George Friend

George Friend
Personal information
Full name George Andrew Jordan Friend[1]
Date of birth (1987-10-19) 19 October 1987[2]
Place of birth Barnstaple, England
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2]
Playing position Left back
Club information
Current team
 Middlesbrough
Number 3
Youth career
0000–2005 Exeter City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2008 Exeter City 37 (1)
2008–2010 Wolverhampton Wanderers 7 (0)
2009 → Millwall (loan) 6 (0)
2009 → Southend United (loan) 6 (1)
2009 → Scunthorpe United (loan) 4 (0)
2010 → Exeter City (loan) 13 (1)
2010–2012 Doncaster Rovers 59 (1)
2012– Middlesbrough 226 (8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:00, 6 October 2018 (UTC)

George Andrew Jordan Friend (born 19 October 1987) is an English professional footballer who plays as a left back for Championship club Middlesbrough.

In the 2012–13 season, Friend won Middlesbrough players' player of the season award. The following season, Friend won it again along with the Player of the Season award. Friend was named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year two years running, in the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons.

Career

Exeter City

Friend was born in Barnstaple, Devon.[2] He began his career at then non-League Exeter City as a youth team player, signing a two-year professional contract in March 2006. Able to play left back, centre-back or left-sided midfield, he made his first-team debut on 17 April 2006 in a 0–0 draw at Forest Green Rovers.[3]

His Exeter career took off in the 2007–08 season when he was integral to the side that won promotion to the Football League after defeating Cambridge United in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium. During that season he became the youngest ever captain in Exeter's history and scored his first goal for the club in a 4–4 draw with Burton Albion on 26 April 2008.[4]

Wolverhampton Wanderers

After playing in Exeter's opening matches in the Football League, he moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship on 1 September 2008, signing a two-year contract, with the option of a third year,[5] for an initial fee of £350,000.[6] He made six first team appearances for Wolves during the 2008–09 season as they were promoted to the Premier League as champions.

To gain regular playing time, he spent a month's loan at League One club Millwall during August to September 2009, before returning to Wolves.[7] He soon went out on a month's loan again on 18 September to another League One club, Southend United,[8] where he scored his first league goal with a free-kick against Southampton.[9] After a proposed extension to his stay with Southend was cancelled due to the club's financial troubles, he instead spent six weeks on loan at Championship club Scunthorpe United.[10]

Friend was recalled by Wolves as extra cover after injuries struck, giving him his first Premier League appearance on 15 December 2009 against Manchester United.[11] His surprise involvement in the game was just one factor behind the club eventually receiving a £25,000 suspended fine for fielding an under-strength side.[12] Friend did not feature again for Wolves before being loaned out once more, this time rejoining former club Exeter City for the rest of the season,[13] during which time he helped them avoid an instant return to League Two.

Doncaster Rovers

At the end of the 2009–10 season it was announced that his deal at Wolves would not be extended,[14] and Friend switched to Championship club Doncaster Rovers on a two-year contract[15] despite being linked with a return move to Exeter City.[16] Friend made his Doncaster debut in their 2–0 opening day win at Preston North End on 7 August 2010. On 11 September 2010, Friend scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw against Watford. The next game on 14 September 2010, Friend set up a goal for James Coppinger to score a second goal in a match with a 3–1 win over Norwich City. Since making his debut, Friend became established in the first team in defense position, playing in the left-back. In a match with a 3–1 win over Scunthorpe United on 18 October 2011, Friend sustained an injury in early minutes and was substituted. After a surgery, Friend was out for three months. On 25 January 2011, Friend made his return in a 2–0 loss against Burnley, coming on as a substitute in an early minute.

Friend was appointed captain at the beginning of 2011–12 following and won player of the year and supporters player of the year at the end of the season. Friend managed to regain his place in the starting eleven in the left back position but the club was relegated to League One after three seasons in the Championship.

Middlesbrough

On 23 July 2012, despite interest from Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest, it was announced that Doncaster had agreed a fee with Middlesbrough for Friend.[17] On 30 July, Friend had agreed personal terms and officially signed for Middlesbrough. The fee was reported to be around £100,000.

