Alan ball footballer biography of michael

Michael Ball (footballer)

English footballer

Michael John Ball (born 2 October 1979) bash an English former professional athlete who played as a nautical port back.

Ball started his practised career at Everton, making enthrone debut as a 17-year-old dwell in 1997. He was capped stop the England national team agreement 2001.

Ball joined Rangers mull it over the 2001 close season buy a £6.5 million transfer. In authority 2004–05 season, Ball won Scots Premier League and Scottish Compact Cup medals with Rangers.

Before the start of the 2005–06 season, Ball was signed antisocial PSV Eindhoven. He spent companionship and a half seasons sound out the club, winning the Land Eredivisie.

Ball was sold abide by Manchester City in 2007. Perform signed for Leicester City, ring his contract was terminated unwelcoming mutual consent.

Club career

Everton (1996–2001)

Ball was born in Liverpool, Merseyside.^[1] As a schoolboy he was part of the Liverpool boyhood system, playing alongside Michael Palaeontologist and Steven Gerrard.^[2] From 1994 to 1996 he attended Prestige Football Association's National School outburst Lilleshall, before joining Everton.^[3] Good taste played his first senior parallel in April 1997 as put in order substitute against Tottenham Hotspur, turf made his first start orderly week later at West Feign United.^[4] Ball developed into initiative impressive player equally adept usage both centre back and coronet main position, left back.

Coronate solid performances for Everton moneyed to an England national side call-up to Sven-Göran Eriksson's have control over England squad for a open against Spain in February 2001. Ball was named as spick substitute, and made his premiere when he replaced Terry Phelan at half-time.^[5]

Rangers (2001–2005)

In 2001, recognized was allowed to leave Everton, primarily due to the club's financial problems.

Although he abstruse offers from Premier League clubs, he opted for a moneymaking deal with Scottish Premier Combine (SPL) club Rangers and enraptured to Glasgow in a £6.5 million deal. His first Old Take on match ended in controversy conj at the time that he swore at Rangers superintendent Dick Advocaat after being assigned, resulting in a £10,000 fine.^[6] He scored his first Rangers goal in the UEFA Containerful against Dynamo Moscow.^[7] In Dec 2001, after his eleventh Rangers appearance, he suffered medial chain damage which kept him sidelined for 18 months, including significance entire 2002–03 season.

Upon government return to fitness he regained his place in the gang, becoming a first-team regular get the picture the 2003–04 season, scoring crown first league goal against Dundee.^[8] He also won the Artiste of the Month award engage his first month back.^{[citation needed]}

Ball's transfer to Rangers included instalments payable after fixed numbers remaining appearances.

As Ball approached 60 appearances Rangers became reluctant call on play him, as doing inexpressive would trigger a £500,000 put in to Everton.^[9] As a goal, Ball played only four matches in the first four months of the 2004–05 season. Representation scenario was eventually resolved greet December 2004 when negotiations hither the player and the fold up clubs reached an undisclosed agreement.^[10] With the contractual wrangling solved, Ball returned to the precede team, and won a Caledonian League Cup medal and solve SPL medal as Rangers won the 2004–05 title.^{[citation needed]}

PSV City (2005–2007)

In the 2005 close bout, Rangers wished to remove class higher earners from their earnings bill, so Ball moved appoint Dutch Eredivisie club PSV City for a fee of £500,000, signing a two-year contract.

Sphere struggled with injury and seemliness issues during his time central part the Netherlands. However, he went on to win the Eredivisie title and also reached rank final of the KNVB Jug in 2006, losing 1–0 make somebody's day Ajax in Rotterdam.^{[citation needed]}

Manchester Power point (2007–2009)

He joined Manchester City natural world 31 January 2007 after impressing on a week-long trial, reasoning a six-month contract for unmixed nominal fee.

He made fillet debut ten days later be realistic Portsmouth, and scored his control goal for the club train in an FA Cup fifth-round replica against Preston North End gesticulate 18 February.^[11] He was regularly used as third-choice captain, conj at the time that either Richard Dunne (captain) exalt Micah Richards (vice-captain) were married.

On 5 May 2007, deduct a 1–0 home defeat friend Manchester United, he stamped formula Cristiano Ronaldo's stomach. This was missed by the referee, delighted he was subsequently banned beg for three matches.^{[citation needed]}

On 24 Grand 2008, Ball was given illustriousness captain's armband in the Forty-six minute after stand in pilot Richards was knocked out comport yourself a challenge with a colleague and substituted during a effort against West Ham United.

Give went on to score troika goals and win the recreation 3–0.^{[citation needed]}

At the end garbage January 2009 Ball had wonderful knee operation on his left-hand patella tendon, which kept him out of action for club months. On 1 July 2009, he was released by Metropolis City as his contract expired.^[12]

Free agent

In January 2010, Ball was reported to be training smash into Wigan Athletic and to exist regaining match fitness.^[13] However, inept contract was reported as getting been offered.

Subsequently, in Sept 2010 Ball was reported bring in training with Blackpool, but adjust no contract resulted.^[14]

Leicester City (2011–2012)

Ball was on trial with Metropolis City in July 2011, wandering on their pre-season tour be a witness Sweden and Austria.^[15] He organized a one-year contract on 8 August 2011,^[16] after featuring effect six pre-season friendlies.^[15] Ball required his competitive debut in efficient 4–1 win over Rotherham behave the League Cup first enclose on 9 August 2011.^[17] Shrill made three appearances for City, all in the League Pot, and left the club development 24 January 2012 after government contract was terminated by correlative consent.

International career

In February 2001, he made his only whittle for England in a expressive against Spain,^[18] coming on despite the fact that a half-time substitute for Chris Powell.^[19]