Nathan Thackeray
_039_(cropped).jpg) Thackeray with the North Carolina Courage in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | February 14, 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Burnley, England | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | North Carolina Courage (acting head coach) | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2010 | William Woods Owls | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2006 | Bradford City | ||
| 2011 | Corby Town | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2011–2012 |
Young Harris Mountain Lions Assistant/goalkeeping coach | ||
| 2012–2016 |
Houston Dynamo Academy Head of goalkeeping | ||
| 2016–2020 |
North Carolina FC Youth Director of goalkeeping | ||
| 2017– |
North Carolina Courage Assistant/goalkeeping coach | ||
| 2021–2023 |
North Carolina Tar Heels Assistant coach | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Nathan Thackeray (born February 14, 1988) is an English association football coach who is the acting head coach of the North Carolina Courage of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
Playing career
After playing for Bradford City in his native England, Thackeray moved to the United States to attend William Woods University in Missouri, where he played for the William Woods Owls.[1] He also played for the Kalamazoo Outrage and the St. Louis Lions during college.[2] He graduated from William Woods in 2010, receiving a bachelor's degree in communications and media studies.[3]
Coaching career
After college, Thackeray moved into coaching as the men's and women's goalkeepers coach at Young Harris College in Georgia in 2011.[4] The following year, he became the head of goalkeeping at the Houston Dynamo FC Academy, where he spent four seasons.[3] He also coached the Houston Aces when he was there.[5]
Thackeray became the director of goalkeeping for North Carolina FC Youth (then called CASL) in 2016.[6] He soon added an assistant coach role with the North Carolina Courage when the team was established in 2017, joining the coaching staff under Paul Riley.[6] In their first three seasons, the Courage won three NWSL Shields and two NWSL Championships.[5] He assumed the assistant coach role full time in 2021.[5] Following two consecutive NWSL Challenge Cup titles, he signed a contract extension in 2024.[4] He was also an assistant coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer team between 2021 and 2023.[4]
Thackeray became acting head coach for the Courage in August 2025 after head coach Sean Nahas was fired midseason.[7] He had previously filled the role in Nahas's absence on several occasions.[8]
References
- ^ "NC Courage Adds Three Experienced Coaches to Staff". North Carolina Courage. April 7, 2017. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Benson, Dave (June 30, 2009). "Thackeray finds way to Lions". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ a b "Nathan Thackeray". North Carolina Tar Heels. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Assistant coaches Thackeray and Thomson sign multiyear extensions". North Carolina Courage. January 23, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Nathan Thackeray Joins NC Courage Full-Time as Assistant Coach". National Women's Soccer League. December 9, 2020. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ a b "NC Courage Adds Three Experienced Coaches to Staff". North Carolina Courage. April 17, 2017. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Kassouf, Jeff (August 7, 2025). "NC Courage: 'Multiple factors' in abrupt firing of coach Nahas". ESPN. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Brennan, Clare (June 11, 2022). "North Carolina Courage coach Sean Nahas out due to COVID protocol". Just Women's Sports. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
"Medical issue keeps NC Courage coach from Sunday's game". WRAL-TV. June 8, 2025. Retrieved August 7, 2025.