Jimmy Bullard
Encyclopedia
James Richard "Jimmy" Bullard (born 23 October 1978) is a footballer who currently plays for Ipswich Town. He played youth football at West Ham
before moving to Gravesend & Northfleet in 1998. Two seasons at Peterborough United
was followed by a spell at Wigan Athletic
where he scored ten goals in 145 appearances in the league.
A transfer to Fulham
in 2006 resulted in six goals in 39 league appearances before he moved to Hull City
in 2009. A loan move to Ipswich commenced in 2011 where Bullard scored on his debut.
, east London. He played schools' representative football for Bexley Primary Schools FA and Kent Schools FA whilst at primary school, and then represented North Kent Schools FA whilst a pupil at Erith School. He was a painter decorator but turned his career to professional football aged 20. He started his career in non-League football
with amateur club Corinthian
before moving to Gravesend & Northfleet before being signed by the club he supported as a boy, West Ham United
, for a fee
of £30,000 in 1999. He did not manage to break into the team, however, and was given a free transfer at the end of the 2000–01 season. After a three-week trial, he then signed for Peterborough United
, where he first made a name for himself, scoring 11 goals in 62 league starts for Barry Fry
's team. This earned him a move to Wigan Athletic
for £275,000 in January 2003.
Division Two Team of the Year for 2002–03. He helped Wigan secure promotion to the FA Premier League in the 2004–05
season and an appearance in the 2006 Football League Cup Final, which they lost 4–0 to Manchester United
.
On 11 February 2006, Bullard was honoured by Sky
's morning football show Soccer AM
for running the length of the pitch in an attempt to score when the floodlights went out during Wigan's League Cup semi-final home leg against Arsenal
and leapfrogging a pile of players in a goal mouth scramble in the Premier League against Everton
, resulting in him falling on his face. They decided to re-name the studio doors and they are now known as Jimmy Bullard's Back Door.
at the end of the 2005–06
season after a £2.5 million offer from the London club triggered a release clause in his contract.
Bullard's Fulham debut came as the team lost 5–1 to Manchester United on 20 August 2006. His first goal for Fulham came against Bolton Wanderers
on 26 August, a last-minute penalty kick
to level the scores at 1–1. Three days later, after he scored a 28 yards (25.6 m) curling free kick against Sheffield United
in a 1–0 win, Fulham boss Chris Coleman
hailed Bullard as "the best £2million we've ever spent".
On 9 September 2006, Bullard dislocated his kneecap in a match against Newcastle United
. This injury was thought to keep him out for six to eight weeks. However three days later it was revealed that Bullard would in fact be out for up to nine months with cruciate knee ligament damage. Fulham's new manager Lawrie Sanchez
announced that the midfielder was aiming to return around October 2007. However, he did not make a first team appearance until 12 January 2008, coming off the bench to play against West Ham. Bullard then came on as a half time substitute in a 2–1 win against Aston Villa
on 3 February, setting up the equaliser then scoring the winning goal from a 25 yards (22.9 m) free kick and winning the man of the match award. He scored an identical free kick weeks later, to rescue a point against Blackburn Rovers
and keep Fulham's hope of Premier League survival alive.
After missing a large part of the season due to injury, his return to the team, along with club captain Brian McBride
, sparked Fulham in to a run of form which saw them move out of the bottom three with one game remaining, after a 2–0 victory over Birmingham City
.
for £5 million, a record transfer fee paid by the club.
In an interview broadcast on BBC's Football Focus on 31 January 2009, Bullard discussed his reasons for leaving Fulham:
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson
said "He's been seeking the type of contract we couldn't give him. I congratulate Hull and Jimmy on getting the contract he wanted. It wasn't just wage demands prompting Jimmy to go, but the length of contract too". Bullard signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Hull.
