 Bardsley playing for Sunderland in 2011 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Phillip Anthony Bardsley | ||
| Date of birth | 28 June 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Salford, England | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1] | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Sunderland | ||
| Number | 2 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–2003 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2003–2008 | Manchester United | 8 | (0) |
| 2004 | → Royal Antwerp (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2006 | → Burnley (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2006 | → Rangers (loan) | 5 | (1) |
| 2007 | → Aston Villa (loan) | 13 | (0) |
| 2007–2008 | → Sheffield United (loan) | 16 | (0) |
| 2008– | Sunderland | 160 | (7) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2010– | Scotland | 12 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 May 2013.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 27 May 2012 | |||
Phillip Anthony "Phil" Bardsley (born 28 June 1985) is a footballer who plays for Sunderland and the Scotland national team. Although born in England, Bardsley qualifies for Scotland through hisGlasgow-born father.[2]
Early life
Bardsley attended Hope High School in his hometown Salford, along with former United team-matesMark Redshaw and Mark Howard. Bardsley started his career with Charlestown Lads Club also with Redshaw before signing for Manchester United.[3] He grew up near Manchester United's old training ground, The Cliff, and would often go there on his school holidays to see his heroes train. Prior to his departure for Sunderland, he was the only current player who progressed through all the levels of the academy, starting out at the club at the age of 8.[3]
Club career
Manchester United
Bardsley was occasionally included in UEFA Champions League and League Cup squads for Manchester United. In 2004, he spent four months on loan to Manchester United's Belgian feeder club, Royal Antwerp. On 16 March 2006, he joined Championship side Burnley, where he played on loan until the end of the season. He played five games and scored a first minute own goal againstSouthampton.
Rangers[edit]
He was sent out on loan again at the start of the 2006–07 season, this time to Scottish Premier League club Rangers.[4] On 9 September 2006, he scored his only goal for Rangers against Falkirkwith a terrific long-range free kick.[5] He was sent off against Hibernian,[6] and therefore missed theOld Firm match against Celtic. On 17 October, it was reported that Bardsley was involved in a training ground disagreement with manager Paul Le Guen and his future at Rangers appeared to be in doubt.[7] Indeed, Bardsley never played for Rangers again and returned to Manchester United in December.[8]
Aston Villa
On 8 January 2007, Bardsley joined Aston Villa on loan until the end of the season and played his first Premiership game against Watford on 20 January.[9] It was announced on 1 May that Bardsley would be returning to Manchester United when his loan deal with Villa ran out as manager Martin O'Neill did not want to make the move permanent.[10]
Sheffield United
On 15 October, it was confirmed Bardsley would join Sheffield United on loan until January 2008.[11] He made his full debut for the Blades a few days later in a 1–1 draw with Preston North End at Bramall Lane. Despite the Blades agreeing a deal with Manchester United to sign him permanently,[12] Bardsley left at the end of his loan deal in January 2008 after playing sixteen games.
Sunderland
On 22 January 2008, Bardsley joined Sunderland on a three-and-a-half-year contract in a deal for £850,000 that could potentially rise to £2 million.[13] He made his debut in the 2–0 win against Birmingham City in the Premier League on 29 January. On 27 August 2008, he scored his first goal in English football to level a League Cup match against Nottingham Forest. Sunderland won the tie 2–1 after extra time.[14] Bardsley featured inconsistently in the 2009–10 season, with manager Steve Bruce favouring on-loan defenders Alan Hutton and John Mensah ahead of Bardsley. A lack of playing time lead to him hinting at an exit from the club in the summer transfer window,[15] but he remained at the club for the 2010–11 season and has recently become first-choice in an unfamiliar left back position. On 18 October 2010, Bardsley started and played the full 90 minutes in the game against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park in a 0–0 draw. In November 2010, he signed a new three-and-a-half-year deal running until summer 2014. He scored his first league goal in English football against Aston Villa on 5 January 2011 with a 25-yard strike in a 1–0 win.[16] He then scored his second of the season with another long range strike to put Sunderland 1–0 against Chelsea. Unfortunately the match ended in a 4–2 defeat for Sunderland. He also scored from long range against West Bromwich Albion at the Stadium of Light which ended in a 3–2 defeat for Sunderland. He has emerged as one of Sunderland's most consistent players this season. A fan favourite, he has taken up the video blogging duties after the departure of Darren Bent. Bardsley's consistent performances earned him the supporters' Player of the Season award.[17] In the second game of the 2011–12 season on 20 August, Bardsley received two yellow cards against Newcastle in the Tyne-Wear derby. In March 2012, Bardsley opened the scoring in Sunderland's 1–1 draw with Everton in the FA Cup quarter final.
In May 2013, Bardsley broke new manager Paolo Di Canio's ban on drinking during the season by visiting a casino with Matt Kilgallon, and was photographed lying on the floor with a pile of £50 notes.[18] Di Canio dropped Bardsley from the squad for that weekend's season-ending match at Tottenham, and vowed never to play him again.[19] Bardsley spent pre season with the Under 21 squad, where he sustained a broken foot in a friendly match, hindering the club's attempts to sell him. On 20 August 2013, Bardsley was suspended by Sunderland after mocking the club's opening day defeat to Fulham on a social media site.[20] New manager Gus Poyet restored Bardsley to the starting eleven on 19 October, in his first game in charge away to Swansea.
International career
On 6 October 2010, Bardsley received a call up for the Scotland national team for the Euro 2012 qualifier against the Czech Republic on 8 October 2010.[21]He qualifies because his father was born in Glasgow.[22] He made his debut on 11 October 2010 in a 3–2 defeat by World and European champions Spain, filling in for the injured Alan Hutton.
