Midfielder
Youth career
0000–2004|  Hartlepool United
Senior career*
Years|  Team|  Apps|  (Gls)
2004–2007|  Hartlepool United|  25|  (1)
2007|  → York City (loan)|  3|  (0)
2007|  → Blyth Spartans (loan)|  7|  (1)
Total|  |  35|  (2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Michael Douglas Maidens (7 May 1987 – 19 October 2007) was a British professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He started his career with Hartlepool United in 2004, making his debut in the League Cup against Crystal Palace in September 2004.

He joined York City on a one-month loan in January 2007 and made three appearances in the Conference National. He joined Blyth Spartans on loan during the 2007–08 season and made seven appearances and scored one goal for them in Conference North.

## Career

[edit]

Born in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire,[1] Maidens started his career as a trainee with Hartlepool United and in 2001 was placed on standby for The Football Association's "Under-15 Schoolboy Development Course",[2] before being given a full call-up.[3] His first team debut came on 21 September 2004 when he was a late substitute for Gavin Strachan in the 2–1 League Cup defeat away to Crystal Palace. A month later, on 30 October 2004, he made his league debut in the 1–0 home win against Port Vale. He scored Hartlepool's goal of the season in the 2005–06 season, a curling effort in a 3–1 victory over Huddersfield Town in March 2006.[4] He signed a professional contract with Hartlepool on 4 July 2006.[1]

Maidens joined Conference National side York City on a one-month loan on 19 January 2007.[5] He made three appearances for the club.[6]

He joined Blyth Spartans on loan in time for the start of the 2007–08 season and scored on his Conference North debut, a 2–0 win at home to Alfreton Town.[7] He made seven appearances and scored one goal for the club.[8]

## Death

[edit]

On 20 October 2007, Hartlepool United announced that Maidens had died in a road traffic accident.[9] He was a passenger in a vehicle which lost control and collided with a metal post near a roundabout on the A174 near Lazenby, North Yorkshire at 20.25 hours on 19 October 2007.[9][10] Both their youth team game and their league game against Swansea City were postponed as a mark of respect.[9] The postponement was fully backed by Swansea City and the Football League.[9]

Swansea City and Hartlepool players paid tribute to Maidens on 21 October 2007. Hartlepool retired Maidens' number 25 shirt.[11] Hartlepool United later named their Goal of the Season Award 'The Michael Maidens Goal of the Season Award'[12] in honour of Maidens scoring Hartlepool's Goal of the Season in 2006.

## Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition  Club  | Season  | League  | FA Cup | League Cup | Other  | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|

Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals
Hartlepool United | 2004–05[13] | League One | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0
2005–06[14] | League One  | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 22 | 1
2006–07[15] | League Two | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 7 | 0
Total  | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 1
York City (loan)  | 2006–07[6] | Conference National | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0
Blyth Spartans (loan)  | 2007–08[8] | Conference North | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | 7 | 1
Career total  | 35 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 41 | 2

1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy

## Honours

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Hartlepool

* Retired number #25: posthumous honour
* Hartlepool goal of the season: 2006

## References

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1. ^ a b c d e Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2007). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2007–08. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 270\. ISBN 978-1-84596-246-3.
2. ^ "Pools youngsters standing by". Hartlepool United F.C. 11 October 2001. Archived from the original on 13 February 2012.
3. ^ "England call-up for under-15's". Hartlepool United F.C. 17 October 2001.
4. ^ Flett, Dave (20 January 2007). "McEwan snap up Pool's winger". The Press. York. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
5. ^ "Hartlepool midfielder joins York". BBC Sport. 19 January 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
6. ^ a b Batters, David (2008). York City: The Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. pp. 408–409, 420–421\. ISBN 978-1-85983-633-0.
7. ^ "Spartans open league campaign with win – slideshow". News Post Leader. Whitley Bay. 15 August 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
8. ^ a b Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2008). Non-League Club Directory 2009. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 188–189\. ISBN 978-1-869833-59-6.
9. ^ a b c d "Hartlepool player dies in crash". BBC Sport. 20 October 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
10. ^ "Questions linger after Hartlepool star's inquest". Evening Gazette. Middlesbrough. 29 May 2009. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
11. ^ "Pools retire Maidens' number 25". BBC Sport. 29 October 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
12. ^ Loughlin, Nick (6 May 2008). "Humphreys is Pools' Player of the Century". The Northern Echo. Darlington. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
13. ^ "Michael Maidens season details 2004/2005". Grimsby Town Mad. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
14. ^ "Games played by Michael Maidens in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
15. ^ "Games played by Michael Maidens in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 July 2013.

## External links

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* Michael Maidens at Soccerbase

*[Apps]: League appearances
*[Gls]: League goals