Lewin Nyatanga
Encyclopedia
Lewin John Nyatanga is a Welsh
footballer who plays for Bristol City
and the Wales national team
as a defender
.
's academy, signing professional terms for the club in August 2005 and making his senior debut in a League Cup
tie against Grimsby Town
, going on to feature in over half of Derby's league games during the 2005–06 season, primarily at centreback, scoring his first goal a 2–1 win over Stoke City
.
Despite starting the 2006–07 season in the first team picture, Nyatanga lost his place in the first team and was loaned out to fellow Championship
side Sunderland for four months in October 2006. Whilst at Sunderland, Nyatanga played left back due to an injury to Stephen Wright and Clive Clarke
leaving on loan. Sunderland boss Roy Keane
was reportedly interested in signing Nyatanga in a £1.5m move in January 2007. Derby manager Billy Davies
said there was a possibility that Nyatanga could join Sunderland permanently, however, no bid was ever tabled by Sunderland.
Nyatanaga returned to Derby in January 2007, only to join Barnsley
a month later on a three month loan deal. Nyantanga helped the club to some vital wins during his time at Barnsley, including a surprise 1–0 win over promotion hopefuls Birmingham City
and a vital 3–1 win away over relegation rivals Southend United
. Nyantanga was recalled to Derby on 16 April after injury and suspension, respectively, to two key defenders in Michael Johnson and Darren Moore, left Derby with only one natural centre half. In his first game after returning to Derby he scored the winner against Luton Town
on 20 April which sent Derby back into the automatic promotion places and relegated Luton. Nyatanga lost his place when Moore and Johnson returned, and was not in the 16 for the 2007 Playoff victory
.
Nyatanga signed a new 4-year contract in the summer of 2007, and returned to Barnsley
on a six-month loan shortly after. He formed an impressive partnership with Dennis Souza
at the heart of Barnsley's defence, but was recalled by Derby
in January 2008. On January 19, 2008, Nyatanga scored on his Premier League debut at Portsmouth
in the 5th minute, which gave Derby a 1–0 lead, though Derby went on to lose the game 3–1 after a Benjani
hat-trick. That was to be his only Premier League game of the season and his first of only 3 appearances for Derby that season, as he was sent back out on loan to Barnsley for the remainder of the 2007–8 season.
During the 2008–09 season
, Nyatanga was initially out of the first team picture, behind Martin Albrechtsen
and Dean Leacock
. A season-ending injury to Leacock gave Nyatanga a chance to establish himself and he featured predominantly from November onwards, going on to make 30 league appearances, scoring once – the first in a 3–1 hammering of fierce local rivals
Nottingham Forest. He also played in the League Cup semi final 1st leg against Manchester United
, a game which Derby won 1–0.
Nyatanga was injured during pre-season 2010/11, once recovered he was sent out on loan to Peterborough United to gain some match fitness.
, Staffordshire
, Nyatanga qualifies for Wales through parentage, having been born to a Zimbabwean father and Welsh mother. Nyatanga holds the records for being the youngest captain and youngest player ever to play for the Welsh Under-21
s. On March 1, 2006, aged 17 years and 195 days, he made his full international debut for Wales in a friendly match against Paraguay
in Cardiff
, breaking Ryan Green
's record as the youngest ever Welsh international. Despite his inexperience, with only 17 first team appearances for Derby behind him, he played "a key role" in the goalless draw. Wales' match against Trinidad and Tobago
in May 2006 marked Nyatanga's second international appearance, and also saw his age record broken by 16 year old teammate Gareth Bale
. He has mostly been a regular and was recalled to the U-21's to help them qualify for the 2009 European Championships
but they narrowly lost 5–4 on aggregate to England in the play-offs. His most recent appearance for Wales came in a friendly against Sweden, where he replaced Gareth Bale midway through the second half.
Other
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
footballer who plays for Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
and the Wales national team
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
as a defender
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
.
Derby County
Nyatanga developed as a player through DerbyDerby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
's academy, signing professional terms for the club in August 2005 and making his senior debut in a League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
tie against Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
, going on to feature in over half of Derby's league games during the 2005–06 season, primarily at centreback, scoring his first goal a 2–1 win over Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
.
Despite starting the 2006–07 season in the first team picture, Nyatanga lost his place in the first team and was loaned out to fellow Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
side Sunderland for four months in October 2006. Whilst at Sunderland, Nyatanga played left back due to an injury to Stephen Wright and Clive Clarke
Clive Clarke
Clive Richard Luke Clarke is a former Irish footballer after leaving Sunderland for health reasons. He played primarily as a left back, but also as centre back, left midfielder or centre midfielder.-Stoke City:...
leaving on loan. Sunderland boss Roy Keane
Roy Keane
Roy Maurice Keane is an Irish former footballer and manager. In his 18-year playing career, he played for Cobh Ramblers in the League of Ireland, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, before ending his career at Celtic in Scotland....
was reportedly interested in signing Nyatanga in a £1.5m move in January 2007. Derby manager Billy Davies
Billy Davies
William McIntosh "Billy" Davies is a Glasgow-born Scottish football manager, noted for his achievement in the Football League Championship with East Midlands Rivals Derby County and Nottingham Forest and Preston North End which has led him to be described, in 2011, as "probably the best manager at...
said there was a possibility that Nyatanga could join Sunderland permanently, however, no bid was ever tabled by Sunderland.
