Wikipedia

Bradley Dack

Bradley Paul Dack (born 31 December 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Gillingham.

Bradley Dack
Personal information
Full name Bradley Paul Dack[1]
Date of birth (1993-12-31) 31 December 1993 (age 30)[2]
Place of birth Greenwich, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Gillingham
Number 23
Youth career
Wimbledon
2005–2007 Charlton Athletic
2007 Corinthian
2007–2012 Gillingham
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2017 Gillingham 160 (31)
2012 → Ramsgate (loan) 5 (2)
2013 → Braintree Town (loan) 4 (1)
2017–2023 Blackburn Rovers 158 (50)
2023–2024 Sunderland 16 (1)
2024– Gillingham 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:40, 1 November 2024 (UTC)

Early life

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Dack was born in the London Borough of Greenwich, and attended Beths Grammar School in Bexley.[3]

Career

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Early career

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Dack played youth football for Teviot Rangers and Thamesmead Town. At the age of seven he was scouted by Wimbledon, where he trained for a year before joining their academy. After the relocation of the club to Milton Keynes, Dack chose to leave to join the academy of Charlton Athletic, where he spent three years before being released at the age of 14.[4][5] Following his release he returned to play youth football with Corinthian in the Kent Youth League.[6]

Gillingham

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Dack then joined Gillingham in 2008, beginning a three-year scholarship in 2010 before signing his first professional contract in May 2012.[7] He had previously had a loan spell at Isthmian League Division One South side Ramsgate, who he had joined on loan in February 2012.[8] He enjoyed a prolific pre-season in 2012 including a four-goal haul against Royal Engineers,[9] which attracted attention from Gillingham manager Martin Allen,[10] leading to his professional debut on 14 August 2012, in a 2–1 victory over Bristol City in the Football League Cup.[11]

He made his league debut against Bradford City on 18 August 2012, being narrowly denied a late goal by the upright.[12] He scored his first senior goal on 4 September 2012 in the Football League Trophy away to Crawley Town and signed a new three-year contract the following day.[13]

Dack received his first red card as a professional for violent conduct against Southend United on 18 September 2012, having come on as substitute, after first winning a penalty.[14]

On 3 January 2013, Dack moved on a one-month loan to Football Conference side Braintree Town.[15] He was named as Gillingham's Young Player of the Season at the end of the 2012–13 season, having made 20 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring 2 goals.[16]

On 16 April 2014, Dack signed a new four-year deal keeping him contracted at Gillingham until June 2018.[17]

He was named Gillingham's Young Player of the Year, Sponsor's Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year at the conclusion of the 2014–15 season, having scored 10 goals in 50 appearances in all competitions.[18][19]

In the 2015–16 season Dack was Gillingham's top goalscorer, with 15 goals in 44 appearances in all competitions and 11 assists in the league.[20][21] In the January 2016 transfer window he was reportedly the subject of three bids, including one of £2 million, from Championship side Bristol City, but all three were rejected by the club.[22]

At the 2015–16 Football League Awards Dack won the League One Player of the Season award and was named in the Football League Team of the Season.[23] The same season he was also named as Gillingham's Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, Players' Player of the Year and Sponsor's Player of the Year.[24]

In the 2016–17 season he was named as Gillingham's Young Player of the Season for the third year running.[25] He finished the season with 6 goals in 39 appearances.[26]

Blackburn Rovers

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On 27 June 2017, Dack joined Blackburn Rovers on a three-year deal for a fee of £750,000 plus add-ons.[27] He played his first competitive game for the club in their 2–1 defeat by Southend United at Roots Hall on 5 August. Dack scored his first goal for Blackburn on 23 September, scoring an 85th-minute equaliser against Shrewsbury Town to secure a 1–1 draw away from home. Achieving promotion to the Championship in his first season with Blackburn, Dack finished as the club's top scorer, finding the back of the net on 18 occasions in 42 league appearances. His performances saw him win the club's Goal of the Season and Player of the Year award, whilst he was also named as the EFL League One Player of the Season.[28]

With Blackburn achieving promotion back to the Championship, Dack found himself playing football in the second tier of English football for the first time in his career. Despite the step up in level, Dack continued to display his talent, finishing as the club's top scorer for the second season in a row, with 18 goals in all competitions, 15 of which came in the Championship.

On 23 December 2019, Dack, in Blackburn's Championship fixture at home against Wigan Athletic, was substituted off in the 68th after an innocuous challenge from Sam Morsy led to Dack going down clutching his right knee.[29] Days later, the club confirmed that, following a scan, Dack had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Following the news, manager Tony Mowbray commented, "[he] will miss the rest of the season as well as maybe a month or two of next season."[30]

On 3 November 2020, Dack returned to training for the first time in nearly a year, linking up with Billy Barr and his Blackburn Rovers U23s squad.[31] Three weeks later, on 17 November, Dack returned to the pitch for the first time, playing 45-minutes in Blackburn's 2–2 friendly draw with Sheffield United.[32] On 23 December, Blackburn announced that Dack had signed a new two-and-a-half-year deal that would run until the summer of 2023, with the club having the option to take up an additional year.[33] Following the news, Dack made his official return for Blackburn days later on 26 December, coming on as a substitute for Lewis Holtby in the 62nd minute of the 1–1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday.[34]

