 Maynard warming up forWest Ham United in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nicholas David Maynard[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1986-12-11)11 December 1986 (age 38)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Winsford, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994 | Arsenal | ||
| 1994–2005 | Crewe Alexandra | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2008 | Crewe Alexandra | 59 | (32) |
| 2006 | →Witton Albion (loan) | 9 | (2) |
| 2008–2012 | Bristol City | 124 | (45) |
| 2012 | West Ham United | 14 | (2) |
| 2012–2015 | Cardiff City | 22 | (2) |
| 2014 | →Wigan Athletic (loan) | 16 | (4) |
| 2015–2017 | Milton Keynes Dons | 66 | (8) |
| 2017–2018 | Aberdeen | 18 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Bury | 37 | (21) |
| 2019–2021 | Mansfield Town | 50 | (17) |
| 2021 | →Newport County (loan) | 19 | (2) |
| 2021–2022 | Tranmere Rovers | 10 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | Macclesfield | 33 | (15) |
| 2023 | Winsford Town | 3 | (2) |
| Total | 480 | (153) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 03:58, 9 August 2025 (GMT+7) | |||
Nicholas David Maynard (born 11 December 1986) is an English former professionalfootballer who played as astriker.
He began his career atCrewe Alexandra, following over a decade in the club'sAcademy, and scored on his senior debut in April 2006 following a successful loan spell atWitton Albion He was named asLeague One Player of the Month for September 2006 and would score 31 goals in 58League One games for the club. He was sold toBristol City for a fee of £2.25m in July 2008. He won the Football League Goal of the Year award for 2009 and would score 45 goals in 124Championship matches across just under four seasons, becoming the division's joint-top-scorer in 2010. He was sold toWest Ham United for an undisclosed fee in January 2012 and was an unused substitute in the club'splay-off final, though did not feature in aPremier League match. He joinedCardiff City for a reported £2.75m fee in August 2012. He picked up a serious injury early in the 2012–13 promotion season and was limited to eight Premier League appearances in the following campaign. He spent the second half of the 2013–14 season on loan atWigan Athletic. He signed withMilton Keynes Dons in September 2015 and would go on to spend two seasons at the club. He spent the 2017–18 campaign atScottish Premiership sideAberdeen and the 2018–19 season withBury. He joinedMansfield Town in July 2019.
Born inWinsford,Cheshire, Maynard spent a year as a schoolboy withArsenal,[3] before he joinedCrewe Alexandra'sacademy at the age of seven.[4] He then represented Crewe at every age group level and scored 27 goals in one season at under–18s level.[4] As a reward for his form in the youth team, Maynard was given his first professional contract in the summer of 2005.[5]
Maynard was loaned out toNorthern Premier League Premier Division clubWitton Albion in November 2005, scoring two goals in nine games, before returning to Crewe in January.[6] He made his Crewe debut in the last game of the2005–06Championship season, coming on as a substitute forMichael Higdon in a 4–2 win overMillwall at theAlexandra Stadium on 30 April 2006. He scored with his first touch in professional football, in front of scouts representing 20 different clubs,[7] afterMichael O'Connor's shot hit the post.
