Tom Cleverley facts for kids
Cleverley playing for Everton in 2015
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas William Cleverley | ||
| Date of birth | 12 August 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Basingstoke, Hampshire, England | ||
| Height | 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Watford (head coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–2000 | Bradford City | ||
| 2000–2008 | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2008–2015 | Manchester United | 55 | (3) |
| 2009 | → Leicester City (loan) | 15 | (2) |
| 2009–2010 | → Watford (loan) | 33 | (11) |
| 2010–2011 | → Wigan Athletic (loan) | 25 | (4) |
| 2014–2015 | → Aston Villa (loan) | 31 | (3) |
| 2015–2017 | Everton | 32 | (2) |
| 2017 | → Watford (loan) | 17 | (0) |
| 2017–2023 | Watford | 137 | (8) |
| Total | 328 | (33) | |
| National team | |||
| 2009 | England U20 | 1 | (2) |
| 2009–2011 | England U21 | 16 | (0) |
| 2012 | Great Britain Olympic | 5 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | England | 13 | (0) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2024– | Watford | ||
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Thomas William Cleverley (born on 12 August 1989) is an English football coach and former professional player. He played as a midfielder and is now the head coach for Watford, an EFL Championship club.
Cleverley started his football journey at Bradford City's youth academy. At age 12, he joined Manchester United. He gained experience through several loan spells. In 2009, he helped Leicester City win promotion. He then played for Watford in the 2009–10 season, scoring 11 goals and being named their Player of the Season. In 2010, he went on loan to Wigan Athletic, helping them avoid relegation.
He returned to Manchester United for the 2011–12 season. He made his first big appearance when United won the FA Community Shield. In 2013, he won the Premier League with Manchester United. After a loan to Aston Villa in 2014–15, his contract ended. He then signed with Everton. In January 2017, he moved to Watford, first on loan, then permanently. He played 146 games for Watford before retiring in 2023.
Cleverley also played for the Great Britain at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Later that year, he made his debut for the England national team.
Contents
Football Journey: Club Career
Early Days and Youth Teams
Tom Cleverley was born in Basingstoke, England. He grew up in Bradford, West Yorkshire. He started playing football in Bradford City's youth team. In July 2000, at 11 years old, he joined Manchester United.
During the 2005–06 season, he played for the under-18 team. He also got a taste of reserve team football. His first game for the reserves was in February 2007. However, he got a serious injury soon after and was out for seven months.
He returned in October 2007. The 2007–08 season was important for Cleverley. He became a regular player for Manchester United's reserve team. He played 21 games and helped the team win two cups. He also scored his first goals for Manchester United's reserves in January 2008. His good play earned him the captain's armband sometimes. He was also nominated for a special award for reserve players.
In July 2008, Cleverley was called up to the Manchester United first team. This was for their tour in South Africa and a game in Nigeria. He played his first game for the first team against Kaizer Chiefs. He even scored a goal in that match! He was given a first-team squad number in August 2008. He was also a substitute for some League Cup games.
Loan Adventures
Playing for Leicester City
On 16 January 2009, Cleverley joined Leicester City on loan. He stayed there for the rest of the 2008–09 season. He wore the number 7 shirt.
He played his first game for Leicester on 19 January 2009. He came on as a substitute in a 2–0 win. Cleverley scored his first goal for Leicester City on 3 February 2009. It was in a 4–1 win against Walsall. He scored again on 7 March 2009. After scoring two goals in 15 games, his loan ended early. He got a shoulder injury against Colchester United. He went back to Manchester United for treatment. Even though his loan ended, he received a medal. Leicester won promotion as champions of League One.
Time at Watford
After scoring in a pre-season game for Manchester United, Cleverley was loaned out again. This was to get more experience playing in the first team. On 18 August 2009, Cleverley joined Watford on loan. He played his first game for them that same evening. He scored a goal in injury time, helping Watford win 4–2.
He scored again in his first home game for Watford. This was four days later in a 2–2 draw. He became one of Watford's top scorers in November. Soon after, he extended his loan until the end of the 2009–10 season.
Cleverley scored five more goals for Watford. But a knee injury in April 2010 ended his season early. He was still named Watford's Player of the Season.
