Joe Ledley
Encyclopedia
Joseph Christopher Ledley (born 21 January 1987) is a Welsh footballer who plays for Scottish Premier League
club Celtic
and the Welsh national team
as a central or left midfielder.
He started his career with Championship
side Cardiff
, where he spent six years. He helped the club to the FA Cup final
in 2008
and to the Championship play-off
final in 2010. In 2010 he moved to Scottish Premier League
club Celtic
on a free transfer. He won the Scottish Cup
in his first season with the club.
He has played for Wales at under-17
, under-19
and under-21 levels. Before making his full
debut in 2005.
, growing up in the Fairwater
area. He attended Cantonian High School, where he was captain of the school football team. His schoolboy picture is displayed in the school to this day. He played several sports when he was younger, but only ever wanted to be a footballer.
He grew up supporting Cardiff City
and joined the club's youth system aged nine. During his later years as a trainee he was in charge of cleaning then captain Graham Kavanagh
's boots. He continued to clean them for several months after breaking into the first team, this was to stop him from getting carried away with his new position.
, while still only 17. He made his debut in the League Cup
, on 21 September 2004, coming on as a 63rd minute substitute in a 4-1 win over Milton Keynes Dons
He made his league debut the next month, on 16 October, in a 2-0 win over Rotherham United
, again coming on as a substitute. Three days later he had his first start for the club in a 1-1 draw with Brighton
, he had several chances to score during the match including a header that hit the woodwork. After the match, Cardiff's goalscorer, Lee Bullock
said that Ledley had been brilliant in his first start; creating chances as well as having some himself. Manager Lennie Lawrence
said that he thought Ledley hadn't been fazed at all by the occasion and didn't look like he was making his debut. Ledley's first goal for Cardiff came, on 2 November, in a 4-1 victory over West Ham
. He brought the ball down from a cross before beating the keeper, Stephen Bywater
, with a right foot drive. After this match Ledley's manager and team mates were again full of praise for the youngster. Striker Paul Parry
said that Ledley's goal was brilliant and with the way he had been playing, creating so many chances for himself, it was no surprise that he had gotten his first goal. Manager Lawrence also said that he was impressed with other aspects of Ledley's play. He thought that Ledley had shown incredible maturity during the match, saying that Ledley had, "an old head on a young pair of shoulders". He was also impressed with Ledley's positional play, pointing out how Ledley had tracked back late in the match to cut out a scoring opportunity for West Ham, when other defenders hadn't seen the danger. On 4 February he committed his future to Cardiff, signing a new long-term contract with the club. This was shortly after he had won a call up to the Wales under-21 squad. A month later he scored a vital goal, to earn three points for Cardiff as they beat Sheffield United
1-0. Ledley's season ended in April as he suffered a fractured metatarsal bone in training. Before this he had played 32 times for Cardiff and had also earned three Wales under-21 caps. His performances had provided a major boost for Cardiff in what was a poor season for them as they were in relegation trouble at the bottom of the Championship
and were suffering financial troubles as well. Lawrence said that he hoped Ledley would stay at Cardiff for the next few seasons and that he wouldn't be surprised if the 18-year old earned a full Wales call-up in the near future.
Ledley's first goal of the 2005-06 season came in a 2-1 League Cup
victory over Macclesfield Town
. He scored the equaliser after the League Two
side had taken the lead. A month later, on 18 October, he scored in Cardiff's 2-2 draw against Preston North End
. Four days later Cardiff beat Crewe
6-1, with Ledley scoring the second to put them 2-1 up shortly after half time. Cardiff had been tipped for relegation at the start of the season but this victory put them on the verge of the play-off
places. Ledley's fourth goal of the season came in a 2-1 victory over Southampton
on 31 December.
Ledley scored in the first match of the 2006–07 season, the opener in a 2-1 win over Barnsley
. He then scored several weeks later, as Cardiff beat fellow promotion contenders Birmingham City
, 2-0, to move top of the table. At this match Cardiff had a full stadium, 20,000 fans, for the first time in over 45 years. This signalled their growing momentum in the league and the belief within the club that they were able to get promoted. Ledley was identified as one of the key players in Cardiff's team, his pace on the left wing being vital to their tenacious style of play. On 25 September, Ledley scored in a 3-0 win over Southend United
to confirm Cardiff's status as early season favourites. Cardiff entered the FA Cup
at the third round and drew Tottenham Hotspur
. The match ended 0-0 but Ledley had an excellent chance to put Cardiff in the lead after 55 miuntes, he got on the end of a cross but hit his shot just over the bar. The match went to a replay and Tottenham won 4-0 at White Hart Lane
on 17 January. On 2 February Ledley suffered a hamstring injury in a 2-0 win ove Barnsley. At the end of the season he picked up the Football League goal of the season award for his strike against Barnsley
.