Nyatanaga returned to Derby in January 2007, only to join Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
a month later on a three month loan deal. Nyantanga helped the club to some vital wins during his time at Barnsley, including a surprise 1–0 win over promotion hopefuls Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
and a vital 3–1 win away over relegation rivals Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
. Nyantanga was recalled to Derby on 16 April after injury and suspension, respectively, to two key defenders in Michael Johnson and Darren Moore, left Derby with only one natural centre half. In his first game after returning to Derby he scored the winner against Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
on 20 April which sent Derby back into the automatic promotion places and relegated Luton. Nyatanga lost his place when Moore and Johnson returned, and was not in the 16 for the 2007 Playoff victory
2007 Football League Championship play-off final
The 2007 Football League Championship play-off Final, also known as the 2007 Coca-Cola Championship play-off Final due to sponsorship from Coca-Cola, was a football match played at Wembley Stadium on 28 May 2007, at the end of the 2006–07 season...
.
Nyatanga signed a new 4-year contract in the summer of 2007, and returned to Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
on a six-month loan shortly after. He formed an impressive partnership with Dennis Souza
Dennis Souza
Dennis Souza de Guedes, known as simply Dennis Souza is a Brazilian footballer, playing for OFI Crete in the Super League Greece....
at the heart of Barnsley's defence, but was recalled by Derby
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
in January 2008. On January 19, 2008, Nyatanga scored on his Premier League debut at Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
in the 5th minute, which gave Derby a 1–0 lead, though Derby went on to lose the game 3–1 after a Benjani
Benjani Mwaruwari
Benjamin Mwaruwari , known as Benjani, is a Zimbabwean footballer who currently plays for Portsmouth in the Football League Championship, where he plays as a striker....
hat-trick. That was to be his only Premier League game of the season and his first of only 3 appearances for Derby that season, as he was sent back out on loan to Barnsley for the remainder of the 2007–8 season.
During the 2008–09 season
2008–09 in English football
The 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Hull City were all playing in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. Stoke returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, while...
, Nyatanga was initially out of the first team picture, behind Martin Albrechtsen
Martin Albrechtsen
Martin Albrechtsen is a Danish professional football player, currently playing for the Danish superliga team FC Midtjylland. He can play in any position across the back four and has played four games for the Danish national team...
and Dean Leacock
Dean Leacock
Dean Leacock is an English footballer of Barbadian descent. He currently plays for Championship side Derby County, primarily as a centre back, but he can also play as a right back or a defensive midfielder....
. A season-ending injury to Leacock gave Nyatanga a chance to establish himself and he featured predominantly from November onwards, going on to make 30 league appearances, scoring once – the first in a 3–1 hammering of fierce local rivals
East Midlands derby
This article is only about games featuring Nottingham Forest and Derby County. For games with either of those clubs against Leicester City, see Leicester City F.C. and Nottingham Forest F.C. rivalry or Derby County F.C. and Leicester City F.C. rivalry....
Nottingham Forest. He also played in the League Cup semi final 1st leg against Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, a game which Derby won 1–0.
Bristol City
On 14 July 2009, Nyatanga signed for Bristol City and agreed a four-year deal. He Scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw with Newcastle United on 20 March 2010.Nyatanga was injured during pre-season 2010/11, once recovered he was sent out on loan to Peterborough United to gain some match fitness.
International career
Although born in Burton upon TrentBurton upon Trent
Burton upon Trent, also known as Burton-on-Trent or simply Burton, is a town straddling the River Trent in the east of Staffordshire, England. Its associated adjective is "Burtonian"....
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, Nyatanga qualifies for Wales through parentage, having been born to a Zimbabwean father and Welsh mother. Nyatanga holds the records for being the youngest captain and youngest player ever to play for the Welsh Under-21
Wales national under-21 football team
The Wales national under-21 football team, also known as the Wales U21s, is the national under-21 football team of Wales and is controlled by the Football Association of Wales. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
s. On March 1, 2006, aged 17 years and 195 days, he made his full international debut for Wales in a friendly match against Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, breaking Ryan Green
Ryan Green
Ryan Michael Green is a Wales international footballer who plays as a defender for Hereford United. He is perhaps best known for breaking Ryan Giggs's record as the youngest player to be capped for the Wales national football team, a record which has since been surpassed.-Career:Born in Cardiff,...
's record as the youngest ever Welsh international. Despite his inexperience, with only 17 first team appearances for Derby behind him, he played "a key role" in the goalless draw. Wales' match against Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago national football team
The Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...
in May 2006 marked Nyatanga's second international appearance, and also saw his age record broken by 16 year old teammate Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale
Gareth Frank Bale is a Welsh footballer who plays for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Wales national team. Bale began his professional career with Southampton in 2005 and was transferred to Tottenham two years later...
. He has mostly been a regular and was recalled to the U-21's to help them qualify for the 2009 European Championships
2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship
The 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship began on 15 June 2009, and was the 17th UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. This was the first tournament after the competition reverted to a two-year format, following the single-year 2006-07 competition, which allowed the change to...
but they narrowly lost 5–4 on aggregate to England in the play-offs. His most recent appearance for Wales came in a friendly against Sweden, where he replaced Gareth Bale midway through the second half.
Personal honours
Derby County- Championship Play Off Winner – 2006/07
- Young Player of the Year – 2005/2006
Other
- Welsh Football Writer's Young Player of the Year – 2006
External links
- Official Sunderland AFC Profile
- Lewin Nyatanga Profile at FootballDatabase
- Wals profile