{{short description|English footballer (born 1983)}} {{use British English|date=July 2013}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Michael Husbands | image = Michael Husbands.jpg | fullname = Michael Paul Husbands<ref>{{Hugman|9773|accessdate=9 March 2017}}</ref> | caption = Husbands playing for Port Vale in 2008 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|11|13|df=y}}<ref name="av"/> | birth_place = Birmingham, England<ref name="av"/> | height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}<ref>{{cite web |title=FootballSquads – Port Vale – 2006/07 |url=http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/2006-2007/flone/portv.htm |website=footballsquads.co.uk |accessdate=24 June 2019}}</ref> | position = Winger; forward | youthyears1 = 1998–2002| youthclubs1 = Aston Villa | years1 = 2002–2003| clubs1 = Aston Villa| caps1 = 0| goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2002–2003|clubs2=→ Hereford United (loan)|caps2=5|goals2=0 | years3 = 2003–2005| clubs3 = Southend United| caps3 = 11| goals3= 0 | years4 = 2005| clubs4 = Bristol Rovers| caps4 = 0| goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2005| clubs5 = Walsall| caps5 = 4| goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2005–2007| clubs6 = Port Vale| caps6 = 47| goals6 = 5 | years7 = 2007–2008| clubs7 = Macclesfield Town| caps7 =2|goals7=0 | years8 = 2007–2008|clubs8=→ AFC Telford United (loan)|caps8=25|goals8=3 | years9 = 2008| clubs9 = Oxford United| caps9 = 2| goals9 = 0 | years10 = 2012–201? | clubs10 = Redditch United| caps10=| goals10= }} '''Michael Paul Husbands''' (born 13 November 1983) is an English footballer who plays as a winger and forward.
He began his professional football career with Aston Villa in 2002. He was loaned out to Hereford United before signing with Southend United in 2003. In 2005, he moved to Port Vale via Bristol Rovers and Walsall. After two seasons with Vale, he joined Macclesfield Town. There, he was loaned out to Telford United before finishing his career with Oxford United in 2008. He was an Elite Commando in the Royal Marines. He accepted a call-up from the Saint Lucia national team in September 2012. He returned to club football with Redditch United in December 2012.
==Club career== Husbands, a forward, began his career at Aston Villa as an associated schoolboy in 1998, and he was a member of the FA Youth Cup winning team of 2001–02.<ref name="av">{{cite web|title=Aston Villa Player Database|url=http://www.astonvillaplayerdatabase.com/679.html|website=astonvillaplayerdatabase.com|accessdate=18 October 2016}}</ref> He had a trial at Macclesfield Town before he joined Hereford United on loan in December 2002, he made five substitute appearances over his two months at Edgar Street.<ref name="av"/>
He was allowed to join Southend United in July 2003; he spent two years at the club but played only 16 games due to several injuries, including a pelvic problem.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.southendunited.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10444~745817,00.html |title=Husbands Revenge Mission |publisher=Southend United F.C. |date=24 November 2005 |accessdate=14 June 2009}}</ref> In August 2005 he joined Bristol Rovers for a short spell on a non-contract basis<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/b/bristol_rovers/4749755.stm|title=Pirates recruit non-contract pair |date=5 August 2005|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=3 June 2009}}</ref> before moving on to Walsall the next month<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/walsall/4242386.stm|title=Husbands wants permanent contract |date=13 September 2005|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=3 June 2009}}</ref> and then Port Vale in October 2005. Husbands made 47 league appearances for the "Valiants". The highlight of his time at Vale Park was on 26 September 2006 against Nottingham Forest, he scored within 14 seconds<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_2/5373330.stm|title=Port Vale 1–1 Nottm Forest |date=26 September 2006|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=3 June 2009}}</ref> – the fastest goal of that season.
He was released by Port Vale in July 2007,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/p/port_vale/6638509.stm|title=Vale boss Foyle clears the decks |date=9 May 2007|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=3 June 2009}}</ref> and joined Macclesfield Town, where he became Ian Brightwell's first signing as manager.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/macclesfield_town/6290870.stm|title=Husbands makes Macclesfield move |date=11 July 2007|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=3 June 2009}}</ref> He joined Telford United of the Conference North on a one-month loan in November, which was extended by a month after he impressed at New Bucks Head,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/7154460.stm|title=Husbands agrees to Telford return |date=20 December 2007|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=3 June 2009}}</ref> before the loan was eventually extended until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7193788.stm|title=Telford want longer Husbands deal |date=17 January 2008|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=3 June 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_conf/7220862.stm|title=Telford complete double signing |date=31 January 2008|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=3 June 2009}}</ref> Husbands made 25 appearances for the Shropshire side scoring three times. He rejected the opportunity to sign permanently at the end of the campaign<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_conf/7483030.stm|title=Bucks decide not to sign Husbands |date=1 July 2008|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=3 June 2009}}</ref> and so after a trial at Cheltenham Town in July,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/c/cheltenham_town/7493873.stm|title=Striker 'hard' to find – Downing |date=7 July 2008|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=3 June 2009}}</ref> he opted to join Oxford United in the Conference National in August 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/o/oxford_utd/7545504.stm|title=Oxford snap up Husbands and Reid |date=6 August 2008|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=3 June 2009}}</ref> Manager Darren Patterson urged him to make the most of this opportunity, saying, "For whatever reason he's had lots of clubs, but you can see his sharpness. Maybe this is the last chance saloon for Michael. He needs a club where he plays regularly and scores goals."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/o/oxford_utd/7533143.stm|title=Husbands told to take opportunity |date=30 July 2008|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=3 June 2009}}</ref> However, he was released by Oxford at the end of the month after his contract expired.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/o/oxford_utd/7585918.stm|title=Oxford release Husbands & Davies |date=28 August 2008|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=3 June 2009}}</ref>
