He subsequently made 156 appearances across three and a half years at Billericay Town, winning promotion to the National League South, before signing for Hampton & Richmond Borough in September 2020. Julian retired in May 2024 and was appointed the club's first-team manager later that month. Internationally, he represented Northern Ireland at under-18, under-19, and under-21 levels.
Early life
Julian was born at Ashford Hospital in Surrey.[2] Aged nine, he was offered a trial at Brentford after his father contacted the club.[2] He is a lifelong Chelsea supporter.[2]
Club career
Brentford
Julian joined Brentford at the age of nine following a successful trial.[3] While also playing for Sunbury Manor and Sunbury Casuals,[2] he progressed through the youth system and signed his first professional contract in 2002.[3] Julian made his senior debut in a 1–0 victory over Plymouth Argyle in the Football League Trophy on 12 November 2002,[4][5] and made a further three appearances during the 2002–03 season.[4] At the end of the season, he signed a new contract with Brentford, keeping him at the club until 2005.[6] He made 14 appearances during the 2003–04 season,[7] before leaving the club in February 2005,[8] stating "the time had come" to pursue regular first-team football.[3][9]
Stevenage Borough
He signed for Stevenage Borough on a free transfer on 4 February 2005,[10] making his debut in a 1–0 victory over Scarborough.[11] He kept seven clean sheets in 17 appearances during the second half of the 2004–05 season, including in a 1–0 win against Hereford United at Edgar Street in the play-off semi-final second leg.[11][12] Julian featured in the play-off final, a 1–0 defeat to Carlisle United at the Britannia Stadium.[11] He remained with the club for the 2005–06 season, "attracting interest from scouts" during the club's strong start.[11][13][14] Stevenage recorded 12 clean sheets during the season, but missed out on the play-offs after a 2–0 defeat to Forest Green Rovers,[11] finishing sixth.[15] Julian made 45 appearances and was named Stevenage's Player of the Year.[11][16]
Ahead of the 2006–07 season, new manager Mark Stimson signed goalkeeper Danny Potter, stating he would be first choice.[17][18][19] Julian was an unused substitute for the opening two matches of the season,[20] but made his first appearance as a 63rd-minute substitute following Potter's red card in a 3–2 home defeat to Crawley Town on 18 August 2006.[21] He retained his place thereafter, making 53 appearances as Stevenage finished eighth in the Conference National.[11][22] Eight of those appearances came during the club's successful FA Trophy campaign, in which he kept four clean sheets.[11][23] Julian started in the final, a 3–2 victory against Kidderminster Harriers at Wembley Stadium in front of 53,262 spectators.[24] The result made Stevenage the first team to win a competitive final at the new stadium.[24]
Julian kept his first clean sheet of the 2007–08 season in Stevenage's 3–0 home victory over Weymouth,[11] which served as the catalyst for a run of eight matches without conceding a goal, equalling a Conference National record following a 4–0 win against Farsley Celtic at Broadhall Way.[25][26][27] During this period, Julian went 778 minutes without conceding a goal.[11] After Stimson departed for Gillingham,[28] Julian declined a new contract offer, stating his intention to "keep his options open for the summer",[29] and was subsequently transfer-listed in January 2008.[29] Despite this, he remained first-choice goalkeeper under new manager Peter Taylor until a 3–1 home defeat to Torquay United on 12 April 2008, his final appearance of the season.[11] He made 44 appearances during the 2007–08 season,[11] and 159 in total during his three-and-a-half year spell at the club.[11]
Gillingham
Julian joined Gillingham on a free transfer on 21 May 2008, reuniting with former Stevenage manager Mark Stimson.[30] He made his debut in a 1–0 home defeat to Colchester United in the League Cup first round on 12 August 2008.[31] Serving as second choice to Simon Royce, Julian made six appearances in all competitions during the 2008–09 season, keeping three clean sheets, as Gillingham secured promotion to League One with a 1–0 play-off final victory over Shrewsbury Town.[31][32]
Ahead of the 2009–10 season, Stimson stated he was undecided as to whether Julian or Royce would start in the club's opening fixture.[33] Julian was ultimately selected and played in Gillingham's 5–0 home victory against Swindon Town on the opening day of the season.[34] After three consecutive defeats in which the team conceded seven goals,[34] Julian was replaced by Royce for the League Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers.[35] Over the next four months, Julian made only two appearances, both in the Football League Trophy,[34] and subsequently submitted a transfer request due to limited first-team opportunities.[36][37] Gillingham received no offers, with manager Mark Stimson stating: "You don't just say I'm on the transfer list and six teams come in for you".[36] Julian remained with the club and, after returning to the starting line-up in a 2–1 defeat at Huddersfield Town in December 2009, he retained the position for the remainder of the season.[30][34] The club were relegated to League Two following a 3–0 defeat to Wycombe Wanderers on the final day.[38][39] Julian made 33 appearances during the season, keeping eight clean sheets.[34]
