Jonathan Woodgate

Birth Date: January 22 1980
Birth Place: Middlesbrough
Birth Nation: England
Height: 186cm
Weight: 80Kg
Nationality: British
Position: Defender

Jonathan Woodgate started out playing for his local team, Marton. He was spotted in a local cup final by football scouts and was invited for trials at Elland Road. He eventually signed for the club at the age of 13. He started off as a midfielder, but quickly found that his best position was centre back and filled that role in the team that won the FA Youth Cup in 1997. The following year he made his debut for the England Under 18 squad and went on to captain the
side.

It was George Graham that first singled Woodgate out as one of the stars of the future, but it wasn't until November 1998 when David O'Leary took over from Graham that Woodgate then 18 was given his chance in the first team During his superb first season with Leeds, Kevin Keegan called him into the full England squad at aged 19 making his debut against Bulgaria in Sofia for a Euro 2000 qualifier In June 1999.

Shortly afterwards Woodgate agreed a new four year contract at Elland Road. He had a great 1999/00 season and it was assumed that Woodgate would go on to become an England regular until he, along with team mate Lee Bowyer were involved in an alledged incident outside the Majestyk nightclub in Leeds, which would lead to police charges of GBH and affray. As the case began Woodgate disappeared from the first team and in contrast to his fellow accused Lee Bowyer, Woodgate couldn't cope with the media spotlight and started to lose weight, confidence and form during the high profile court case

The FA banned him and Bowyer from being selected at international level. The first trial was abandoned due to a prejudicial story in a national newspaper and Woodgate would eventually be cleared on the charge of GBH but found guilty of affray and sentenced to 100 hours community service. Leeds United hit him with an unprecedented eight week club fine, which the central defender had to accept 'voluntarily' because it breached existing PFA guidelines (the maximum fine that can be inflicted by a club is two weeks wages). But Woodgate was only too happy to accept their punishment as long as the money went towards community projects.

With the court case behind him, Woodgate began to rediscover his past form in 2001/02 and there were calls for him to be selected for the 2002 World Cup but the FA insisted he would not be available for selection until after the tournament.

Unfortuately for Woodgate, his problems were not totally behind him In March 2002 he was convicted of driving at 90mph and in an incident outside a pub in April 2002, his jaw was broken, during 'horseplay' with friends outside a pub in Middlesbrough an injury which ended his season and put him back under the spotlight.

He agreed a new contract in the summer of 2002 that would keep him at Elland Road for five years and in September 2002 Woodgate was selected as part of the England squad to face Euro 2004 hosts Portugal in a friendly at Villa Park.

However due to Leeds' financial problems they had to sell him and Newcastle United got his services for £9 million. Terry Venables said that if Johnathan Woodgate went then so would he and of course he left not long after.

Jonathan Woodgate