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Cahill Profile

Gary Cahill,1 Bolton Wanderers 

Gary Cahill

Born: 19th December 1985, Sheffield, England

International Honours: U21 level

Position: Centre Back

Squad Number: 33

Former Clubs: Aston Villa, Burnley (loan), Sheffield United (loan), Bolton Wanderers

Bolton Wanderers made promising central defender Gary Cahill their second most expensive signing ever when paying Aston Villa a fee in the region of £5 million for the England U21 international in January 2008.

Cahill wasn't a regular in the Villa side due to the presence of Olof Mellberg, Martin Laursen, Zat Knight and Curtis Davies but was rated highly by manager Martin O'Neill.

He signed professionally for the Midlands club in December 2003 just a few days after his 18th birthday and he was part of the Villa youth side who made the final of the FA Youth Cup in 2004 before eventually losing to a strong Middlesbrough team over two legs.

In November 2004 he made a loan move to Burnley and in his first game for the Clarets he managed to ruffle the feathers of Tottenham Hotspur striker Robbie Keane.

His time at Turf Moor was a fantastic success, he became a crowd favourite for Steve Cotterill's side having showed good technique in the air and on the ground.

All in all he made 27 league appearances for Burnley and at the end of his loan spell the Lancashire side awarded him numerous Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards.

Understandably the Clarets had been keen to arrange a permanent deal or at the very least another loan, but numerous requests to re-sign the player where rejected by Villa.

He was blighted by injury problems on his return to Villa in the 2005-06 campaign but he did return for the end of season run in and scored a spectacular scissor kick against their arch rivals Birmingham City, a club who later rivalled Bolton for his signature.

2006-07 saw him take advantage of a long term injury to Martin Laursen to partner either Olof Mellberg or Liam Ridgewell in the Villa team whilst also adding to the handful of U21 caps he had received with England.

In November 2007 he was loaned out to home city club Sheffield United and during his time with the Blades he made 16 Championship appearances, getting on the scoresheet in the games against Stoke City and Charlton Athletic.

Many predict Cahill will win England honours in the future but for now he is just concentrating on his performances for Bolton Wanderers.

BOLTON RECORD:

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