Ledley began the 2007–08 season
in great form and earned several man of the match awards in the first four months and in October 2007 he signed a two-year extension to his current contract at Cardiff. In December 2007, Wolverhampton Wanderers
offered a reported £2.5 million, which could go up to as much as £3.5 million with add-ons, to Cardiff for Ledley. Cardiff offered the deal to Ledley who turned the move down in order to stay with the Bluebirds. Premier League side Everton
were also known to have taken an interest in him, reportedly considering making an offer of £3.5 million. At the time, Cardiff valued him at a reported £5 million. Despite the speculation about his transfer Ledley himself stated that he was desperate to stay at Cardiff but concedes that he may have no choice should a high offer be made. Everton attempted a second move for Ledley at the end of the January transfer window, reportedly beating Wolves' previous £3m move, but the move was rejected by Cardiff. His form continued into February and early March before a hamstring injury forced him to miss several games, including Cardiff's 2–0 FA Cup
Quarter Final victory over Middlesbrough
. He returned to the side in time for the Semi Final against Barnsley
where he scored the only goal to send Cardiff to their first Final since 1927, a goal which later earned him 'Player of the Round'. Cardiff went on to lose in the Final
to Portsmouth
. As well as his exploits in the FA Cup, the year was also Ledley's most prolific goalscoring year for the club as he finished joint top scorer with a total of 11 goals in all competitions.
During the 2008 summer transfer window, recently promoted Premier League side Stoke City
offered Cardiff £5m to sign Ledley, which Cardiff turned down. On 1 September 2008, the final day of the summer transfer window Stoke made a second bid, reported to be around £6m, but this too was firmly rejected by Cardiff. On 7 October, Ledley was named Welsh clubman of the year for the second consecutive year. He scored his first goal of the 2008–09 season during a 2–1 win over Crystal Palace
on 15 November when he fired in after returning to the pitch after receiving treatment due to a dislocated finger. The injury later required surgery and Ledley was expected to be out for around one month but managed to return in time to play against Swansea City
, with his finger in a cast, in the first league meeting between the two sides for nine years and scored with a left footed volley as the game ended 2–2, a goal which later earned him the club's goal of the season award. In his next game after the South Wales derby
, on 6 December, with captain Darren Purse
dropped and vice-captain Stephen McPhail
suspended, Ledley, at the age of just 21, captained Cardiff for the first time in a 2–0 win over Preston North End
. His performances in the absence of McPhail, which later earned him the Championship player of the month award for January, meant that he kept the Irish international
out of the side as he continued as stand in captain, including a 0–0 draw with Arsenal
in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The January transfer window saw increased speculation about Ledley's future and Cardiff turned down two bids from Premier League sides West Ham United
, who saw an offer of £5m turned down, and Wigan Athletic
, who had a bid of £4m and former Cardiff player and Wales international Jason Koumas
rejected. He remained captain of the side for the rest of the season and at the end of the year was included in the 2008–09 Championship Team of the Year
, along with teammate Roger Johnson
.
With only one year left on his contract, the end of the season saw increased speculation over his future, mostly from Hull City
, whose manager Phil Brown attended the Bluebirds pre-season friendly against Celtic
. Despite the speculation over his future, Ledley remained with Cardiff and played 45 minutes of the first ever competitive match at the Cardiff City Stadium, before being substituted at half-time due to illness. In the third league match of the season, Ledley made his 200th league appearance for Cardiff in a 3–1 win over Plymouth Argyle
. On 2 September 2009 Ledley was offered a new four-year contract by Cardiff, which was later rejected. During a 3–1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday
on 26 September 2009, Ledley was sent off for the first time in his career after two bookable offences. Following a poor run of results by Cardiff during November 2009, Ledley was the focus of criticism over his performances, most notably from Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale
who commented that, due to his ongoing contract talks, Ledley was "playing like he is somewhere else already". However, Ledley received backing from both Cardiff manager Dave Jones and club captain Mark Hudson
, before later stating that he needed surgery on a hip injury that had plagued him for the previous three months and subsequently hindered his performances.
On 9 December Cardiff confirmed that Ledley needed a hip operation before the end of the season. He scored his first goal of the season on 28 December with the opener against Peterborough United
, and 17 minutes later he scored again with a header. On 29 January 2010, Ledley underwent surgery on his hip problem which was expected to rule him out for the rest of the season, but made an early return as a substitute during a 2–1 win over Swansea City. On 17 April, Ledley scored against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road
to ensure Cardiff a 1–0 win and also a Championship Play-Off place for that season. He scored in the 36th minute of the Play-off Final
against Blackpool
on 22 May during a 3–2 defeat. Ledley's contract expired at the end of the season and he moved to Scottish Premier League
club Celtic
. Ledley's transfer to a team playing outside the English Football League system meant that Cardiff did not receive any compensation for the transfer.
