David Edwards (footballer)
Encyclopedia
David Alexander Edwards is an English-born Welsh
international
footballer who plays as a midfielder
for Wolverhampton Wanderers
. He is known for his energetic runs and work rate.
, Edwards started as an apprentice at his hometown club, Shrewsbury Town
and made his debut on the final match of 2002–03 season, coming on as a substitute in a 2–1 defeat at home to Scunthorpe United
on 3 May as the Shrews were relegated from The Football League
.
He did not play a large role in Shrewsbury's promotion-winning campaign from the Football Conference
, but did enjoy a run of games in the second half of the season. Upon the club's return to the Football League
, he became first choice, a role he retained for three successive seasons at Gay Meadow
. Towards the end of the 2006–07 season, Edwards was the subject of transfer speculation, after rejecting an offered extension to his Shrewsbury contract. He was then controversially left out of the play-off final against Bristol Rovers
by then-manager Gary Peters
despite playing an important role in their run to the final. The Shrews went on to lose 3–1 and missed out on promotion to League One.
on a three-year deal. As he was under 24, Shrewsbury commanded a compensation fee to cover his youth development. The eventual fee was agreed at a tribunal
, but clubs reported differing figures; Luton claiming it was £250,000, with Shrewsbury reporting £250,000 as the initial payment, plus a further £150,000 based on appearances.
Edwards made 19 league appearances for Luton Town
in League One
. However, the club was struggling financially and were only able to pay their players' weekly wages twice in three months, hence a 10-point deduction. He became linked with Championship
sides Watford
and Nottingham Forest after some good performances in the FA Cup tie against Liverpool. Luton accepted a £675,000 offer from Wolverhampton Wanderers
. On 16 January, he signed a two and a half year deal.
on 18 January, in a 2–0 win at Scunthorpe United
, the club he had faced in his Shrewsbury debut. However, injuries kept him from playing a regular role in the remainder of the season. He returned fit for the following season, but found new signing David Jones often preferred alongside captain Karl Henry
in central midfield; however, Edwards still started half the season's games as they won promotion to the Premier League.
Edwards became a regular in the team after promotion, with a string of good performances including the winning goal against Fulham
. He suffered ankle ligament damage in December 2009 which kept him out for four months, but he recovered to make a handful of appearances in the closing months as the club retained their top flight survival. Edwards' contribution to Wolves in the 2010-11 season was severely hampered by injuries. He did however, make 12 appearances, scoring once, in a 2-1 victory against Manchester City, where ironically he scored past his former Shrewsbury team-mate, and lodger, Joe Hart.
He is contracted to the club until Summer 2014.
at international level, qualifying through his Welsh father.
Edwards had previously played for the Wales U17 and U19 teams making his U21 debut against Cyprus
on 16 May 2006. He had been selected for the under-21 squad for an earlier friendly against Northern Ireland
on 28 February 2006, but missed the match through injury. He made his full international debut on 17 November 2007 against the Republic of Ireland
as a substitute in a 2–2 Euro 2008 qualifier.
On 10 October 2008, Edwards scored the opening goal in a 2010 World Cup qualifier
against Liechtenstein
, and against Azerbaijan
on 6 June 2009. He ended the campaign with two goals. Following Wales' disappointing qualifying campaign, he was called up again for the 14 November friendly against Scotland, a 3–0 win, and opened the scoring with a close-range finish from Aaron Ramsey
's assist.
As of 08:59, 18 April 2010 (UTC)
1 Includes Johnstone's Paint Trophy
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
international
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
footballer who plays as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
for Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
. He is known for his energetic runs and work rate.
Early life
Edwards was born in Shrewsbury, and attended Mary Webb School Science college, in Pontesbury.Shrewsbury Town
Born in ShrewsburyShrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, Edwards started as an apprentice at his hometown club, Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
and made his debut on the final match of 2002–03 season, coming on as a substitute in a 2–1 defeat at home to Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
on 3 May as the Shrews were relegated from The Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
.
He did not play a large role in Shrewsbury's promotion-winning campaign from the Football Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
, but did enjoy a run of games in the second half of the season. Upon the club's return to the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, he became first choice, a role he retained for three successive seasons at Gay Meadow
Gay Meadow
The Gay Meadow is the former home ground of Shrewsbury Town FC, a football club in England. It was situated just outside the town centre of Shrewsbury, on the banks of the River Severn and it opened in August 1910....
. Towards the end of the 2006–07 season, Edwards was the subject of transfer speculation, after rejecting an offered extension to his Shrewsbury contract. He was then controversially left out of the play-off final against Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
by then-manager Gary Peters
Gary Peters (footballer)
Gary David Peters is an English former professional footballer and now manager. He is currently Director of Football at Hereford United.-Playing career:...
despite playing an important role in their run to the final. The Shrews went on to lose 3–1 and missed out on promotion to League One.
Luton Town
On 26 June 2007, Edwards signed for Luton TownLuton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
on a three-year deal. As he was under 24, Shrewsbury commanded a compensation fee to cover his youth development. The eventual fee was agreed at a tribunal
Tribunal
A tribunal in the general sense is any person or institution with the authority to judge, adjudicate on, or determine claims or disputes—whether or not it is called a tribunal in its title....
, but clubs reported differing figures; Luton claiming it was £250,000, with Shrewsbury reporting £250,000 as the initial payment, plus a further £150,000 based on appearances.
