Nico_Gordon

Nico Gordon

Nico Gordon

Montserratian footballer (born 2002)

Nico Diago Gordon (born 28 April 2002) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for MLS Next Pro club North Texas SC. Gordon began his career in his native England with Birmingham City, making his Football League debut in June 2020. He spent the first half of the 2023–24 season on loan at National League club Solihull Moors before joining North Texas SC in February 2024. In international football, Gordon represents the Montserrat national team.

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Early life and career

Gordon was born in Birmingham and attended St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in the Kings Norton district.[2] He joined Birmingham City in 2014,[2] and took up a two-year scholarship with their Academy in July 2018. According to coach Steve Spooner, Gordon "can play anywhere across the back and midfield. He's currently at centre-half. He's an excellent reader of the game. He steps in and can find passes. He played for the 18s last year and has started this season very well."[4]

He made his competitive debut for Birmingham's development squad team in August 2019, playing at right back in a 1–1 draw with Crystal Palace U23,[5] and became a regular in the side.[6] He also captained the under-18 team as they reached the fifth round of the 2019–20 FA Youth Cup.[7] Gordon was given a first-team squad number early in 2020,[6] he was 19th man for the FA Cup replay against Coventry City, and in April 2020, the club confirmed that he had been made an offer of a three-year professional contract, with the option of a fourth year.[8] He signed the contract on 26 June.[9]

Club career

Birmingham City

When the 2019–20 EFL Championship season resumed after its COVID-19 pandemic-related suspension, Gordon was one of several youngsters named on the bench for Birmingham's first match under the temporary rules. He remained unused, but made his Football League debut in the next fixture, on 27 June 2020 at home to Hull City, replacing the injured Jake Clarke-Salter after 87 minutes wth his team 3–2 down; the match finished 3–3.[10] Gordon was given his first start on 12 July away to Stoke City, playing on the left of three centre backs and facing the powerful Tyrese Campbell. With Stoke 2–0 up at half-time, caretaker head coach Spooner changed to a back four, and Gordon was more comfortable at left back; the score remained 2–0.[11] He played once more that season,[12] and a further twice at the end of the following season, when, with relegation avoided, new manager Lee Bowyer used the last two fixtures to look at fringe players. Both were heavy defeats, though the Birmingham Mail's reporter thought he "did OK against one of the better attacking forces in the league" in the 5–2 defeat to Blackburn Rovers.[13][14]

Gordon was Birmingham's man of the match in the EFL Cup win against Colchester United in August 2021. Partnering George Friend in central defence, he "show[ed] great composure and strength, while he was sound in possession and with his passing",[15] but was injured late in the game and did not re-appear even for the under-23 team until the following February.[16] He started the Championship match away to Bristol City on 5 March, alongside Marc Roberts at centre back, scored his first senior goal with an accurate header from Jordan Graham's corner to put his side 2–0 ahead, and played the full 90 minutes as Birmingham held on for a 2–1 win.[17] He kept his place for the next match despite loanee Teden Mengi's return to fitness, "more than held his own, often sweeping behind Roberts when danger demanded it" as the team kept a clean sheet against Hull City, and the Mail's reporter suggested that if he continued in similar vein, "he could well save Blues a recruitment job in the summer."[18]

Solihull Moors (loan)

After a 2022–23 season disrupted by illness, Gordon joined National League club Solihull Moors on loan for the 2023–24 campaign.[19] In the 90th minute of the opening fixture, with his side 1–0 down at home to Eastleigh, Gordon was sent off for a second yellow card after pulling back an opponent; Moors equalised in stoppage time.[20] That was his only appearance,[21] and he was recalled to Birmingham on 8 January 2024.[22]

North Texas SC

Gordon joined MLS Next Pro club North Texas SC on 2 February 2024, on a one-year contract with an option for a second year.[3] He was named captain of the side,[23] and made his debut in the opening match of the 2024 MLS Next Pro season, a goalless draw against Whitecaps FC 2.[24]