Maynard performed well in his second year of professional football, forming a productive goal-scoring partnership withLuke Varney, with the pair claiming a total of 33League One goals between them. During his first full season, Maynard also picked up the "Player of the Month" award for September, scoring four goals in seven games, including one in the 2–0 win overPremier League sideWigan Athletic in theLeague Cup.[8]
However his second full season was brought to a standstill for four months after he suffered abone fracture of hisfibula and also damaged his ankleligaments during the season opener againstBrighton & Hove Albion.[9] In an interview withFourFourTwo magazine, Maynard admitted that he had "broke down a few times" during his four months ofrehabilitation,[10] although he would later recover and return to fitness. Maynard initially struggled to score upon his return to the first team, with only two goals scored in his first two months back from injury. But in February and March, the young striker showed his potential by scoring in seven consecutive games, including a first senior level hat-trick, against relegation rivalsCheltenham Town. "I've scored a couple of doubles before" he said in an interview in 2008, "so I thought it was a long time coming. I got all the lads to sign the match ball for me."[11] Crewe managed to avoid relegation for the second time in three seasons at the expense ofAFC Bournemouth, despite losing 4–1 toOldham Athletic on the last day of the season.[12] He was the subject of a £1 million transfer bid fromIpswich Town, whilst numerous other clubs were also linked with a move for the 21-year old.[13] The bid was rejected as Crewe managerSteve Holland stated that it was half what the "Railwaymen" believed his current valuation to be.[14]
On 31 July 2008, Maynard signed a four-year contract withBristol City for a fee of £2.25m (plus a 20% sell on clause), becoming their record signing.[15][16][17] The first half of his season at City was difficult and despite scoring three games into his Bristol City career he failed to hold down a regular first-team place, often appearing as a substitute.[18] However, just before Christmas he started scoring, with goals againstWatford (twice) andWolverhampton Wanderers, starting a Bristol City unbeaten run of eight games, which was ended by a 1–0 defeat byDoncaster Rovers.[18]
Maynard made an explosive start to his second season with City, scoring six times in his first seven games. He helped his side to three consecutive 1–0 victories, againstCrystal Palace,Queens Park Rangers and away atBrentford in the League Cup.[18] He also scored twice in a 2–1 defeat ofMiddlesbrough.[19] Maynard's sixth goal of the season came on 12 September away at Coventry City; after the ball was chested down by new signing and strike partnerÁlvaro Saborío, Maynard struck a 25-yard half-volley in off the crossbar past Coventry keeperKeiren Westwood.[20] "Robins" managerGary Johnson said that "he's got some good ones this season but that might just be his best one."[21] However, Maynard bettered this goal on Boxing day againstQueens Park Rangers atLoftus Road; facing away from goal just outside the box, he collected abouncing ball in the air, controlled it with one touch, turned two defenders with a second touch, and then smashed a volley into the top corner past an unmovedRadek Černý, all without the ball hitting the ground. The goal was voted the 'Football League goal of 2009', out of five selected goals from 2009.[22]
Following a pre-season knee injury, his first appearance in the2010–11 season was as a substitute againstLeeds United on 12 February.[18] He scored six goals in eight games and entered negotiations with the club on a new contract, with managerKeith Millen saying that the player was "happy to be back playing again, fit and scoring goals and we're delighted to have him".[23] On 23 April, Maynard received the first red card of his career for a two-footed tackle in a 3–2 defeat atSheffield United.[24] In May 2011, it was reported thatGuyana had approached Maynard for a possible call-up to the senior side, whom he qualifies for through his grandparents.[25] He had previously been tipped to representEngland by Crewe managerDario Gradi, who felt it unlikely that he would be selected "from a club like Bristol City".[26]
Bristol City rejected a transfer bid fromLeicester City in June 2011, whilstNottingham Forest andSouthampton also made enquiries.[27] However as negotiations failed to produce a new contract he sought to ease fans concerns, saying that he was committed to the club and that "my aim is to be the top scorer in the league and get Bristol City into the Premier League"; he set a target of 20 goals for the coming season.[28] Maynard was put up for sale in the January 2012 transfer window after failing to negotiate a new contract atAshton Gate.[29] He stated in an interview withBBC Radio Bristol that fans had thrown bottles at his family, which made him even more reluctant to sign a new deal.[30]
