 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Lee Barry Cattermole | ||
| Date of birth | 21 March 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Stockton-on-Tees, England | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Playing position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Sunderland | ||
| Number | 33 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–2005 | Middlesbrough | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2005–2008 | Middlesbrough | 69 | (3) |
| 2008–2009 | Wigan Athletic | 33 | (1) |
| 2009– | Sunderland | 89 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2003 | England U16 | 1 | (0) |
| 2004 | England U17 | 4 | (0) |
| 2005 | England U18 | 1 | (0) |
| 2006 | England U19 | 1 | (0) |
| 2007–2010 | England U21 | 16 | (3) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:48, 28 December 2013 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11:27, 12 August 2010 (UTC) | |||
Lee Barry Cattermole (born 21 March 1988) is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder for Sunderlandin the Premier League. His preferred position is in central midfield.[2] An England youth product, Cattermole has earned a reputation as a tough tackling midfielder due to his lengthy disciplinary record.
Cattermole began his professional career at Middlesbrough in 2005, having progressed through the club's academy. After making his debut for the club in January 2006, he became a regular player, and became the youngest man to captain Middlesbrough. After making 91 appearances in all competitions, he switched toWigan Athletic in July 2008. He quickly became a regular for Wigan, making 35 appearances, but switched toSunderland in August 2009. Despite a few injury problems early in his spell at the club, manager Steve Bruceselected him as the club's captain for the start of the 2010–11 season, a role he would hold for three seasons, until Paolo di Canio gave John O'Shea the role prior to the start of the 2013–14 season.
Internationally, Cattermole has represented England at under-16, under-17, under-18, under-19 and under-21levels, but is yet to make his debut for the full international side.
Club career
Middlesbrough
Cattermole made his debut in the Tyne-Tees derby against Newcastle United on 2 January 2006, playing the full 90 minutes in a match that finished 2–2 in which the England youth international received the Man of the Match award.[3] Former manager Steve McClaren later hailed his performance stating, "When we needed people to stand up and be counted, it took a 17-year-old to bring everyone together."[4]
After a 0–4 home defeat to Aston Villa he was captured on camera in tears and had to be consoled by captainGareth Southgate.[5] However, after this game the team went on to win seven out of their next eight games, advancing to the quarter-finals of both the FA and UEFA cups and defeating Premier League championsChelsea 3–0, only their second league defeat of the season.[6][7] Cattermole scored his first league goal for Middlesbrough on 2 April, in a 1–0 victory away at Manchester City,[8] and played for Middlesbrough in the2006 UEFA Cup Final.[9]
Cattermole became Middlesbrough's youngest ever captain when he skippered the side in their 1–0 defeat away against Fulham on 7 May. During the game, Middlesbrough's oldest ever player, Colin Cooper, came on as a substitute and Cattermole sportingly gave up the captain's role, without instruction, to Cooper, who was playing his last game before retirement.
On 20 October, Cattermole signed a new four-year deal to keep him at Middlesbrough until 2010.[10]
Wigan Athletic
On 29 July 2008, Cattermole signed for Wigan Athletic on a three-year deal in a transfer worth £3.5 million. He made his debut against West Ham United in a 2–1 defeat. Cattermole scored his first goal for Wigan in a 4–1 League Cup win over Ipswich Town on 24 September 2008.[11] He then scored his first league goal in a 3–0 home win over Blackburn Rovers on 13 December 2008.[12] On 4 March, he was given a straight red card, his second of the season, for a reckless challenge on Scott Parker in the home defeat by West Ham.[13] Despite being tied to a three-year deal, Cattermole's highly impressive season with Wigan resulted in constant speculation that he was a target for other clubs.
Sunderland
On 12 August 2009, it was announced that Cattermole had completed a medical at Sunderland and signed for a fee of £6 million. The midfielder joined the club on a four-year contract, reuniting with former Wigan coach Steve Bruce.[14] He made his debut in a 1–0 win over Bolton Wanderers, in which he won Sunderland's man of the match award. He then in the next few games of the season became popular amongst the fans despite missing several games with a heel injury. On 17 October 2009, he injured his knee in the win over Liverpool and was ruled out for twelve weeks.[15] He returned as a second-half substitute for Jordan Henderson on 15 December in a 0–2 loss against Aston Villa. He then played the full match and captained the side in the 4–3 defeat by Manchester City. On the eve of the 2010/11 season, Cattermole was selected by manager Steve Bruce as the replacement captain after Lorik Cana's departure. He was also handed the vacant number 6 shirt. He received a red card on the first game of the season against Birmingham City for a second bookable offence. Bruce later referred to referee Anthony Taylor as 'out of his depth.' Cattermole played most of the 90 minutes in Sunderland's spectacular 3–0 away win against Chelsea, coming off in added time in the second half and was pivotal in the victory. He then earned the man-of-the-match award for his performance at home to West Ham, a game which Sunderland won 1–0. Cattermole's tough tackling style has put him into troublesome situations with referees. Bruce, despite backing Cattermole as club captain said that his disciplinary record must improve. Again, Cattermole suffered an injury-hit season, making 24 appearances in total (one more than the previous season).
Cattermole remained captain at the start of the 2011–12 season and received yellow cards in the first two games, against Liverpool and Newcastle. He then fell out of favour, with his next full match not coming until 5 November, in a defeat at Manchester United. Following Steve Bruce's sacking and the appointment of Martin O'Neill as his successor, it was suggested Cattermole might lose the captaincy, especially after he and Nicklas Bendtner were arrested for allegedly damaging cars in Newcastle city centre. However, he led the team on his first appearance under O'Neill, a 3–2 win at QPR. Cattermole had arguably two of his best performances for the Black Cats in their 1–0 win over Manchester City on New Years Day 2012 and a 4–1 win at Wigan two days later. After the victory over Manchester City, O'Neill told his captain:"Well done, absolutely brilliant. You’ve got a heart like a lion".[16] The skipper also put in another excellent defensive performance in the FA Cup fifth round game with Arsenal on 18 February. Cattermole and his team mates constantly pressed the Arsenal players when they had possession, forcing mistakes and with counter-attacking football, the Black Cats won 2–0.
On 4 March 2012, Cattermole was booked in the first minute of the Tyne-Wear derby for a challenge on Newcastle's Cheick Tioté. He received a red card after the final whistle after confronting referee Mike Dean. After the match, O'Neill described Cattermole's sending off as "unfortunate" but that he had "upset the referee" and felt Cattermole should have left the talking to the referee to O'Neill.[17] Cattermole received a four match ban.[18] During his ban, reports claimed that O'Neill would strip Cattermole of the captaincy because of his behaviour at the Tyne-Wear Derby match but O'Neill denied the claims.[19] After serving his ban, Cattermole made his return for Sunderland against Everton in the replay quarter-final of the FA Cup on 27 March, a match Sunderland went on to lose 2–0. Through 73 games for Sunderland in all competitions, Cattermole had been booked 32 times and received four red cards.[20]
The start of the 2013-14 season saw Cattermole replaced as captain by John O'Shea and his number 6 shirt handed to new signing Cabral. Cattermole will now wear the number 33.
International career
Cattermole received his first call-up to the England under-21 squad for the October 2006 play-offs against Germany. Cattermole scored his first international goal and the first goal of the U-21 European Championships on 15 June 2009 against Finland. The goal was set up by Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor.[citation needed] Cattermole went on to score his third in an England shirt when they came from behind to defeat Macedonia u21 in a 2–1 win with a goal in the 83rd minute sealing the victory after an impressive goal from Freddie Sears.
