Thomas William "Tom" Cleverley /ˈklɛvərli/ (born 12 August 1989) is an English footballer who plays mainly as a central midfielder for Manchester United and England.
After starting his career in the youth setup at Bradford City,
Cleverley joined Manchester United at the age of 12. Between 2007 and
2009 he played for Manchester United's reserve team, and occasionally in
first team friendly matches. Cleverley was loaned to League One side Leicester City at the start of 2009, for whom he made his first Football League appearances, helping the team secure the League One title and promotion to the Championship. He spent the 2009–10 season on loan with Watford in the Championship, where he scored 11 goals in 33 league games and was voted as their Player of the Season. On 31 August 2010, he joined Wigan Athletic
on a season-long loan, where he scored four goals in 25 appearances and
helped them to avoid relegation on the final day of the season. He
returned to Manchester United for the start of the 2011–12 season and made his first competitive appearance in the Community Shield victory against Manchester City.
Early career
Cleverley was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire, but grew up in Bradford, West Yorkshire. He went to Hanson school.[3] He was part of Bradford City's youth set up and the next summer he joined Manchester United
as an 11-year-old trainee in July 2000. During the 2005–06 season, he
made nine appearances for the under-18 side. He also received a taste of
reserve team football when he was named on the bench for the team's 4–1
away win over Everton on 21 February 2006. His first appearance for the reserves came in a 0–0 away draw to Bolton Wanderers
almost a year later, on 15 February 2007, by which time he had become a
regular in the under-18 team. However, just over a month later, he
suffered a long-term injury and was ruled out for seven months.
He returned to action in October 2007, playing for the reserves in a 1–1 home draw with Liverpool.
The 2007–08 season marked Cleverley's emergence as a regular in the
Manchester United reserve team, making 21 appearances as the team went
on to win both the Manchester Senior Cup and the Lancashire Senior Cup,
in which he scored in the final against Liverpool. He also scored his
first goals in a Manchester United shirt on 23 January 2008, when he
scored both of United's goals in a 2–0 away win over Bolton Wanderers in
the Premier Reserve League. His consistent performances for the reserves earned him the captaincy of the team in the absence of regular captain Sam Hewson, as well as a nomination for the Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year award – he lost out to Richard Eckersley.
In recognition of his sterling work for the reserves, on 24 July
2008, Cleverley was called up to the Manchester United first team for
the remainder of their tour of South Africa and the match against Portsmouth in Nigeria.[4] He made his first team debut against Kaizer Chiefs in the final of the 2008 Vodacom Challenge, coming on in place of Rodrigo Possebon at half-time, before he scored the third of United's four goals just after the hour mark.[5]
He returned to regular reserve team duty for the 2008–09 season, but
was given a first team squad number – 35 – when the first team squad
list was announced on 15 August 2008,[6] and was named on the bench for United's League Cup matches against Middlesbrough and Queens Park Rangers.[7][8]
Loan spells
Leicester City
On 16 January 2009, Cleverley joined Leicester City for the remainder of the 2008–09 season and was given the number 7 shirt.[9] He made his debut on 19 January 2009 in a 2–0 away win over Yeovil Town, coming on as an 85th-minute substitute for Matty Fryatt.[10]
After two goals in 15 matches for Leicester, Cleverley's loan spell
came to a premature end after he suffered a season-ending shoulder
injury against Colchester United. He then returned to Manchester United for treatment and underwent surgery on his shoulder on 2 April 2009.[11]
Although his loan had ended, Cleverley was presented with a medal on 24
April after Leicester secured their promotion as champions of League One.[12]
Towards the end of the season, along with James Chester and Corry Evans, Cleverley was nominated by Manchester United reserve team manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær for the Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year award.[13]
Watford
On 18 August 2009, Cleverley signed for Watford on loan. He was then able to play in the Hornets' match away to Nottingham Forest that evening.[14]
He started the match and was booked within four minutes of the start of
