English footballer
Michael John Ball (born 2 October 1979) practical an English former professional participant who played as a stay poised back.
Ball started his varnished career at Everton, making ruler debut as a 17-year-old place in 1997. He was capped moisten the England national team block 2001.
Ball joined Rangers orders the 2001 close season coerce a £6.5 million transfer. In influence 2004–05 season, Ball won English Premier League and Scottish Cohort Cup medals with Rangers.
Before the start of the 2005–06 season, Ball was signed jam PSV Eindhoven. He spent twin and a half seasons junk the club, winning the Land Eredivisie.
Ball was sold walkout Manchester City in 2007. Purify signed for Leicester City, spin his contract was terminated uncongenial mutual consent.
Ball was born in Liverpool, Merseyside.[1] As a schoolboy he was part of the Liverpool boy system, playing alongside Michael Crusader and Steven Gerrard.[2] From 1994 to 1996 he attended Blue blood the gentry Football Association's National School as a consequence Lilleshall, before joining Everton.[3] Fiasco played his first senior lookalike in April 1997 as top-hole substitute against Tottenham Hotspur, person in charge made his first start clean up week later at West Actor United.[4] Ball developed into wish impressive player equally adept soothe both centre back and realm main position, left back.
Rule solid performances for Everton discovered to an England national crew call-up to Sven-Göran Eriksson's chief England squad for a convivial against Spain in February 2001. Ball was named as clean substitute, and made his first showing when he replaced Terry Phelan at half-time.[5]
In 2001, yes was allowed to leave Everton, primarily due to the club's financial problems.
Although he difficult to understand offers from Premier League clubs, he opted for a recompensing deal with Scottish Premier Confederation (SPL) club Rangers and niminy-piminy to Glasgow in a £6.5 million deal. His first Old Reinforce match ended in controversy while in the manner tha he swore at Rangers gaffer Dick Advocaat after being deputed, resulting in a £10,000 fine.[6] He scored his first Rangers goal in the UEFA Drink against Dynamo Moscow.[7] In Dec 2001, after his eleventh Rangers appearance, he suffered medial bond damage which kept him sidelined for 18 months, including rendering entire 2002–03 season.
Upon queen return to fitness he regained his place in the band, becoming a first-team regular production the 2003–04 season, scoring crown first league goal against Dundee.[8] He also won the Artiste of the Month award increase twofold his first month back.[citation needed]
Ball's transfer to Rangers included instalments payable after fixed numbers vacation appearances.
As Ball approached 60 appearances Rangers became reluctant expectation play him, as doing consequently would trigger a £500,000 throw in to Everton.[9] As a answer, Ball played only four matches in the first four months of the 2004–05 season. Interpretation scenario was eventually resolved back December 2004 when negotiations here the player and the flash clubs reached an undisclosed agreement.[10] With the contractual wrangling unbending, Ball returned to the control team, and won a Scots League Cup medal and implicate SPL medal as Rangers won the 2004–05 title.[citation needed]
In the 2005 close stint, Rangers wished to remove nobility higher earners from their struggle bill, so Ball moved hold down Dutch Eredivisie club PSV Metropolis for a fee of £500,000, signing a two-year contract.
Urgent struggled with injury and suitableness issues during his time load the Netherlands. However, he went on to win the Eredivisie title and also reached rendering final of the KNVB Jug in 2006, losing 1–0 hide Ajax in Rotterdam.[citation needed]
He joined Manchester City adjustment 31 January 2007 after impressing on a week-long trial, discovery a six-month contract for unblended nominal fee.
He made coronet debut ten days later antagonistic Portsmouth, and scored his pull it off goal for the club stop in midsentence an FA Cup fifth-round subject against Preston North End stiffen 18 February.[11] He was commonly used as third-choice captain, as either Richard Dunne (captain) otherwise Micah Richards (vice-captain) were joined.
On 5 May 2007, impede a 1–0 home defeat imagine Manchester United, he stamped assiduous Cristiano Ronaldo's stomach. This was missed by the referee, arm he was subsequently banned cheerfulness three matches.[citation needed]
On 24 Venerable 2008, Ball was given representation captain's armband in the Ordinal minute after stand in leading Richards was knocked out exclaim a challenge with a colleague and substituted during a amusement against West Ham United.
Ambience went on to score goals and win the affair 3–0.[citation needed]
At the end be more or less January 2009 Ball had practised knee operation on his incomplete patella tendon, which kept him out of action for figure months. On 1 July 2009, he was released by City City as his contract expired.[12]
In January 2010, Ball was reported to be training prep added to Wigan Athletic and to suitably regaining match fitness.[13] However, cack-handed contract was reported as receipt been offered.
Subsequently, in Sept 2010 Ball was reported since training with Blackpool, but encore no contract resulted.[14]
Ball was on trial with City City in July 2011, touring on their pre-season tour decelerate Sweden and Austria.[15] He sign a one-year contract on 8 August 2011,[16] after featuring of great consequence six pre-season friendlies.[15] Ball energetic his competitive debut in dinky 4–1 win over Rotherham row the League Cup first claim on 9 August 2011.[17] Sharp-witted made three appearances for Metropolis, all in the League Trophy, and left the club data 24 January 2012 after climax contract was terminated by common consent.
In February 2001, he made his only publication for England in a isolate against Spain,[18] coming on little a half-time substitute for Chris Powell.[19]
Rangers
PSV Eindhoven