, West Bromwich Albion
and AS Roma, before eventually joining Scottish Premier League
side Celtic
on a four year contract on 12 July 2010. He made his competitive debut for the club on 28 July in a 3–0 defeat to Braga in the first leg of the third qualifying round
of the UEFA Champions League
, before making his SPL debut two weeks later in a 1–0 win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle
. He scored his first goal for Celtic against St Mirren in a 4–0 home victory in the SPL
. On 6 November 2010 Ledley added another to his tally against Aberdeen
in a league record 9–0
victory. On 16 March 2011, Ledley scored both Celtic goals in a 2–1 Scottish Cup win against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. On 20 March 2011, Ledley scored in the League Cup Final
defeat to Rangers
. A hamstring injury sustained in a league game against Rangers on 24 April 2011 ruled him out of action for the rest of that season.
Ledley played in Celtic's first game of the 2011-12 season. A 2-0 win over Hibernian
. On 13 August he scored in a 5-1 win over Dundee United
. On 10 September, he scored in a 4-0 victory over Motherwell
. He then played in Celtic's 2-0 defeat against Atlético Madrid. But was left out of the first Old Firm
match of the season. He was then back in the team for Celtic's 2-0 Scottish League Cup
victory over Ross County
. On 24 September, he opened the scoring in Celtic's 2-0 win over Inverness
. Five days later he started in Celtic's 1-1 draw with Italian team Udinese
. He played at left back but had to come off at half time due to a groin injury. On 21 October, he scored a clever backwards header from a free-kick to give Celtic a 1-1 draw against Stade Rennais. Celtic had previously lost 27 of their last 31 European matches away from home.
first team and by the end of the season he had earned three under-21 caps, still only aged 18. His manager at Cardiff Lennie Lawrence
said that he expected Ledley to be getting a full Wales call-up very shortly. In May, Wales manager John Toshack
, when talking about the impact of captain Ryan Giggs
retiring, said that he was hopeful for the future because Ledley along with other left-sided youngsters Gareth Bale
and Lewin Nyatanga
were all very talented players who could play for the national team for years to come.
Ledley played at several youth levels for Wales as a youngster eventually winning his first senior Wales
cap in an away World Cup
qualifying match against Poland
on 7 September 2005. His first international goal came against San Marino
in a Euro 2008 qualifier on 17 October 2007.
In 2008 Ledley, along with a number of other full Wales internationals, was called back into the Wales U21 squad
in a bid to help the team qualify for the U21 championships, only for a back injury to rule him out. On 29 May 2009, with a number of first team players missing from the side, Ledley was named as captain of Wales' youngest ever side for the 1–0 win over Estonia
and Wales' 2010 World Cup qualifying
match against Azerbaijan
in Baku.
Football League Championship play-offs
has said that pace isn't the most important thing, especially when Ledley is good in so many other aspects of the game. He has also said the he thinks Ledley would be able to play in the Premier League and compared his style of play to that of players like Xabi Alonso
and Frank Lampard
.
At the start of Ledley's career he was generally played as a left midfielder. However, during the 2008-09 season he was used more in the centre.
. It was claimed by witnesses that a man headbutted him, then kicked him in the face after he fell to the ground before police stepped in. However, Strathclyde Police
said that they had no record of the incident.
FA Cup
Football League Championship play-offs
Celtic
Scottish Cup
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
and the Welsh national team
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...
as a central or left midfielder.
He started his career 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...
side Cardiff
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
, where he spent six years. He helped the club to the FA Cup final
FA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
in 2008
2008 FA Cup Final
The 2008 FA Cup Final was a football match held at Wembley Stadium on 17 May 2008 and was the final match of the 2007–08 FA Cup competition. The match was the 127th FA Cup Final, and the second to be held at the new Wembley Stadium since its redevelopment. The match was contested by Portsmouth and...
and to the Championship play-off
Football League Championship play-offs
The Football League Championship play-offs are a series of playoff matches contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the Football League Championship table. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 6th playing 3rd and 5th playing 4th, with the return fixtures following...
final in 2010. In 2010 he moved to Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
on a free transfer. He won the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
in his first season with the club.
He has played for Wales at under-17
Wales national under-17 football team
The Wales national under-17 football team is the national under-17 football team of Wales and is controlled by the Football Association of Wales.-Current squad:...
, under-19
Wales national under-19 football team
The Wales national under-19 football team is the national under-19 football team of Wales and is controlled by the Football Association of Wales. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship held every year.-Recent history:...
and under-21 levels. Before making his full
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...
debut in 2005.
Early life and career
Ledley was born in CardiffCardiff
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...