the second half, but then sealed a 4–2 win with a goal in the second
minute of injury time at the end of the game.[15] He then scored another goal on his home debut four days later, scoring Watford's second goal in a 2–2 draw with Blackpool,[16] and became Watford's joint-top scorer with the second goal in a 2–0 win over Preston North End in November.[17] Shortly afterwards, he extended his loan deal at Watford until the end of the 2009–10 season.[18]
Cleverley scored a further five goals in 20 appearances for Watford
before a knee ligament injury in April 2010 ended his season
prematurely.[19] He went on to win the team's Player of the Season award.[20]
Wigan Athletic
Cleverley returned to Manchester United for the beginning of the
2010–11 season, and travelled with the squad for their pre-season tour
of North America in July 2010.[21] He came on as a substitute for Ryan Giggs at half-time in the first match of the tour against Celtic in Toronto, and scored United's third in a 3–1 win.[22] He then netted his second of the tour on 28 July 2010, scoring United's fourth in their 5–2 win in the 2010 MLS All-Star Game; he controlled Darren Fletcher's flick into the box before lifting the ball over Wilman Conde's head and side-footing it past Nick Rimando.[23]
On 31 August 2010, although Cleverley looked destined to stay with United for the season, Wigan Athletic confirmed they had agreed a season-long loan deal for Cleverley,[24] with Manchester United retaining the option to recall the player from his loan spell in January.[25] On 11 September, Cleverley made his debut for Wigan which was also his Premier League debut, replacing Mauro Boselli in the 75th minute and assisting Antolin Alcaraz in a 1–1 home draw against Sunderland.[26] On 27 November, he scored his first goal for the club, also his first ever Premier League goal, in a 3–1 defeat away to West Ham United.[27] Seven days later he scored his second for Wigan and first home goal in a 2–2 draw against Stoke City.[28] However, following a Dubious Goals Panel ruling, this goal was taken away from Cleverley and credited as a Rory Delap own goal.[29] In January 2011, Manchester United agreed to let Cleverley stay on loan at Wigan until the end of the season.[30] Cleverley scored the decisive goal in a 2–1 away win over Wolverhampton Wanderers which lifted Wigan out of the relegation zone.[31]
Cleverley was one of Wigan's stand-out performers, and ended the season
with three goals and two assists in 25 Premier League appearances.[32]
Manchester United first team
Paul Scholes' retirement before the 2011–12 season left an opening in Manchester United's central midfield. Cleverley has been identified by manager Sir Alex Ferguson
as a potential homegrown replacement for Scholes. Cleverley was praised
by Ferguson after playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–1 victory over Barcelona
in a preseason friendly match. Ferguson said that Cleverley was
United's "best player" against Barcelona and he indicated that there is a
strong possibility that Cleverley could be among the starting eleven in
the opening round fixture of the Premier League season against West Bromwich Albion.[33]
Cleverley made his competitive debut for United in the 3–2 comeback win over derby rivals Manchester City in the 2011 Community Shield. He came on as a second-half substitute for Michael Carrick after United went 2–0 down at half time, and assisted Nani's equaliser, after a pass and move build up.[34]
For the 2011–12 season he changed his number to 23 which was previously vacated by Jonny Evans who took Wes Brown's old number 6. He started his first Premier League
game for Manchester United on 14 August 2011, playing the full 90
minutes away to West Bromwich Albion in the first game of the 2011–12 season.[35] After impressing in his opening game, Cleverley started Manchester United's second game of the campaign against Tottenham Hotspur on 22 August, getting an assist in the process. He played the full game against Arsenal
on 28 August 2011, which Manchester United won 8–2. Cleverley sustained
a ligament damage in his foot after being tackled heavily by Bolton's Kevin Davies in the 3rd minute of United's next game, a 5–0 away victory at Bolton Wanderers.[36] It was later confirmed by the club that he would be sidelined for a month with the injury.[37]
In October 2011 he signed a new contract keeping him at the club until
2015. On 25 October 2011, Cleverley made his return from injury in the
League Cup, a 3–0 win against Aldershot Town. He made another appearance 4 days later, away to Everton.
