Nicky Riley

Nicky Riley (born 10 May 1986) is a professional Scottish footballer. He began his career at Celtic and then played for Hamilton Academical and Dundee, spending time on loan at Peterhead while with Dundee then ended his time with Linlithgow Rose.

Nicky Riley
Personal information
Date of birth (1986-05-10) 10 May 1986 (age 38)
Place of birthEdinburgh, Scotland
Position(s)Midfielder
Youth career
Celtic
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2002–2010Celtic0(0)
2010Hamilton Academical0(0)
2010–2014Dundee113(9)
2014Peterhead (loan)3(0)
2015–2019Peterhead79(5)
2022–2023Linlithgow Rose
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Riley signed for Celtic after spending time with the Brazilian Soccer School in Edinburgh.[1] Upon signing for the club he was involved with their under-21 side.

After suffering with injuries throughout his time at Celtic,[2] he was released in January 2010, having never played in a competitive match for the club.

After leaving Celtic, Riley trained with Hamilton Academical and on 19 February 2010, signed a contract until the end of the season.[3] He left Hamilton at the end of the season, again without making an appearance.[4]

Riley then joined Dundee for pre season training and after two weeks at the club signed an initial six-month contract on 16 July 2010.[2][5] In October 2010, Dundee entered administration, but Riley was one of the players kept by the club and in December 2010, extended his contract until the end of the season.[6]

In the 2011–12 season Riley was named as Scottish Football League Player of the Month for November 2011,[7] and at the end of the season was voted into the PFA Scotland First Division Team of the Year.[8] On 22 May 2012, he signed a new one-year contract.[9]

At the end of the 2013–14 season, with Dundee having won the Scottish Championship title and promotion to the Scottish Premiership, Riley was one of a number of players reported to have been told by manager Paul Hartley that they could leave the club.[10] In September 2014, Ayr United manager Mark Roberts said that he was interested in signing Riley, with Hartley saying that Riley needed to go somewhere and play first team football.[11]

On 3 October 2014, Riley signed for Peterhead on a one-month loan.[12] After his loan had come to an end, he left Dundee by mutual consent on 4 November 2014.[13]

On 9 January 2015, Riley returned to Peterhead, signing until the end of the 2014–15 season.[14]

Riley last played for Linlithgow Rose in 2022.[15]

Career statistics

As of match played 28 October 2017
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueScottish CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dundee2010–11[16]First Division333001000343
2011–12[17]254002000274
2012–13[18]Premier League2822000302
2013–14[19]Championship27010101[a]0300
Dundee total11393040101219
Peterhead (loan)2014–15[20]League One191100000201
Peterhead2015–16[21]League One30110005[b]0361
2016–17[22]32410405[c]0424
2017–18[23]League Two6010001[a]080
Peterhead total6853040110865
Career total20014708012022714

He has hair that can come in useful because it keeps his head warm in the winter

References