Greg Halford

Infobox Football biography
playername = Greg Halford


fullname = Gregory Halford
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1984|12|8|df=yes
cityofbirth = Chelmsford
countryofbirth = England
height = 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
position = Right-Back
currentclub = Sheffield United
(on loan from Sunderland)
clubnumber = 2
contractend = 10 June 2011
youthyears = 2001–2002
youthclubs = Colchester United
years = 2002–2007
2003
2007
2007–
2008
2008–
clubs = Colchester United
→ Braintree Town (loan)
Reading
Sunderland
→ Charlton Athletic (loan)
→ Sheffield United (loan)
caps(goals) = 150 (24)
001 0(0)
003 0(0)
008 0(0)
016 0(2)
009 0(1)
nationalyears = 2005–
nationalteam = England U20
nationalcaps(goals) = 004 0(1)
pcupdate = 11:27, 1 October 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 23:15, 30 January 2007 (UTC)

Gregory "Greg" Halford (born 8 December 1984, in Chelmsford, England) is a professional footballer currently with Sheffield United of the Coca Cola Championship on loan from Sunderland.

Club career

Colchester United

Halford started his football career in July 2001 when he joined Colchester United's youth team.cite news | date=2007-02-05 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~976122,00.html | title=Halford makes rapid return to Colchester to say goodbye to players & fans | work=readingfc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-02-05] He signed a professional contract on 1 August 2002, made his first team debut on in a 5-0 home defeat to Luton Town on 21 April 2003, and scored his first senior goal in a 2-1 defeat at home to Hartlepool United.

Halford continued his progress at Colchester, picking up the Young Player of the Year award for the 2004-05 season, and being named in the PFA League One Team of the Year. [cite news | date=2006-04-23 | url=http://www.givemefootball.com/display.cfm?article=8212&type=1 | title=The PFA Team of the Year: Coca-Cola League One | publisher=Professional Footballers' Association | accessdate=2007-02-05]

In over 150 games in five years for the first team at Layer Road, he gained the reputation of being a 'utility man' having played in defence, midfield and attack for club and country, his last manager, Geraint Williams, preferring to play him at right back. He also had a reputation for a long throw, with a high percentage of Colchester's goals in the 2005–06 season coming from Halford's long throw. He said "I tried measuring it one time - it was half the pitch, 50 yards." [cite news | date= | url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11673_2404366,00.html | title=Halford out to impress | work=Sky Sports | accessdate=2007-12-30]

Reading

After helping the U's to gain promotion to the Championship last term, Halford handed in a transfer request in August 2006 after interest from several Premier League clubs. Keen to prove himself at a higher level, the England U20 international stated his wish to play in the Premier League, but the transfer request was rejected despite Halford reporting that Colchester had received a "big offer" from Sheffield United. He was linked with a number of Premier League clubs, but on 30 January 2007, Reading completed the signing of Halford for an undisclosed fee, [cite news | date=2007-01-30 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~973219,00.html | title=Royals pay new club record transfer fee to sign Colchester's Greg Halford | work=readingfc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-01-30] believed to be at least £2.25million, [cite news | date=2007-02-03 | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2007/02/02/readingfc_070202_feature.shtml | title=Halford: 'no pressure' from price tag | publisher=BBC Berkshire | accessdate=2008-04-03] on a contract that would keep him at Reading until June 2010. His debut for Reading came as a substitute appearance in their 0-0 home draw with Portsmouth on 17 March 2007, where he played for the last few minutes on the left wing. [cite news | date=2007-03-17 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~998534,00.html | title=Royals take a point from a disappointing game against Portsmouth | work=readingfc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-03-18] He made his full debut in Reading's 1-0 defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur on 1 April 2007, where he conceded a penalty due to a controversial hand ball decision. [cite news | date=2007-04-01 | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1005147,00.html | title=Highly controversial penalty decision gives Spurs a narrow victory | work=readingfc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-04-02]