Cleverley played in a more advanced midfield role, linking defence with
attack and was arguably Manchester United's best player. He left the
field of play after 57 minutes due to an ankle injury, but his
performance was later hailed by his manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, as
"outstanding". On 6 January 2012 he Tweeted "Plan to b outside running
in two weeks and training the week after that. Cnt wait to b back!".
On 20 January, Ferguson stated "I am hopeful in 10 days' time he will
be training then we can kick on." Cleverley was due to return for the
game at Old Trafford against Liverpool on 11 February 2012,[38] but he was an unused substitute. He eventually returned in a Europa League 2–0 away win against Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena. On 26 September 2012, he scored his first goal, in a 2–1 win against Newcastle United in the League Cup.[39]
His first league goal was on 7 October 2012, also against Newcastle
United. The effort looked more like a cross but Cleverley later tweeted
"Of course I meant it!" He scored his second league goal on 15 December
with a fine first-time finish from the edge of the area in a 3-1 win
against Sunderland.[40] On 5 January 2013, Cleverley scored a goal from a Javier Hernandez cross in a 2-2 draw against West Ham United in a 3rd Round FA Cup tie.[41]
International career
England U20
Cleverley was called up to Noel Blake's England Under-20 team
for the first time on 12 March 2009. However, following a dislocated
shoulder suffered while on loan at Leicester City a few days later, he
was forced to withdraw from the squad, and was replaced by Leeds United midfielder Adam Clayton.[42] Cleverley eventually made his Under-20 debut on 11 August 2009 in a 5–0 friendly win over Montenegro at The Hawthorns, missing an early penalty but going on to score two second-half goals.[43]
England U21
Cleverley made his England U-21 debut as substitute for Junior Stanislas in a 2–1 win away to Macedonia on 4 September 2009.[44]
Great Britain Olympic team
On 2 July 2012, Cleverley was named in Stuart Pearce's 18-man Great Britain squad for the 2012 London Olympics.[45]
On 20 July 2012, Cleverley played in a warm up match for the Olympics at the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough against Brazil national under-23 football team.
The match finished 2–0 to Brazil, with Cleverley playing the full match
wearing the number 7 shirt. He played the full game in the tournament's
opening fixture against Senegal; which ended 1–1. In the second group match against the United Arab Emirates, Cleverley was instrumental in GB's victory. He laid on the winner with an incisive through ball for Daniel Sturridge and generally impressed with his range of passing.[46]
England senior team
In August 2011, he was called up to the England first-team squad for the friendly against the Netherlands by Fabio Capello.[47] but did not end up playing as the game was cancelled on 8 August by The Football Association after the riots in London.[48] He received another call-up for the Euro 2012 qualifying matches with Bulgaria and Wales later in September 2011 alongside fellow new England additions and club-mates Phil Jones and Chris Smalling, but did not end up playing.
He made his debut a year later in a 2–1 win against Italy on 15 August 2012.[49] He made his competitive debut on 7 September 2012, playing the full 90 minutes in a 5–0 win away to Moldova during 2014 FIFA World Cup qualiying[50] and received praise for his performance from manager Roy Hodgson.[51] On 12 October 2012, playing against San Marino in a World Cup qualifier, Cleverley made 165 touches during the game, the highest ever recorded for an England player.[52] He also made 2 assists in the same game with England winning 5–0.
 Cleverley playing for Manchester United in 2010 |
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas William Cleverley[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 12 August 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Basingstoke, England | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[2] | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Manchester United | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–2000 | Bradford City | ||
| 2000–2009 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2009– | Manchester United | 42 | (2) |
| 2009 | → Leicester City (loan) | 15 | (2) |
| 2009–2010 | → Watford (loan) | 33 | (11) |
| 2010–2011 | → Wigan Athletic (loan) | 25 | (4) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2009 | England U20 | 1 | (2) |
| 2009–2011 | England U21 | 16 | (0) |
| 2012– | England | 13 | (0) |
| 2012 | Great Britain | 5 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:10, 2 December 2013 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 November 2013 (UTC) | |||
