Nelthorpe signed a professional contract with Doncaster on 28 June 2006[16] and joined Conference National club Kidderminster Harriers on a one-month loan on 10 October.[17] He made his debut the same day in a 0–0 draw with Oxford United,[18] and he nearly scored for Kidderminster during the first half.[19] He scored his first career goal against Droylsden in the FA Cup, and after Kidderminster decided against extending his loan spell, he returned to Doncaster in November after making six appearances.[18][20] This was followed by a loan spell at Northern Premier League Premier Division club Gateshead, after joining in November,[21] where he made 19 appearances and scored eight goals.[22] While at Gateshead he still appeared for Doncaster and he had a run of seven appearances, which started after coming on during the 3–2 victory over Crewe Alexandra in the Football League Trophy at the Keepmoat Stadium on 13 February 2007.[23] In the final match of the 2006–07 season on 5 May 2007, Nelthorpe scored his first goal for Doncaster against Northampton Town, which finished as a 2–2 draw.[23] He had a trial with recently relegated League Two club Chesterfield in May 2007, with a view to him joining on loan.[24]
After making four appearances for Doncaster during the 2007–08 season,[25] he joined Conference Premier club Halifax Town on a one-month loan on 10 January 2008.[26] Nelthorpe scored four minutes into his Halifax debut against Northwich Victoria on 26 January 2008, which finished as a 2–2 draw, and he netted three minutes into his next appearance, a 2–2 draw with Rushden on 9 February.[27][28][29] He finished the loan spell in March, after making 10 appearances and scoring 3 goals,[28] after which he joined League Two club Darlington on loan until the end of the season on 27 March 2008.[30] He made his debut in a 3–1 defeat at Bradford City on 29 March 2008 and entered the play-off semi-final second leg tie against Rochdale on 17 May 2008 as an 88th-minute substitute for Clark Keltie, which finished as a 5–4 defeat in a penalty shoot-out.[25] He finished the loan spell with eight appearances.[25]
Nelthorpe was handed a new one-year contract at Doncaster in July 2008.[31] He rejoined Gateshead on a three-month loan in August 2008, which he completed in November with 15 appearances and one goal.[32][33]
Oxford United
He was released by Doncaster at his own request on 13 January 2009 and joined Conference Premier club Oxford United the next day on a contract until the end of the 2008–09 season.[34][35][36] He made his debut in a 1–0 victory over Altrincham on 17 January 2009 and scored his first goal four days later with a shot into the top-left corner of the goal, which gave Oxford a 1–0 victory against Mansfield Town.[37][38] Nelthorpe was named on standby for the England C team, who represent England at non-League level, in February 2009, for a friendly against Malta under-21s.[39] He was sent off against Torquay United after clashing with Mustapha Carayol,[40] which resulted in a three-match suspension, and following this he said he was looking to use his aggression more effectively.[41] He made his return in a 2–1 victory over Kettering Town on 19 March 2009, during which he opened the scoring with a 20-yard free kick and assisted the second goal with a corner kick that was headed in by Chris Willmott.[37][42] He finished the season with 16 appearances and 2 goals for Oxford.[37]
Nelthorpe was released by Oxford at the end of the season and he subsequently signed for fellow Conference Premier club York City on 19 May 2009.[43][44] He suffered from illness during much of York's pre-season, and during a friendly against FC Halifax Town he was sent off for jumping dangerously with his arm raised.[45] He made his debut as a stoppage time substitute in a 2–1 defeat to former club Oxford on 8 August 2009.[46][47] After failing to start any matches for York, he requested a loan move away from the club in October 2009.[48] On 10 November 2009, he joined league rivals Barrow on loan until 1 January 2010.[49] He made his debut in a 2–2 with AFC Wimbledon on 14 November 2009,[50] assisting Jason Walker's goal through a corner kick.[51] He scored his first goal for Barrow in a 2–2 draw with Grays Athletic on 24 November 2009 with a free kick and finished the loan spell with six appearances and two goals.[50][52] He joined Conference Premier rivals Luton Town on trial in January 2010, starting a reserve-team match against Peterborough United,[53] before signing on loan until the end of the 2009–10 season on 22 January.[54] He made his debut a day later as an 83rd-minute substitute for Tom Craddock in a 1–0 victory over Gateshead.[47][55] His loan period at Luton came to an end on 7 May 2010,[56] having made eight appearances for the club.[55] He finished the season with eight appearances for York and was released by the club on 18 May 2010.[46][57]
Gateshead
