Hartlepool United
The following season, Nelson joined Hartlepool United on the same day that Neale Cooper was appointed manager for a fee of around £70,000. Nelson was seen as natural replacement for Graeme Lee who had joined Sheffield Wednesday. Nelson started strongly for Hartlepool and scored the winner from 30 yards during his debut in Hartlepool’s 4–3 win over Peterborough. This goal almost earned him another award as it was on the shortlist for Hartlepool’s Goal of the Season. He was also voted September’s Player of the Month on the official Hartlepool website. Nelson began to form a strong partnership with Chris Westwood and the pair played together for the majority of Hartlepool’s games. Nelson went onto to play in 40 of Hartlepool’s league matches and played in both legs of Hartlepool’s play-off semi-final match against Bristol City. Nelson was in contention for Hartlepool’s Fans and Players’ Player of the season but he missed out to Jim Provett on both occasions.
However Nelson failed to maintain this through to the 2004–05 season and he handed in a transfer request. His agent claimed that he’d been “promised” a better deal. This triggered a feud with Hartlepool chairman Ken Hodcroft who criticised Nelson and his agent. Nelson was missing in several of Hartlepool’s matches and was rumoured to be signing for Hull City for a fee of around £100,000. However Nelson withdrew his transfer request and was reinstalled into the starting line-up. His performances earned him an improved contract and he was offered a new three-year contract that would tie him to the club until 2008.
Nelson’s third season of the club saw him receiving his first red card for Hartlepool after he retaliated and elbowed Jack Lester during Hartlepool’s defeat to Nottingham Forest. He was the favoured central defender alongside Ben Clark during the 2006–07 campaign, playing a major part in the 18 game unbeaten run along with Dimitrios Konstantopoulos in goal. The season also saw him take the captain's armband in the absence on Michael Barron.
Nelson was named in the PFA League Two Team of the Year for the 2006–07 season.
Read more about this topic: Michael Nelson (footballer)
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