Nathan Mulligan - The Forgotten Striker

Scoring 18 goals by mid-October is an achievement that any player would be proud of. The truth is, that was the achievement by Nathan Mulligan last season, as he partnered Graeme Armstrong in what was developing into a lethal partnership.

Mulligan’s goalscoring record was an envied one throughout the division, and it led to others taking notice. People would often comment on the ruthless nature of Mulligan’s play. A hard-worker, with a natural eye for goal. He was the player that Whitby Town had been crying out for. A penalty taker, a set-piece taker, even a corner taker. He had it all in his locker. For a striker, it was impressive. But, there was always a feeling that he was only up front because we had nobody else. The club even brought Jamie Clarke back to add to the striking options. But the arrival of Craig Farrell was the final nail in the coffin for Mulligan’s hopes of a regular starting spot up top.

Mulligan post-FCUM

Upon Farrell’s arrival, Mulligan was immediately moved back out onto the wing. A role that he played in the Great Escape season. From then onwards the goals dried up for ‘Mullers’, who sees himself as a central player, rather than a winger. But why has Mulligan rarely been given another chance in the centre of the attack? It doesn’t really make too much sense. In fact, the last time he played in the middle, against Grantham last season, he scored for the Blues, so it’s obvious that this is a role which he is comfortable with.   

Perhaps Darren Williams sees the pace Mulligan possesses as an asset out wide rather than in the centre. But what does it matter? If the player isn’t comfortable out wide, then he’s not going to produce, which is, in a way, what has happened with Nathan Mulligan. Despite the fact he still gives his all to everything on the pitch, he can’t quite manage to make things happen, which is bound to knock his confidence. Where-as, in the centre, he can do a lot more. He can get the ball and pass it around, he can directly run at goal. He can get shots away. He can be the player that we all know he can be. That’s the frustrating thing for us all, we know what he is capable of in the centre of the attack. The 20 goals of last season prove the point, aswell. Mulligan is a central player; only one of those goals came from the wing.

With 9 games left, it’s perhaps time to start looking at options for next season. How about, instead of looking at bringing new strikers into the club, we take a look at Nathan Mulligan as a centre forward alongside Graeme Armstrong? A) you’ll save on paying wages for another player and B) you’ll unearth a talent in a player that you may just have forgotten was there.