Aaron Clapham
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Aaron Daniel Clapham (born 15 January 1987) is a former
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
and current Football coach. Clapham spent most of his senior footballing career with ISPS Handa Premiership club
Canterbury United FC Canterbury United Dragons was a semi-professional football club from Christchurch, New Zealand. The team plays most of its matches at English Park in Christchurch, though they occasionally play in Nelson. The club last played in the ISPS Handa ...
.


Club career

In 2005 Clapham accepted a football scholarship at
Saint Francis University Saint Francis University (SFU) is a private Catholic university in Loretto, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1847 and conducted under the tradition of the Franciscan Friars of the Third Order Regular. The university is situated ...
,
Loretto, Pennsylvania Loretto is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, 2010 census it had a population of 1,302. Like the rest of Cambria County, it is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Johnstown Metropolita ...
before joining the
University of Louisville The University of Louisville (UofL) is a public university, public research university in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It is part of the Kentucky state university system. Chartered in 1798 as the Jefferson Seminary, it became in the 19t ...
where he spent 2 seasons, scoring 8 times in 37 appearances. He then moved to Australia, joining
Dandenong Thunder Dandenong Thunder FC is a soccer club from Dandenong, a suburb in the South-East region of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They are an Albanian Australian-backed club. Thunder compete in the National Premier Leagues Victoria. In 2012, Danden ...
in the
Victorian Premier League The Victorian Premier League (VPL) is an Australian soccer league based in Victoria that was founded in 2023 and administered by Football Victoria. It consists of two divisions that were named after the VPL's breakaway of the National Premier L ...
. Clapham played 117 times for
Canterbury United Canterbury United Dragons was a semi-professional Association football, football club from Christchurch, New Zealand. The team plays most of its matches at English Park in Christchurch, though they occasionally play in Nelson, New Zealand, Nels ...
, having scored 61 goals from the centre of midfield. His first goal came in his club's 2–0 victory over
Waikato FC WaiBOP United (known as Waikato FC until 2013) was a football club based in Hamilton, New Zealand. The club was founded in 2004 and disbanded in 2016 and played in the ASB Premiership. WaiBOP United played their home fixtures at John Kerkhof P ...
on 8 November 2009. Having helped his side to 4th in the
New Zealand Football Championship The New Zealand Football Championship () was a men's association football league at the top of the New Zealand league system. Founded in 2004, the New Zealand Football Championship was the successor to a myriad of short-lived football leagues in ...
and progressing to the playoff final, he was awarded New Zealand Football Championship Player of the Year for the 2009–10 season. Clapham has long been considered one of the top players in the New Zealand Football Championship, being named to the league's team of the month in November, December, January, and February during the 2009–10 season. Clapham captained Canterbury United to their highest league position of 2nd place in the 2011–12 season. On 7 February 2011, he signed a one-game loan deal from
Canterbury United Canterbury United Dragons was a semi-professional Association football, football club from Christchurch, New Zealand. The team plays most of its matches at English Park in Christchurch, though they occasionally play in Nelson, New Zealand, Nels ...
to play for
Wellington Phoenix Wellington Phoenix Football Club is a professional football club based in Wellington, New Zealand. It competes in the Australian A-League Men, under licence from Football Federation Australia. Phoenix entered the competition in the 2007–08 ...
in the
A-League A-League Men, also known as the Isuzu UTE A-League for sponsorship reasons, is a professional soccer league in Australia and New Zealand and the highest level of the Australian soccer league system. Established in 2004 as the A-League by the ...
. On 2 June 2020, he retired from football, after a final season at Canterbury United Dragons.


International career

Clapham has earned national representation at Under-20 level, where he represented New Zealand at the
2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup The 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the 16th edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup (formerly called the FIFA World Youth Championship), hosted by Canada from 30 June to 22 July 2007. Argentina defeated the Czech Republic in the title game by the scor ...
in Canada. After impressing for Canterbury United during the 2009–10 season, Clapham was selected as a part of a 15-man
FIFA World Cup The FIFA World Cup, often called the World Cup, is an international association football competition among the senior List of men's national association football teams, men's national teams of the members of the FIFA, Fédération Internatio ...
training camp for Australia and New Zealand-based players. Following a strong performance for New Zealand 'A' against a NZFC Select XI at the conclusion of the camp on 8 May 2010, Clapham was named as a surprise call-up by
All Whites The New Zealand men's national football team () represents New Zealand in men's international football competitions. The team is governed by the governing body for football in New Zealand, New Zealand Football (NZF), which is currently a memb ...
coach
Ricki Herbert Ricki Lloyd Herbert (born 10 April 1961) is a New Zealand former footballer and manager. He is the current director of football at Hamilton Wanderers AFC. Herbert was formerly head coach of the New Zealand national team, stepping down after ...
for New Zealand's
2010 FIFA World Cup The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for List of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010. ...
campaign. Clapham made his official international debut on 10 October 2010 when he came on as a late substitute in his country's 1–1 draw with
Honduras Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...
.


International goals and caps

New Zealand's goal tally first.


International career statistics


Coaching career

Clapham was named on 31 July 2020, as Assistant coach of the
New Zealand national under-17 football team The New Zealand Under 17's football team, more commonly known as the Junior All Whites, is controlled by New Zealand Football and represents New Zealand in international Under 17 or youth football competitions. New Zealand was the host nation ...
.


Personal life

His sister Sara Clapham also represented New Zealand internationally, making 3 appearances for the New Zealand senior women's team.


References


External links

*
NZ Football Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clapham, Aaron 1987 births Living people Saint Francis University alumni University of Louisville alumni Louisville Cardinals men's soccer players Canterbury United Dragons players Wellington Phoenix FC players New Zealand men's association footballers New Zealand men's international footballers 2010 FIFA World Cup players 2012 OFC Nations Cup players Dandenong Thunder SC players Men's association football midfielders Team Wellington FC players New Zealand Football Championship players Association footballers from Christchurch 21st-century New Zealand sportsmen