Barnet FC are delighted to announce the signing of Michael Nelson on a one-year deal ahead of the new season.
The 35-year-old defender has been training with the Bees for over a month and will now officially become part of the Barnet squad for the 2015/16 campaign having impressed throughout pre-season.
Michael joins from Cambridge United, where he made 38 appearances for the U’s last season in helping them to a 19th place finish in their first season back in League Two as well as memorable run to the fourth-round of the FA Cup where they held Manchester United to a 0-0 draw before being defeated in the replay at Old Trafford.
After beginning his career in non-league football with Leek Town, Spennymoor United and Bishop Auckland, Michael signed his first professional contract with Bury in 2001 and was named Player of the Year the following season.
Following two successful seasons at Gigg Lane, Michael then signed for Hartlepool United for £70,000 where he made over 300 appearances in six years, helping Pools to automatic promotion from League Two in 2007 when he was named in the PFA Team of the Year.
The defender then moved to Norwich City in the summer of 2009, making a total of 36 appearances as the Canaries were crowned as League One champions after finishing nine points clear at the top of the table.
Norwich went on to claim a second successive promotion the following season, with Michael making eleven appearances before spending the rest of the season on loan with fellow Championship side Scunthorpe United.
Michael has also enjoyed two spells north of the border with Kilmarnock – where he lifted the Scottish League Cup – and Hibernian, either side of a brief spell at Bradford City.
Commenting on his arrival at The Hive, the Michael says that he is relishing the chance to bring his experience to bear as he looks to help the Bees make a successful return to the Football League:
“It is brilliant. It has been nice being down here from the start of pre-season with the boys, they have made me very welcome and I have settled in quite well. It is nice to have been here from the start and now everybody is just raring to go for the game next week.
“I’ve made over 600 appearances at this level so I know what the league is about – both what it takes to survive in it and also get out of it so hopefully I can bring a little bit of that experience.
“At the moment I am just concentrating on trying to be in that starting eleven next week.”
