David Atkinson (footballer)
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | David Atkinson[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 27 April 1993[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Shildon,[1] England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 20??–2014 | Middlesbrough | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2015 | Middlesbrough | 0 | (0) |
| 2015 | → Hartlepool United (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2015 | → Carlisle United (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2015–2017 | Carlisle United | 25 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | → Blyth Spartans (loan) | ||
| 2017 | Blyth Spartans | ||
| 2017 | ÍBV | 10 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Blyth Spartans | 21 | (0) |
| 2018 | ÍBV | 16 | (0) |
| 2019 | Blyth Spartans | 9 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | Darlington | 12 | (0) |
| 2021– | Shildon | 50 | (2) |
| International career | |||
| 2008–2009 | England U16 | 4 | (0) |
| 2010 | England U17 | 2 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15:10, 6 March 2023 (UTC) | |||
David Atkinson (born 27 April 1993) is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Northern League Division One club Shildon. He played in the Football League for Carlisle United.
Atkinson joined Middlesbrough's academy as an under-nine.[3] He was a member of the Middlesbrough under-15 squad that won the English qualifying competition for the 2007–08 Manchester United Premier Cup,[4] and took up a two-year scholarship with the club in 2009.[5] After the first twelve months, he was given his first professional contract, of four years; at that time, he was recovering from a stress fracture in his back,[4] and his progress was later disrupted by a serious knee injury.[6] He went on to captain Middlesbrough's under-21 team,[7] and in the second half of the 2013–14 season, was a regular member of the first-team squad. After eight consecutive Championship matches on the bench, Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka said that Atkinson was training well and was in his thoughts for a debut, but would not force him into a "difficult game" that might adversely affect his confidence.[8] He remained unused, and in September 2014, still without having played first-team football for Middlesbrough, joined League Two club Hartlepool United on a month's loan.[9] He lost time to a hamstring injury, the manager who signed him, Colin Cooper, resigned in the middle of his loan spell, and he made no senior appearances.[10][11]
He spent time on trial with League One club Walsall in February 2015, brought in by manager Dean Smith to check him out ahead of a possible summer signing – according to Smith, "He is someone [Middlesbrough] have thought highly of, but has not quite burst onto the first team scene as they would have liked.[12] – before signing for Carlisle United of League Two on loan on 26 March.[13] It was with Carlisle that he finally made his Football League debut, on 28 March in a 2–1 loss away to Oxford United, and he made six more appearances.[11] At the end of a 2014–15 season in which Middlesbrough's under-21s won the U21 Premier League Second Division title and added the North Riding Senior Cup, beating Guisborough Town in the final, Atkinson was not offered a new contract.[14]
On 4 June 2015, Atkinson signed a short-term deal with Carlisle United.[7] Six months later, he extended his contract until June 2017.[15]
On 1 December 2016, Atkinson joined Blyth Spartans on loan for a month.[16] The loan was initially extended, and then made permanent when Atkinson left Carlisle by mutual consent.[17] He also spent time playing in Iceland for ÍBV, with which he won the 2017 Icelandic Cup and played in the UEFA Europa League.[18][19]
Atkinson joined Darlington for the 2019–20 season,[20] but ankle ligaments damaged during pre-season restricted his appearances.[21] He left the club after the abandoned 2020–21 National League North season,[22][23] and signed for Shildon.[24]
International career
Atkinson made his debut for the England under-16 team on 28 November 2008.[25] He played the first half of the 2–0 win against Scotland that confirmed England as winners of that year's Victory Shield.[26] Although not originally selected for the Montaigu Tournament in 2009, he came into the squad after Nico Yennaris withdrew,[27] and started two of the three group matches and played the whole of the final, in which England U16 beat Germany on penalties to successfully defend their title.[25][28]
Atkinson was named in the England under-17 squad for matches against France, Ukraine and hosts Portugal at the Algarve Tournament in February 2010.[29] He played in two matches to help England finish as runners-up.[30] He was placed on standby for the England under-18s' friendly against Italy in April 2011, but was not needed.[31][32]
