The Chairman and Board of Directors would like to issue this statement to honour our Team Captain Colin Nixon.
In recent discussions Glentoran manager, Eddie Patterson, informed Colin Nixon that his current contract, which expires at the end of this season, will not be renewed.
As a player and as the Team Captain, Colin Nixon has been a truly magnificent servant to Glentoran over 18 years since he made his first team debut at Solitude in October 1995. He holds the club’s all time appearance record with 792 games in 18 seasons at the Oval and will have the opportunity to add to that before the end of the current campaign. He has won 4 Irish League Championships & 5 Irish Cups along with numerous other awards and trophies.
Colin has spent the majority of his career as a defender, playing initially as a right back before moving to the centre of the defence. Despite that he has scored 87 goals for the Glens. The first came against Portadown in a 3-3 draw at the Oval on 3rd February 1996 but perhaps the most famous came in 2004 when he netted the winner in Finland against Allianssi as the club recorded their first ever away victory in a European competition.
In what has been a difficult season at Glentoran Football Club, Colin Nixon has carried out his duties as club captain in an exemplary and professional manner; a credit to himself, his family and to the entire Glentoran family.
Nicky, a Northern Ireland U21 international, is a legend at Glentoran Football Club and won the coveted ‘Player of the Year’ award on 3 occasions which is clear evidence of the respect that he has from the supporters and how much they have valued his commitment and his contribution to this club. Colin is also a legend in the Irish League and is highly regarded as great ambassador for sport in the sporting media. Few players will have played more games than ‘Nicky’ and his record at the Glens will take some beating.
A presentation will be made to Colin at our final home game of the season (Saturday 27th April v Coleraine) and we trust that supporters will give him the recognition he deserves.
Everyone at Glentoran FC wishes Colin Nixon every success for the future and we look forward to his continued association with Glentoran as a valued member of our ‘250 Club’ and as a fan.
Photographs courtesy of Thomas Sewell.