Michael Preston (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Michael John Preston is an English former professional footballer who played in the Football League
for Torquay United
. He was born in Plymouth
, Devon
.
Preston was one of four trainees joining Torquay United
in February 1994, after five existing trainees had been sacked by the club. His league debut came the following season: he made eight league appearances on the right wing as Torquay finished bottom of the Football League
, only avoiding relegation
to the Conference
because Stevenage Borough
's ground failed to meet the required standard. He turned professional in July 1996 and made two substitute appearances over the following Christmas period. However, he received knee cartilage and cruciate ligament damage in a reserve game
at home to Plymouth Argyle
on 28 January 1997 and was never to appear in the Gulls' first team again. He was eventually released at the end of the 1997–98 season and joined Weymouth
that summer.
In 1999–2000, Preston was playing for South Western League
club Holsworthy
, and before the 2000–01 season, he joined fellow South Western League side Saltash United
.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
. He was born in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
.
Preston was one of four trainees joining Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
in February 1994, after five existing trainees had been sacked by the club. His league debut came the following season: he made eight league appearances on the right wing as Torquay finished bottom of the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, only avoiding relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
because Stevenage Borough
Stevenage Borough F.C.
Stevenage Football Club is an English football club based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The club currently participate in League One, the third tier of English football, having won promotion from League Two in the 2010–11 season...
's ground failed to meet the required standard. He turned professional in July 1996 and made two substitute appearances over the following Christmas period. However, he received knee cartilage and cruciate ligament damage in a reserve game
Reserve team
Large professional sports clubs often have far more players under contract than could possibly play in a match. As a result, many of these clubs create second teams composed of players who need playing time, but have little hope of playing on the first team. The players on this second team are...
at home to Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
on 28 January 1997 and was never to appear in the Gulls' first team again. He was eventually released at the end of the 1997–98 season and joined Weymouth
Weymouth F.C.
Weymouth F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who currently play in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:Weymouth Football Club were founded in 1890 and played their first game on 24 September of that year...
that summer.
In 1999–2000, Preston was playing for South Western League
South Western Football League
The South Western Football League was an English association football league composed of clubs from Cornwall and the far western part of Devon. It consisted of a single division at the eleventh overall tier of the English football league system, the seventh and lowest "Step" of the official...
club Holsworthy
Holsworthy A.F.C.
Holsworthy Association Football Club is a football club based in Holsworthy, Devon, England.Established in 1891, the club joined the South Western League in 1971. They spent over thirty years in the South Western League, without ever winning the title, but after moving sideways to the Devon County...
, and before the 2000–01 season, he joined fellow South Western League side Saltash United
Saltash United F.C.
Saltash United Football Club is a football club based in Saltash, Cornwall, in the United Kingdom. They were founding members of the South Western League in 1951 and won the title two times in their history...
.