Max Ehmer

Career

Queens Park Rangers

Ehmer joined Queens Park Rangers at the age of eleven and progressed through the youth ranks, captaining his age group at various stages. He had previously played for Ascot United at the age of eight, as well as competing at varsity level during his time at ACS Egham School. During his time playing for the Warfield Predator youth side, aged eleven, he attracted the interest of QPR, who took him into their academy set-up in 2003. He signed his first professional contract with the club in the summer of 2009, aged 17. Ehmer made his league debut for QPR coming on as a substitute for Rangers captain Clint Hill in the 2–0 win over Middlesbrough on 28 September 2013.

Loan spells

Ehmer experienced his first taste of first-team football when he signed for League One side Yeovil Town on a month-long loan on 31 December 2010, with the deal to be officially completed the next day. He made his debut against Plymouth Argyle on 1 January 2011, playing the whole match in a 0–0 draw at Home Park. After impressing in the first two weeks of the loan spell, with Yeovil having secured two victories and one draw without conceding a goal, it was announced that Ehmer would remain at the club for the remainder of the 2010–11 season. He went on to make 27 appearances during the second half of the campaign, with a good end of season run ensuring Yeovil finished in a comfortable mid-table position.{{cite news |title = English League One 2010–2011 : Table |url = http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-one/2010-2011 |publisher = Statto.com |access-date = 2 April 2013 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130404051345/http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/league-one/2010-2011 |archive-date = 4 April 2013

He returned to QPR following the end of his loan agreement, and subsequently signed a new one-year contract extension with the club in June 2011, keeping him contracted to the club until 2013. QPR manager Neil Warnock stated – "Max has made great progress over the last few months. He had a very productive spell at Yeovil and the feedback we received was very promising. The experience he gained there will stand him in good stead to really push on over the next 12 months or so". Shortly before the start of the 2011–12 campaign, on 21 July 2011, Ehmer returned to Yeovil on loan, this time on a six-month deal. He played in the club's first game of the new season, playing the first 56 minutes in a 2–0 away loss to Brentford. Ehmer scored his first professional goal in a Football League Trophy tie against Bournemouth on 5 October 2011, netting a late consolation strike from close range in a match Yeovil lost 3–2 at Dean Court. In December the same year, his loan deal was extended until the end of the season. However, having made 28 appearances in all competitions during his second loan spell, Ehmer returned to QPR on 19 January 2012, with his loan deal being terminated by mutual consent following a change in management at both Yeovil and his parent club.

After a brief spell back at QPR, without making any first-team appearances, Ehmer was loaned out, this time joining League One side Preston North End on 16 March 2012, on loan until 5 May. He made his debut in the Preston's 2–1 away victory at Exeter City a day after joining the club, coming on as an 89th-minute substitute. Ehmer went on to make nine appearances during his time at the club, In August 2012, Ehmer signed a new three-year contract at QPR, keeping him at the club until 2016. In March 2013, Ehmer joined League One side Stevenage on loan for the remainder of the 2012–13 season. He made his debut for the club a day after signing, on 29 March, playing the whole in a 1–1 draw away to Crawley Town. In the club's next match just three days later, Ehmer scored the only goal of the game as Stevenage secured a 1–0 home win over Hartlepool United. Playing at left back, he scored with a first-time finish after Filipe Morais' initial shot had been blocked, scoring with just fifteen minutes remaining. Ehmer made six appearances during the brief loan spell, scoring once, as he returned to his parent club following Stevenage's final game of the season.

On 4 November 2013, Ehmer joined League One side Carlisle United on loan for a month up to and including 1 December 2013. On 3 December 2013, two days after his original loan expired it was announced that Carlisle had extended Ehmer's loan at the club until 2 January 2014. In November of the same year he was loaned out, this time to League One side Gillingham.

Gillingham

On 2 July 2015, Ehmer joined League One side Gillingham on a three-year deal.

In January 2017 he was named as Gillingham's captain, with the recently appointed head coach Adrian Pennock commenting that "I like his attitude and I like the centre-half to be the captain". He would later lose the captaincy to Gabriel Zakuani but regained it when he suffered an injury and was named captain permanently when Steve Evans became Gillingham manager before the 2019–20 season.

In March 2018 he agreed a contract extension until the end of the 2019–20 season.

Ehmer made his 200th appearance for the club in a 1–0 victory over Oxford United on 9 March 2019.

Bristol Rovers

On 21 July 2020, Ehmer signed a two-year contract with Bristol Rovers following the expiration of his Gillingham contract. Ehmer was announced as Rovers captain on 4 September 2020 and made his debut the following day in a 3–0 EFL Cup defeat to Ipswich Town. He scored his first goal of the season in the FA Cup third round 3–2 defeat to Premier League side Sheffield United.

When Rovers' third manager of the season Joey Barton came in, Ehmer was stripped of his captaincy which was given to Luke Leahy. On 22 March 2021, Ehmer was publicly slated by his manager who claimed that Ehmer was the wrong choice for captain and would have a lot of work to do to force his way back into the side. Following this, Barton announced that Ehmer would have to have surgery on his shoulder injury that would see him miss the remainder of the season. On 15 June 2021, Ehmer's contract with the club was terminated.

