Stewart Nixon Player Profile

Biography

Stewart Nixon progressed from the Youth Academy to the first team as a teenager but made his name in the Irish League away from the Showgrounds.

The diminutive forward began his football journey with spells playing youth football locally at Ballymena United, Southside Rangers and Carniny before being coaxed back to the senior club by Clifford Adams in 2014, alongside another talented forward in Matthew Shevlin.

Nixon was rewarded by manager Glenn Ferguson for his performances with a first team debut in April 2015 from the bench against Dungannon Swifts in the final game of the season. The teenage forward continued to wait patiently on the fringes of the first team into the next season, and was brought back into the fold on Boxing Day - and a full debut followed on the New Years' Day away win over Portadown.

Glenn Ferguson was replaced in the Showgrounds hotseat by David Jeffrey in March 2016 - and Nixon was demoted back to the Reserves for the remainder of the 2015/2016 campaign, and he played an important part in United's Third team progressing to the final of the Harry Cavan Youth Cup - where they were defeated by Crusaders Colts.

After only four senior appearances and in search of more competitive men's football - he left Warden Street in the summer of 2016 and joined Clifford Adams at Wakehurst in the Ballymena & Provincial League and quickly became a standout performer in Intermediate football, scoring 21 goals for the club during the 2016/2017 season.

Adams departed for Championship side Ballyclare Comrades, and swooped to sign Nixon in May 2017, reuniting together for the third time in as many seasons - despite interest from other clubs in the second-tier.

In October 2017 he featured alongside Mark Kelly and Adam Gray in the Northern Ireland Junior International team.

In June 2018 - Nixon joined Carrick Rangers under manager Niall Currie.

Nixon enjoyed a fine 13 goal season at Taylor's Avenue as the East Antrim club defied the odds to finish runners-up in the Championship to Larne, and earn promotion to the top-flight via the playoffs after defeating both Portadown and Ards.

Stewart had finally returned to the NIFL Premiership and despite an impressive start to the season, he was rocked by the sudden death of friend and team-mate Jerry Thompson.

On the final day of the transfer window in January 2020, he made the move to Coleraine. He was cup-tied for the League Cup final victory over Crusaders and by March the season had been abruptly curtailed by the global Covid pandemic.



Career
(2014) Ballymena United; (2016) Wakehurst; (May 2017) Ballyclare Comrades; (Jun 2018) Carrick Rangers; (Jan 2020) Coleraine; (2021) Carrick Rangers; (2023 - loan) Queen's University; (2024) Crusaders; (2026) Queen's University

Honours
(with Ballymena United)
IFA Youth Cup: (finalist) 2015/2016

International Honours
Northern Ireland Junior (2017)