, growing up in the Fairwater
Fairwater, Cardiff
Fairwater is a district in the west of Cardiff, capital of Wales. It is located a few miles from Culverhouse Cross which connects Cardiff to the M4 motorway.- History :The name Tyllgoed, meaning "dark wood" goes back to the 15th century...
area. He attended Cantonian High School, where he was captain of the school football team. His schoolboy picture is displayed in the school to this day. He played several sports when he was younger, but only ever wanted to be a footballer.
He grew up supporting Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
and joined the club's youth system aged nine. During his later years as a trainee he was in charge of cleaning then captain Graham Kavanagh
Graham Kavanagh
Graham Anthony Kavanagh is an Irish footballer. He is assistant manager for Carlisle United, having also played for Home Farm, Middlesbrough, Stoke City, Cardiff City, Wigan Athletic, Sunderland and two loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday...
's boots. He continued to clean them for several months after breaking into the first team, this was to stop him from getting carried away with his new position.
Cardiff City
Ledley was called into the first team during the 2004–05 season2004-05 in English football
The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
, while still only 17. He made his debut in the 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...
, on 21 September 2004, coming on as a 63rd minute substitute in a 4-1 win over Milton Keynes Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
He made his league debut the next month, on 16 October, in a 2-0 win over Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
, again coming on as a substitute. Three days later he had his first start for the club in a 1-1 draw with Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
, he had several chances to score during the match including a header that hit the woodwork. After the match, Cardiff's goalscorer, Lee Bullock
Lee Bullock
Lee Bullock is an English footballer who plays for Bradford City as a midfielder.He started his career with York City, with whom he played 171 league games and scored 24 goals, before he moved to First Division side Cardiff City in 2004 after a loan spell. He spent just one season with Cardiff...
said that Ledley had been brilliant in his first start; creating chances as well as having some himself. Manager Lennie Lawrence
Lennie Lawrence
Robin Michael Lawrence, commonly known as Lennie Lawrence, is a British football manager who is assistant manager of Crystal Palace. He has managed a number of English clubs and one Welsh club in a coaching career spanning over 30 years...
said that he thought Ledley hadn't been fazed at all by the occasion and didn't look like he was making his debut. Ledley's first goal for Cardiff came, on 2 November, in a 4-1 victory over West Ham
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
. He brought the ball down from a cross before beating the keeper, Stephen Bywater
Stephen Bywater
Stephen Michael Bywater, is an English professional football player who plays as a goalkeeper. He has made appearances for seven clubs, most notably his current club Derby County, where he won the 2007 Championship Playoff final and West Ham United, where he spent eight seasons and made over 60...
, with a right foot drive. After this match Ledley's manager and team mates were again full of praise for the youngster. Striker Paul Parry
Paul Parry
Paul Ian Parry is a Welsh professional footballer and former Wales international who currently plays for Football League One side Preston North End...
said that Ledley's goal was brilliant and with the way he had been playing, creating so many chances for himself, it was no surprise that he had gotten his first goal. Manager Lawrence also said that he was impressed with other aspects of Ledley's play. He thought that Ledley had shown incredible maturity during the match, saying that Ledley had, "an old head on a young pair of shoulders". He was also impressed with Ledley's positional play, pointing out how Ledley had tracked back late in the match to cut out a scoring opportunity for West Ham, when other defenders hadn't seen the danger. On 4 February he committed his future to Cardiff, signing a new long-term contract with the club. This was shortly after he had won a call up to the Wales under-21 squad. A month later he scored a vital goal, to earn three points for Cardiff as they beat Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
1-0. Ledley's season ended in April as he suffered a fractured metatarsal bone in training. Before this he had played 32 times for Cardiff and had also earned three Wales under-21 caps. His performances had provided a major boost for Cardiff in what was a poor season for them as they were in relegation trouble at the bottom of the 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...
and were suffering financial troubles as well. Lawrence said that he hoped Ledley would stay at Cardiff for the next few seasons and that he wouldn't be surprised if the 18-year old earned a full Wales call-up in the near future.
Ledley's first goal of the 2005-06 season came in a 2-1 League Cup
League Cup
In association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946/47 and was entitled the Scottish...
victory over Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
. He scored the equaliser after the 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....
side had taken the lead. A month later, on 18 October, he scored in Cardiff's 2-2 draw against Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
. Four days later Cardiff beat Crewe
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
6-1, with Ledley scoring the second to put them 2-1 up shortly after half time. Cardiff had been tipped for relegation at the start of the season but this victory put them on the verge of the play-off
Football League Championship play-offs
The Football League Championship play-offs are a series of playoff matches contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the Football League Championship table. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 6th playing 3rd and 5th playing 4th, with the return fixtures following...
places. Ledley's fourth goal of the season came in a 2-1 victory over Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
on 31 December.