Bullard made his Hull debut as a substitute in their 28 January 2009 match against West Ham, but picked up a knee injury during the game. The injury was to the same knee that Bullard dislocated whilst at Fulham, but was not initially thought to be related to the prior damage. However, it was sufficiently serious to necessitate Bullard flying back to the same surgeon, Richard Steadman
, in the United States for further knee surgery. On 19 February it was declared that he would be out for the rest of the season after the cruciate ligament surgery. He returned to action on 6 October, in a reserve team
match against Bolton, scoring a long range effort after cutting in on the inside of a Bolton defender. His Premier League return was off the bench on 19 October 2009 against his old club, Fulham, a 2–0 defeat. He scored his first goal for Hull, a free kick, against West Ham on 21 November 2009. He also scored his second goal for the club in the same game, this time from the penalty spot. His third goal for Hull came against Manchester City
, again from the penalty spot. After the goal he imitated Hull manager Phil Brown's on-pitch team talk from the same fixture the previous season.
Against Aston Villa
on 5 December, Bullard went up for an aerial challenge against James Milner
and landed awkwardly, injuring his knee.
After a scan it was confirmed that he will be out for six to eight weeks with an injury to the left knee. This came after receiving the player of the month accolade the Friday previous. He made a scoring return in February 2010 for Hull reserves
. On 27 March he scored from the penalty spot against former club Fulham, giving Hull a the lead in a 2–0 victory. His next penalty came against Sunderland
on 24 April, but he hit the post with Hull a goal down receiving jeers from the Hull support, who viewed his high transfer fee and wages and the poor return on them as partly responsible for the club's financial problems. Bullard was substituted at half time, with Hull needing to win to avoid relegation.
On 27 June, Hull's chairman confirmed that Bullard was available for loan and was free to speak to Celtic
if he so wished. However, Hull officials said on 12 July that Celtic and the player had been unable to reach agreement on his wage demands. The club opted to exclude Bullard from pre-season friendlies to reduce the risk of injury preventing the player's sale. At the start of 2010–11, Bullard was not given a squad number, but some time later he was handed number 27 and played the full 90 minutes against , before going on to play in a further three games. Bullard scored a last minute winner against Sheffield United
at Bramall Lane
on 26 December, returning after an injury.
On 22 July 2011, Bullard was suspended by Hull City following an incident at Hull's training camp in Slovenia the previous week.
On 18 August 2011 Hull announced that they intended to terminate Bullard's contract.
The loan spell turned out to be a huge success, with Bullard netting five times in 16 appearances for Ipswich. Bullard was very popular amongst the Ipswich fans, winning the Supporters' Player of the Year award, despite only being with the club for three months. The majority of supporters called for the manager, Paul Jewell
to sign him on a permanent basis. However, with Bullard's wages being so high at Hull, chances of a permanent move being agreed looked unlikely. On 3 April 2011, Bullard admitted that he would be interested in a move to Ipswich, and that he would be prepared to take a pay-cut. In an interview with the Daily Star he said:
. In the run-up to the 2006 FIFA World Cup
, it was reported that Bullard was contemplating an international call-up from the Nationalmannschaft, having made his interest known to the national coach Jürgen Klinsmann
. He was called into the England squad in August 2008 for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
qualifiers against Andorra
and Croatia
in September, but did not feature in either match. He has since been called up on three separate occasions.
: Champion
Football League Championship
: Runner-up
League Cup
: Runner-up
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
before moving to Gravesend & Northfleet in 1998. Two seasons at Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
was followed by a spell at Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
where he scored ten goals in 145 appearances in the league.
A transfer to Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
in 2006 resulted in six goals in 39 league appearances before he moved to Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
in 2009. A loan move to Ipswich commenced in 2011 where Bullard scored on his debut.
Early career
Bullard was born in East HamEast Ham
East Ham is a suburban district of London, England, and part of the London Borough of Newham. It is a built-up district located 8 miles east-northeast of Charing Cross...