Loan to Wigan Athletic
On 1 July 2010, Cleverley signed a new contract with Manchester United until 2013. He went with the team for their pre-season tour in North America. He scored two goals during this tour.
On 31 August 2010, Wigan Athletic confirmed he would join them on a season-long loan. Manchester United could call him back in January if needed.
Cleverley made his debut for Wigan on 11 September 2010. This was also his first Premier League game. He came on as a substitute and helped set up a goal. He scored his first Premier League goal on 27 November. This was in a 3–1 loss to West Ham United.
Manchester United let Cleverley stay at Wigan until the end of the season. He scored a key goal in a 2–1 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers. This helped Wigan move out of the relegation zone. Cleverley was one of Wigan's best players that season. He finished with three goals and two assists in 25 league games.
Back at Manchester United
2011–12 Season
When Paul Scholes retired, there was a spot open in Manchester United's midfield. Manager Alex Ferguson saw Cleverley as a possible replacement.
Ferguson praised Cleverley after a friendly game against Barcelona. He said Cleverley was United's "best player" in that game. Cleverley made his official debut for United in the 2011 FA Community Shield. He came on as a substitute and helped set up a goal. United won 3–2 against Manchester City.
He started his first Premier League game for Manchester United on 14 August 2011. He played the whole game. Cleverley continued to impress in early matches. However, he got a foot injury in September 2011. This kept him out for a month.
In October 2011, Cleverley signed a new contract until 2015. He returned from injury later that month. But he suffered another ankle injury soon after. This kept him out until Christmas. He played occasionally after returning, making 17 appearances. Cleverley said this season was "the hardest season of my life" but made him "mentally stronger."
2012–13 Season
On 26 September 2012, Cleverley scored his first goal for Manchester United. It was in a 2–1 win against Newcastle United in the League Cup. His first league goal came on 7 October 2012, also against Newcastle United.
He scored his second league goal on 15 December in a 3–1 win. On 5 January 2013, Cleverley scored in an FA Cup game. He struggled to keep his starting spot sometimes. But he still played 22 games, which was enough to earn him a Premier League winner's medal.
2013–14 Season
Under new manager David Moyes, Cleverley played in a deeper midfield role. On 15 December 2013, he scored in a 3–0 win over Aston Villa. Manchester United had a tough season. Cleverley faced some criticism from fans. He ended the season with 32 appearances and one goal.
For the 2014–15 season, Manchester United signed many new players. Cleverley found himself less likely to play. Several clubs, including Aston Villa and Everton, showed interest in him.
Loan to Aston Villa
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Cleverley joined Aston Villa on loan on 2 September 2014. With only one year left on his United contract, Cleverley felt his time at Old Trafford was over.
He made his Aston Villa debut on 13 September 2014. His manager, Paul Lambert, defended him when some fans booed him. Cleverley lost his starting spot for a while under new manager Tim Sherwood. But he soon improved his performance.
On 25 April 2015, he scored his first goal for Aston Villa. He scored again in the next two games. His good play helped Aston Villa avoid relegation from the Premier League. Cleverley also played in the 2015 FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium. Aston Villa lost 4–0 to Arsenal.
His contract with Manchester United ended after the 2014–15 season. Cleverley was then released by the club.
Joining Everton
After leaving Manchester United, Cleverley joined Everton on 1 July 2015. He signed a five-year contract. He had considered joining Aston Villa permanently but chose Everton.
Cleverley made his Everton debut in the first game of the season. It was a 2–2 draw against Watford. However, he suffered an ankle injury during a game against Tottenham Hotspur. This kept him out for six to eight weeks. He returned in November 2015. Cleverley scored his first goal for Everton on 26 December 2015. It was a last-minute winning header against Newcastle United. He also provided three assists in February 2016. In his first season, he played 22 games and scored three goals.
In his second season, Cleverley found it harder to get into the first team. He played fewer games. It was expected that he would leave the club in January.
Back to Watford
On 12 January 2017, Cleverley joined Watford on loan. This was until the end of the 2016–17 season. He could join them permanently later. He played his first game back for Watford two days later. He quickly made a good impression. On 31 March 2017, it was announced that Cleverley would join Watford permanently on 1 July. He signed a five-year contract. He played 17 games for Watford that season.