Edwards made 19 league appearances for Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
in League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
. However, the club was struggling financially and were only able to pay their players' weekly wages twice in three months, hence a 10-point deduction. He became linked with Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
sides Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
and Nottingham Forest after some good performances in the FA Cup tie against Liverpool. Luton accepted a £675,000 offer from Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
. On 16 January, he signed a two and a half year deal.
Wolves
Two days after signing, Edwards made a goalscoring debut for WolvesWolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
on 18 January, in a 2–0 win at Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
, the club he had faced in his Shrewsbury debut. However, injuries kept him from playing a regular role in the remainder of the season. He returned fit for the following season, but found new signing David Jones often preferred alongside captain Karl Henry
Karl Henry
Karl Levi Daniel Henry is an English footballer of Jamaican descent who played as a midfielder and captained his hometown Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers....
in central midfield; however, Edwards still started half the season's games as they won promotion to the Premier League.
Edwards became a regular in the team after promotion, with a string of good performances including the winning goal against Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
. He suffered ankle ligament damage in December 2009 which kept him out for four months, but he recovered to make a handful of appearances in the closing months as the club retained their top flight survival. Edwards' contribution to Wolves in the 2010-11 season was severely hampered by injuries. He did however, make 12 appearances, scoring once, in a 2-1 victory against Manchester City, where ironically he scored past his former Shrewsbury team-mate, and lodger, Joe Hart.
He is contracted to the club until Summer 2014.
International career
Despite his English birthplace, Edwards chose to represent WalesWales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
at international level, qualifying through his Welsh father.
Edwards had previously played for the Wales U17 and U19 teams making his U21 debut against Cyprus
Cyprus national under-21 football team
The Cyprus national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team for Cyprus and like the senior team, is controlled by the Cyprus Football Association....
on 16 May 2006. He had been selected for the under-21 squad for an earlier friendly against Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national under-21 football team
The Northern Ireland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Northern Ireland.-Former coaches:* To 20 August 2008.-2008/09 Matches:-Current squad:Squad to play San Marino.-Other Recent Call-Ups:...
on 28 February 2006, but missed the match through injury. He made his full international debut on 17 November 2007 against the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
as a substitute in a 2–2 Euro 2008 qualifier.
On 10 October 2008, Edwards scored the opening goal in a 2010 World Cup qualifier
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)
The European zone of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup saw 53 teams competing for 13 places at the finals. The qualification process started on 20 August 2008, after UEFA Euro 2008, and ended on 18 November 2009. The qualification process saw the first competitive matches of...
against Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein national football team
The Liechtenstein national football team is the national football team of Liechtenstein and is controlled by the Liechtenstein Football Association. The organisation is known as the Liechtensteiner Fussballverband in German. The team's first match was an unofficial match against Malta in Seoul, a...
, and against Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan national football team
The Azerbaijan national football team is the national football team of Azerbaijan and is controlled by Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan...
on 6 June 2009. He ended the campaign with two goals. Following Wales' disappointing qualifying campaign, he was called up again for the 14 November friendly against Scotland, a 3–0 win, and opened the scoring with a close-range finish from Aaron Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey
Aaron James Ramsey is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for the premier league club Arsenal and is the captain of the Wales national football team...
's assist.
International goals
- Scores and results list. Wales's goal tally first.
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 11 October 2008 | Millennium Stadium Millennium Stadium The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage... , Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... , Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA) The European zone of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup saw 53 teams competing for 13 places at the finals. The qualification process started on 20 August 2008, after UEFA Euro 2008, and ended on 18 November 2009. The qualification process saw the first competitive matches of... |
|
| 2. | 6 June 2009 | Tofik Bakhramov Stadium Tofik Bakhramov Stadium Tofiq Bahramov Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan. It is currently used mostly for football matches. It serves as the home ground of FK Baku and the Azerbaijan national football team and holds 30,000, making it the largest stadium in the country.- History :The Tofiq Bahramov... , Baku Baku Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal... , Azerbaijan Azerbaijan Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to... |
0-1 | 0-1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA) The European zone of qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup saw 53 teams competing for 13 places at the finals. The qualification process started on 20 August 2008, after UEFA Euro 2008, and ended on 18 November 2009. The qualification process saw the first competitive matches of... |
|
| 3. | 14 November 2009 | Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... , Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
Other1 | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Shrewsbury Shrewsbury Town F.C. Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football... |
Third Division Football League Third Division The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two... |
2002–03 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Football Conference Football Conference The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional... |
2003–04 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| League Two Football League Two Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system.... |
2004–05 2004–05 Football League Two The 2004–05 Football League Two season was the first season since the Football League Third Division was renamed League Two, following a sponsorship deal with Coca-Cola. The league was made up of eighteen teams from the Third Division who were neither promoted or relegated, the four relegated... |
27 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 5 | |
| 2005–06 | 30 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 4 | ||
| 2006–07 | 45 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 51 | 6 | ||
| Luton Town Luton Town F.C. Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was... |
League One Football League One Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system.... |
2007–08 | 19 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26 | 2 |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | Championship Football League Championship The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League... |
2007–08 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 10 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2008–09 | 44 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||||
| 48 | 3 | |||||||||||
| Premier League | 2009–10 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 19 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2010–11 2010–11 Premier League The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011... |
14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| 17 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2010–11 2010–11 Premier League The 2010–11 Premier League was the 19th season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2010–11 fixtures were released on 17 June 2010 at 09:00 BST. The season began on 14 August 2010, and ended on 22 May 2011... |
3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | ||||||
| 5 | 2 | |||||||||||
As of 08:59, 18 April 2010 (UTC)
1 Includes Johnstone's Paint Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...