Ledley scored in the first match of the 2006–07 season, the opener in a 2-1 win over Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
. He then scored several weeks later, as Cardiff beat fellow promotion contenders Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, 2-0, to move top of the table. At this match Cardiff had a full stadium, 20,000 fans, for the first time in over 45 years. This signalled their growing momentum in the league and the belief within the club that they were able to get promoted. Ledley was identified as one of the key players in Cardiff's team, his pace on the left wing being vital to their tenacious style of play. On 25 September, Ledley scored in a 3-0 win over Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
to confirm Cardiff's status as early season favourites. Cardiff entered the FA 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...
at the third round and drew Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
. The match ended 0-0 but Ledley had an excellent chance to put Cardiff in the lead after 55 miuntes, he got on the end of a cross but hit his shot just over the bar. The match went to a replay and Tottenham won 4-0 at White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane
White Hart Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Tottenham, London, England. Built in 1899, it is the home of Tottenham Hotspur and, after numerous renovations, the stadium has a capacity of 36,230....
on 17 January. On 2 February Ledley suffered a hamstring injury in a 2-0 win ove Barnsley. At the end of the season he picked up the Football League goal of the season award for his strike against Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
.
Ledley began the 2007–08 season
Cardiff City F.C. season 2007-08
During the 2007-08 season Cardiff City played in the Football League Championship. It was the team's fifth year in the Championship since being promoted from League One. The season was the first full year in charge for chairman Peter Ridsdale after taking over from Sam Hammam the previous...
in great form and earned several man of the match awards in the first four months and in October 2007 he signed a two-year extension to his current contract at Cardiff. In December 2007, 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...
offered a reported £2.5 million, which could go up to as much as £3.5 million with add-ons, to Cardiff for Ledley. Cardiff offered the deal to Ledley who turned the move down in order to stay with the Bluebirds. Premier League side Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
were also known to have taken an interest in him, reportedly considering making an offer of £3.5 million. At the time, Cardiff valued him at a reported £5 million. Despite the speculation about his transfer Ledley himself stated that he was desperate to stay at Cardiff but concedes that he may have no choice should a high offer be made. Everton attempted a second move for Ledley at the end of the January transfer window, reportedly beating Wolves' previous £3m move, but the move was rejected by Cardiff. His form continued into February and early March before a hamstring injury forced him to miss several games, including Cardiff's 2–0 FA 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...
Quarter Final victory over Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
. He returned to the side in time for the Semi Final against Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
where he scored the only goal to send Cardiff to their first Final since 1927, a goal which later earned him 'Player of the Round'. Cardiff went on to lose in the Final
2008 FA Cup Final
The 2008 FA Cup Final was a football match held at Wembley Stadium on 17 May 2008 and was the final match of the 2007–08 FA Cup competition. The match was the 127th FA Cup Final, and the second to be held at the new Wembley Stadium since its redevelopment. The match was contested by Portsmouth and...
to Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
. As well as his exploits in the FA Cup, the year was also Ledley's most prolific goalscoring year for the club as he finished joint top scorer with a total of 11 goals in all competitions.
During the 2008 summer transfer window, recently promoted Premier League side Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
offered Cardiff £5m to sign Ledley, which Cardiff turned down. On 1 September 2008, the final day of the summer transfer window Stoke made a second bid, reported to be around £6m, but this too was firmly rejected by Cardiff. On 7 October, Ledley was named Welsh clubman of the year for the second consecutive year. He scored his first goal of the 2008–09 season during a 2–1 win over Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
on 15 November when he fired in after returning to the pitch after receiving treatment due to a dislocated finger. The injury later required surgery and Ledley was expected to be out for around one month but managed to return in time to play against Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
, with his finger in a cast, in the first league meeting between the two sides for nine years and scored with a left footed volley as the game ended 2–2, a goal which later earned him the club's goal of the season award. In his next game after the South Wales derby
South Wales derby
The South Wales derby is a football local derby between Welsh clubs Cardiff City and Swansea City and is regarded as one of the most fierce rivalries in British football....
, on 6 December, with captain Darren Purse
Darren Purse
Darren John Purse is an English professional footballer who plays for League Two club Plymouth Argyle as a defender, on loan from Championship side Millwall....
dropped and vice-captain Stephen McPhail
Stephen McPhail
Stephen John Paul McPhail is an Irish footballer who plays for Cardiff City. He has won 10 caps for his country, the Republic of Ireland, and scored one goal...
suspended, Ledley, at the age of just 21, captained Cardiff for the first time in a 2–0 win over Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
. His performances in the absence of McPhail, which later earned him the Championship player of the month award for January, meant that he kept the Irish international
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....
out of the side as he continued as stand in captain, including a 0–0 draw with Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in the fourth round of the FA Cup. The January transfer window saw increased speculation about Ledley's future and Cardiff turned down two bids from Premier League sides West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
, who saw an offer of £5m turned down, and Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
, who had a bid of £4m and former Cardiff player and Wales international Jason Koumas
Jason Koumas
Jason Koumas is a Welsh professional footballer who is currently a free agent after being released by Wigan Athletic. Formerly of Tranmere Rovers, Cardiff City and West Bromwich Albion, he is a former Welsh international...
rejected. He remained captain of the side for the rest of the season and at the end of the year was included in the 2008–09 Championship Team of the Year
PFA Team of the Year
The Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
, along with teammate Roger Johnson
Roger Johnson (footballer)
Roger Johnson is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers....
