Former Bristol Rovers and Plymouth Argyle cult hero moves again to 14th club

Bristol Rovers cult hero Nathan Blissett is on the move again. The 32-year-old has represented 13 clubs so far and has moved once more to prolong his playing career, which began in 2011.

Blissett has been snapped up by non-league Stafford Rangers, quickly after he was released by National League North outfit AFC Telford United. He scored just one goal in 29 appearances which included 20 starts for the Bucks and was signed by Paul Carden, but he fell out of favour when Kevin Wilkin arrived at New Bucks Head.

Stafford Rangers play in the seventh tier of English football, and are currently 12th in the Northern Premier League Premier Division. South Shields lead the division and are managed by Sunderland legend Kevin Phillips.

Bristol Rovers days

Blissett joined the Gas on loan in November 2014, and had a positive start to life with them, scoring three goals in eight appearances on loan from Kidderminster Harriers. He joined permanently in January 2015, and followed it up with two goals in 15 matches, helping the club to promotion out of the National League.

After being unfancied in the early part of the 2015/6 season Blissett was subsequently loaned out to Tranmere Rovers who sought a return to the Football League. He returned and made cameo appearances against Notts County and Carlisle United off the bench, but was loaned out once more to Lincoln City, thus ending his involvement at the club.

After life at Bristol Rovers

Blissett joined Torquay United in January 2016, in a move that he hoped would reinvigorate his career, and he started off brightly with four goals in four matches. He admitted he lost his drive after falling out of favour under Darrell Clarke and with the Gulls he scored 12 goals in 41 matches.

Blissett lasted just half a season at Plaimoor after returning to the Football League with Plymouth Argyle, and scored three times in 22 outings for the Pilgrims. He was loned to Macclesfield Town and helped them win the National League, winning promotion once more with five strikes in 16 matches and joined them permanently but failed to score in the fourth tier.

He dropped down to the non-legue again and played for Solihull Moors, scoring 15 times in 52 games before being released at the end of the 2019/20 season when the season was curtailed because of COVID-19. Blissett penned terms with Maidenhead United, and spent a season-and-a-half there before leaving another club.

For the first time in eight years, he dropped down to the sixth tier of English football, penning terms with AFC Telford United. It didn’t work out for him with the Bucks fighting relegation and he was released on February 24.