| Nick Culkin | |
| Nationality: | 
|
| Rovers apps (gls)1: | 45 (0) |
| Date of birth: | 6 July 1978 |
| Place of birth: | York |
| Height: | 6ft 2in |
| Position: | Goalkeeper |
| Date joined: | 3 July 2000 |
| Joined from: | Manchester United (loan) |
| Date left: | 7 May 2001 |
| 1 League appearances and goals only. | |
Nick Culkin is a 'keeper who spent a year on loan at Rovers from Manchester United. He is currently retired.
Culkin's career started at his hometown club York City as a trainee. Before he even broke into the first team, he moved to Manchester United where he played just two minutes of football, as a substitute against Arsenal in August 1999. He remained there however until 2002.
His first chance to get first team experience came during a month long loan at Division Three side Hull City. He played just four times, but kept three clean sheets and conceding just once.
He joined Rovers on loan as a replacement for Lee Jones, who had left for Stockport County, for the 2000-01 season. Although Culkin's performances were generally positive, Rovers were relegated to Division Three finishing 21st in Division Two. Culkin was expected to re-join Rovers the following season, either again on loan or permanently, but this never materialised.
The following season he was again loaned out, this time to Scottish Premier side Livingston. During his six months in Scotland, he made 25 appearances.
He was released by Manchester United in the summer of 2002 and was snapped up by Queens Park Rangers, then managed by Ian Holloway who had brought him to Rovers. His time there was hampered by a recurring knee injury. After just three games for QPR, he picked up an injury that kept him out until December. He only won his place back when on loan 'keeper Simon Royce returned to Leicester City. He again suffered an injury in March 2003 and was reduced to nothing more than a bit player at Loftus Road.
He failed to make an appearance in the 2004-05 season and decided to retire at the end of that season when it became apparent that his knee injury was something that would cause him problems for the rest of his career.
It would be five years before he decided to get back into the game, when he opted to play part-time football for Radcliffe Borough in 2010. He quickly established himself as a fans' favourite and in his first season he picked up the fans' player of the year award, as well as the club's and players' player of the year trophies. The following season he was again the club's and the fans' player of the year and was named as the goalkeeper in the Northern Premier League Division One North team of the year for 2011–12.
After beginning the 2012–13 season with Radcliffe, he moved to Prescot Cables in November.
Career[]
| Season | Club | League | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | ||
| 1999-00 | Manchester United | 1 | 0 |
| 1999-00 | →Hull City (loan) | 4 | 0 |
| 2000-01 | Manchester United | 0 | 0 |
| 2000-01 | →Bristol Rovers (loan) | 45 | 0 |
| 2001-02 | Manchester United | 0 | 0 |
| 2001-02 | →Livingston (loan) | 21 | 0 |
| 2002-03 | Queens Park Rangers | 17 | 0 |
| 2003-04 | Queens Park Rangers | 5 | 0 |
| 2004-05 | Queens Park Rangers | 0 | 0 |
| 2010-11 | Radcliffe Borough | ? | ? |
| 2011-12 | Radcliffe Borough | ? | ? |
| 2012-13 | Radcliffe Borough | ? | ? |
| 2012-13 | Prescot Cables | ? | ? |