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Michael started of playing for Sheffield local club Hallam FC in the 1998/1999 season, the life long Sheffield United fan left after a season with Hallam. Michael signed a professional contract after agreeing to move to Mansfield Town following trials with Manchester United and Doncaster Rovers.
Boulding became an instant regular for The Stags, however he was never a regular goalscorer and managed 4 or 5 in each of his two seasons at Mansfield.
Mansfield offered Boulding a contract extension for the 2001/2002 season, but he opted to leave the club in search of greater things. Lincoln City and Grimsby Town offered Boulding a deal, and a week later the unknown striker signed up as a backup player at Blundell Park.
Boulding was eased in at Grimsby, and was rarely a regular starter. With Phil Jevons,Jonathan Rowan and co ahead of him ,Boulding would have to shine fronm his sub apperances, which he did really well.
Towards the end of the campaign Boulding had drifted from sub, to left winger to attacker . Boulding managed to power his way into the side scoring 11 times, more than anyone else in the side. Boulding became a recognised top class first division striker.
With The Mariners relishing the chance of unleashing Boulding's full potential for the 2002/2003 season, in came the Premiership clubs. With Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Newcastle United all showing intrest in signing Boulding, he decided he would train with Middlesbrough on a view to a permanent deal.
However a few days before Boulding was expected to travel up north to train, Aston Villa came in and agreed a 1 year contract with Boulding. With Grimsby gutted in losing there most promissing player, Paul Groves went in search of replacements.
Meanwhile Boulding had been playing in the InterToto Cup. His side trailed 2-0 to FC Zurich after the first leg. In the second leg an on form Boulding ripped Zurich apart,scoring 1 and aiding Villa to a 3-0 win,and a 3-2 aggreagte victors over the Swiss side.
However with the start of the Premiership season. Villa dropped Boulding and Croatian attacker Bosko Balaban, and the Town legend became unhappy. Villa boss Graham Taylor then decided Boulding needed more first team experience and he was loaned out to his childhood heroes at Sheffield United on a 1 month loan.
Boulding played in 6 games for The Blades, and scored on his debut in the League Cup against Wycombe. He was then hitback by a long injury problem. Boulding returned to Villa Park, and was transfer listed only a few months after signing for the club.
After 3 months out injured, Leicester City,Sheffield United and Wolves all came in to sign Boulding, however with Town gaffer Paul Groves monitoting Boulding he also made an approach.
Then in a shock twist Boulding mentioned that he did not want to talk to any of the other clubs if there was a even a slight chance he could return to Blundell Park.
And that had settled it, Aston Villa agreed to sell Boulding back to Grimsby for £50,000. However to make sure he could play in the away game against Wimbledon, he signed on loan for The Mariners for a week before the transfer could go through.
Boulding returned, and got straight stuck in scoring 4 times in 12 apperances, before disaster struck again and Boulding was put out of action through injury again. He returned after just over a month out, but could not prevent the club from relegation.
Relishing the fact of taking on weaker defences in Division 2, Boulding started with all cylinders firing and blasted his way in as the leagues early leading scorer. However it did seem that Boulding was missing the decent partnership he had with Bradley Allen who had been released over a year ago. He played alongside Iffy Onuora, Laurens Ten Heuvel, Lee Thorpe, Jonathan Rowan and Darren Mansaram, however none of them could link up with Boulding aswell as Allen did 2 years ago.
Boulding started to stumble and he went on a lean period. Being the only player capable of regular scoring, he stopped and Town drifted down the table. When Paul Groves was sacked as manager after the 6-0 hammering by Oldham Athletic, the surrounding rummours that he would exit the club to join Peterborough United or Barnsley were made fact.
Boulding was sold straight away after the sacking of Groves and joined rivals Barnsley for an undisclosed fee. The deal included the 1 month loan of Barnsley striker Isaiah Rankin, who later became a permanent Mariner.
Aftet two average apperances for Barnsley, Boulding faced Grimsby at Blundell Park. The Mariners slaughtered The Tykes 6-1, Isaiah Rankin netted a goal against his parent club and on the 73rd minute, Boulding came on for Craig Rocastle to a sea of boos and jeers and the chants "JUDAS,JUDAS,JUDAS" sprung out all over the stadium.
Boulding never threatend the goal and carried on playing for Barnsley for 2 seasons, and after joining Cardiff City on loan in 2005 he quit professional football in a shock move having already verbally agreeing to a one year deal with Crewe Alexandra.
However in another twist of events he appeared back on the books at another pro club before the season was out, signing for Rotherham United. After not even making the bench at Rotherham, Mickey was snapped back up by former team Mansfield Town along with younger brother Rory.
CAREER STATISTICS!
2006/2007 MANSFIELD TOWN 19 APPS 2 GOALS
2005/2006 ROTHERHAM UNITED 0 APPS 0 GOALS
2005/2006 CREWE ALEXANDRA 0 APPS 0 GOALS
2004/2005 CARDIFF CITY(LOAN) 4 APPS 0 GOALS
2004/2005 BARNSLEY 35 APPS 10 GOALS
2003/2004 BARNSLEY 6 APPS 0 GOALS
2003/2004 GRIMSBY TOWN 32 APPS 13 GOALS
2002/2003 GRIMSBY TOWN 11 APPS 3 GOALS
2002/2003 GRIMSBY TOWN(LOAN) 1 APPS 1 GOALS
2002/2003 SHEFFIELD UNITED(LOAN) 7 APPS 1 GOALS
2002/2003 ASTON VILLA 2 APPS 1 GOALS
2001/2002 GRIMSBY TOWN 39 APPS 11 GOALS
2001/2002 MANSFIELD TOWN 0 APPS 0 GOALS
2000/2001 MANSFIELD TOWN 39 APPS 6 GOALS
1999/2000 MANSFIELD TOWN 38 APPS 6 GOALS
1998/1999 HALLAM FC NO DATA AVAILBLE