Matt Green

Matthew James Green (born 2 January 1987) is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Newport City.

Green started his senior career at Conference South club Newport County in 2005, having been released from Bristol City's youth academy.

An England schoolboy international, Green went on to join the Cirencester Academy under the direction of former Newport County and Welsh international player Steve Lowndes who recommended him to Newport in the 2005 close season.

A pacey striker, he made a big impact in his first season, making 30 appearances for the Newport County first team in all competitions.

He was a part-time player at Newport and worked full-time at a nearby car auction warehouse before he began to attract interest.

Having made six appearances for Cardiff during the 2006–07 season, he had three loan spells away from the club the following season: one at League Two club Darlington in October 2007, where he made five appearances, and two for Conference Premier side Oxford United, where he made 21 appearances.

He made 56 league appearances for Newport County in a two-season spell at the club, before joining Championship side Cardiff City in January 2007.

Having been released by Cardiff at the end of the 2007–08 season, he switched to Conference side Torquay United in May 2008.

Several teams watched him while he played for Newport, including Bristol City, Reading, Stoke City and Swansea City, but instead Green joined Cardiff City in January 2007 for a fee of £10,000 with possible add-ons depending on appearances.

Green had played alongside several former Cardiff players at Newport including Nathan Blake, Jason Bowen and Damon Searle.

Green made his debut for his new club against Preston North End on 23 February, coming on for the final few minutes as a substitute for Michael Chopra in Cardiff's 4–1 home win.

He made five further appearances, all as a substitute, later that season.

At the start of the 2007–08 season Green was included in a two-game pre-season tour of Portugal where he made appearances in both games, scoring in one.

He also appeared as a substitute in Cardiff's first-round League Cup win at home to Brighton & Hove Albion.

In October 2007 Green signed a one-month loan deal at League Two club Darlington.

He made his debut for Darlington on 9 October against Leeds United in the Football League Trophy.

He started the match on the bench, but was brought on earlier than planned due to the injury of teammate Tommy Wright.

He hit the post late in the game as Leeds won 1–0.

He returned to Cardiff on 8 November after making five appearances in all competitions for Darlington.

He joined Oxford United on an emergency one-month loan on 22 November and scored on his debut two days later against Kidderminster Harriers.

He made two further appearances for Oxford during his loan spell, an FA Cup draw at home to Southend United and in the Conference Premier defeat away to Northwich Victoria, before suffering a broken collarbone and returning to Cardiff for treatment.

He made 29 league appearances for Torquay during the 2008–09 season, but joined Oxford United for a third loan spell the following season.

He rejoined Oxford on 25 January 2008 on loan until the end of the season.

He scored twice in the 3–0 home win against Histon on 9 February, and went on to make a total of 18 appearances before returning to Cardiff where he was released on his return.

Despite Oxford's interest in taking Green on a permanent deal, and suggestions from manager Darren Patterson that the player had verbally agreed to sign, on 31 May he signed for Conference rivals Torquay United.

Green began the season on the bench for Torquay, making regular substitute appearances, and on 23 September he scored his first goal for the club with a late winner away to Forest Green Rovers.

Having made 41 league appearances for Oxford during the 2009–10 season, he signed a permanent deal with the club, where he made a further 17 appearances.

On 3 January 2009, he scored the only goal of the game as Torquay eliminated Championship team Blackpool in the FA Cup third round.

Green rejoined Oxford on loan for the 2009–10 season.

He was named in the England C squad to face a Polish under-23 team in November, but had to withdraw with an ankle injury.

He helped Oxford finish third in the Conference, scoring 10 goals.

He spent the latter half of the 2010–11 season on loan to League Two side Cheltenham Town, where he made 19 league appearances and then joined Conference side Mansfield Town in July 2011, initially on loan, but permanently from January 2012 onwards.

He made 87 league appearances for Mansfield, scoring 54 goals, before signing for Championship club Birmingham City, where he spent two seasons, one-and-a-half of which were lost to injury.

On 16 May 2010, he scored the opening goal at Wembley Stadium as Oxford defeated York City 3–1 in the 2010 Conference Premier play-off final to return to the Football League after a four-year exile.

He signed a two-year contract with Oxford on 2 June; the fee was undisclosed.

On 31 January 2011, he signed on loan at Cheltenham Town until the end of the season.

On 22 July 2011, it was announced that Green would be joining Mansfield Town on loan until 31 December of the same year, with £2,000 donated towards the transfer by fans' group The 12th Stag.

He returned to Mansfield, where he was nearly ever-present for two seasons, then spent 18 months at Lincoln City, with whom he won the 2017–18 EFL Trophy, before signing for Salford City in December 2018.

He joined Grimsby Town in June 2019 where he remained for two seasons, and then joined Linfield.

Born in Bath, Somerset, Green was a member of the Bristol City youth programme but was released by the club as they deemed he was too small to play professional football.