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Nathan Shepperd

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Nathan Shepperd
Personal information
Full name Nathan Shepperd[1]
Date of birth (2000-10-09) 9 October 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Tonypandy, Wales
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Queens Park Rangers
Number 41
Youth career
0000–2012 Cambrian & Clydach Vale
2012–2019 Swansea City
2019–2022 Brentford
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 Dundalk 69 (0)
2024 Wycombe Wanderers 0 (0)
2024– Queens Park Rangers 0 (0)
International career
2021–2022 Wales U21 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10:14, 27 October 2024 (UTC)

Nathan Shepperd (born 9 October 2000) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL Championship club Queens Park Rangers.

Shepperd is a product of the Swansea City academy and began his professional career with Brentford in 2019. He began his senior career with Dundalk in 2022 and transferred to Wycombe Wanderers in 2024. Shepperd was capped by Wales at U21 level.

Club career

Swansea City

A goalkeeper, Shepperd began his youth career with Cambrian & Clydach Vale and later joined the Swansea City academy.[3][4] He progressed to sign a scholarship deal at the end of the 2016–17 season.[3] Shepperd was an unused substitute during the U19 team's 2017–18 FAW Welsh Youth Cup Final win,[5] but he was released upon the completion of his scholarship at the end of the 2018–19 season.[6]

Brentford

On 21 June 2019, Shepperd joined the B team at Championship club Brentford on a one-year contract,[7] with the option of a further year.[8] He captained the team on occasion during the 2019–20 season and his performances were recognised with the Players' Player of the Year award.[9][10] After the break in the season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Shepperd was called up to train with the first team group ahead of the season restart in June 2020.[9] His season was ended prematurely by a kidney and spleen injury suffered during the final friendly match of the pre-restart period.[11] In July 2020, the club took up the one-year option on Shepperd's contract.[8]

Shepperd returned to match play with the B team in early January 2021 and was an unused substitute for the first team during a 2–1 FA Cup third round win over Middlesbrough on 9 January.[12][13] After making 9 B team appearances during the remainder of the 2020–21 season, Shepperd signed a new one-year contract, with a one-year option.[14] He made 10 appearances for the B team during the first half of the 2021–22 season and transferred away from the club in January 2022.[10] Shepperd made 45 B team appearances during his 2+12 years with Brentford.[10]

Dundalk

On 7 January 2022, Shepperd transferred to League of Ireland Premier Division club Dundalk and signed a one-year contract,[10] with a one-year option,[15] for an undisclosed fee.[16] In recognition of his performances during the 2022 season, Shepperd was named the club's Player of the Year and Supporters' Player of the Year,[15][17] was thrice voted the club's Player of the Month and was nominated for the April 2022 League of Ireland Player of the Month and League of Ireland Goalkeeper of the Year awards.[18][19][20][21]

The option on Shepperd's contract was exercised for the 2023 season and he made 42 appearances during a campaign which culminated in a mid-table finish.[15][22] He was offered a new contract after the season,[23][24] but turned it down and departed the club in January 2024.[25] Shepperd made 77 appearances during his two 18 months at Oriel Park.[13]

Wycombe Wanderers

On 27 February 2024, Shepperd joined League One club Wycombe Wanderers on a contract running until the end of the 2023–24 season.[26] He was an unused substitute on seven occasions and was released when his contract expired.[13][27]

Queens Park Rangers

On 26 October 2024, Shepperd signed a short-term contract with Championship club Queens Park Rangers.[28]

International career

Shepperd was called into the Wales U21 squad for two 2021 UEFA European U21 Championship qualifiers in March 2020, which were later postponed.[29] In March 2021, Shepperd was called into the Wales U21 squad for a training camp and friendly match versus Republic of Ireland U21.[30] He played the second half of the 2–1 defeat.[31] Shepperd made three 2023 European U21 Championship qualifying appearances during the second half of the 2021–22 season.[13]