.
With only one year left on his contract, the end of the season saw increased speculation over his future, mostly from Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
, whose manager Phil Brown attended the Bluebirds pre-season friendly against Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
. Despite the speculation over his future, Ledley remained with Cardiff and played 45 minutes of the first ever competitive match at the Cardiff City Stadium, before being substituted at half-time due to illness. In the third league match of the season, Ledley made his 200th league appearance for Cardiff in a 3–1 win over Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
. On 2 September 2009 Ledley was offered a new four-year contract by Cardiff, which was later rejected. During a 3–1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
on 26 September 2009, Ledley was sent off for the first time in his career after two bookable offences. Following a poor run of results by Cardiff during November 2009, Ledley was the focus of criticism over his performances, most notably from Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale
Peter Ridsdale
Peter Ridsdale is an English businessman who is currently the Chairman of Football Operations at League Two club Plymouth Argyle. Ridsdale was previously the chairman of Leeds United, Barnsley and Cardiff City.-History:...
who commented that, due to his ongoing contract talks, Ledley was "playing like he is somewhere else already". However, Ledley received backing from both Cardiff manager Dave Jones and club captain Mark Hudson
Mark Hudson (footballer born 1982)
Mark Alexander Hudson is an English footballer who is the current club captain of Football League Championship side Cardiff City. He plays as a centre half.-Career:...
, before later stating that he needed surgery on a hip injury that had plagued him for the previous three months and subsequently hindered his performances.
On 9 December Cardiff confirmed that Ledley needed a hip operation before the end of the season. He scored his first goal of the season on 28 December with the opener against Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
, and 17 minutes later he scored again with a header. On 29 January 2010, Ledley underwent surgery on his hip problem which was expected to rule him out for the rest of the season, but made an early return as a substitute during a 2–1 win over Swansea City. On 17 April, Ledley scored against Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road
Loftus Road
Loftus Road is a football stadium in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is home to the English football team Queens Park Rangers of the Premier League and has a capacity of around 18,500. The four stands are called the Loftus Road End , Ellerslie Road Stand, South Africa Road Stand and the School End,...
to ensure Cardiff a 1–0 win and also a Championship Play-Off place for that season. He scored in the 36th minute of the Play-off Final
2010 Football League Championship play-off Final
The 2010 Football League Championship play-off Final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium in London on 22 May 2010 to decide the third team to be promoted from The Championship to the Premier League for the 2010–11 season....
against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
on 22 May during a 3–2 defeat. Ledley's contract expired at the end of the season and he moved to Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
. Ledley's transfer to a team playing outside the English Football League system meant that Cardiff did not receive any compensation for the transfer.
Celtic
Out of contract at the end of the 2009–10 season, Ledley entered into talks with several clubs, including Stoke CityStoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
, West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
and AS Roma, before eventually joining Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
side Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
on a four year contract on 12 July 2010. He made his competitive debut for the club on 28 July in a 3–0 defeat to Braga in the first leg of the third qualifying round
2010–11 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round
This article details the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League qualifying phase and play-off round.There were two paths:*Champions Path, which included all domestic champions which did not automatically qualified for the group stage....
of the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, before making his SPL debut two weeks later in a 1–0 win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club are a Scottish football club from Inverness who compete in the Scottish Premier League. They are currently managed by Terry Butcher and assistant manager Maurice Malpas...
. He scored his first goal for Celtic against St Mirren in a 4–0 home victory in the SPL
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
. On 6 November 2010 Ledley added another to his tally against Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
in a league record 9–0
Celtic v Aberdeen (6 November 2010)
The Scottish Premier League match between Celtic and Aberdeen on 6 November 2010 at Celtic Park in Glasgow set a record as the biggest home win in the league's history.The match included nine goals for Celtic, two hat-tricks, three penalties and two red cards....
victory. On 16 March 2011, Ledley scored both Celtic goals in a 2–1 Scottish Cup win against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. On 20 March 2011, Ledley scored in the League Cup Final
2011 Scottish League Cup Final
The 2011 Scottish League Cup Final was the final match of the 2010–11 Scottish League Cup, the 64th season of the Scottish League Cup. It was played by Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers. Rangers won the trophy after extra time 2–1.-Celtic:...
defeat to Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
. A hamstring injury sustained in a league game against Rangers on 24 April 2011 ruled him out of action for the rest of that season.