After completing a successful season, in which Friend became a fans' favourite because of his consistent performances, he was awarded the Community Player of the Year after attending numerous off-field events, as well as winning the players' player of the year award. For the 2013–14 season, Friend was issued the number 3 squad number previously worn by departing defender André Bikey. Friend scored his first goal for Boro in a 2–2 draw at Wigan on 25 August. It was his first goal since 2010. Friend scored his second goal for Boro with a 20-yard strike in a 2–2 draw against Nottingham Forest on 17 September 2013.

Friend captained a Boro side for the first time in a 2–0 victory against Rotherham United on 11 April 2015.

Career statistics

As of end of 2017–18 season
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Exeter City 2005–06[18] Conference National 1000—0010
2006–07[19] Conference National 2000—0020
2007–08[20] Conference Premier 30120005[lower-alpha 1]0371
2008–09[21] League Two 40—10—50
Total 371201050451
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2008–09[21] Championship 6010——70
2009–10[22] Premier League 1000——10
Total 7010——80
Millwall (loan) 2009–10[22] League One 60——1[lower-alpha 2]070
Southend United (loan) 2009–10[22] League One 61———61
Scunthorpe United (loan) 2009–10[22] Championship 40———40
Exeter City (loan) 2009–10[22] League One 131———131
Doncaster Rovers 2010–11[23] Championship 3212010—351
2011–12[24] Championship 2700020—290
Total 5912030—641
Middlesbrough 2012–13[25] Championship 3401040—390
2013–14[26] Championship 4131010—433
2014–15[27] Championship 42120103[lower-alpha 3]0481
2015–16[28] Championship 4011040—451
2016–17[29] Premier League 2402010—270
2017–18[30] Championship 33220202[lower-alpha 3]0392
Total 214790130502417
Career total 3461114017011038811
  1. ↑ One appearance in Conference League Cup, one in FA Trophy, three in Conference Premier play-offs
  2. ↑ Appearance in Football League Trophy
  3. 1 2 Appearances in Championship play-offs

Honours

Exeter City

Middlesbrough

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Middlesbrough" (PDF). English Football League. p. 23. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Edinburgh: Mainstream Publishing. p. 159. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
  3. ↑ "Forest Green 0–0 Exeter". BBC Sport. 17 April 2006.
  4. ↑ "Burton 4–4 Exeter". BBC Sport. 26 April 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2010.
  5. ↑ Buy George! Wolves Sign A Friend Archived 3 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ City's £500,000 Friend
  7. ↑ Millwall Find A Friend Archived 26 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ↑ "Southend get a new friend". Southend United F.C. 18 September 2009. Archived from the original on 23 September 2009.
  9. ↑ "Southend 1–3 Southampton". BBC Sport. 9 October 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
  10. ↑ "Iron Friend!". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 30 October 2009. Archived from the original on 6 January 2010.
  11. ↑ "Man Utd 3–0 Wolverhampton". BBC Sport. 15 December 2009.
  12. ↑ "Wolves fined £25,000 over Old Trafford team selection". BBC Sport. 18 February 2010.
  13. ↑ "Exeter City re-sign George Friend from Wolves". BBC Sport. 4 March 2010.
  14. ↑ "Three to leave Molineux". Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. 13 May 2010. Archived from the original on 15 May 2010.
  15. ↑ "Doncaster Rovers complete signing of George Friend". BBC Sport. 14 June 2010.
  16. ↑ "Friend not ruling out Exeter". Sky Sports. 28 May 2010. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  17. ↑ "Jewell confirms Friend bid". Sky Sports. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
  18. ↑ "Games played by George Friend in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  19. ↑ Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2007). Non-League Club Directory 2008. Kingsbridge: Tony Williams Publications. pp. 82–83. ISBN 978-1-869833-57-2.
  20. 1 2 Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2008). Non-League Club Directory 2009. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 172–173. ISBN 978-1-869833-59-6.
  21. 1 2 "Games played by George Friend in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 "Games played by George Friend in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  23. ↑ "Games played by George Friend in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  24. ↑ "Games played by George Friend in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  25. ↑ "Games played by George Friend in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  26. ↑ "Games played by George Friend in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  27. ↑ "Games played by George Friend in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  28. 1 2 "Games played by George Friend in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  29. ↑ "Games played by George Friend in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  30. ↑ "Games played by George Friend in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  31. ↑ "Championship: 2015/16: Latest table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  32. ↑ "PFA Championship Team of the Year: Deeney only Watford player". BBC Sport. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  33. ↑ "PFA awards: Leicester and Spurs dominate Premier League team". BBC Sport. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
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