, east London. He played schools' representative football for Bexley Primary Schools FA and Kent Schools FA whilst at primary school, and then represented North Kent Schools FA whilst a pupil at Erith School. He was a painter decorator but turned his career to professional football aged 20. He started his career in non-League football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
with amateur club Corinthian
Corinthian F.C. (Kent)
Corinthian Football Club is an English association football club formed in 1972 at Hartley in Kent by a millionaire builder named Ron Billings, mainly to give his sons a club to play for. The club fielded an adult side which played at the Gay Dawn Farm sports complex and enjoyed a sudden short...
before moving to Gravesend & Northfleet before being signed by the club he supported as a boy, West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, for a fee
Fee
A fee is the price one pays as remuneration for services. Fees usually allow for overhead, wages, costs, and markup.Traditionally, professionals in Great Britain received a fee in contradistinction to a payment, salary, or wage, and would often use guineas rather than pounds as units of account...
of £30,000 in 1999. He did not manage to break into the team, however, and was given a free transfer at the end of the 2000–01 season. After a three-week trial, he then signed for Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
, where he first made a name for himself, scoring 11 goals in 62 league starts for Barry Fry
Barry Fry
Barry Francis Fry is an English football manager. A former Manchester United apprentice as a winger, his playing career involved brief spells with Bolton Wanderers, Luton Town and Leyton Orient, before he retired prematurely due to injury.He has managed Dunstable Town, Bedford Town, Maidstone...
's team. This earned him a move to Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
for £275,000 in January 2003.
Wigan Athletic
Bullard quickly established himself in the Wigan first team and was named in the PFAProfessional Footballers' Association
The Professional Footballers' Association is the trade union for professional footballers in England and Wales. The world's oldest professional sport trade union, it has 4,000 members....
Division Two Team of the Year for 2002–03. He helped Wigan secure promotion to the FA Premier League in the 2004–05
2004-05 in English football
The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
season and an appearance in the 2006 Football League Cup Final, which they lost 4–0 to Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
.
On 11 February 2006, Bullard was honoured by Sky
British Sky Broadcasting
British Sky Broadcasting Group plc is a satellite broadcasting, broadband and telephony services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, with operations in the United Kingdom and the Ireland....
's morning football show Soccer AM
Soccer AM
Soccer AM is a British Saturday-morning football-based comedy/talk show, predominantly based around the Premier League...
for running the length of the pitch in an attempt to score when the floodlights went out during Wigan's League Cup semi-final home leg against Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and leapfrogging a pile of players in a goal mouth scramble in the Premier League against Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
, resulting in him falling on his face. They decided to re-name the studio doors and they are now known as Jimmy Bullard's Back Door.
Fulham
On 28 April 2006, it was announced that Bullard would sign for FulhamFulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
at the end of the 2005–06
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
season after a £2.5 million offer from the London club triggered a release clause in his contract.
Bullard's Fulham debut came as the team lost 5–1 to Manchester United on 20 August 2006. His first goal for Fulham came against Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
on 26 August, a last-minute penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
to level the scores at 1–1. Three days later, after he scored a 28 yards (25.6 m) curling free kick against Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
in a 1–0 win, Fulham boss Chris Coleman
Chris Coleman (footballer)
Christopher "Chris" Coleman is a Welsh football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of Greek Side Larissa....
hailed Bullard as "the best £2million we've ever spent".
On 9 September 2006, Bullard dislocated his kneecap in a match against Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
. This injury was thought to keep him out for six to eight weeks. However three days later it was revealed that Bullard would in fact be out for up to nine months with cruciate knee ligament damage. Fulham's new manager Lawrie Sanchez
Lawrie Sanchez
Lawrence Philip "Lawrie" Sanchez is a former Northern Irish football manager, and a former player. He is currently the manager of League Two side Barnet...
announced that the midfielder was aiming to return around October 2007. However, he did not make a first team appearance until 12 January 2008, coming off the bench to play against West Ham. Bullard then came on as a half time substitute in a 2–1 win against Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
on 3 February, setting up the equaliser then scoring the winning goal from a 25 yards (22.9 m) free kick and winning the man of the match award. He scored an identical free kick weeks later, to rescue a point against Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
and keep Fulham's hope of Premier League survival alive.
