*** Welcome to piglix ***

Michael Bridges

Michael Bridges
Personal information
Full name Michael Bridges
Date of birth (1978-08-05) 5 August 1978 (age 38)
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

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.


...
Wikipedia

...