Ryan Bertrand
Encyclopedia
Ryan Dominic Bertrand is an English
footballer who plays for Chelsea
. He is a left back converted from a winger.
Bertrand began his career at Gillingham
, before being signed by Chelsea
in July 2005. After graduating from the Chelsea youth system, Bertrand was sent on to loan to various club between 2006 and 2010. He made his debut for Chelsea six years after joining them, coming on as a substitute against Birmingham City
on 20 April 2011. At the start of the 2011-12 season Bertrand signed a new four-year contract with Chelsea and was made understudy to Ashley Cole
by Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas. Bertrand has stated, “Ashley Cole is the best left-back in the world and a fantastic role model".
, London
, he joined Gillingham
at a young age.
in July 2005 from Gillingham
for an initial £125,000, which was set by a tribunal and is subject to increase depending on progress.
, at the same time as former Chelsea youngster Jack Cork
. He suffered a ruptured spleen in a youth team game against Arsenal
that ruled him out of the later part of that season.
In August 2007, Bertrand joined Oldham Athletic
on loan until January 2008.
On 4 January 2008, a matter of days after his spell at Oldham came to an end, Bertrand joined Norwich City
on loan for the rest of the 2007–08 season. He put in a number of impressive displays playing at both left full back and on the left wing, and admitted he would welcome a longer stay with the club. Bertrand became popular with the Carrow Road
crowd earning him the nickname 'Plastic' in reference to the Belgian singer Plastic Bertrand
. On 4 July 2008 he rejoined the club on loan until January 2009, with an option to extend to the end of the season. On 17 July 2009 Bertrand joined Reading
on a season-long loan. He scored his first professional goal against Derby County
on 10 March 2010.
On 5 August 2010 Betrand signed an on loan with Championship
side Nottingham Forest
in an initial six-month deal. He made his debut for Forest as a substitute in the 1-0 away defeat against Burnley
. He was a regular for Forest for whom he made a total of 19 appearances. Forest were interested in either extending Betrand's loan spell for the rest of the season or sign him permanently but when his loan period expired on 3 January 2011 he returned to his parent club Chelsea.
debut came on 20 April 2011, when he came on as substitute to replace Ashley Cole
in a league 3-1 win against Birmingham City
. Betrand provided a cross which Florent Malouda
headed past the Birmingham goalkeeper. On 15 July 2011, Bertrand signed a new four-year contract with Chelsea. He was made back-up to Ashley Cole
by Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas as he remained with Chelsea and Patrick Van Aanholt
another left back went out on loan. Six years after signing for Chelsea as a school-boy, Bertrand made his first starting appearance against Fulham
in the Carling Cup
. The match finished in favour of Chelsea who won on penalties 4-3 as the match ended goalless.
, Under-18
, under-19
, Under-20
and under-21
levels. He was part of the U19 squad at the 2008 European Championships
. He was promoted to the U21's and called up for several 2009 European Championship qualifiers
, but missed out of the final tournament squad. On 14 November Stuart Pearce picked him as 1st choice left back for U21 Qualifier Game at Wembley vs Portugal and helped the team keep first clean sheet since 29 June 2009. He was named in the England Under-21 squad for the European Under-21 Championships and played all matches.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who plays for Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
. He is a left back converted from a winger.
Bertrand began his career at Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
, before being signed by Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in July 2005. After graduating from the Chelsea youth system, Bertrand was sent on to loan to various club between 2006 and 2010. He made his debut for Chelsea six years after joining them, coming on as a substitute against 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...
on 20 April 2011. At the start of the 2011-12 season Bertrand signed a new four-year contract with Chelsea and was made understudy to Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
by Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas. Bertrand has stated, “Ashley Cole is the best left-back in the world and a fantastic role model".
Childhood and early career
Born in SouthwarkSouthwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he joined Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
at a young age.
Chelsea
Bertrand was signed by ChelseaChelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in July 2005 from Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
for an initial £125,000, which was set by a tribunal and is subject to increase depending on progress.
Loan Spells
During the 2006–07 season he was twice sent on loan to BournemouthA.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
, at the same time as former Chelsea youngster Jack Cork
Jack Cork
Jack Frank Porteous Cork is an English footballer currently playing for Southampton. He is a versatile player who can play across the back, and can also play in midfield...
. He suffered a ruptured spleen in a youth team game against 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...
that ruled him out of the later part of that season.
In August 2007, Bertrand joined Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
on loan until January 2008.
On 4 January 2008, a matter of days after his spell at Oldham came to an end, Bertrand joined Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
on loan for the rest of the 2007–08 season. He put in a number of impressive displays playing at both left full back and on the left wing, and admitted he would welcome a longer stay with the club. Bertrand became popular with the Carrow Road
Carrow Road
Carrow Road is a football stadium in Norwich, England, and is the home of Norwich City Football Club. The stadium is located toward the easterly end of the city, not far from Norwich railway station and the River Wensum....
crowd earning him the nickname 'Plastic' in reference to the Belgian singer Plastic Bertrand
Plastic Bertrand
Plastic Bertrand is a Belgian musician, songwriter, producer, editor and television presenter, best known for the 1977 international hit single "Ça plane pour moi".-Early life and bands:...