On 31 January 2012, Maynard signed for Championship clubWest Ham United for an undisclosed fee on a2+1⁄2-year deal with an option for an extra year.[31] Maynard made his West Ham debut on 14 February in a 1–1 draw withSouthampton at theBoleyn Ground, coming on as a 65th-minutesubstitute forCarlton Cole.[32] Seven days later, Maynard netted his first goal for the "Hammers" in a 4–1 win atBlackpool.[33] He scored his second goal for West Ham in a 4–0 win atBarnsley on 6 April.[34] He also scored in the play-off semi-final second leg againstCardiff City on 7 May, giving West Ham a 3–0 lead at the time to add to their 2–0 lead from the first leg, putting them through to the final atWembley.[35] He was an unused substitute in theplay-off final as West Ham secured promotion to the Premier League with a 2–1 victory over Blackpool.[36] His final game for West Ham came in the League Cup on 28 August 2012, when he scored the first goal in a 2–0 win over former club Crewe Alexandra.[37] He played 17 games in all competitions, scoring four goals, though did not feature in the Premier League under managerSam Allardyce.[38]
On 31 August 2012, Maynard signed a three-year contract with Cardiff City for an undisclosed transfer fee, reported to be £2.75m.[39] His debut came on 2 September, in a 3–1 win overWolverhampton Wanderers.[40] Just two games later, Maynard was ruled out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.[41] Speaking in January, managerMalky Mackay confirmed that Maynard would not play for Cardiff again in the2012–13 season.[42] He did though feature on the final day of the season, scoring a stoppage-time equaliser in a 2–2 draw atHull City; the draw secured promotion for Hull, with Cardiff already having secured promotion to the Premier League as winners of the Championship.[43]
Maynard scored his second goal for the "Bluebirds" in a 2–0 League Cup win atAccrington Stanley on 28 August 2013.[44] On 16 January 2014, Maynard joined Wigan Athletic on loan until the end of the2013–14 season.[45] He scored his first goals for Wigan when he struck twice in a 3–0 win againstSheffield Wednesday on 11 February.[46] ManagerUwe Rösler enthused that "he was excellent, not only his goals, but his all-round play... he looks sharp, motivated and knowledgeable about the game".[47] Maynard scored four goals in 18 games for the "Latics", who qualified for the play-offs with a fifth-place finish in the Championship. However he played just 15 minutes of the play-off semi-finals as Wigan were beaten 2–1 on aggregate byQueens Park Rangers.[48][49]
Cardiff returned to the Championship after being relegated in his absence and though Maynard only featured five times under managerOle Gunnar Solskjær, he described the Norwegian as "a breath of fresh air" and that he was "devastated" by Solskjær's departure from theCardiff City Stadium.[50] He was limited to one goal from 12 games during the2014–15 season and was released by managerRussell Slade upon the expiry of his contract, having been sidelined from November to April with a back injury.[51][52]
On 22 September 2015, Maynard signed for newly-promoted Championship sideMilton Keynes Dons on a one-year deal.[53] On 12 May 2016, Maynard was released from Milton Keynes Dons after declining a new contract offered by the club. Maynard had scored six goals in 35 league appearances for the club, leaving as top scorer for the2015–16 season.[54]
On 2 July 2016, Maynard re-signed for the club on a new one-year deal. Upon re-signing, Maynard said "I'm pleased to be back. I enjoyed my time here last season and I got to know the players and staff well. I wanted to be somewhere where I felt wanted and having spoken to the gaffer quite a bit over the summer, he let me know how much he wanted me here."[55] He struggled for goals during the2016–17 season, though managerKarl Robinson blamed the team's lack of service.[56] Maynard volunteered to play under-21 games in order to rediscover his scoring touch.[57] His first goal of the campaign, and hundredth career goal, came in a 3–2 win overSwindon Town atStadium MK on 30 December; managerRobbie Neilson reiterated his predeseccors words that the rest of the team had to work harder to provide Maynard with more scoring opportunities.[58] Maynard left the club again on 2 May 2017, following a disappointing season.[59]
Maynard signed a one-year contract withScottish Premiership clubAberdeen in July 2017.[60] He was signed byDerek McInnes, who had also been his manager at Bristol City.[60] Maynard was released by Aberdeen at the end of the2017–18 season, having failed to find the net in 20 appearances for the "Dons".[61] He later blamed his poor scoring record atPittodrie on McInnes for not believing in him and giving him enough minutes on the pitch.[62]
On 29 September 2018, Maynard joinedBury on a deal initially scheduled to last until January 2019.[63] He made his debut for the "Shakers" on the same day as a substitute forChris Dagnall in a 2–1 win atColchester United.[64] The following month, his contract with Bury was extended to the end of the2018–19 season, with the option to extend it to a further year until 2020.[65] Bury finished as runners-up inLeague Two and were promoted toLeague One. Maynard scored 21 league goals, the third highest scorer in the league for the 2018–19 season. Due to doubt regarding the financial situation at Bury, Maynard announced his departure fromGigg Lane in June 2019.[66] ManagerRyan Lowe also left the club and tried to sign him at new clubPlymouth Argyle.[67]
