Joe Ledley facts for kids
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Ledley with Wales, 2016
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 23 January 1987 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Cardiff, Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–2004 | Cardiff City | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2010 | Cardiff City | 229 | (27) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2014 | Celtic | 106 | (20) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2017 | Crystal Palace | 83 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2019 | Derby County | 30 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2020 | Charlton Athletic | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2020 | Newcastle Jets | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Newport County | 4 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 459 | (55) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Wales U17 | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Wales U19 | 3 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2008 | Wales U21 | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2018 | Wales | 77 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Joseph Christopher Ledley (born 23 January 1987) is a Welsh former professional footballer. He mostly played as a central midfielder.
Joe Ledley started his career with Cardiff City in the EFL Championship. He played there for six years. He helped his team reach the FA Cup Final in 2008. He also helped them get to the Championship play-off final in 2010. In 2010, he moved to Celtic for free. He won the Scottish Premier League title in 2012. The next year, he won both the league and the Scottish Cup. In January 2014, he joined Crystal Palace. He played three and a half seasons in the Premier League with them.
Ledley also played for Wales at different age levels. He played for the under-17, under-19, and under-21 teams. He made his first full international appearance in 2005. He played over 70 games for his country. He was even captain a few times. Ledley was part of the Welsh team that reached the semi-finals of UEFA Euro 2016.
Contents
- Joe Ledley's Early Life and Football Start
- Joe Ledley's Club Career
- Joe Ledley's International Career
- Joe Ledley's Playing Style
- Joe Ledley's Personal Life
- Joe Ledley's Career Honours
- See also
Joe Ledley's Early Life and Football Start
Joe Ledley was born in Cardiff, Wales. He grew up in the Fairwater area. He went to Cantonian High School. He was the captain of his school's football team. His picture is still at the school today. When he was younger, he played many sports. But he always wanted to be a footballer.
He supported Cardiff City as a child. He joined the club's youth team when he was nine. As a young player, he used to clean the boots of the team captain, Graham Kavanagh. He kept cleaning them even after joining the first team. This helped him stay humble.
Joe Ledley's Club Career
Playing for Cardiff City
First Games: 2004–05 Season
Ledley joined the first team during the 2004–05 season. He was only 17 years old. His first game was in the Football League Cup on 21 September 2004. He came on as a substitute in a 4–1 win. His league debut was on 16 October. It was a 2–0 win against Rotherham United.
Three days later, he started his first game for the club. It was a 1–1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. He had chances to score, including a header that hit the goalpost. His manager, Lennie Lawrence, said Ledley was not scared at all. He played like an experienced player.
Ledley scored his first goal for Cardiff on 2 November. It was in a 4–1 win over West Ham. He controlled a cross and scored with his right foot. His manager and teammates praised him a lot. They said he showed great maturity.
On 4 February 2005, he signed a new contract with Cardiff City. This was after he was called up to the Wales under-21 squad. A month later, he scored a key goal. It helped Cardiff beat Sheffield United 1–0. Ledley's season ended in April because of a foot injury. He had played 32 games for Cardiff City. His good play helped Cardiff avoid relegation that season.
More Goals: 2005–06 Season
Ledley's first goal of the 2005–06 season was in a 2–1 League Cup win. It was against Macclesfield Town. He scored the goal that made the score equal. On 18 October, he scored in a 2–2 draw against Preston North End.
Four days later, Cardiff beat Crewe Alexandra 6–1. Ledley scored the second goal, making it 2–1. Cardiff was doing much better than expected. On 31 December, Ledley scored his fourth goal of the season. It was in a 2–1 win over Southampton.
Key Player: 2006–07 Season
Ledley scored in the first game of the 2006–07 season. It was the first goal in a 2–1 win over Barnsley. Weeks later, he scored again. Cardiff City beat Birmingham City 2–0. This win put Cardiff at the top of the league.
Cardiff had a full stadium for the first time in over 45 years. This showed how well they were doing. Ledley was a very important player for the team. His speed on the left side was key to their playing style. On 25 September, Ledley scored in a 3–0 win over Southend United. This confirmed Cardiff as early favorites.
Cardiff played Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup. The first game was a 0–0 draw. Ledley had a great chance to score but shot just over the bar. Tottenham won the replay 4–0. On 2 February, Ledley got a hamstring injury. At the end of the season, he won an award. His goal against Barnsley was named the Football League goal of the season.
FA Cup Final Run: 2007–08 Season
Ledley started the 2007–08 season in great form. He won several "man of the match" awards. In October 2007, he signed a new two-year contract. Other clubs were interested in him. Wolverhampton Wanderers offered money for him. Premier League team Everton also showed interest. Cardiff valued him at a high price.
Ledley wanted to stay at Cardiff. But he knew he might have to leave if a big offer came. Everton tried to sign him again in January. But Cardiff rejected the offer. Ledley got a hamstring injury in February. This made him miss some games. He missed Cardiff's 2–0 FA Cup win over Middlesbrough.
