Michael Thomas Atkinson (born 2 December 1994) is a footballer who plays as a right-back or midfielder for Southern League Division One Central club North Leigh and the Belize national team.

Mike Atkinson
Atkinson with York City in 2013
Personal information
Full name Michael Thomas Atkinson[1]
Date of birth (1994-12-02) 2 December 1994 (age 29)[2]
Place of birth York, England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2]
Position(s) Right-back / Midfielder
Team information
Current team
North Leigh
Youth career
0000–2013 York City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013 York City 0 (0)
2013Farsley (loan) 2 (0)
2013Northallerton Town (loan) 1 (0)
2013Scarborough Athletic (loan)
2013–2014 Scarborough Athletic
2014 Selby Town
2018 Oxford City 2 (0)
2019– North Leigh 6 (0)
International career
2017– Belize 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:04, 10 June 2021 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:04, 10 June 2021 (UTC)

Early life

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Atkinson was born in York[3] and attended Archbishop Holgate's School.[4]

Club career

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York City

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He played for York Schoolboys[5] before joining York City's youth system.[6] In March 2013, he joined Northern Premier League Division One North club Farsley on loan, making his debut on 30 March when starting a 2–1 away win over Ramsbottom United.[7] He finished the loan with two appearances.[7]

Atkinson signed a one-year professional contract with York in June 2013.[3][8] His first and only involvement with the first team came as an unused substitute in a 0–0 home draw with Hartlepool United on 17 August.[9] He joined Northern League Division Two club Northallerton Town in September 2013 on a one-month loan.[10] He made only one appearance, starting in a 4–2 home defeat to Chester-le-Street Town on 28 September,[11] and York manager Nigel Worthington wanted to loan him to a club in a higher division.[10]

Non-League

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Atkinson joined Northern Premier League Division One South club Scarborough Athletic on 8 November 2013 on a short-term loan,[12] signing permanently on 19 December[13] after being released by York.[14] He signed for Northern Counties East League Division One club Selby Town in January 2014.[15]

Atkinson signed for National League South club Oxford City in July 2018 after a successful trial.[16] He made his debut as an 84th-minute substitute in a 1–1 draw away to Weston-super-Mare on 25 August.[9][17] He finished his time at the club with two appearances.[9][18]

Atkinson signed for Southern League Division One Central club North Leigh in December 2019,[19] making his debut on 26 December when starting in a 3–0 home win over Didcot Town.[20][21] He finished the season, which ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with four appearances,[20][22] and signed a new contract with the club in July 2020.[23] He made three appearances in a second successive season to be ended prematurely due to the pandemic.[24][25]

International career

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Atkinson is eligible to represent Belize at international level through his mother[4] and received his first call-up for the Belize national team when being named in their squad for the 2017 Copa Centroamericana.[26] He made his debut as a 59th-minute substitute in a 3–0 defeat to Costa Rica on 15 January 2017.[27][28] He made his first start two days later in Belize's 3–1 loss to El Salvador, in which he was substituted on 47 minutes.[27][29] Atkinson finished the 2017 Copa Centroamericana with two appearances[27] as Belize were eliminated after finishing bottom in the standings.[30]

Style of play

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Atkinson plays as a right-back or midfielder.[31]

Personal life

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Atkinson pursued a career as a physical training instructor in the Royal Air Force (RAF), starting the joining process in 2014, and has played for the RAF football team.[4]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of end of 2020–21 season
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
York City 2012–13[32] League Two 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2013–14[33] League Two 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Farsley (loan) 2012–13[7] Northern Premier League Division One North 2 0 2 0
Northallerton Town (loan) 2013–14[11] Northern League Division Two 1 0 1 0
Oxford City 2018–19[9][18] National League South 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
North Leigh 2019–20[20] Southern League Division One Central 4 0 0 0 4 0
2020–21[24] Southern League Division One Central 2 0 0 0 1[a] 0 3 0
Total 6 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 7 0
Career total 11 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 12 0
  1. ^ Appearance in FA Trophy

