Wayne Bridge

Football player infobox
playername = Wayne Bridge


Bridge, training with Chelsea before a game.
fullname = Wayne Michael Bridge
height = height|ft=5|in=10
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1980|8|5|df=y
cityofbirth = Southampton
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Chelsea
clubnumber = 18
position = Left Back
youthyears =
1996–1998
youthclubs = Olivers Battery
Southampton
years = 1998–2003
2003–
2006
clubs = Southampton
Chelsea
→ Fulham (loan)
caps(goals) = 151 (2)
083 (1)
012 (0)
nationalyears =
2002–
nationalteam = England U21
England
nationalcaps(goals) = 008 (0)
030 (1)
pcupdate = 25 May 2008
ntupdate = 16:44, 22 August 2008 (UTC)

Wayne Michael Bridge (born 5 August 1980) is an English football defender, who currently plays as a left-back for Chelsea and England

Club career

outhampton

Bridge was born in Southampton, but moved to Winchester at an early age. He attended Oliver's Battery Primary and Kings' Schools. He was "spotted" by Micky Adams when playing for Olivers Battery F.C. and recommended to Southampton, who signed him as a trainee in July 1996. He made his reserve team debut, as a centre-forward against Portsmouth on 13 August 1997 and turned professional in January 1998.

He made his first-team debut on 16 August 1998 (the opening day of the 1998–99 season) coming on as a replacement for John Beresford, who had badly damaged his knee. Bridge made his first senior start in the next match on 22 August in a 5–0 defeat away to Charlton Athletic. As Southampton struggled to pick up points (with only two points after the first nine games), Bridge played (on the left wing) in most of Saints' league games until early December before losing his place to Hassan Kachloul. For the remainder of the 1998–99 Premiership season Bridge was only used occasionally, as Saints narrowly completed their "Great Escape" from relegation. He completed his first season as a first-team player with 15 starts and 8 substitute appearances.

The following season carried on in a similar vein with Bridge making occasional appearances on the left wing until injuries to Francis Benali and the poor form of his intended replacement Patrick Colleter gave Bridge the opportunity to play at left-back, where he soon became a fixture in the Saints starting line-up. In the 1999–00 season he made 15 starts (plus four substitute appearances) scoring his first senior goal, with a powerful free-kick over the wall, in the final match of the season on 14 May 2000 against Wimbledon, as a result of which Wimbledon were relegated to Division 1 after 14 years in the top flight.

In the 2000–01 season Bridge was an ever-present at left-back as Saints finished their final season at The Dell in tenth place in the Premier League table. Bridge was rewarded by being voted the Southampton Player of the Year for the 2000–01 season. [cite web |url=http://www.chelseafc.com/page/ThePlayers/0,,10268~5975,00.html |title=Wayne Bridge - Chelsea Player Profile |publisher=Chelsea FC |accessdate=2007-09-06 ]

Bridge was "fast, determined, skilful and full of youthful promise" and "his forward runs became an exciting sight at The Dell and then at St Mary's."cite book | author=Duncan Holley & Gary Chalk | title=In That Number - A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC | publisher=Hagiology | year=2003| pages=p.488 | id=ISBN 0-9534474-3-X] He was an ever present yet again in the following season as Saints again finished their first season at their new stadium comfortably in mid-table.

His temperament and consistency, together with a high level of fitness, enabled him to continue to play every match until 18 January 2003 when he limped off with an injury in a 1–0 defeat to Liverpool. This brought to an end a run of 113 consecutive appearances, a Premiership record for an outfield player (since surpassed by Frank Lampard). [cite news | date=2005-02-26 | url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20050226/ai_n11827963 | title=FOOTBALL: THE STATISTICS - Lampard's longevity has some way to go| publisher=The Independent | accessdate=2007-09-07] His run started on 4 March 2000 since when Bridge had played 10,160 consecutive minutes of Premiership football, not missing a single minute's play through injury or suspension.

By now, bigger clubs were trailing Bridge, and he was finally tempted away to join Chelsea for £7 million in the 2003 close season. His last appearance for the club came in the 2003 F.A. Cup Final defeat to Arsenal. During his five years as a Saints first-team player, he made 174 appearances, with two league goals.

Chelsea

After five years with the Saints, Bridge moved to Chelsea in July 2003 for a fee of £7 million plus Graeme Le Saux, [cite web |url=http://superengland.com/sport/content/view/34/37/ |title=Factfile : Wayne Bridge |publisher=superengland.com |accessdate=2007-09-06 ] and was initially a regular starter. His finest moment came in the Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal in 2003–04. Bridge scored the winning goal in the 88th minute to send Chelsea into the semi-finals and end an 18 game winless run against Arsenal. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/champions_league/3593083.stm |title=Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea |publisher=BBC Sport |accessdate=2007-09-06 ] The goal was later voted goal of the season. Bridge also scored against Besiktas and Portsmouth in 2003–04 season.

For the 2005–06 season Chelsea signed Spanish left-back Asier del Horno [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/4083412.stm |title=Chelsea complete Del Horno switch |publisher=BBC Sport |accessdate=2007-09-06 ] and Bridge faced a challenge to get back into the side when he recovered from the injury that kept him out of the team in the latter stages of the 2004–05 campaign.