Ledley played in Celtic's first game of the 2011-12 season. A 2-0 win over Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
. On 13 August he scored in a 5-1 win over Dundee United
Dundee United F.C.
Dundee United Football Club is a Scottish professional football club located in the city of Dundee. Formed in 1909, originally as Dundee Hibernian, the club changed to the present name in 1923...
. On 10 September, he scored in a 4-0 victory over Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
. He then played in Celtic's 2-0 defeat against Atlético Madrid. But was left out of the first Old Firm
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
match of the season. He was then back in the team for Celtic's 2-0 Scottish League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
victory over Ross County
Ross County F.C.
Ross County Football Club are a Scottish professional football team from the town of Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty. Founded in 1929 they currently compete in the Scottish Football League First Division and play their home matches at Victoria Park. Prior to the 1994–95 season they played in the...
. On 24 September, he opened the scoring in Celtic's 2-0 win over Inverness
Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club are a Scottish football club from Inverness who compete in the Scottish Premier League. They are currently managed by Terry Butcher and assistant manager Maurice Malpas...
. Five days later he started in Celtic's 1-1 draw with Italian team Udinese
Udinese Calcio
Udinese Calcio is an Italian football club based in Udine, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and currently plays in the Serie A. Founded in 1896, Udinese is the second oldest club in the Serie A, after Genoa....
. He played at left back but had to come off at half time due to a groin injury. On 21 October, he scored a clever backwards header from a free-kick to give Celtic a 1-1 draw against Stade Rennais. Celtic had previously lost 27 of their last 31 European matches away from home.
International career
Ledley's first call-up to the Wales under-21 squad came midway through the 2004-05 season. At 17 he had begun to play in Cardiff City'sCardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
first team and by the end of the season he had earned three under-21 caps, still only aged 18. His manager at Cardiff Lennie Lawrence
Lennie Lawrence
Robin Michael Lawrence, commonly known as Lennie Lawrence, is a British football manager who is assistant manager of Crystal Palace. He has managed a number of English clubs and one Welsh club in a coaching career spanning over 30 years...
said that he expected Ledley to be getting a full Wales call-up very shortly. In May, Wales manager John Toshack
John Toshack
John Benjamin Toshack OBE is a Welsh former footballer and manager. He is currently the manager of Macedonia. He has also managed several others clubs including Swansea City, who he took from the Fourth Division to the First in four seasons.As a player, he is remembered for being part of the...
, when talking about the impact of captain Ryan Giggs
Ryan Giggs
Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for Manchester United. Giggs made his first appearance for the club during the 1990–91 season and has been a regular player since the 1991–92 season...
retiring, said that he was hopeful for the future because Ledley along with other left-sided youngsters Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale
Gareth Frank Bale is a Welsh footballer who plays for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Wales national team. Bale began his professional career with Southampton in 2005 and was transferred to Tottenham two years later...
and Lewin Nyatanga
Lewin Nyatanga
Lewin John Nyatanga is a Welsh footballer who plays for Bristol City and the Wales national team as a defender.-Derby County:...
were all very talented players who could play for the national team for years to come.
Ledley played at several youth levels for Wales as a youngster eventually winning his first senior Wales
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...
cap in an away World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
qualifying match against Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
on 7 September 2005. His first international goal came against San Marino
San Marino national football team
The San Marino national football team is the national football team of San Marino, controlled by the San Marino Football Federation...
in a Euro 2008 qualifier on 17 October 2007.
In 2008 Ledley, along with a number of other full Wales internationals, was called back into the Wales U21 squad
Wales national under-21 football team
The Wales national under-21 football team, also known as the Wales U21s, is the national under-21 football team of Wales and is controlled by the Football Association of Wales. The team competes in the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, held every two years...
in a bid to help the team qualify for the U21 championships, only for a back injury to rule him out. On 29 May 2009, with a number of first team players missing from the side, Ledley was named as captain of Wales' youngest ever side for the 1–0 win over Estonia
Estonia national football team
The Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
and Wales' 2010 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...
match 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...
in Baku.