On 12 March 2021, in Blackburn's Championship game against promotion-chasing Brentford, Dack went down injured in stoppage time after a clash with Brentford goalkeeper David Raya, with the club suspecting a further cruciate knee ligament injury - this time being occurring in Dack's left knee.[35][36] Days later, Blackburn confirmed that Dack had suffered the same fate of his previous injury, with Dack undergoing surgery on his left knee to repair the damage.[37] He returned to training five months later on 27 August, with Dack returning to action for Blackburn's U23s side in January 2022, playing 45 minutes of a 4–0 win over Leeds United.[38][39]

Dack made his return to competitive football on 12 March 2022, a year to the day since his last game for Blackburn. Coming on as a 70th-minute substitute against fellow Championship side Bristol City, Dack was called upon to take the penalty awarded to Rovers after Jan Paul van Hecke was brought down by City's youngster Han-Noah Massengo. The penalty was saved, however, by Dan Bentley.[40] Days later, on 15 March, Dack played a full 45 minutes for Blackburn after coming on as a half-time substitute in replacement of Bradley Johnson. Rovers were down 1–0 to 23rd placed Derby County at the half-time whistle, forcing changes to be made in an attempt to rescue much needed points. Dack helped turn the fortunes of his side around, being involved in the build-up of all three of the club's goals, whilst directly assisting Tyrhys Dolan's 59th-minute header.[41] Dack managed seven further appearances for Blackburn in the remainder of the 2021–22 season.[42]

The 2022–23 season saw Dack make 33 appearances and score 7 goals. However, this included just 12 league starts.[43]

On 17 May 2023, Blackburn confirmed that Dack would be leaving the club after six years.[44] The following day, Dack posted a farewell message to supporters on Instagram, revealing that he would have liked to have remained at the club.[45] In an interview with LancsLive reporter Elliott Jackson, Blackburn's director of football Gregg Broughton stated that a combination of finances and inability to assure greater playing time resulted in the club's decision to let Dack depart.[46]

Sunderland

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On 27 July 2023, following his release from Blackburn Rovers, Dack reunited with former manager Mowbray and joined Sunderland on an initial one-year contract, with the club having the option of a one-year extension.[47] He was released at the end of the 2023–24 season.[48]

Return to Gillingham

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On 15 August 2024, Dack returned to League Two club Gillingham.[49]

Style of play

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An attacking midfielder, Dack has described himself as adopting a "free role behind the two strikers in the final third to go and pick up the ball, get into good positions and create and score goals".[50][51]

Dack's manager at Gillingham between 2015 and 2017, Justin Edinburgh, described him as "the catalyst of [our] team...full of energy, he is tenacious, he has quality and he is a top player – definitely Championship quality", adding that he "probably covers more ground than any other player".[51][52]

Interviewed by Sky Sports in February 2016, Dack suggested that the model for his own style of play was former Chelsea and England international Frank Lampard. He also revealed that before committing to football he had undertaken trials to play cricket for Kent.[53]

Personal life

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In 2019, Dack became engaged to former Love Island contestant Olivia Attwood.[54] The couple had to delay their wedding for a second time in 2022 following Dack's second cruciate knee ligament injury.[55] They eventually married on 3 June 2023.[56]

Dack was a childhood Manchester United fan.[4]

Career statistics

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As of match played 20 April 2024[57]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Gillingham 2012–13[58] League Two 16 1 1 0 2 0 1[a] 1 20 2
2013–14[59] League One 28 3 2 1 1 0 1[a] 1 32 5
2014–15[19] League One 42 9 0 0 2 0 6[a] 1 50 10
2015–16[20] League One 40 13 0 0 2 1 2[a] 1 44 15
2016–17[60] League One 34 5 1 0 3 1 1[b] 0 39 6
Total 160 31 4 1 10 2 11 4 185 38
Ramsgate (loan) 2011–12[61] Isthmian League 5 2 — 5 2
Braintree Town (loan) 2012–13[58] Conference Premier 4 1 — 4 1
Blackburn Rovers 2017–18[62] League One 42 18 3 0 0 0 0 0 45 18
2018–19[63] Championship 42 15 2 1 1 2 0 0 45 18
2019–20[64] Championship 22 9 0 0 2 1 0 0 24 10
2020–21[65] Championship 16 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 17 3
2021–22[42] Championship 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 1
2022–23[66] Championship 27 4 3 1 3 2 0 0 33 7
Total 158 50 9 2 6 5 0 0 173 57
Sunderland 2023–24[67] Championship 16 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 17 1
Career total 343 85 13 3 17 7 11 4 384 99
  1. ^ a b c d Appearances in Football league Trophy
  2. ^ Appearance in the EFL Trophy