Career statistics

As of match played 23 April 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Dundalk 2022[13] League of Ireland Premier Division 33 0 2 0 35 0
2023[13] League of Ireland Premier Division 36 0 2 0 4[c] 0 42 0
Total 69 0 4 0 0 0 4 0 77 0
Wycombe Wanderers 2023–24[32] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Queens Park Rangers 2024–25[33] Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career total 69 0 4 0 0 0 4 0 77 0
  1. ^ Includes FA Cup, FAI Cup
  2. ^ Includes EFL Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in Europa Conference League

Honours

References

  1. ^ "Premier League Clubs submit Squad Lists" (PDF). 1 September 2017. p. 46. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  2. ^ "Stats Centre". William Hill. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Shepperd's delight with first-team involvement". www.swanseacity.com. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  4. ^ "The CamArmy – Official Matchday Programme Issue 1 2019/2020 vs Llantwit Major". 17 August 2019. pp. 17–18. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  5. ^ Mitchelmore, Ian (1 May 2018). "Swansea City v Cardiff City: Swans U19s win on penalties". walesonline. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  6. ^ "Swans reveal retained list". Swansea City FC. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Nathan Sheppard joins Brentford B". www.brentfordfc.com. Archived from the original on 30 November 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  8. ^ a b "Three contract options taken up". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Brentford B in Focus: Nathan Shepperd". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Nathan Shepperd departs for Dundalk on permanent move". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  11. ^ "Nathan Shepperd Injury News". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  12. ^ "Nathan Shepperd: "It feels unbelievable"". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Nathan Shepperd at Soccerway. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  14. ^ "Nathan Shepperd signs new Brentford B contract". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  15. ^ a b c d Newberry, Niall. "O'Donnell confirms Shepperd will stay at Dundalk but remains tightlipped on others". www.dundalkdemocrat.ie. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  16. ^ "January Transfer Window recap". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  17. ^ a b @DundalkFC (10 November 2022). "🏆 Nathan Shepperd is the well deserved winner of the @dfcsc1903 Supporters Club Player of the Year award. 🧤 Congratulations, Sheps!!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  18. ^ a b O'Connor, Tom. "League Report: Dundalk 3 – 1 Bohemians". ExtraTime.com. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  19. ^ a b @DundalkFC (4 September 2022). "🏆 @dfcsc1903 members Mary O'Hanlon, Paddy O'Hanlon and Gerry Lennon presented Nathan Shepperd with the 1903 Supporters Club Player of the Month award for August before Friday night's game with Shelbourne at Casey's Field. 🧤 Well deserved, @njshepps!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  20. ^ O'Hehir, Paul (12 May 2022). "Derry City's Jamie McGonigle crowned SSE Airtricity / SWI Player of the Month". Irish Mirror. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  21. ^ "Nominees for League Awards Revealed". Sport For Business. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  22. ^ "Tables – Premier Division – Republic of Ireland – Results, fixtures, tables and news". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  23. ^ Malone, Gerry. "Exodus of players from Oriel leaves Dundalk fans downbeat about coming season". www.dundalkdemocrat.ie. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  24. ^ "Dundalk FC still in hunt for new goalkeeper as talks with Nathan Sheppard hit an impasse". Independent.ie. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  25. ^ "Dundalk FC have 'irons in the fire' for new goalkeepers as head coach Stephen O'Donnell confirms Nathan Sheppard's departure". www.independent.ie. 18 January 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  26. ^ "Shepperd signs!". Wycombe Wanderers. 27 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  27. ^ "Retained list confirmed". Wycombe Wanderers. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  28. ^ "Nathan Shepperd joins QPR". QPR FC. 26 October 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  29. ^ "🗣 Nathan Shepperd: "It's obviously not a nice feeling to find out it's going to be cancelled"". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  30. ^ "Nathan Shepperd, Joe Adams and Fin Stevens earn Wales U21 call up". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  31. ^ "Joe Adams nets for Wales U21 as four Brentford B players feature in international friendly". www.brentfordfc.com. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  32. ^ "Games played by Nathan Shepperd in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  33. ^ "Games played by Nathan Shepperd in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 October 2024.