Tony Capaldi
Personal information
Full name	Anthony Charles Capaldi
Date of birth	12 August 1981 (1981-08-12) (age 28)
Place of birth	Porsgrunn, Norway
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Left back / Left winger
Club information
Current club	Leeds United (on loan from Cardiff City)
Number	30
Youth career
	Birmingham City
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
2001–2003 2001–2002 2003–2007 2007– 2009–	Birmingham City → Hereford United (loan) Plymouth Argyle Cardiff City → Leeds United (loan)	000 0(0) 012 0(0) 141 (12) 053 0(0) 003 0(0)
National team2
2001–2003 2004–	Northern Ireland U21 Northern Ireland	014 0(0) 022 0(0)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:14, 07 December 2009 (UTC). 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 13:31, 27 August 2007 (UTC). * Appearances (Goals)

Anthony Charles "Tony" Capaldi (born 12 August, 1981 in Porsgrunn, Telemark) is a Norwegian-born Northern Ireland international footballer currently playing for Leeds United on loan from Cardiff City as a defender. Capaldi is a long throw specialist.

Contents 1 Club career 1.1 Cardiff City 1.2 Leeds United loan 2 International career 3 Career statistics 4 Honours 5 Sources 6 References

[edit] Club career

Capaldi began his career at Birmingham City where he came through the youth ranks as a trainee. During his time at Birmingham he spent time on loan at Hereford United before signing for Plymouth Argyle near the end of the 2001–02 season without making a first team appearance for Birmingham.

Capaldi was forced to sit out for much of the first part of the 2004–05 season after breaking a leg during a game, but in December 2004 he signed a two year extension to his contract, extending his career with Plymouth until June 2007.

[edit] Cardiff City

Capaldi rejected a new contract with Plymouth and on 25 May 2007 he signed a three-year contract with Cardiff City, joining on a Bosman free transfer.^[1] Capaldi began the season as first choice left back but after struggling to perform consistently found himself dropped from the side, being replaced by Chris Gunter. Following the sale of Gunter on 1 January, he returned to the first team squad and began to settle more comfortably into the side, including playing in all 6 of the clubs matches on their run to the FA Cup Final.

The start of the 2008-09 season saw Capaldi sidelined due to a knee problem. After sitting out the first fortnight of the season, he returned to first team action on 26 August in a 2-1 Carling Cup victory over Milton Keynes Dons, only for him to suffer a recurrence of the problem.^[2] Capaldi spent over three months on the sidelines with the injury and, after being named on the bench for several games, he made his return as a substitute for Chris Burke during a 0-0 draw with Arsenal in the fourth round of the FA Cup on 25 January. The injury meant that he featured in just 5 matches for the club throughout the season. On Tuesday 18th August 2009, Capaldi was sent off for a second bookable offence away to his old club Plymouth Argyle. Cardiff won the match 3-1 with Michael Chopra scoring a hatrick. Capaldi returned to the side in a 3-2 loss to South Wales rivals Swansea City, he played on the left of midfield in place of the injured Peter Whittingham. However due to a lack of appearances, Capaldi stated that he may need to look elsewhere for first team football.^[3]

[edit] Leeds United loan

On 26 November 2009 Capaldi joined Football League One leaders Leeds United on loan until 4 January 2010, with a view to a permanent deal.^[4] and was given permission to play for Leeds in the FA Cup. Like new temamate Leigh Bromby, Capaldi is also a long throw specialist. Having been recommended a move to Leeds by the club's assistant manager Glynn Snodin and Cardiff teammate Warren Feeney, he made his debut in a 1-1 draw against Kettering Town in the second round of the FA Cup.^[5] Capaldi made his league debut against Oldham Athletic. Capaldi started against Huddersfield Town a game in which Capaldi struggled in especially after getting a yellow card early on. After the game Capaldi re-iterated his desire to join Leeds permanently in January.^[6]

Capaldi was dropped for the following game against Kettering Town after his poor performance, and he was replaced by Aidy White, but White suffered an injury during the game and Capaldi came on to replace him. With White still out injured in the next game Capaldi came back into the starting lineup against Brentford. Capaldi was dropped from the squad's against Accrington Stanley, Southampton and Hartlepool. Capaldi wasn't involved against Stockport County after the game Grayson confirmed he was talking to the parents clubs of all loan players.

[edit] International career

Capaldi has represented Northern Ireland at the senior level, making his debut in March 2004 in a 1–0 victory over Estonia as well as playing in their famous 1–0 victory over England in September 2005. Capaldi broke the record for international appearances made by a Plymouth Argyle player when he was awarded his 21st cap in a friendly against Wales. In doing so, he beat the 80-year old record of Welshman Moses Russell.

[edit] Career statistics

(correct as of 26 September, 2009)

Club	Season	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Other [1]		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Hereford United (loan)	2001-02	12	—	2	—	—	—	—	—	14	—
	Subtotal	12	—	2	—	—	—	—	—	14	—
Plymouth Argyle	2002-03	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1	—
	2003-04	33	7	—	—	1	—	2	—	36	7
	2004-05	35	2	1	—	1	—	—	—	37	2
	2005-06	41	3	1	—	1	—	—	—	43	3
	2006-07	31	—	4	—	1	—	—	—	36	—
	Subtotal	141	12	6	—	4	—	2	—	153	12
Cardiff City	2007-08	44	—	6	—	4	—	—	—	54	—
	2008-09	4	—	-	—	2	—	—	—	6	—
	2009-10	5	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	8	0
Career|Total		206	12	15	—	13	—	—	—	236	12

^ Football League Trophy

[edit] Honours

Cardiff

• FA Cup Runner-up: 1
  

2007-08

[edit] Sources

• Tony Capaldi profile at cardiffcityfc.co.uk
• Tony Capaldi profile at pafc.co.uk
• Tony Capaldi career stats at Soccerbase

[edit] References

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