After leaving the professional game, Husbands joined the Royal Marines.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.camsfc.ac.uk/cmsfc-news.asp?newsid=122|title=Royal marines test students' fitness|work=camsfc.ac.uk|accessdate=11 July 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005051321/http://www.camsfc.ac.uk/cmsfc-news.asp?newsid=122|archivedate=5 October 2011}}</ref> He made his debut for the Marines football team against the Devon & Somerset Fire Service on 18 May 2010, scoring twice in the game.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.royalmarinesfootball.co.uk/pageID_7545959.html |title=RMFA Caps |publisher=Royal Marines Football Association |accessdate=18 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119180226/http://www.royalmarinesfootball.co.uk/pageID_7545959.html |archivedate=19 January 2010 }}</ref>
In December 2012, he returned to English football with Southern League club Redditch United.<ref>{{cite web|title=Redditch Utd 2 vs Cambridge City 4|url=http://www.redditchutdfc.co.uk/news/redditch-utd-2-vs-cambridge-city-4/|work=redditchutdfc.co.uk|accessdate=14 December 2012|archive-date=20 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920145953/http://www.redditchutdfc.co.uk/news/redditch-utd-2-vs-cambridge-city-4/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==International career== Husbands is of Saint Lucian descent, but for many years chose not to represent Saint Lucia in international competitions.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/2008/05/10/bucks-set-for-international-call/ |title=Bucks set for international call |newspaper=Shropshire Star |date=10 May 2008 |accessdate=20 November 2009 |archive-date=26 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726181441/http://www.shropshirestar.com/2008/05/10/bucks-set-for-international-call/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He finally accepted a call-up. He was named to their squad for the 2012 Caribbean Cup qualification.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://terryfinisterre.blogspot.com/2012/09/saint-lucia-football-names-squad-for.html|title=Saint Lucia Football Names Squad for Caribbean Cup|date=12 September 2012|work=terryfinisterre.blogspot.com/ |accessdate=18 September 2012}}</ref> He had not played professionally for over four years, though had remained fit as he was serving in the Royal Marines. He did not end up featuring at the qualification stage, and Saint Lucia did not qualify.
==Career statistics== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |Hereford United (loan)||2002–03<ref name="02/03">{{Soccerbase season|id=34339|season=2002|accessdate=1 January 2017}}</ref>||Conference National||5||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||0||0||5||0 |- |rowspan="3"|Southend United||2003–04<ref>{{Soccerbase season|id=34339|season=2003|accessdate=1 January 2017}}</ref>||Third Division||9||0||2||0||1||0||2{{efn|name=efl|Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy.}}||0||14||0 |- |2004–05<ref>{{Soccerbase season|id=34339|season=2004|accessdate=1 January 2017}}</ref>||League Two||2||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||2||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total !11!!0!!2!!0!!1!!0!!2!!0!!16!!0 |- |Bristol Rovers||2005–06<ref name="05/06">{{Soccerbase season|id=34339|season=2005|accessdate=1 January 2017}}</ref>||League Two||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||0 |- |Walsall||2005–06<ref name="05/06" />||League One||4||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||4||0 |- |rowspan="3"|Port Vale||2005–06<ref name="05/06" />||League One||24||4||5||1||colspan=2|—||1{{efn|name=efl}}||0||30||5 |- |2006–07<ref>{{Soccerbase season|id=34339|season=2006|accessdate=1 January 2017}}</ref>||League One||23||1||0||0||3||0||1{{efn|name=efl}}||0||27||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !47!!5!!5!!1!!3!!0!!2!!0!!57!!6 |- |Macclesfield Town||2007–08<ref>{{Soccerbase season|id=34339|season=2007|accessdate=1 January 2017}}</ref>||League Two||2||0||0||0||1||0||0||0||3||0 |- |Telford United (loan)||2007–08||Conference North||25||3||0||0||colspan=2|—||0||0||25||3 |- |Oxford United||2008–09<ref>{{Soccerbase season|id=34339|season=2008|accessdate=1 January 2017}}</ref>||Conference National||2||0||0||0||colspan=2|—||0||0||2||0 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !96!!8!!7!!1!!5!!0!!4!!0!!112!!9 |} {{notelist}}
==Honours== '''Aston Villa''' *FA Youth Cup: 2002<ref name="av"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerbase}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Husbands, Michael}} Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Birmingham, West Midlands Category:English men's footballers Category:English people of Saint Lucian descent Category:Black British sportsmen Category:Naturalised citizens of Saint Lucia<!-- Category:Citizens of Saint Lucia through descent --> Category:Saint Lucian men's footballers Category:Men's association football wingers Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Aston Villa F.C. players Category:Hereford United F.C. players Category:Southend United F.C. players Category:Bristol Rovers F.C. players Category:Walsall F.C. players Category:Port Vale F.C. players Category:AFC Telford United players Category:Macclesfield Town F.C. players Category:Oxford United F.C. players Category:Redditch United F.C. players Category:English Football League players Category:National League (English football) players Category:Southern Football League players Category:21st-century Royal Marines personnel Category:Royal Marines ranks Category:21st-century English sportsmen Category:21st-century Black British people