underland

Halford signed a four year deal with Sunderland after making only three appearances for Reading in his short spell there. He was confirmed as Sunderland's first signing of the summer transfer window on 11 June 2007, and cost the club £3.5 million. Keane had previously tracked Halford and was extremely pleased to capture him, rating him very highly and expecting much from him in the 2007–08 season.cite news | title=Halford seals Black Cats move | url=http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=471316&CPID=8&clid=108&lid=2&title=Halford+seals+Black+Cats+move | publisher=Sky Sports | date=2007-06-11 | accessdate=2007-06-11] Reading's Director of Football, Nick Hammond, revealed that Halford hadn't fitted in with the rest of the Reading squad, and hadn't made the impact both Reading and Halford had desired. [cite news | title=Halford moves to Sunderland | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1034954,00.html | work=readingfc.co.uk | date=2007-06-11 | accessdate=2007-06-11]

He made his debut for Sunderland in a 2-0 friendly victory over Football League Two team Darlington on 18 July 2007, [cite news | title=Darlington 0 Sunderland 2 | url=http://www.safc.com/match/?page_id=12691&fixture=890 | work=safc.com | date=2007-07-18 | accessdate=2007-08-29] with his league debut coming on 15 August 2007 in a 2-2 draw with Birmingham City at St Andrews. [cite news | title=Birmingham 2-2 Sunderland | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6941801.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2007-08-15 | accessdate=2007-08-29]

However, on 11 January 2008, it was announced that Sunderland would listen to offers, following reported interest in him from Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic. [cite news | title=Keane set to sell Halford | url=http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/sunderland-afc/safc-news/tm_headline=keane-set-to-sell-halford&method=full&objectid=20339714&siteid=72703-name_page.html | work=Evening Chronicle | date=2008-01-11 | accessdate=2008-01-14] He moved on-loan to Charlton at the end of January 2008. [cite news | title=Charlton snap up Halford on loan | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/charlton_athletic/7220117.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2008-01-31 | accessdate=2008-01-31]

In July 2008 Halford agreed a one year loan deal with Sheffield Unitedcite news
title = Boss makes double swoop
url = http://www.sufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10418~1337595,00.html
publisher = sufc.co.uk
date = 2008-07-02
accessdate = 2008-07-02] and subsequently made his debut for the Blades in the opening game of the season at Birmingham City.cite news
title = Birmingham City 1 Sheffield United 0
url = http://www.thestar.co.uk/blades/Birmingham-City-1--Sheffield.4375099.jp
publisher = thestar.co.uk
date = 2008-08-09
accessdate = 2008-08-10] He scored his first goal for The Blades a few weeks later against Blackpool on the 23rd of August 2008.cite news
title = Blackpool 1-3 Sheff Utd
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/7565035.stm
publisher = bbc.co.uk
date = 2008-08-23
accessdate = 2008-08-24]

International career

Halford has been capped for England at U20 level, making his debut against Portugal in the Toulon Tournament on 4 June 2005, [cite news | date=2005-06-04 | url=http://www.thefa.com/England/U20s/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2005/06/Toulon_EnglandvPortugal.htm | title=Portugal edge Toulon win | work=thefa.com | accessdate=2007-02-05] and scoring his first international goal in a 3-0 win against South Korea on 6 June 2005. [cite news | date=2005-06-06 | url=http://www.thefa.com/England/U20s/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2005/06/EngU20_vSouthKorea_MR.htm | title=England through to semis | work=thefa.com | accessdate=2007-02-05]

References

External links

* [http://www.sufc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10418~22871,00.html Greg Halford player profile] at sufc.co.uk
* [http://www.cafc.co.uk/PlayerDisplay.ink?season=2007/2008&squadno=5050 Greg Halford player profile] at cafc.co.uk
*soccerbase|33472|Greg Halford
* [http://www.icons.com/halford/ Greg Halford's official web site] at icons.com

Persondata
NAME=Halford, Greg
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Halford, Gregory
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Footballer
DATE OF BIRTH=8 December 1984
PLACE OF BIRTH=Chelmsford
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH=