Chris Eagles facts for kids
Eagles with Burnley in 2011
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Christopher Mark Eagles | ||
| Date of birth | 19 November 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Hemel Hempstead, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger Attacking midfielder |
||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–2000 | Watford | ||
| 2000–2003 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2008 | Manchester United | 6 | (1) |
| 2005 | → Watford (loan) | 13 | (1) |
| 2005 | → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) | 25 | (3) |
| 2006 | → Watford (loan) | 17 | (3) |
| 2006 | → NEC Nijmegen (loan) | 15 | (1) |
| 2008–2011 | Burnley | 120 | (20) |
| 2011–2014 | Bolton Wanderers | 93 | (17) |
| 2014–2015 | Blackpool | 7 | (1) |
| 2015 | Charlton Athletic | 15 | (2) |
| 2015–2016 | Bury | 4 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Accrington Stanley | 6 | (0) |
| 2017 | Port Vale | 20 | (4) |
| 2017–2018 | Ross County | 8 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | Oldham Athletic | 15 | (0) |
| Total | 364 | (53) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Christopher Mark Eagles (born 19 November 1985) is a former English footballer. He played as a winger, which means he played on the sides of the field to help attack.
Chris Eagles started his football journey in the youth team at Watford. He then joined Manchester United as a professional player. Even though he played 17 times for United, he often went on loan to other clubs. These clubs included Watford, Sheffield Wednesday, and a Dutch team called NEC Nijmegen.
In July 2008, Chris moved permanently to Burnley. He helped them get promoted to a higher league in 2009. After three seasons with Burnley, he joined Bolton Wanderers in 2011. He also played for several other teams like Blackpool, Charlton Athletic, Bury, Accrington Stanley, Port Vale, and Ross County. He later joined Oldham Athletic in 2019 before leaving in 2020.
Contents
Chris Eagles' Football Journey
Chris Eagles was born in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. When he was a child, he loved football and was a fan of Tottenham Hotspur. He started playing in the youth system at Watford.
Starting at Manchester United
At 14, Chris left Watford to join the Manchester United academy. He made his first team debut for Manchester United on 28 October 2003. This was in a League Cup game against Leeds United.
He also played in the 2004 FA Community Shield match. This is a special game played before the new football season starts.
Loan Spells to Gain Experience
To get more playing time, Chris was loaned to Watford in January 2005. He scored his first goal in a senior game for Watford on 5 February. He played 13 games for them.
Later, he was loaned to Sheffield Wednesday for part of the 2005–06 season. His manager, Paul Sturrock, said that Sir Alex Ferguson wanted Chris to play in front of big crowds. This would help him learn how to handle pressure. He scored three goals in 25 games for Sheffield Wednesday.
In January 2006, Chris went back to Watford for another loan. He scored a winning goal from about 50 yards away! This amazing goal won him the club's "Goal of the Season" award. Watford reached the Championship play-off final that year. They won 3–0 against Leeds United and were promoted to the Premier League.
In August 2006, Chris went on loan to NEC Nijmegen, a Dutch team. This was to get even more experience playing in a different country. He returned to Manchester United in December.
On 28 April 2007, Chris scored his first goal for Manchester United in a Premier League game. It was a 4–2 win against Everton. This goal helped United get closer to winning the Premier League title.
Time at Burnley Football Club
In July 2008, Chris Eagles joined Burnley on a three-year contract. The fee for his transfer was reported to be £1.2 million. His manager, Owen Coyle, was very happy to have him. Coyle said Chris could play in many different positions, like a striker or a midfielder.
Chris played his first league game for Burnley on 9 August. He scored his first goal for the club on 27 September in a win against Preston North End. He had a great season in 2008–09, scoring eight goals in 57 games. He also helped Burnley win the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium. This win meant Burnley was promoted to the Premier League.
In the 2009–10 season, Chris played 34 Premier League games. Burnley was relegated back to the Championship that season. In July 2010, Rangers from Scotland wanted to buy Chris, but he decided to stay at Burnley. He signed a new contract with them.
In October 2010, his manager, Brian Laws, praised Chris for being in "magnificent form." Chris scored 15 goals in 48 games for Burnley in the 2010–11 season.
Playing for Bolton Wanderers
In July 2011, Chris Eagles and his teammate Tyrone Mears moved to Bolton Wanderers. They signed a three-year contract. They joined their former manager, Owen Coyle, who was now at Bolton.
Chris made his debut for Bolton on 13 August in a 4–0 win. He scored his first goal for the "Trotters" (Bolton's nickname) on 20 September in a League Cup game. He also scored two goals in a big 5–0 win against Stoke City in November. At the end of that season, Bolton was relegated to the Championship.
In the 2012–13 season, Chris was a very important player for Bolton. Fans even named him "Player of the Month" for August, September, and October. He was Bolton's top goalscorer with twelve goals and also made twelve assists.
He played 18 games in the 2013–14 season. He left Bolton in May 2014. In July 2014, he received an honorary degree from the University of Bolton for his contributions to sport.
Later Career Teams
On 18 November 2014, Chris joined Blackpool on a short contract. He played seven games for them.
He then signed with Charlton Athletic on 19 February 2015. He scored a goal in his very first game for Charlton, helping them win 3–0.
After that, Chris had trials with other clubs before joining Bury in October 2015. He later signed with Accrington Stanley in August 2016.
In January 2017, he joined Port Vale. He scored important goals for them, including one that won him the club's "Goal of the Season" award. He left Port Vale at the end of that season.
On 23 November 2017, Chris signed with Ross County in Scotland. He reunited with his former manager, Owen Coyle, there. He left Ross County in April 2018.
After being a free agent for over a year, Chris returned to football in July 2019. He signed a one-year deal with Oldham Athletic. He left the club in January 2020.
In November 2021, Chris played in a charity football match. It was a game between Bolton Wanderers Legends and the current Bolton first team. The match helped raise money for a good cause, and Chris scored two goals for the Legends team.
How Chris Eagles Played
Chris Eagles was known as a winger, which means he played on the sides of the field. He could also play as an attacking midfielder, helping to create goals.
Experts described him as a "natural footballer" who made difficult things look easy. He had great natural skill and was calm when playing. He was also good at passing the ball. His former teammate, Tom Pope, said Chris's "technique was frighteningly good." This meant he was amazing at controlling the ball, dribbling, and knowing where other players were on the field.
Honours and Achievements
Chris Eagles achieved some notable successes during his career:
Manchester United
- FA Community Shield: 2007
Watford
- Football League Championship play-offs: 2006
Burnley
- Football League Championship play-offs: 2009
Images for kids
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Eagles with Burnley in 2011
See also
In Spanish: Chris Eagles para niños