After missing a large part of the season due to injury, his return to the team, along with club captain Brian McBride
Brian McBride
Brian Robert McBride is a retired American soccer player who finished his career for Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer , but spent the majority of his time in MLS playing for the Columbus Crew. For much of his career he played in Europe, notably for Fulham in the English Premier League...
, sparked Fulham in to a run of form which saw them move out of the bottom three with one game remaining, after a 2–0 victory over Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
.
Hull City
On 23 January 2009, Bullard completed a move to Hull CityHull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
for £5 million, a record transfer fee paid by the club.
In an interview broadcast on BBC's Football Focus on 31 January 2009, Bullard discussed his reasons for leaving Fulham:
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson
Roy Hodgson is a former English footballer and current head coach of West Bromwich Albion.Hodgson, who has managed sixteen different teams in eight countries, guided the Switzerland national team to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup and qualification for Euro 1996; Switzerland had not qualified...
said "He's been seeking the type of contract we couldn't give him. I congratulate Hull and Jimmy on getting the contract he wanted. It wasn't just wage demands prompting Jimmy to go, but the length of contract too". Bullard signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Hull.
Bullard made his Hull debut as a substitute in their 28 January 2009 match against West Ham, but picked up a knee injury during the game. The injury was to the same knee that Bullard dislocated whilst at Fulham, but was not initially thought to be related to the prior damage. However, it was sufficiently serious to necessitate Bullard flying back to the same surgeon, Richard Steadman
Richard Steadman
J. Richard Steadman, M.D. is a specialist knee surgeon, practising in Vail, Colorado and a Clinical Professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He is best known medically for his work in the area of microfracture surgery, and publicly for treating injured...
, in the United States for further knee surgery. On 19 February it was declared that he would be out for the rest of the season after the cruciate ligament surgery. He returned to action on 6 October, in a reserve team
Reserve team
Large professional sports clubs often have far more players under contract than could possibly play in a match. As a result, many of these clubs create second teams composed of players who need playing time, but have little hope of playing on the first team. The players on this second team are...
match against Bolton, scoring a long range effort after cutting in on the inside of a Bolton defender. His Premier League return was off the bench on 19 October 2009 against his old club, Fulham, a 2–0 defeat. He scored his first goal for Hull, a free kick, against West Ham on 21 November 2009. He also scored his second goal for the club in the same game, this time from the penalty spot. His third goal for Hull came against Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, again from the penalty spot. After the goal he imitated Hull manager Phil Brown's on-pitch team talk from the same fixture the previous season.
Against Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
on 5 December, Bullard went up for an aerial challenge against James Milner
James Milner
Milner was described as a "first class" student at his school; he left with 11 GCSEs and an award for his performance in physical education. Milner also showed talent in cricket, sprinting and long-distance running...
and landed awkwardly, injuring his knee.
After a scan it was confirmed that he will be out for six to eight weeks with an injury to the left knee. This came after receiving the player of the month accolade the Friday previous. He made a scoring return in February 2010 for Hull reserves
Hull City A.F.C. Reserves and Academy
Teams affiliated with Hull City A.F.C. include Hull City A.F.C. Juniors and Hull City A.F.C. Reserves.The team plays home fixtures at the Church Road Ground, home of North Ferriby United....
. On 27 March he scored from the penalty spot against former club Fulham, giving Hull a the lead in a 2–0 victory. His next penalty came against Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
on 24 April, but he hit the post with Hull a goal down receiving jeers from the Hull support, who viewed his high transfer fee and wages and the poor return on them as partly responsible for the club's financial problems. Bullard was substituted at half time, with Hull needing to win to avoid relegation.
