Justin Miller (soccer)

Justin Miller (soccer)
Justin James Miller (born 16 December 1980) is a South African former footballer who played as a central defender in England.
He started his career in England with Ipswich Town in 2000, but moved on to Leyton Orient three years later without playing a competitive game for Ipswich. In four years with Orient he made 150 league games, before he switched to Port Vale for the 2007–08 campaign. He spent the next season with non-league Chelmsford City, before returning to his native South Africa to play for Wits University. He returned to England in 2010 to spend a season with Conference side Rushden & Diamonds, before returning Chelmsford City the following year. He spent two years with Chelmsford, and was released for a few months before he re-signed again in January 2014. He joined Bury Town later in the year, and stayed at the club until 2016.
Career
Miller started his professional career at Ipswich Town, but was let go at the end of the 2002–03 season without making a first team appearance. He signed with Third Division side Leyton Orient, who he had previously been loaned out to. In the 2004–05 campaign he racked up a total of 47 appearances in all competitions, and then in the following season hit a total of 43 appearances. In his four years with the club he racked up 150 league appearances before being released in May 2007.
He moved to Martin Foyle's Port Vale ahead of the 2007–08 season on a two-year contract from Leyton Orient, along with fellow Orient player Shane Tudor. He only lasted one season with the club, scoring once against Morecambe in the Football League Trophy, before falling out of favour with new boss Lee Sinnott.
In July 2008, he signed for non-league Chelmsford City, following an unsuccessful trial period at Aldershot Town. However, in January 2009 Miller moved back to South Africa for family reasons. He signed for Johannesburg club Bidvest Wits.
Miller joined Conference National club Rushden & Diamonds in June 2010. He made 37 appearances in all competitions, though the club suffered a crisis in summer 2011 and were expelled from the Conference.
In July 2011, he re-signed with Chelmsford City on a part-time basis, back in the Conference South. The club finished one place and four points outside the play-offs in 2011–12, before securing a play-off spot in 2012–13. He was released by manager Dean Holdsworth for "financial reasons" in summer 2013, but was re-signed by Chelmsford for a third time in January 2014. He helped the "Clarets" to a 17th-place finish in 2013–14.
He spent the 2014–15 season with Bury Town, as the Blues were relegated out of the Isthmian League Premier Division in last place. Bury Town finished 13th in Isthmian League Division One North in 2015–16.
Career statistics
References
1980 births
Living people
Soccer players from Johannesburg
White South African people
South African men's soccer players
South African expatriate men's soccer players
South African people of English descent
Men's association football defenders
Expatriate men's footballers in England
Ipswich Town F.C. players
Leyton Orient F.C. players
Port Vale F.C. players
Chelmsford City F.C. players
Bidvest Wits F.C. players
Rushden & Diamonds F.C. players
Bury Town F.C. players
English Football League players
National League (English football) players
South African Premier Division players
Isthmian League players