In the 2017–18 season, Cleverley continued to play regularly. On 15 October 2017, he scored his first goal for Watford in seven years. It was in a 2–1 win over Arsenal.
He was part of the team that was relegated in the 2019–20 season. They were promoted back in the 2020–21 season. Then they were relegated again in the 2021–22 season. On 23 July 2022, Cleverley was named captain of Watford.
On 1 July 2023, Cleverley announced he was retiring from professional football. This was due to an injury. Later that month, Watford announced that Cleverley would join the club's academy. He would help coach the under-18 team. He would also take on ambassador roles for the club.
Playing for England and Great Britain
England Under-20 and Under-21 Teams
Cleverley was first called up to the England under-20 team on 12 March 2009. However, he had to withdraw due to a shoulder injury. He eventually made his Under-20 debut on 11 August 2009. He scored two goals in a 5–0 win.
He made his England U-21 debut on 4 September 2009. It was in a 2–1 win against Macedonia.
Great Britain Olympic Team
On 2 July 2012, Cleverley was chosen for the Great Britain squad. This was for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
He played in a warm-up game against Brazil national under-23 football team on 20 July 2012. He also played in the tournament's first game against Senegal. In the second group game, he helped Great Britain win against the United Arab Emirates. He set up the winning goal and impressed with his passing.
England Senior Team
In August 2011, Fabio Capello called him up to the England senior team. This was for a friendly game against the Netherlands. But the game was cancelled. He was called up again for Euro 2012 qualifying games in September 2011.
He made his debut for England a year later, on 15 August 2012. It was in a 2–1 win against Italy. He made his first official appearance on 7 September 2012. He played the full 90 minutes in a 5–0 win against Moldova. Manager Roy Hodgson praised his performance. On 12 October 2012, Cleverley made 165 touches in a game against San Marino. This was the most ever recorded for an England player. He also made two assists in that 5–0 win. His last game for England was in November 2013.
Coaching Career
After Valérien Ismaël was dismissed as Watford manager, Cleverley became the interim head coach on 9 March 2024. He won his first game as coach, 1–0 against Birmingham City. On 24 April 2024, Cleverley was given the head coach job permanently. He had only lost once in his seven games as interim coach.
Personal Life
In 2012, Cleverley started dating Georgina Dorsett. They had a daughter in 2013. They got married in London in 2015. Their son was born in 2016.
In October 2015, an incident occurred at his home.
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester United | 2008–09 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| 2012–13 | Premier League | 22 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 32 | 4 | |
| 2013–14 | Premier League | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 31 | 1 | |
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 55 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 79 | 5 | ||
| Leicester City (loan) | 2008–09 | League One | 15 | 2 | — | — | — | 15 | 2 | |||
| Watford (loan) | 2009–10 | Championship | 33 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 35 | 11 | |
| Wigan Athletic (loan) | 2010–11 | Premier League | 25 | 4 | — | — | — | 25 | 4 | |||
| Aston Villa (loan) | 2014–15 | Premier League | 31 | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 3 | ||
| Everton | 2015–16 | Premier League | 22 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 30 | 2 | |
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | ||
| Total | 32 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 42 | 2 | |||
| Watford (loan) | 2016–17 | Premier League | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 0 | ||
| Watford | 2017–18 | Premier League | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 25 | 1 | |
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 13 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 17 | 1 | ||
| 2019–20 | Premier League | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 19 | 1 | ||
| 2020–21 | Championship | 34 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 34 | 4 | ||
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23 | Championship | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 1 | ||
| Total | 137 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 146 | 8 | |||
| Career total | 328 | 33 | 22 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 379 | 35 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | |||
| 2012 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 7 | 0 | |
| Total | 13 | 0 | |
Managerial statistics
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Watford | 9 March 2024 | Present | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 38.10 | |
| Total | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 38.10 | |||
Awards and Achievements
Leicester City
- Football League One: 2008–09 (Champions)
Manchester United
- Premier League: 2012–13 (Winners)
- FA Community Shield: 2011, 2013 (Winners)
Aston Villa
- FA Cup runner-up: 2014–15
Watford
- FA Cup runner-up: 2018–19
Individual Awards
- Watford Player of the Season: 2009–10
See also
In Spanish: Tom Cleverley para niños