On 27 June, Hull's chairman confirmed that Bullard was available for loan and was free to speak to Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
if he so wished. However, Hull officials said on 12 July that Celtic and the player had been unable to reach agreement on his wage demands. The club opted to exclude Bullard from pre-season friendlies to reduce the risk of injury preventing the player's sale. At the start of 2010–11, Bullard was not given a squad number, but some time later he was handed number 27 and played the full 90 minutes against , before going on to play in a further three games. Bullard scored a last minute winner against Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
at Bramall Lane
Bramall Lane
-Cricket at the Lane:Bramall Lane opened as a cricket ground in 1855, having been leased by Michael Ellison from the Duke of Norfolk at an annual rent of £70. The site was then away from the town's industrial area, and relatively free from smoke. It was built to host the matches of local cricket...
on 26 December, returning after an injury.
On 22 July 2011, Bullard was suspended by Hull City following an incident at Hull's training camp in Slovenia the previous week.
On 18 August 2011 Hull announced that they intended to terminate Bullard's contract.
Ipswich Town (loan)
On 27 January 2011 he joined Ipswich Town on loan. He scored on his debut in a 2–1 victory at Derby County on 1 February 2011. Hull City say his exit has saved the club £320,000 in wages, as he had signed a £45,000-a-week contract for them while they were still in the Premier League, although Ipswich have disputed the Tigers' figures.The loan spell turned out to be a huge success, with Bullard netting five times in 16 appearances for Ipswich. Bullard was very popular amongst the Ipswich fans, winning the Supporters' Player of the Year award, despite only being with the club for three months. The majority of supporters called for the manager, Paul Jewell
Paul Jewell
Paul Steven Jewell is a former English footballer who is currently the manager of Ipswich Town.His playing career started with Liverpool before moving to Wigan Athletic and then a ten-year spell with Bradford City...
to sign him on a permanent basis. However, with Bullard's wages being so high at Hull, chances of a permanent move being agreed looked unlikely. On 3 April 2011, Bullard admitted that he would be interested in a move to Ipswich, and that he would be prepared to take a pay-cut. In an interview with the Daily Star he said:
Ipswich Town (Permanent Deal)
On 25 August 2011 he joined Ipswich Town on a permanent deal, signing a two year contract.International career
Although English by birth, Bullard has a German grandmother and was therefore eligible for the German national teamGermany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
. In the run-up to the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
, it was reported that Bullard was contemplating an international call-up from the Nationalmannschaft, having made his interest known to the national coach Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann
Jürgen Klinsmann is a German football manager and former player who is currently the coach of the United States Men's National Team. As a player, Klinsmann played for several prominent clubs in Europe and was part of the West German team that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup and the German one that...
. He was called into the England squad in August 2008 for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
qualifiers against Andorra
Andorra national football team
The Andorra national football team represents Andorra in association football and is controlled by the Andorran Football Federation, the governing body for football in Andorra. The team has enjoyed very little success due to the Principality's tiny population, the fourth smallest of any UEFA...
and Croatia
Croatia national football team
The Croatia national football team represents Croatia in international football. The team is controlled by the Croatian Football Federation, the governing body for football in the country, and has been managed since 2006 by former player Slaven Bilić...
in September, but did not feature in either match. He has since been called up on three separate occasions.
Wigan Athletic
Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
: Champion
-
- 2002–03
Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
: Runner-up
-
- 2004–05
League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
: Runner-up
-
- 2005–2006
Individual
- Premier League Player of the MonthPremier League Player of the MonthThe Player of the Month is an association football award that recognises the best Premier League player each month of the season. The recipient is chosen by a panel assembled by the League's sponsor, and announced alongside the Manager of the Month on the first or second Friday of the following month...
: November 2009 (with Hull CityHull City A.F.C.Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
)