Gillingham return

Having had his contract in Bristol terminated, Ehmer returned to Gillingham that same day on a two-year contract.

On 14 May 2023, Gillingham confirmed that Ehmer had signed a new contract with the Kent side, but did not disclose the length of the deal. On 27 April 2024, Ehmer made his 400th appearance for the club in a 2–2 draw with Doncaster Rovers. On 25 April 2025, the club confirmed that Ehmer would be leaving at the end of his contract after playing a total of 439 times for the Gills, leaving him as one of the highest appearance makers in the club's history.

Ebbsfleet United

On 27 June 2025, Ehmer agreed to join National League South side Ebbsfleet United.

Personal life

Ehmer was born in Frankfurt.{{cite news | access-date = 2 April 2013}}

Career statistics

References

References

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2. "Max Ehmer – ESPN". ESPN Soccernet.
3. (15 August 2012). "QPR defender Max Ehmer signs four-year contract extension". Goal.
4. "ACS gives students a sporting chance". ACS.
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6. (1 January 2011). "Plymouth 0–0 Yeovil". BBC Sport.
7. {{Soccerbase season. 55839. 2010
8. (14 January 2011). "Norwich City striker Oli Johnson joins Yeovil on loan". BBC Sport.
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10. (1 June 2011). "Warnock lets eight leave QPR but extends Max Ehmer deal". BBC Sport.
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12. (6 August 2011). "Brentford 2–0 Yeovil". BBC Sport.
13. (5 October 2011). "Bournemouth 3–2 Yeovil". BBC Sport.
14. (5 October 2011). "Yeovil Town keep QPR defender Max Ehmer on loan". BBC Sport.
15. {{Soccerbase season. 55839. 2011
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17. (17 March 2012). "Exeter 1–2 Preston". BBC Sport.
18. (10 May 2012). "Graham Westley wields the axe at Preston North End". BBC Sport.
19. (15 August 2012). "QPR duo agree new deals". Fulham & Hammersmith Chronicle.
20. (28 March 2013). "Ehmer in on loan". Stevenage F.C..
21. (29 March 2013). "Crawley 1–1 Stevenage". BBC Sport.
22. (1 April 2013). "Stevenage 1–0 Hartlepool". BBC Sport.
23. {{Soccerbase season. 55839. 2012
24. (1 May 2013). "Loan players return to parent clubs". Stevenage F.C..
25. (4 November 2013). "Defender joins for a month". carlisleunited.co.uk.
26. "LOAN: Defender stay extended". Carlisle United Official Website.
27. (26 November 2014). "Max Ehmer: Gillingham sign QPR defender on loan". [[BBC Sport]].
28. (2 July 2015). "Max Ehmer: Gillingham sign QPR centre-back". BBC Sport.
29. "Gillingham head coach Ady Pennock plays down decision to change skipper as Max Ehmer replaces Josh Wright". Kent Online.
30. (31 July 2019). "Gillingham name Max Ehmer as the new captain under manager Steve Evans".
31. (16 March 2018). "Gillingham defender Max Ehmer signs new two-year deal with the club".
32. (11 March 2019). "Gillingham boss Steve Lovell salutes defender Max Ehmer's character on his 200th appearance for the club".
33. (21 July 2020). "Max Ehmer Completes Move to the Gas!".
34. (4 September 2020). "Max Ehmer Named as Rovers Captain!".
35. (5 September 2020). "Ipswich Town 3–0 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport.
36. (9 January 2021). "Bristol Rovers 2–3 Sheffield United". BBC Sport.
37. (22 March 2021). "Joey Barton believes Max Ehmer was the wrong choice to be Bristol Rovers captain".
38. (26 March 2021). "Bristol Rovers: Max Ehmer and Sam Nicholson's seasons over due to surgery". BBC Sport.
39. (15 June 2021). "Max Ehmer Departs the Club".
40. (15 June 2021). "Max Ehmer is coming home!".
41. "Max Ehmer signs new contract".
42. (29 April 2024). "Ehmer I am desperate for success at this club".
43. (25 April 2025). "Max Ehmer to say Gills farewell".
44. (27 June 2025). "Fleet greet Gills skipper Max Ehmer".
45. {{Soccerbase season. 55839. 2009
46. {{Soccerbase season. 55839. 2013
47. {{Soccerbase season. 55839. 2014
48. {{Soccerbase season. 55839. 2015
49. {{Soccerbase season. 55839. 2016
50. {{soccerbase season. 55839. 2017
51. {{soccerbase season. 55839. 2018
52. {{soccerbase season. 55839. 2019
53. {{soccerbase season. 55839. 2020
54. {{Soccerbase season. 55839. 2021
55. {{soccerbase season. 55839. 2022
56. {{soccerbase season. 55839. 2023
57. {{soccerbase season. 55839. 2024