Michael Bridges
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Bridges | ||
| Date of birth | 5 August 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | North Shields, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.86 m) | ||
| Playing position | Second striker / Attacking midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
|
Current team
|
Retired | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Wallsend Boys Club | |||
| 1994–1995 | Sunderland | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–1999 | Sunderland | 79 | (16) |
| 1999–2004 | Leeds United | 56 | (19) |
| 2004 | → Newcastle United (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2004 | Bolton Wanderers | 0 | (0) |
| 2004 | → Sunderland (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 2004–2005 | Sunderland | 8 | (1) |
| 2005 | Bristol City | 11 | (0) |
| 2005 | → Carlisle United (loan) | 7 | (3) |
| 2006 | Carlisle United | 23 | (16) |
| 2006–2009 | Hull City | 22 | (2) |
| 2007–2008 | → Sydney FC (loan) | 9 | (2) |
| 2008–2009 | → Carlisle United (loan) | 30 | (7) |
| 2009 | Milton Keynes Dons | 1 | (0) |
| 2009–2014 | Newcastle Jets | 63 | (11) |
| 2015– | Lambton Jaffas | 18 | (2) |
| Total | 326 | (77) | |
| National team‡ | |||
| 1995–1996 | England U-18 | 5 | (2) |
| 1998–2000 | England U-21 | 11 | (3) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 September 2015. ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 November 2010 |
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Michael Bridges (born 5 August 1978) is an English former professional footballer. He used to play as a striker
Bridges emerged as one of the Premier League's most promising young strikers during the 1996–97 season at Sunderland, but was unable to save them from relegation. Two years later he helped them return to the Premiership and joined Leeds United for £5million soon afterwards.
He made a total of 79 Appearances at Sunderland, and scored 16 Goals.
In his first season at Elland Road, Bridges scored 19 Premiership goals including a hat-trick in his second game against Southampton – the first Leeds player to score a hat-trick in a competitive game since Gary McAllister in October 1995.
Bridges also helped his side finish third in the Premiership, qualify for the Champions League and reach the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup. Bridges was seriously injured in the 0–0 draw with Beşiktaş J.K. and was plagued with injuries over the next 4 seasons of his Leeds United career, only making 10 appearances and not scoring any goals.
As a result of his injuries he was loaned out to Newcastle United in a loan swap with Stephen Caldwell in January 2004 to help alleviate their striker crisis. After only making a single start for Newcastle, on the right wing as opposed to in his favoured striking role, Bridges was out of contract in the summer of 2004 with his contract not being renewed due to his injury problems, he made only 6 appearances for Newcastle, and failed to score in any of those matches.
He was quickly snapped up by Bolton Wanderers but made no first team appearances. Released by Bolton he spent the rest of the season back at the Stadium of Light with Sunderland, scoring once against Stoke, before joining Bristol City, where he scored once in the League Cup against Barnet.
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