He signed for former club Gateshead, now playing in the Conference Premier, on 21 June 2010.[58] He made his debut in the opening match of the 2010–11 season, a 0–0 draw with Kettering on 14 August 2010.[59] Nelthorpe's first goal came after scoring a 90th-minute winner in a 1–0 victory over Southport,[59] turning in Josh Gillies' cross from six yards.[60] He made 41 appearances for Gateshead during the 2010–11 season, scoring 5 goals, before he was released on 4 May 2011.[59][61]
Later career
Nelthorpe signed with Conference North club Gainsborough Trinity on 20 June 2011.[62] However, he was released by the club in November alongside defender Rory Coleman, with managerSteve Housham claiming "they haven't lived up to expectations".[63] Later that month he turned out for Winterton Rangers of the Northern Counties East League Premier Division.[64] He then signed for Matlock Town of the Northern Premier League Premier Division and made his debut on 3 December 2011 in a 2–2 draw away at Bradford Park Avenue, in which he was substituted after half an hour due to a hamstring injury.[65] He then joined Conference North club Eastwood Town in early March 2012 but stayed less than a month, joining Northern Premier League Division One South club Brigg Town.[66][67] He left soon after, re-signing for Frickley of the Northern Premier League Premier Division, a club he had played for earlier in his career, in late March 2012.[68] His debut came on 24 March 2012 as a 72nd-minute substitute in a 1–0 defeat at home Marine, and was sent off after nine minutes for a needless challenge on Neil Harvey.[69] Shortly after that appearance, he was released by the club on 3 April 2012.[70]
Nelthorpe returned to Gainsborough Trinity in August 2012.[71] In May 2013, Nelthorpe signed with Harrogate Town to become their first signing of the summer.[72] He joined Northern Premier League Premier Division club Buxton on a one-month loan in February 2015, before he emigrated to Australia with his family.[73] Here he joined Mornington, an amateur club in the Victoria State League 1.[74][75] Nelthorpe returned to England later that year, and re-joined Matlock in October 2015, scoring the winning goal less than a minute into his debut in a 1–0 home victory over Rushall Olympic.[76] He signed for Northern Premier League Division One North club Scarborough Athletic in July 2016.[77] Nelthorpe signed for National League North club North Ferriby United on 30 November 2017.[78] Having made three appearances for North Ferriby,[79] he signed for Northern Premier League Division One North club Ossett Town on 10 January 2018.[80] Nelthorpe signed for Northern Premier League Division One East club Belper Town on 17 August 2018.[81] He had made 19 appearances and scored 1 goal in all competitions[82] by the time the 2019–20 season was abandoned and results expunged because of the COVID-19 pandemic in England.[83]
Style of play
Nelthorpe is left footed and is able to play either as a left back or as a left winger.[84] He has also been played at left wingback, although he has stated his preference in playing a more attacking role, saying "I'm not really the best defensively – I'd sooner go at people".[34] While playing as a winger, he is "adventurous" and has a "willingness to run at defenders".[85][86] His skills have been praised as being "deft and quick" and his set pieces have been described as being "excellent".[87][88]
Personal life
Nelthorpe was born in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.[89] He has two children with his girlfriend.[34]
Nelthorpe was arrested along with York players Michael Gash, Michael Ingham and Michael Rankine in August 2009 following an incident involving two other men at a Subway outlet on a night out.[90] The four appeared at York Magistrates' Court on 14 January 2010 after being charged with affray.[91] Nelthorpe pleaded guilty to the charge of affray after appearing at York Crown Court on 1 September 2010.[92]
Career statistics
As of end of 2019–20 season
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
^"Four for Sharpe". Non-League Daily. Baltic Publications. 3 April 2004. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^"Latest moves". Non-League Daily. Baltic Publications. 28 November 2005. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ abcWilliams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2007). Non-League Club Directory 2008. Kingsbridge: Tony Williams Publications. pp. 118–119. ISBN978-1-869833-57-2.
^ abcAppearances and goals for this season are taken from: Williams, Tony; Wright, James, eds. (2010). Non-League Club Directory 2011. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 160–161. ISBN978-1-869833-68-8. Flett, Dave (27 January 2010). "York City 1, Newport County 0 – FA Trophy replay". The Press. York. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
^"Two for Frickley". Non-League Daily. Baltic Publications. 24 March 2012. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