Limited first team opportunities saw him join Fulham on loan on 19 January 2006. [cite web |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=357161&root=england&cc=5739 |title=England - Through the closed window |publisher=ESPNsoccernet |accessdate=2007-09-06 ] He made his debut in a 2–1 defeat to West Ham United at Upton Park. The move seemed to benefit him as he managed to secure his place in the 2006 World Cup squad for the tournament in Germany. During his short spell at Fulham he was nicknamed "Putney" by the Fulham fans, the nickname coming from Putney Bridge which is located near Craven Cottage.Fact|date=September 2007

Bridge's main competition for the Chelsea left back spot has now come from fellow England international left back Ashley Cole. Bridge played the full match in Chelsea's 3–0 victory over Manchester City on the opening day of the 2006–07 Premier League season, providing a telling cross for the third goal, scored by a header from Didier Drogba. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/4786589.stm |title=Chelsea 3-0 Man City |publisher=BBC Sport |accessdate=2007-09-06 ] However, his strong early season form was not enough to hold down the left-back position, with Mourinho preferring Ashley Cole in most games. Following Ashley Cole's injury in the 3–0 Premier League win against Blackburn Rovers early in 2007, Bridge became Chelsea's natural choice for left-back. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/6309645.stm |title=Chelsea 3-0 Blackburn |publisher=BBC Sport |accessdate=2007-09-06 ] Although Cole made a speedy recovery and reclaimed his starting position, Bridge received much praise from his manager and team-mates, and many football pundits believed he performed better than Cole in the left-back position while Cole was injured.Fact|date=September 2007

He featured in attack for an injury struck Chelsea side against Football League Two side Wycombe in the 2007 semi-final 1st leg Carling Cup match, scoring one goal in the process. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/6236711.stm |title=Wycombe 1-1 Chelsea |publisher=BBC Sport |accessdate=2007-09-06 ]

International career

During his time with Southampton, all Bridge's managers (Jones, Hoddle and Gray) predicted full international honours He was soon making regular appearances for the England under-21 team, and the managers' prophecy was realised when Sven-Göran Eriksson gave him his first full cap against Netherlands on 13 February 2002. [cite web |url=http://www.englandstats.com/matchreport.php?mid=786 |title=Holland 1 - England 1 (match summary) |publisher=englandstats.com |accessdate=2007-09-08 ] [cite web |url=http://www.thefa.com/England/SeniorTeam/Players/Postings/2004/03/Wayne+Bridge+Chelsea.htm |title=Wayne Bridge, Fulham |publisher=TheFA.com |accessdate=2007-09-06 ] He quickly proved himself, and appeared twice as a substitute in the 2002 World Cup, although he did not appear at all in Euro 2004, with Ashley Cole being preferred.

During the qualifying for the 2006 World Cup, he was given the role of playing in England's problematic left midfield role, but he lost this to his Chelsea team mate Joe Cole when he was injured. He returned to the England team for a friendly against Argentina in November 2005, covering for the injured Cole at left back and winning his 21st cap, but as he is four months older than Cole, and does not play in midfield for his club, he is likely to find it very difficult ever to become a regular first choice player for England.

He played in the European Championship Qualifying match against Estonia on 6 June 2007, which England won 3–0, with Bridge assisting Joe Cole's goal with a long throw into the box. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6716859.stm |title=Estonia 0-3 England |publisher=bbc.co.uk |accessdate=2007-09-08]

Private life

Bridge became a father in November 2006 with French girlfriend, model and actress, [http://www.vanessaperroncel.com/ Vanessa Perroncel] , who gave birth to their son Jaydon Jean Claude Bridge, and celebrated by signing a new 4-year contract with Chelsea on 22 November 2006. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/chelsea/6178676.stm |title=Bridge signs new Chelsea contract |publisher=BBC Sport |accessdate=2007-09-06 ] Bridge regards "Horrid Henry and the Football Fiend" by Francesca Simon as his favourite book, [cite web | title=Footballers' favourite books | work=BBC Sport | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6459285.stm | accessdate=March 17| accessyear=2007 ] and Das EFX as his favourite band. In an issue of the official Chelsea Magazine, Bridge revealed his love for the Star Wars films and told of how his girlfriend bought him a Imperial Stormtrooper outfit.

Honours

Southampton
*FA Cup finalist (2003)

Chelsea
*FA Premier League (2004–05)
*League Cup (2007)
*FA Cup (2007)

International goals

:"Scores and results list England's goal tally first."

Notes and references

*cite book
author=Duncan Holley & Gary Chalk
title=In That Number - A post-war chronicle of Southampton FC
publisher=Hagiology
year=2003
id=ISBN 0-9534474-3-X

External links

*FIFA player|186443|Wayne Bridge
* [http://www.footballdatabase.com/site/players/index.php?dumpPlayer=106 FootballDatabase provides Wayne Bridge's profile and stats]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/shared/bsp/hi/football/statistics/players/b/bridge_152983.stm BBC profile]
*soccerbase|id=15061|name=Wayne Bridge
*Englandstats|id=1115|name=Wayne Bridge

Persondata
NAME= Bridge, Wayne Michael
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Bridge, Wayne
SHORT DESCRIPTION= footballer
DATE OF BIRTH= 1980-8-5
PLACE OF BIRTH= Southampton , England
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=