Under new manager Andy Hessenthaler,[40] Julian started the 2010–11 season as Gillingham's first-choice goalkeeper.[41] Similar to the previous season, he lost his place following a winless run at the start of the campaign.[41] New signing Lance Cronin impressed during a draw against Morecambe,[42] and kept Julian out of the first team for five weeks.[43][44] Following a 7–4 away defeat to Accrington Stanley,[45] Julian returned to the starting line-up.[41] He was part of the team that ended Gillingham's 35-game winless away run with a 1–0 victory against Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium on 20 November 2010.[46] He remained first-choice goalkeeper throughout the season as Gillingham finished in eighth position in League Two,[41][47] making 41 appearances in all competitions, keeping 12 clean sheets.[41] Despite being the club's first-choice goalkeeper, Julian was informed that he was no longer part of the club's plans[9] and was released on 11 May 2011.[48] He made 80 appearances in all competitions during his three-year spell at Gillingham.[49]
Return to Stevenage
In June 2011, Julian rejoined former club Stevenage on a free transfer, three years after his departure.[50][51] The move reunited him with manager Graham Westley, who had initially brought him to the club in 2005.[50] On signing, Julian stated: "I had a great time at Stevenage before and coming back now and we are in League One, it is a dream come true".[52] Following an injury to first-choice goalkeeper Chris Day,[53] Julian started in the club's first three matches of the 2011–12 season, keeping a clean sheet in the opening fixture, a 0–0 home draw against Exeter City.[54] Day returned thereafter,[54] limiting Julian to just two further appearances that season.[54] He was released upon the expiry of his contract in May 2012.[55]
Newport County
A month after leaving Stevenage, Julian joined Conference Premier club Newport County on a free transfer.[56] In the club's first pre-season match ahead of the 2012–13 season, away to Caldicot Town, Julian sustained a knee ligament injury.[57][58] The injury ruled him out for the first three months of the season, before making his first-team debut on 17 November 2012, in a 3–1 home defeat to Hyde.[1] Julian made 11 appearances during a season in which Newport secured promotion to the Football League after a 25-year absence, following a 2–0 play-off final victory over Wrexham in May 2013.[1][59]
Dartford
Julian left Newport at the end of the season and opted to move to part-time football,[60] signing for Conference Premier club Dartford on 21 May 2013.[61] Upon his arrival, Dartford manager Tony Burman described him as a professional and experienced addition to the squad.[62] Julian made 45 appearances in all competitions during the 2013–14 season, at the end of which Dartford were relegated to the Conference South after finishing 22nd.[1][63] He was voted Dartford's Player of the Year and won a further three individual accolades at the club's end-of-season awards ceremony.[60][64]
Sutton United
Julian declined Dartford's offer of a new contract at the end of the season and joined Conference South club Sutton United in May 2014.[64] He stated the decision was based on personal logistics rather than financial reasons, citing Sutton's closer proximity to his home.[64] A pre-season knee injury saw him begin the 2014–15 season as second-choice goalkeeper behind Tom Lovelock.[65] Following Lovelock's red card in a match against Chelmsford City,[65] Julian returned to the starting line-up and made 14 appearances during the first half of the season, before departing in January 2015.[1][66]
Bromley
Julian signed for fellow Conference South club Bromley on 22 January 2015.[67] He made his debut two days later in a 2–1 away victory against Basingstoke Town,[68] Julian made 17 appearances during the second half of the season as Bromley achieved promotion to the National League as Conference South champions.[68][69] He remained a regular during the 2015–16 and 2016–17 seasons, as the club consolidated its position in the National League, before submitting a transfer request in February 2017.[68][69] Julian made 88 appearances during his time at the club.[68]
In September 2020, Julian joined National League South club Hampton & Richmond Borough following a successful trial.[76] He made his debut in a 1–0 away victory against Corinthian in the FA Cup on 3 October 2020.[68] The 2020–21 season was curtailed due to restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, with Julian having made 21 appearances at the time of suspension.[68] During his time at Hampton & Richmond, he made 89 appearances, including his 600th competitive appearance in a 3–1 win over Wimborne Town on 2 October 2021.[68][77] In March 2024, Julian announced that he would be retiring at the end of the 2023–24 season, concurrently assuming the role of goalkeeping coach with immediate effect.[77]
International career
Julian was eligible to play for Northern Ireland through his grandfather, John Julian Sr, who was born in Belfast.[2] He earned caps at under-18 and under-19 levels before making a single appearance for the Northern Ireland under-21 team in a 0–0 draw against Switzerland in August 2004.[78]
Managerial career
Having initially served as the club's goalkeeping coach, Julian was appointed as first-team manager of Hampton & Richmond Borough on 13 May 2024.[79] During the 2024–25 season, Hampton & Richmond finished 18th in the National League South, a position reflective of a "challenging campaign" amid a change of ownership at the club.[80]
Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
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