Honours

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Gillingham

Blackburn Rovers

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Notification of shirt numbers: Blackburn Rovers" (PDF). English Football League. p. 8. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Bradley Dack". 11v11. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  3. ^ "Beths' cross-country glory in cold and wet Yorkshire". News Shopper. 20 December 2005. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Football Origins with Bradley Dack". Blackburn Rovers FC. 26 April 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  5. ^ Walters, Mike (31 October 2015). "Gillingham starlet Bradley Dack on reviving his Football League career". irishmirror. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  6. ^ Walters, Mike (31 October 2015). "Gillingham starlet Bradley Dack on reviving his Football League career". mirror. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  7. ^ "Gillingham director of football Andy Hessenthaler compares youth product Bradley Dack to Chelsea's Frank Lampard". Kent Online. 22 May 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
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  12. ^ "Gillingham 3 Bradford City 1". Kent Online. 18 August 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
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  20. ^ a b "Games played by Bradley Dack in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
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  35. ^ "Bradley Dack: Blackburn Rovers forward suffers suspected cruciate knee ligament injury". BBC Sport. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  36. ^ "Championship: Blackburn 0-1 Brentford - Ivan Toney penalty gives Bees victory". BBC Sport. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  37. ^ ""He's beat it before and he'll beat it again"". Rovers.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  38. ^ Sharpe, Rich (1 January 2022). "Blackburn Rovers: Tony Mowbray gives exciting Bradley Dack update". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  39. ^ "U23s Report: Blackburn Rovers 4-0 Leeds United". www.leedsunited.com. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  40. ^ King, Oliver (12 March 2022). "Blackburn Rovers v Bristol City: Dack penalty miss proves costly as Weimann steals all three points". LancsLive. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  41. ^ "Blackburn Rovers 3-1 Derby County: Tony Mowbray's side recover to win". BBC Sport. 15 March 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  42. ^ a b "Games played by Bradley Dack in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  43. ^ Sharpe, Rich (18 May 2023). "Gregg Broughton explains reasons behind Bradley Dack departure". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  44. ^ "Dack to leave Blackburn after six years at Rovers". BBC Sport. 17 May 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
  45. ^ "Bradley Dack's farewell post on Instagram". Instagram. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  46. ^ Jackson, Elliott (18 May 2023). "Gregg Broughton explains Blackburn Rovers decision to let Dack and Ayala go". LancsLive. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  47. ^ "Done Deal: Bradley Dack joins SAFC". Sunderland A.F.C. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  48. ^ "Sunderland AFC release Bradley Dack and Corry Evans". BBC Sport. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  49. ^ "Bradley Dack rejoins the Gills". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  50. ^ Profiles, Player. "PLAYER PROFILES". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. Archived from the original on 2 August 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  51. ^ a b "Gillingham's Bradley Dack thanks Justin Edinburgh for instilling confidence to thrive in free role this season". Kent Online. 9 February 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
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  53. ^ "Meet Gillingham midfielder Bradley Dack with quick-fire questions". Sky Sports. 17 February 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.
  54. ^ Malbon, Abigail (14 October 2019). "Love Island's Olivia Attwood is engaged to Bradley Dack". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  55. ^ "Love Island's Olivia Attwood relieved wedding to Bradley Dack is delayed – real reason". HELLO!. 21 February 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  56. ^ Body, Jamie (4 June 2023). "Love Island's Olivia Attwood marries footballer Bradley Dack". Digital Spy. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  57. ^ "B.Dack". uk.soccerway.com/. Soccerway. Retrieved 18 June 2016.
  58. ^ a b c "Games played by Bradley Dack in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  59. ^ "Games played by Bradley Dack in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  60. ^ "Games played by Bradley Dack in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  61. ^ "Games played by Bradley Dack in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  62. ^ "Games played by Bradley Dack in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  63. ^ "Games played by Bradley Dack in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
  64. ^ "Games played by Bradley Dack in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  65. ^ "Games played by Bradley Dack in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  66. ^ "Games played by Bradley Dack in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  67. ^ "Games played by Bradley Dack in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  68. ^ "League Two: 2012/13: Latest table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  69. ^ Anderson, John, ed. (2018). Football Yearbook 2018–2019. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 54–55. ISBN 978-1-4722-6106-9.
  70. ^ "The Football League Awards 2016: Winners". EFL.com. 17 April 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  71. ^ "2018 EFL Awards: Winners announced". EFL.com. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  72. ^ "The Football League Awards 2016: Winners". www.efl.com. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  73. ^ "2018 EFL Awards: Winners announced". www.efl.com. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
  74. ^ "Dack claims League One fans' award". Lancashire Telegraph. 24 May 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  75. ^ "PFA awards: Leicester and Spurs dominate Premier League team". BBC Sport. 21 April 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  76. ^ "PFA League One Team of the Year: Wigan & Blackburn quartets included". BBC Sport. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  77. ^ "Adam Barrett, Stuart Nelson, Bradley Dack and Matt Fish scoop awards at the Gillingham player-of-the-year event". Kent Online. 30 April 2013. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  78. ^ "JOHN EGAN WINS PLAYER OF THE YEAR". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  79. ^ "BRADLEY DACK DOMINATES THE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  80. ^ "Gillingham player-of-the-year for 2016-17 season is Josh Wright". Kent Online. 22 April 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  81. ^ "Dack scoops PFA fans' prize". www.rovers.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
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