. On 4 July 2008 he rejoined the club on loan until January 2009, with an option to extend to the end of the season. On 17 July 2009 Bertrand joined Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
on a season-long loan. He scored his first professional goal against Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
on 10 March 2010.
On 5 August 2010 Betrand signed an on loan 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 Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
in an initial six-month deal. He made his debut for Forest as a substitute in the 1-0 away defeat against Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
. He was a regular for Forest for whom he made a total of 19 appearances. Forest were interested in either extending Betrand's loan spell for the rest of the season or sign him permanently but when his loan period expired on 3 January 2011 he returned to his parent club Chelsea.
Return to Chelsea
Bertrand's ChelseaChelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
debut came on 20 April 2011, when he came on as substitute to replace Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
in a league 3-1 win against 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...
. Betrand provided a cross which Florent Malouda
Florent Malouda
Florent Johan Malouda is a French footballer who plays as a left winger for Chelsea and the French national team.-Châteauroux:A street footballer in his teen years, Malouda gradually developed into an interesting, new football talent, able to penetrate defenses with his technical skills and...
headed past the Birmingham goalkeeper. On 15 July 2011, Bertrand signed a new four-year contract with Chelsea. He was made back-up to Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole
Ashley Cole is an Barbadian-English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world....
by Chelsea manager André Villas-Boas as he remained with Chelsea and Patrick Van Aanholt
Patrick van Aanholt
Patrick John Miguel van Aanholt is a Dutch footballer who currently plays for Wigan Athletic, on loan from Chelsea as a left back.-Chelsea:...
another left back went out on loan. Six years after signing for Chelsea as a school-boy, Bertrand made his first starting appearance 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...
in the Carling 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...
. The match finished in favour of Chelsea who won on penalties 4-3 as the match ended goalless.
International career
Bertrand has represented England at under-17England national under-17 football team
-Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round....
, Under-18
England national under-18 football team
-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the friendly match against Slovakia.-Recent call-ups:The following players have also been called up to the England under-18 squad and remain eligible.-References:...
, under-19
England national under-19 football team
-Other matches:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the friendly match against Denmark.- Recent call-ups :The following players have also been called up to the England under-19 squad and remain eligible.-Past squads:...
, Under-20
England national under-20 football team
- Round of 16 :-Friendlies:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup running from 29 July to the 20 August 2011.-Recent call-ups:...
and under-21
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
levels. He was part of the U19 squad at the 2008 European Championships
2008 UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship
The final tournament of the 2008 UEFA European Under-19 Championship was the 24th UEFA European Under-19 Football Championship, UEFA's premier competition for players under the age of 19. The tournament was held in the Czech Republic with matches played from 14 July to 26 July 2008. Players born...
. He was promoted to the U21's and called up for several 2009 European Championship qualifiers
2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification
The 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship started on 31 May 2007 with a qualifying competition and finishes on 15 October 2008, before the final tournament on 15–23 June 2009....
, but missed out of the final tournament squad. On 14 November Stuart Pearce picked him as 1st choice left back for U21 Qualifier Game at Wembley vs Portugal and helped the team keep first clean sheet since 29 June 2009. He was named in the England Under-21 squad for the European Under-21 Championships and played all matches.
Club statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup1 | Europe | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | ||
| Bournemouth (loan) A.F.C. Bournemouth A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899.... |
2006–07 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Oldham Athletic (loan) Oldham Athletic A.F.C. Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league... |
2007–08 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Norwich City (loan) Norwich City F.C. Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The... |
2007–08 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 2 |
| Norwich City (loan) Norwich City F.C. Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The... |
2008–09 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 0 |
| Reading (loan) Reading F.C. Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship... |
2009–10 | 44 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 1 | 3 |
| Nottingham Forest (loan) Nottingham Forest F.C. Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship... |
2010–11 2010–11 Nottingham Forest F.C. season The 2010–11 season was Nottingham Forests third season in the Football League Championship, following promotion from League One in the 2007–08 season after spending three years in the third tier. Forest remained in this division after losing in the 2010 Football League play-offs... |
19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 1 |
| Chelsea Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four... |
2010–11 2010–11 Chelsea F.C. season The 2010–11 season is Chelsea Football Clubs 96th competitive season, 19th consecutive season in the Premier League, and 105th year in existence as a football club... |
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2011–12 2011–12 Chelsea F.C. season The 2011–12 season is Chelsea Football Club's 97th competitive season, 20th consecutive season in the Premier League, and 106th year in existence as a football club.-Key dates:... |
0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | |
| Career total | 130 | 1 | 7 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 146 | 1 | 8 | |
- 1Also includes other competitive competitions, including the FA CupFA CupThe 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...
, Carling Cup, and FA Community ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
.