He came back in time for the FA Cup Semi-Final. Cardiff played Barnsley. Ledley scored the only goal. This sent Cardiff to their first Final since 1927. This goal was named "Player of the Round". Cardiff lost the Final to Portsmouth.
Captaincy and Awards: 2008–09 Season
In summer 2008, Stoke City offered to buy Ledley. Cardiff turned down their offers. On 7 October, Ledley was named Welsh clubman of the year. This was for the second year in a row. He scored his first goal of the 2008–09 season in November. It was in a 2–1 win over Crystal Palace.
He scored again in a game against Swansea City. This game ended 2–2. His goal was later named the club's goal of the season. On 6 December 2008, Ledley became captain for the first time. He was only 21 years old. This was in a 2–0 win over Preston North End.
His great performances earned him an award. He was named Championship player of the month for January. He stayed captain for the rest of the season. At the end of the year, he was named in the Championship Team of the Year.
Final Season at Cardiff: 2009–10
Ledley had only one year left on his contract. There was talk about him leaving. Because of this, he was no longer captain. But Ledley stayed with Cardiff. He played in the first game at the new Cardiff City Stadium. In September 2009, he was offered a new contract. But he turned it down. He was sent off for the first time in his career in September.
In November 2009, some people criticized Ledley's play. He later said he needed surgery for a hip injury. This injury had been bothering him for three months. On 9 December, Cardiff confirmed he needed the operation. He scored his first goals of the season on 28 December. He scored two goals against Peterborough United.
On 29 January 2010, Ledley had his hip surgery. He was expected to miss the rest of the season. But he came back early. He played as a substitute in a 2–1 win over Swansea City. On 17 April, Ledley scored against Queens Park Rangers. This win secured a Play-Off spot for Cardiff. He scored in the Play-off Final against Blackpool. But Cardiff lost the game 3–2.
Ledley's contract ended that season. He moved to Scottish Premier League club Celtic. Cardiff City did not get any money for the transfer. This was because he moved to a team outside the English Football League.
Moving to Celtic
First Season in Scotland: 2010–11
Ledley joined Celtic on a four-year contract on 12 July 2010. He had talked to other clubs before joining Celtic. He made his first game for Celtic on 28 July. It was a Champions League qualifying game. His first league game was two weeks later.
At first, Ledley played as a left-back. This was a new position for him. But he worked hard to do his best. He scored his first goal for Celtic on 22 August 2010. It was in a 4–0 win against St Mirren. Later, he moved back to his usual midfield role.
On 6 November 2010, Ledley scored again. It was in a huge 9–0 win over Aberdeen. Four days later, he was sent off in a game. He said he thought it was a fair challenge. His manager, Neil Lennon, also defended him.
He played regularly after his suspension. In February 2011, Neil Lennon praised Ledley. He said Ledley "completely ran the game" in one match. On 16 March 2011, Ledley scored both goals for Celtic. This was in a 2–1 Scottish Cup win. On 20 March 2011, Ledley played in his second cup final. It was the Scottish League Cup Final against Rangers. He scored a goal, but Celtic lost 2–1. He missed the end of the season due to a hamstring injury. He missed Celtic's Scottish Cup Final win.
Winning the League: 2011–12 Season
Ledley played in Celtic's first game of the 2011–12 season. He scored in a 5–1 win over Dundee United in August. On 10 September, he scored in a 4–0 win over Motherwell. He also played in a Europa League game.
On 24 September, he scored the first goal in a 2–0 win. Five days later, he played in a 1–1 draw with Udinese. He had to leave the game early due to a groin injury. On 21 October, he scored a clever header. This gave Celtic a 1–1 draw against Stade Rennais.
He scored Celtic's winning goal against Rangers in December 2011. This win put Celtic in first place. He scored again in February against Hearts. Three days later, he scored against Inverness Caledonian Thistle. On 18 March 2012, Ledley played in another Scottish League Cup Final. But Celtic lost 1–0.
However, Ledley did win a trophy that season. Celtic won the Scottish Premier League. This was their first league title in three years. They won the title on 7 April 2012. Ledley scored Celtic's fifth goal in a 6–0 win. He said winning the title was "one of the biggest achievements of my life". He played 32 league games and scored 7 goals that season.
Double Winners: 2012–13 Season
On 8 August 2012, Ledley scored in a 2–0 win. It was an away game against HJK Helsinki in the Champions League. Ledley played in the next Champions League qualifier too. Celtic won and reached the group stages. He played in 5 of these group matches. This included a 3–2 away win and a famous 2–1 win over Barcelona. These results helped Celtic get to the last 16 of the Champions League.
Ledley played regularly for Celtic in 2012–13. He was captain several times when Scott Brown was injured. He scored Celtic's third goal in a 4–1 win in April 2013. This win secured the League Championship for Celtic. Ledley won another trophy at the end of the season. He scored Celtic's third goal in a 3–0 win. This was against Hibernian in the Scottish Cup Final.