International

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As of match played 25 March 2021[27]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Belize 2017 2 0
2018 3 0
2021 1 0
Total 6 0

References

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  1. ^ "Professional retain list & free transfers 2012/13" (PDF). The Football League. p. 74. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Mike Atkinson". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Player profile: Mike Atkinson". York City F.C. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013.
  4. ^ a b c Flett, Dave (28 January 2017). "Former York City academy graduate Mike Atkinson makes international debut for Belize at Copa Centroamericana". The Press. York. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  5. ^ Flett, Dave (19 December 2009). "Iron Mike inspires U15s fightback". The Press. York. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  6. ^ Flett, Dave (7 September 2013). "Youth club leaps into reckoning". The Press. York. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  7. ^ a b c Grayson, James (30 March 2013). "Super-sub Gareth Grant wins it for Farsley AFC at Ramsbottom United". Farsley Celtic F.C. Retrieved 17 January 2017 – via Pitchero.
    Grayson, James (1 April 2013). "Harrogate Railway leave Throstle Nest with three points". Farsley Celtic F.C. Retrieved 17 January 2017 – via Pitchero.
  8. ^ Flett, Dave (21 June 2013). "Level playing field for York City's first-year professionals". The Press. York. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  9. ^ a b c d "M. Atkinson: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  10. ^ a b Flett, Dave (11 October 2013). "Nigel Worthington extends Elliott Whitehouse loan stay". The Press. York. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  11. ^ a b "2013–2014 season match reports". Northallerton Town F.C. Archived from the original on 7 April 2014.
  12. ^ "Chasetown preview and new signing". Scarborough Athletic F.C. 8 November 2013. Archived from the original on 5 April 2014.
  13. ^ Funk, Rudy (19 December 2013). "Hard-earned win keeps run going". The Scarborough News. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  14. ^ Flett, Dave (20 December 2013). "York City poised to lose Burnley loan ace Luke O'Neill in January". The Press. York. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  15. ^ Carroll, Steve (24 January 2014). "Selby Town boss Jimmy Reid rings changes". The Press. York. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  16. ^ Johnson, Jack (25 July 2018). "Luke Ruddick, Kyran Wiltshire, Mike Atkinson and Eze Ibrahim sign for Oxford City". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  17. ^ "Weston-super-Mare vs. Oxford City 1–1: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  18. ^ a b For FA Cup second qualifying round: "Weekend reports from Emirates FA Cup and Evo-Stik South League". Oxford Mail. 24 September 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
    For FA Cup third qualifying round: "Kabongo Tshimanga hat-trick gives Oxford City FA Cup win". Oxford Mail. 8 October 2018. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
  19. ^ Martin, Edward (27 December 2019). "Millers sign international defender". North Leigh F.C. Retrieved 10 June 2021 – via Pitchero.
  20. ^ a b c "Mike Atkinson: 2019/20". North Leigh F.C. Retrieved 10 June 2021 – via Pitchero.
  21. ^ "North Leigh 3–0 Didcot Town: Line-up". North Leigh F.C. Retrieved 10 June 2021 – via Pitchero.
  22. ^ "Coronavirus: All football below National League to end". BBC Sport. 26 March 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  23. ^ Martin, Edward (11 July 2020). "International midfielder Mike Atkinson re-signs". North Leigh F.C. Retrieved 10 June 2021 – via Pitchero.
  24. ^ a b "Mike Atkinson". Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  25. ^ "Non-league football: Steps three to six curtailed for second season". BBC Sport. 24 February 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  26. ^ "Belize selects team for Copa Centroamericana". 7 News Belize. 5 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  27. ^ a b c d "Atkinson, Mike". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  28. ^ "Belize vs. Costa Rica 0–3: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  29. ^ "El Salvador vs. Belize 3–1: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  30. ^ "Copa Centroamericana: 2017 Panama: Tables". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  31. ^ "Reece Kelly released by York City". The Press. York. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  32. ^ "Games played by Mike Atkinson in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  33. ^ "Games played by Mike Atkinson in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
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  • Profile at the North Leigh F.C. website
  • Profile at the Football Federation of Belize website