International goals
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 October 2007 | Serravalle, San Marino San Marino San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino , is a state situated on the Italian Peninsula on the eastern side of the Apennine Mountains. It is an enclave surrounded by Italy. Its size is just over with an estimated population of over 30,000. Its capital is the City of San Marino... |
0–2 | 1–2 | Euro 2008 qualification | |
| 2 | 10 September 2008 | Moscow Moscow Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent... , Russia Russia Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects... |
1–1 | 2–1 | 2010 World Cup qualification 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 | 11 August 2010 | Llanelli Llanelli Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby... , 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... |
2–1 | 5–1 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Other | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Cardiff City Cardiff City F.C. Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for... |
2004–05 | 28 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||||||
| 32 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 2005–06 | 42 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |||||||
| 45 | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 2006–07 | 46 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||||
| 49 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 2007–08 | 41 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |||||||
| 48 | 11 | ||||||||||||
| 2008–09 | 40 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |||||||
| 46 | 5 | ||||||||||||
| 2009–10 | 29 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |||||
| 36 | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Total | 226 | 26 | 14 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | - | 256 | 30 | |
| Celtic Celtic F.C. Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the... |
2010–11 2010–11 Scottish Premier League The 2010–11 Scottish Premier League was the thirteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football. It commenced on 14 August 2010 and ended on 15 May 2011... |
29 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | ||||||
| 3 | 0 | 40 | 6 | ||||||||||
| 2011–12 2011–12 Scottish Premier League The 2011–12 Scottish Premier League is the fourteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football, since its inception in 1998. The season started on 23 July 2011.... |
13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||||
| 6 | 1 | 21 | 4 | ||||||||||
| Total | 42 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 1 | - | - | 9 | 1 | 61 | 10 | |
| Career total | 268 | 31 | 18 | 5 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 317 | 40 | |
Football League Championship play-offs
Football League Championship play-offs
The Football League Championship play-offs are a series of playoff matches contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the Football League Championship table. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 6th playing 3rd and 5th playing 4th, with the return fixtures following...
Style of play
Ledley has been described as having a terrific engine, this is because of his high fitness level and work rate. He works equally hard in defence as attack and always looks to win the ball off the opposition, while he is also able to contribute goals to his team going forward. He is comfortable on the ball and is a decent passer. He is also a very physical player. Ledley has been criticised for not being a very quick player, some critics have suggested that several Premier League clubs who were interested in him may have been put off by his lack of pace. However, John HartsonJohn Hartson
John Hartson is a former Welsh international footballer who played as a striker, best known for his spells with West Ham and Celtic. Hartson also featured prominently for Wales, earning 51 caps until his international retirement in 2006...
has said that pace isn't the most important thing, especially when Ledley is good in so many other aspects of the game. He has also said the he thinks Ledley would be able to play in the Premier League and compared his style of play to that of players like Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso
Xabier "Xabi" Alonso Olano is a Spanish World Cup-winning footballer who plays for Real Madrid as a midfielder.Alonso began his career at Real Sociedad, the main team of his home region Gipuzkoa. After a brief loan period at Eibar he returned to Sociedad where then manager John Toshack appointed...
and Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard
Frank James Lampard is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Chelsea and the England national team. He also holds the position of vice-captain for his club side...
.
At the start of Ledley's career he was generally played as a left midfielder. However, during the 2008-09 season he was used more in the centre.
Personal life
He and his partner Ruby have a daughter, named Layla, born in October 2010. In March 2011, Ledley's house was broken into while he was in Hamilton and his wife and daughter were in Cardiff. After this they decided to move because they couldn't raise their child in a house that had been broken into. In September 2011, he was reportedly attacked while out in Glasgow City CentreGlasgow city centre
Glasgow city centre is the central business district of Glasgow, Scotland. Is bounded by the High Street to the east, the River Clyde to the south and the M8 motorway to the west and north which was built through the Townhead, Charing Cross, Cowcaddens and Anderston areas in the 1960s...
. It was claimed by witnesses that a man headbutted him, then kicked him in the face after he fell to the ground before police stepped in. However, Strathclyde Police
Strathclyde Police
Strathclyde Police is the territorial police force responsible for the Scottish council areas of Argyll and Bute, City of Glasgow, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West...
said that they had no record of the incident.
Club
Cardiff CityFA 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...
- Runner-up: 2007–082008 FA Cup FinalThe 2008 FA Cup Final was a football match held at Wembley Stadium on 17 May 2008 and was the final match of the 2007–08 FA Cup competition. The match was the 127th FA Cup Final, and the second to be held at the new Wembley Stadium since its redevelopment. The match was contested by Portsmouth and...
Football League Championship play-offs
Football League Championship play-offs
The Football League Championship play-offs are a series of playoff matches contested by the teams finishing from 3rd to 6th in the Football League Championship table. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 6th playing 3rd and 5th playing 4th, with the return fixtures following...
- Runner-up: 20102010 Football League Championship play-off FinalThe 2010 Football League Championship play-off Final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium in London on 22 May 2010 to decide the third team to be promoted from The Championship to the Premier League for the 2010–11 season....
Celtic
Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
- Winner: 2010–11
Individual
- Wales Club Player of the Year (2): 2007, 2008
- PFA Championship Team of the YearPFA Team of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
(1): 2008–09 - ChampionshipFootball League ChampionshipThe 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...
Player of the Month (1): January 2009
External links
- Joe Ledley profile Cardiff City FC
- Joe Ledley profile Football Association of Wales
- Joe Ledley Celtic FC