Michael Coulson (footballer)
Michael James Coulson (born 4 April 1988) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker or winger for club Scarborough Athletic. He has played in the Football League for Barnsley, Grimsby Town and York City and in the Scottish Premiership for St Johnstone. Coulson started his career with hometown club Scarborough, making his first-team debut in a Conference National match in 2004. His first goal for Scarborough, scored later that year, made him the youngest goalscorer in the club's history. He signed for Championship club Barnsley in 2006, before making a return to Conference Premier football with a loan at Northwich Victoria in 2007. Coulson suffered two cruciate ligament injuries in the space of a year before being loaned to Chester City of the Conference Premier in 2009. Coulson joined League Two club Grimsby Town on loan later that year, signing for the club permanently in 2010 after their relegation to the Conference Premier. He left Grimsby in 2012, signing for League Two club York City. In 2016, after four years with York, Coulson signed for Scottish Premiership club St Johnstone. Early and personal life Coulson was born in Scarborough, North Yorkshire and attended Graham School in the town. He supported Scarborough F.C. from a young age, living a short distance from the club's ground, the Athletic Ground. Club career Scarborough Coulson started his career in the youth system of his hometown club Scarborough at the age of nine. In April 2004, he went on trial with Premier League club Everton, playing in a youth academy match against Liverpool. Coulson captained the Scarborough under-19 team that won the Northern Alliance League title in the 2003–04 season. He made his first-team debut as a 16-year-old after coming on as a 79th-minute substitute at home to Accrington Stanley in a 4–0 Conference National victory on 23 October 2004, making him the second youngest player in Scarborough's history. Coulson became Scarborough's youngest goalscorer after he scored an equalising goal against Tamworth in a 2–2 home draw on 15 March 2005 with 10 minutes of the match remaining. He signed a one-year professional contract with Scarborough on 5 April 2005 and finished 2004–05, his first in senior football, with two goals in 14 appearances. During pre-season Scarborough manager Nick Henry stated his hope that Coulson, along with fellow youngster Ryan Blott, would fill the gap left by some high-profile departures in the summer. His first goal of 2005–06 came after scoring an 87th-minute equaliser in a 1–1 draw away to Altrincham on 20 September 2005, having entered the match as a second-half substitute. He went on trial with League One club Barnsley in January 2006 and the following month manager Andy Ritchie expressed his desire to sign Coulson in the summer. Despite this, Coulson decided against extending his trial at Barnsley, opting to return to the Scarborough team to help their fight against relegation. He finished the season seven goals from 33 appearances as Scarborough were relegated to the Conference North and