Final Celtic Games: 2013–14 Season
In the 2013–14 season, Ledley kept playing regularly. But his contract was ending in summer 2014. Celtic tried to agree on a new contract. But by December 2013, they had not agreed. Manager Neil Lennon thought Ledley might leave.
Ledley kept playing well despite the talks. On 29 January 2014, he scored his fifth goal of the season. It was in a 4–0 win over Kilmarnock. This was Ledley's last game and goal for Celtic.
Playing for Crystal Palace
On 31 January 2014, Ledley joined Crystal Palace. He signed a three-and-a-half-year contract. The transfer happened just minutes before the transfer window closed. Ledley said he would have stayed at Celtic if he hadn't joined Crystal Palace. He was given the number 28 shirt.
He scored in his first game on 8 February. It was a 3–1 home win against West Bromwich Albion. He scored with a header from a corner kick. His manager, Tony Pulis, praised his performance. Ledley scored in a 3–0 win over his old club, Cardiff, on 5 April. He chose not to celebrate his goal.
Pulis praised Ledley's play at Cardiff. He said Ledley brought "a little bit of class" to Palace. He also said Ledley had a "fantastic attitude" and worked very hard. Ledley played in central midfield, attacking midfield, and left-back. He helped Crystal Palace finish 11th in the Premier League. This kept them safe from relegation. The next season, he scored important goals. These were in wins against Liverpool and Leicester City.
On 9 June 2017, Ledley left Crystal Palace. His contract had ended.
Time at Derby County
After leaving Crystal Palace, Ledley turned down other offers. He didn't have a club at the end of summer 2017. On 20 September 2017, he joined Derby County. He signed a contract until January 2018. Ledley played his first game for Derby on 26 September. He scored his first goal for them in a 1–1 draw. This was against Brentford.
He signed a longer contract with Derby on 28 November 2017. It lasted until the end of the 2018–19 season. On 30 January 2019, Ledley left Derby County. Both sides agreed to end his contract.
Later Career and Retirement
On 6 December 2019, Ledley joined Charlton Athletic. He signed a short-term deal. He played his only game for them the next day.
On 23 February 2020, Ledley trained with Newport County. But he turned down their contract offer. He then joined A League team Newcastle Jets in Australia. This was until the end of their season. He was signed by his former teammate, Carl Robinson. He stayed with the club until August due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In February 2021, Ledley trained with Bristol Rovers. But on 18 March, he joined Newport County. He signed until the end of the season. He played his first game two days later. He was a substitute in a 1–0 loss. He was on the bench for the playoff final. Newport lost that game 1–0. On 4 June, it was announced he would leave Newport.
On 14 November 2021, Joe Ledley announced he was retiring from football.
Joe Ledley's International Career
Ledley was first called up to the Wales under-21 squad in 2005. He was only 17. By the end of that season, he had played three under-21 games. His manager, Lennie Lawrence, expected him to play for the full Wales team soon.
Wales manager John Toshack also had high hopes for Ledley. He saw Ledley, along with Gareth Bale, as talented young players. They could play for the national team for many years.
Ledley played for Wales at different youth levels. He earned his first game for the senior Wales team on 7 September 2005. It was a World Cup qualifying match against Poland. His first international goal was against San Marino. This was in a Euro 2008 qualifier on 17 October 2007.
In 2008, Ledley was called back to the Wales U21 squad. This was to help them qualify for the U21 championships. But a back injury stopped him from playing. On 29 May 2009, Ledley was named captain of Wales' youngest ever team. This was for a 1–0 win over Estonia. He also captained the team a week later.
He played his 50th international game on 16 November 2013. It was a friendly game against Finland.
Ledley was chosen for UEFA Euro 2016 in France. He had broken his leg just a month before. But he played in all six games as Wales reached the semi-finals. He started every game except the first one.
Joe Ledley's Playing Style
People often said Ledley had a "terrific engine." This means he had high fitness and worked very hard. He worked hard in both defense and attack. He always tried to win the ball back. He could also score goals for his team. He was good with the ball and a decent passer. He was also a very strong player.
Some people said Ledley was not very fast. They thought this might have stopped some clubs from signing him. But former player John Hartson said speed is not always the most important thing. He said Ledley was good in many other ways. Hartson thought Ledley could play in the Premier League. He compared Ledley's style to players like Xabi Alonso and Frank Lampard.
At the start of his career, Ledley usually played as a left winger. But since the 2008–09 season, he played more in the center midfield.
Joe Ledley's Personal Life
Joe Ledley and his wife Ruby have two daughters. Their names are Layla and Reeva. Ledley was a Liverpool fan when he was young. His hero was Ryan Giggs. Ledley was part of ITV's TV coverage for UEFA Euro 2020.
Joe Ledley's Career Honours
Cardiff City
- FA Cup runner-up: 2007–08
Celtic
- Scottish Premiership: 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14
- Scottish Cup: 2012–13
Individual Awards
- Wales Club Player of the Year: 2007, 2008
- PFA Championship Team of the Year: 2008–09
- Championship Player of the Month: January 2009
See also
In Spanish: Joe Ledley para niños
