Andy Wilkinson

Personal information
Full name	Andrew Gordon Wilkinson
Date of birth	6 August 1984 (1984-08-06) (age 25)
Place of birth	Stone, England
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Stoke City
Number	28
Youth career
1995-2000	Stone Dominoes
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001-	Stoke City	73	(0)
2003-2004	→ Telford United (loan)	8	(0)
2004-2005	→ Partick Thistle (loan)	12	(1)
2005	→ Shrewsbury Town (loan)	9	(0)
2006-2007	→ Blackpool (loan)	7	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:04, 26 December 2009 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals).

Andrew Gordon "Andy" Wilkinson (born 6 August 1984) is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Stoke City.

Contents 1 Career 2 Personal life 3 Career statistics 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Career

Wilkinson was born in Stone, Staffordshire, and is a graduate from Stoke City's youth academy. In 2001 he signed his first professional contract with the club. He made his Stoke City debut on 16 October 2001 in a Football League Trophy match against Blackpool, coming on as a 75th-minute substitute for Clive Clarke.^[1]

His influence on the first-team may have been greater had it not have been for some unfortunate injuries which ruled him out for the entire 2002–03 season. He had to wait until the 2003–04 season to start playing again, starting the League Cup first-round tie against Rochdale.^[2]

In November 2003 Wilkinson joined Conference National side Telford United to gain first team experience.^[3] In January 2004 he returned to Stoke where he made three appearances in the Football League. These included his league debut against Walsall on 31 January as an 80th-minute substitute for Lewis Neal,^[4] and his first league start in a 4–1 victory over West Bromwich Albion on 4 May.^[5]

During the 2004–05 season Wilkinson was loaned to Scottish Division One side Partick Thistle^[6], for whom he scored his first professional goal against Clyde.^[7] Returning to Stoke in January 2005, he played one game against Millwall before being sent out one loan again, this time to Football League Two side Shrewsbury Town for the remainder of the season.^[8] Wilkinson broke into the Stoke side in the 2005–06 season, making six first-team appearances before suffering ankle ligament damage playing against Southampton in April 2006, which forced him out of action for several months.^[9]

During the summer of 2006 Wilkinson signed a new two year contract keeping him at Stoke until 2008^[10]. After he recovered from his injury he was sent out on loan to Blackpool.^[11] This deal was thought to be made permanent but after getting an extended run in the Stoke City side after he returned from his loan spell. Blackpool did make a £150,000 bid which was however rejected^[12] and in the end Wilkinson decided not to move.

During the 2007–08 season Wilkinson made 20 appearances as Stoke City were promoted to the Premier League. On 26 December 2008 he was sent off for a second bookable offence in the game against Manchester United, since when he has kept his place in the side at the expense of club captain Andy Griffin. In February 2009 Wilkinson revealed that he would like to stay at Stoke City for the rest of his career.^[13] His impressive performances for Stoke have led to the club offering him a new contract.^[14] On the 8th of July 2009 Andy Wilkinson signed a new 3 year contract keeping him at Stoke City until 2012 which he described as another dream.

"I'm delighted that I've signed the extension to my contract. It was a dream come true to play for the club (Stoke City) that i supported as a kid and now to sign a new deal going into the Premier League is another dream."^[15]

After the arrival of Robert Huth Wilkinson lost his place in the side and became one of a number first team players stuck on the Stoke bench. He played in the 1-0 win over Portsmouth due to the suspension to Abdoulaye Faye, and he put in a man of the match performance and almost scored his first ever goal for Stoke by beating two Pompey defenders before shooting just over Jamie Ashdown's goal.^[16] Wilkinson himself described it has his best Stoke display yet.^[17]

[edit] Personal life

Wilkinson and fellow footballer Chris Birchall used to own Zenn nightclub in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, which was closed in July 2008 due to debts.^[18]

[edit] Career statistics

Club	Season	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Stoke City	2001–02	-		-		-		-		1	0	1	0
	2002–03	-		-		-		-		-		-
	2003–04	3	0	-		1	0	-		-		4	0
Telford United (loan)	2003-04	8	0	1	0	-		-		-		9	0
Stoke City	2004–05	1	0	-		-		-		-		1	0
Partick Thistle (loan)	2004-05	12	1	-		2	0	-		-		14	1
Shrewsbury Town (loan)	2004-05	9	0	-		-		-		-		9	0
Stoke City	2005–06	6	0	-		-		-		-		6	0
	2006–07	4	0	1	0	-		-		-		5	0
Blackpool (loan)	2006-07	7	0	-		-		-		-		7	0
Stoke City	2007–08	23	0	1	0	1	0	-		-		25	0
	2008–09	22	0	1	0	3	0	-		-		26	0
	2009–10	14	0	0	0	1	0	-		-		15	0
Career total		109	1	4	0	8	0	0	0	1	0	122	1

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Andy Wilkinson player profile at stokecityfc.com
• Andy Wilkinson career stats at Soccerbase

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