Gary Caldwell

Football player infobox
playername = Gary Caldwell
fullname = Gary Robert Caldwell
height = height|m=1.85
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1982|4|12
cityofbirth = Stirling
countryofbirth = Scotland
currentclub = Celtic
clubnumber = 5
position = Centre-back
youthyears = 1997–1999
youthclubs = Newcastle United
years = 1999–2004
2001
2002
2002–2003
2003
2004–2006
2006–
clubs = Newcastle United
→ Darlington (loan)
→ Hibernian (loan)
→ Coventry City (loan)
→ Derby County (loan)
Hibernian
Celtic
caps(goals) = 00 (0)
04 (0)
11 (0)
36 (0)
09 (0)
88 (5)
84 (2)
nationalyears = 2001–2003
2002–
nationalteam = Scotland U21
Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 19 (2)
30 (2)
pcupdate = 3 September, 2008
ntupdate = 16:39, 11 October 2008 (UTC)

Gary Robert Caldwell (born April 12 1982, in Stirling), is a Scottish international football player who currently plays for Celtic in the Scottish Premier League.

Primarily considered a central defender, Caldwell proved extremely versatile and had been deployed as a right-back, defensive midfielder at various spells in his career. His brother, Steven, plays for Burnley and is also a defender.

Club career

Caldwell started his career with Celtic Boys Club. At 16 he went to England, alongside his elder brother Steven at Newcastle United. Breaking through from the reserves proved difficult, however, and in search of first team football, he went on loan to other clubs on several occasions: Darlington and Hibernian in 2001–02, then Coventry and Derby County the following season.

During the 2003–04 season, Caldwell was given a free transfer by Newcastle. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/3907899.stm Caldwell stays on at Hibs] , BBC Sport, 20 July 2004.] He signed a short-term contract with Hibs for the second half of the 2003–04 season, and during this period he played in their defeat by Livingston in the 2004 CIS Cup Final. After going on trial with Vitesse Arnhem in the summer of 2004, he signed a two-year contract with Hibs.

During the 2005–06 season, rumours circulated that he had signed a pre-contract agreement to join Celtic in the summer of 2006. [http://www.rte.ie/sport/2006/0120/caldwell.html Caldwell agrees Celtic summer switch] , RTE, 20 January 2006.] This prompted Hibs fans to jeer Caldwell when he made a bad mistake in a game against Aberdeen. After this, the deal was confirmed on January 20 2006 by Gordon Strachan.

Since joining Celtic, Caldwell has helped the club win two league championships and the Scottish Cup, although he has been subject to criticism from Celtic fans. [ [http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8685_3623712,00.html CALDWELL PRAISES STRACHAN SUPPORT] , "Football 365", May 29 2008.] [Gordon, Phil. [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article4023956.ece Gary Caldwell hits back at critics by pointing to defensive record] , "The Times", May 29 2008.] Caldwell was also criticised during the 2006–07 season for a bad tackle on Kilmarnock player David Fernández, which damaged the Spaniard's cruciate ligament. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/6099644.stm Caldwell apologises to Fernandez] , BBC Sport, 30 October 2006.] Caldwell apologised to Fernandez after the game, protesting that he had never intentionally hurt an opponent.

International career

Caldwell's international debut came in the first match of Berti Vogts management, a 5–0 defeat to France at the Stade de France. Ironically, what is possibly the finest moment of his career came also against France, scoring the only goal of the game as Scotland defeated the World Cup runners up 1–0 at Hampden Park, on October 7, 2006 in a Euro 2008 qualifying match.cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/5397614.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|title=Scotland 1–0 France |date=7 October 2006]

International goals

:"Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first."

Honours

Celtic
*Scottish Premier League Title winner: 2006–07, 2007–08
*Scottish Cup winner: 2007

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=18874|name=Gary Caldwell
*SFA Profile|id=23429|name=Gary Caldwell
* [http://www.londonhearts.com/scotland/players/garycaldwell.html London Hearts profile]