International career

Gordon was born in England and qualifies to play international football for Montserrat because his mother was born there.[23] He was called up to the Montserrat senior squad for the first time in September 2023, for their matches in the 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League B against Barbados and the Dominican Republic.[25][26] He started and played the whole of the first fixture, in which Montserrat beat Barbados 3–2 with a 98th-minute free kick from his former Birmingham team-mate Lyle Taylor.[27][28]

Career statistics

As of match played 15 March 2024
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    References

    1. [1]
      "Club list of registered players as at 18th May 2019" (PDF). English Football League. May 2019. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
    2. [2]
      "Nico Gordon". Birmingham City F.C. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
    3. [3]
      "North Texas SC acquires Nico Gordon from EFL Championship side Birmingham City F.C." FC Dallas. 2 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
    4. [4]
      "Meet Blues' new scholars for 2018–19". Birmingham City F.C. 16 August 2018. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
    5. [5]
      "Report: Crystal Palace Under-23s 1 Blues Under-23s 1". Birmingham City F.C. 12 August 2019. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
    6. [6]
      Dick, Brian (19 February 2020). "Revealed: The latest rising stars who have been given Birmingham City squad numbers". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
    7. [7]
      "FA Youth Cup Report: Wigan Athletic 4 Birmingham City 0". Wigan Athletic F.C. 5 February 2020. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
    8. [8]
      "Blues offer first professional deals to five". Birmingham City F.C. 29 April 2020. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
    9. [9]
      "Double celebration for Nico". Birmingham City F.C. 29 June 2020. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
    10. [10]
      "Birmingham City 3–3 Hull City". BBC Sport. 27 June 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.
    11. [11]
      Dick, Brian (12 July 2020). "'Abject' – Birmingham City in freefall after Stoke City defeat, report and ratings". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
    12. [12]
      "Games played by Nico Gordon in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
    13. [13]
      "Games played by Nico Gordon in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
    14. [14]
      Dick, Brian (8 May 2021). "Birmingham City player ratings vs Blackburn: Blues struggle in Bowyer's absence". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
    15. [15]
      Chapman, Joseph (10 August 2021). "Birmingham City player ratings as Nico Gordon shines in EFL Cup win". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
    16. [16]
      "Report: Blues Under-23s 3–0 Watford Under-23s". Birmingham City F.C. 18 February 2022. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
    17. [17]
      Dick, Brian (5 March 2021). "Birmingham City player ratings vs Bristol City: Chong back with a bang as Blues win". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
    18. [18]
      Dick, Brian (13 March 2022). "Birmingham City prospect could save Blues a summer transfer as Taylor Richards debut assessed". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
    19. [19]
      Dicken, Alex (21 July 2023). "Birmingham City make Nico Gordon decision after disrupted 12 months under John Eustace". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
    20. [20]
      "Football – Morrison scores injury time equaliser as 10-man Solihull Moors rescue point in season opener". Solihull Observer. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
    21. [21]
      "N. Gordon". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
    22. [22]
      "Blues' Nico Gordon recalled". Birmingham City F.C. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
    23. [23]
      Melcer, Garrett (15 March 2024). "Nico Gordon: From England to Texas, how North Texas SC found its new captain". FC Dallas. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
    24. [24]
      "North Texas SC draws 0–0 in season opener against Whitecaps FC 2". FC Dallas. 16 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
    25. [25]
      Dicken, Alex (7 September 2023). "Donovan and the other Birmingham City prospects who could save Wagner millions". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
    26. [26]
      Solihull Moors F.C. [@SolihullMoors] (4 September 2023). "Best of luck to Nico Gordon, who has been called up to @Montserrat_FA for their upcoming fixtures against Barbados and The Dominican Republic" (Tweet). Retrieved 9 September 2023 – via Twitter.
    27. [27]
      "Liga B – Group stage: Group B – week 1: Barbados 2–3 Montserrat". CONCACAF. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
    28. [28]
      Coppin, Jonteau (9 September 2023). "Barbados Tridents go down 2–3 against Montserrat". NationNews. Barbados. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
    29. [29]
      "Games played by Nico Gordon in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
    30. [30]
      "Games played by Nico Gordon in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
    31. [31]
      "Games played by Nico Gordon in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
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