Nigel Reo-Coker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Nigel Reo-Coker

Reo-Coker in 2008
Personal information
Full name	Nigel Shola Andre Reo-Coker
Date of birth	(1984-05-14) 14 May 1984 (age 41)
Place of birth	Southwark, England
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
1997–2002	Wimbledon
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2002–2004	Wimbledon	58	(6)
2004–2007	West Ham United	120	(11)
2007–2011	Aston Villa	102	(1)
2011–2012	Bolton Wanderers	37	(3)
2012–2013	Ipswich Town	10	(0)
2013–2014	Vancouver Whitecaps FC	44	(1)
2014	Chivas USA	9	(0)
2015–2016	Montreal Impact	31	(0)
2017	Start	2	(0)
2018	Milton Keynes Dons	0	(0)
Total		413	(22)
National team
2003	England U19	1	(0)
2005	England U20	3	(0)
2003–2007	England U21	23	(1)
Honours  England UEFA European U-21 Championship Bronze 2007 Netherlands
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:57, 28 June 2018 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals).

Nigel Reo-Coker (born May 14, 1984) is a former English footballer. He played as a midfielder for many clubs. After retiring from playing, he became a football commentator and expert for CBS Sports.

Nigel started his football journey in the youth teams at Wimbledon. He then played for several well-known clubs. These included West Ham United, Aston Villa, and Bolton Wanderers. He also played for teams in North America.

Early Life and Start in Football

Nigel Reo-Coker was born in Southwark, London. For his first six years, he lived in Sierra Leone. His parents, Ransford and Agnes, worked there. In 1990, his parents separated. His mother and sisters, Natalie and Vanessa, moved back to London. Nigel went to Riddlesdown High School in Purley, London.

When he was 12, Wimbledon noticed his talent. He was playing for the borough of Croydon at the time. This was the start of his professional football career.

Club Career Highlights

Playing for Wimbledon

Nigel joined Wimbledon's youth team. He quickly moved up to the first team. He even became the team's captain. While at Wimbledon, he also played for the England Under-21s.

He played 64 games for Wimbledon. He scored six goals during his time there.

Time at West Ham United

Reo-Coker playing for West Ham United in 2006

In January 2004, Nigel joined West Ham United. He believed the club could return to the Premier League. He made his first appearance for West Ham on January 31, 2004. His first goal for the club was against his old team, Wimbledon.

He quickly became a key player for West Ham. He was even made the club captain. In his first season, West Ham reached the play-off final. The next season, he helped the team get promoted to the Premier League. He also led the team to the FA Cup final in 2006. At 21, he was the youngest FA Cup final captain ever.

The 2006–07 season was tough for West Ham. But Nigel and the team worked hard. They won seven of their last nine games. This helped them avoid being sent down to a lower league. His last game for West Ham was a 1-0 win against Manchester United.

Nigel played 142 games for West Ham. He scored 11 goals for the club.

Moving to Aston Villa

Reo-Coker (right) warming up for Aston Villa in 2009

On July 5, 2007, Nigel joined Aston Villa. He signed a four-year contract. He said he joined Villa because they wanted to play in Europe. He felt they had a talented team.

He scored his first goal for Villa in a League Cup game in August 2007. In January 2008, he captained Aston Villa against Liverpool. He scored his first Premier League goal for Villa against Tottenham. He also scored in the UEFA Cup. Sometimes, he even played as a right-back or right-winger.

Nigel captained Aston Villa to win the 2009 Peace Cup. He became a regular player after Gareth Barry left. He had a strong start to the 2010–11 season. He was named captain when Stiliyan Petrov was injured. He left Aston Villa in May 2011 when his contract ended.

Playing for Bolton Wanderers

In July 2011, Nigel joined Bolton Wanderers. He signed a two-year contract. The manager, Owen Coyle, praised his quality and desire.

He played his first game for Bolton in August 2011. He scored his first goal in December 2011 against Blackburn Rovers. He played 42 games for Bolton and scored three goals. Bolton was sent down from the Premier League that season. Nigel then chose to leave the club.

Short Stays at Ipswich Town and MLS Clubs

Nigel joined Ipswich Town in October 2012. He called Ipswich a "sleeping giant" in the Championship. He played 12 games before leaving in January 2013.

In February 2013, he moved to the MLS in North America. He joined Vancouver Whitecaps FC. He quickly became known for his strong tackles. He scored his first MLS goal in October 2013.

In August 2014, he was traded to Chivas USA. After that club closed, he was picked by Montreal Impact in December 2014. His contract with Montreal ended in January 2016.

Later Career and Retirement

After MLS, Nigel had trials with other clubs. In May 2017, he joined IK Start in Norway. However, his contract was ended in June 2017.

In March 2018, he trained with Milton Keynes Dons. He officially joined them on a short-term deal. But he did not play any games for the club. After this, he retired from professional football.

International Career

Representing England

Nigel was first chosen for the England under-21 squad in October 2003. On March 24, 2007, he made history. He led out the England Under-21 team at the new Wembley Stadium. He was the first Englishman to captain a team there. The game against Italy ended in a 3-3 draw.

In May 2006, Nigel was a standby player for England's 2006 World Cup squad. But he had back problems and could not join the team.

He was captain for the England U21s in the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. England reached the semi-finals. They lost to the Netherlands in a penalty shootout. This was his last game for the U21 team due to his age.

Connection to Sierra Leone

Nigel Reo-Coker has family roots in Sierra Leone. In 2006, he said he would think about playing for the Sierra Leone national team. In 2010, the Sierra Leone Football Association was interested in him. They felt his leadership would be a great help.

However, Nigel later decided not to play for Sierra Leone. He wanted to focus on his club career at Aston Villa. He also hoped to play for England again in the future.

Career Statistics

Honours

West Ham United

• Football League Championship play-offs: 2004–05
• FA Cup runner-up: 2005–06

Montreal Impact

• CONCACAF Champions League runner-up: 2014–15

See also

In Spanish: Nigel Reo-Coker para niños