Craig Gardner
Craig Gardner, the United Kingdom midfielder, made 100 appearances for Sunderland. He found the net 14 times, averaging 0.14 goals per game. His most prolific season in our data was 2012-13, with 8 goals.
Craig Gardner (born 25 November 1986) is an English professional football coach and former player who made 260 appearances in the Premier League and a further 67 in the Championship . He joined the coaching staff at Birmingham City in January 2021, was appointed technical director in June, and was promoted to director of football in February 2025, a role he held until leaving the club in June 2026. A versatile midfielder , Gardner was able to play in many different positions, although he preferred central midfield. He began his career at Aston Villa before spending the 2010–11 season with city rivals Birmingham City, with whom he won the 2011 League Cup . After three seasons with Sunderland , he joined West Bromwich Albion in 2014 before rejoining Birmingham City in 2017. He retired from playing in 2020 to take up a position as first-team coach at the club. He moved on to a similar role at Sheffield Wednesday in November 2020, before leaving a month later when Tony Pulis ' contract was terminated and returning to Birmingham. Internationally, Gardner represented England at under-21 level , and was a member of the team that finished as runners-up on the 2009 European Championships . — Wikipedia
- Position
- MF
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Birthplace
- Solihull
- Born
- 25 Nov 1986
- Height
- 178 cm
Gardner signed a three-year deal with Sunderland for an undisclosed fee, believed by BBC Sport to be about £6 million, on 30 June 2011. [ 21 ] Gardner made his debut as a substitute in the home defeat to Newcastle United on 20 August, [ 22 ] and scored his first competitive goal on 18 September 2011 with a deflected shot that looped over goalkeeper Asmir Begović as Sunderland beat Stoke City 4–0 at home to secure their first win of the season. [ 23 ] Gardner fell out of favour at Sunderland, and was linked with a departure in the January transfer window. However, he was re-united with former boss O'Neill when he replaced Steve Bruce as Sunderland manager in December 2011, and this prompted a change in fortune for Gardner and the Black Cats. Gardner was deployed at right back against Manchester City on New Year's Day 2012 due to an injury crisis, and helped Sunderland to a shock 1–0 win against the league leaders. Two days later Gardner, again playing at right back, scored his second goal for Sunderland, direct from a free kick 30 yards away from goal in their 4–1 away win at Wigan. Gardner was rumoured to be homesick at Sunderland in the press, and was linked with a move back to the Midlands . Sunderland rejected a loan bid for Gardner from former club Birmingham City on 19 January. Gardner scored a stunning volley from 25 yards late on in Sunderland's 2–0 win over Swansea City on 21 January. [ 24 ] Gardner remained at Sunderland for the 2012–13 season, dismissing rumours that he was unsettled on Wearside. He was deployed as a right-back by O'Neill for much of the season. His first goal of the season came from a direct free kick against MK Dons in a 2–0 League Cup victory on 25 September. Gardner scored again from a free kick in a 2–4 home defeat against West Bromwich Albion, and scored a consolation goal in a 2–1 loss at Norwich City in December. On 5 January, Gardner scored a late equaliser in their FA Cup third round tie away at Bolton Wanderers with a powerful s — Wikipedia
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Similarity scores (0–100) weigh position, scoring rate, appearances and era.