On 2 July 2019, Maynard signed with League Two sideMansfield Town.[68] He scored a hat-trick in a 6–1 win over Oldham Athletic atField Mill on 12 October, leading to managerJohn Dempster to comment that the best was yet to come for the "Stags" from the veteran striker.[69] Maynard was offered a new contract at the end of the2019–20 season but became a free agent after talks broke down.[70] He finally signed a new one-year contract with the club on 28 August, though managerGraham Coughlan admitted he was short of match fitness after missing pre-season.[71] On 1 February 2021, Maynard joinedLeague Two sideNewport County on loan for the remainder of the 2020-21 season.[72] He scored on his debut for Newport in the 1-0 League Two win against Grimsby Town on 6 February 2021.[73] Maynard played for Newport in theLeague Two playoff final atWembley Stadium on 31 May 2021 which Newport lost toMorecambe, 1-0 after a 107th-minute penalty.[74] Maynard was released by Mansfield at the end of the 2020-21 season at the end of his contract.[75]
On 31 August 2021, Maynard joined League Two sideTranmere Rovers on a one-year contract, having supposedly turned down offers from League One clubs.[76] Maynard was released by the club at the end of his contract.[77]
On 4 August 2022, Maynard signed forNorthern Premier League Division One West clubMacclesfield.[78]
In August 2023, Maynard signed for Winsford Town of theCheshire Football League League Two.[79]
Maynard is a goalscoringstriker, boasting good finishing skills and clever movement.[80] In an interview in August 2017, he stated that "Sometimes I can make runs all day and not touch the ball for 15 minutes. It can be frustrating but it's not about me, it is about the team."[81]
He lives inAudlem with wife Tara and two sons, Camden and Trey.[82] The wedding took place atThornton Manor in June 2014.[83]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Crewe Alexandra | 2005–06[84] | Championship | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2006–07[85] | League One | 31 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4[a] | 1 | 38 | 19 | |
| 2007–08[86] | League One | 27 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 15 | |
| Total | 59 | 32 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 67 | 35 | ||
| Witton Albion (loan) | 2005–06[6] | Northern Premier League Premier Division | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 |
| Bristol City | 2008–09[87] | Championship | 42 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 11 |
| 2009–10[88] | Championship | 42 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 21 | |
| 2010–11[89] | Championship | 13 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 6 | |
| 2011–12[90] | Championship | 27 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 8 | |
| Total | 124 | 45 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 131 | 46 | ||
| West Ham United | 2011–12[90] | Championship | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 1 | 16 | 3 |
| 2012–13[91] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 4 | ||
| Cardiff City | 2012–13[91] | Championship | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 2013–14[92] | Premier League | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2014–15[93] | Championship | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| Total | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 3 | ||
| Wigan Athletic (loan) | 2013–14[92] | Championship | 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 18 | 4 |
| Milton Keynes Dons | 2015–16[94] | Championship | 35 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 7 |
| 2016–17[95] | League One | 31 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 34 | 2 | |
| Total | 66 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 72 | 9 | ||
| Aberdeen | 2017–18[96] | Scottish Premiership | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Bury | 2018–19[97] | League Two | 37 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 1 | 41 | 22 |
| Mansfield Town | 2019–20[98] | League Two | 33 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 15 |
| 2020–21[99] | League Two | 17 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 21 | 4 | |
| Total | 50 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 56 | 19 | ||
| Newport County (loan) | 2020–21[99] | League Two | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[c] | 1 | 22 | 3 |
| Tranmere Rovers | 2021–22[100] | League Two | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[a] | 4 | 15 | 5 |
| Macclesfield | 2022–23[101] | Northern Premier League Division One West | 33 | 15 | 4 | 1 | – | 5[d] | 4 | 42 | 20 | |
| Winsford Town | 2023–24[102] | Cheshire Football League League Two | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | |
| Career total | 480 | 153 | 22 | 4 | 13 | 5 | 24 | 12 | 539 | 174 | ||
West Ham United
Individual
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