From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Phil Jagielka
Personal information
Full name	Philip Nikodern Jagielka
Date of birth	August 17, 1982 (age 24)
Place of birth	Manchester, England
Height	5'11" / 1.80 m
Nickname	Jags, Jagzy
Playing position	Midfielder/Defender
Club information
Current club	Sheffield United
Number	6
Youth clubs
	Everton F.C. Academy Sheffield United
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1999-present	Sheffield United	245 (17)
National team2
	England U21
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:25, 11 March 2007 (UTC). 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 29 June 2006. * Appearances (Goals)

Philip Nikodern Jagielka (born August 17, 1982 in Manchester) is an extremely versatile football player who can operate as a midfielder, defender, and even in emergencies has acted as goalkeeper (indeed, to such distinction that manager Neil Warnock rarely took substitute goalkeepers to Championship and even Premiership games).

He currently plays for Sheffield United having come through the youth ranks at Bramall Lane to establish himself as an important first team player. He has now clocked up 250 league & Cup appearances for United.

Nicknamed Jags, he made his debut for Sheffield United on May 5, 2000 against Swindon Town in the final League match of the 1999-2000 season whilst still a trainee. He was far from overawed and was rewarded with a professional contract the following day.

He has distinguished himself throughout his time with the Blades, notably in the 2002/03 season, where he established himself fully. He played in all of the league matches in both 2004-05 and 2005-06. As at March 3rd 2007, he has made 124 consecutive league appearances, last missing a league game in April 2004 and is the only player to have played every minute of the 2006-07 Premier season.

Having recently played as team captain in Chris Morgan's absence, Jagielka, gave United their first Premiership victory since April 1994 when he hit a 91st minute half-volley past Mark Schwarzer in the Middlesbrough net for a 2-1 final scoreline.

Outside Sheffield United's club store there is a plaque which recalls him saying "Sheffield United will always be in my blood".

On December 30, 2006 in a home match against Arsenal his goalkeeping skills were put to use as he came in to goal for the final half-hour with his team 1-0 up due to a thigh injury to starting 'keeper Paddy Kenny. He kept through the last thirty-four minutes and made a late save from Robin Van Persie to preserve the 1-0 victory.

Jagielka is also known as a very caring player as he has helped many an injured player on his team or the opposing.

He was named the Sheffield United Supporters Club Player of the Year for the second successive year in March 2006 and won the Capital One Player of the Year in May 2006.

He has also been named the inaugural Championship Player of the Year for the season 2005-06 and in the April 2006 issue of Four Four Two magazine, he was named as the best player playing in the Football League. He was also named in the 2006 PFA Championship Team of the Year.

When promotion to the Premiership was confirmed on Saturday, April 15, 2006, it was a double celebration for the Jagielka family with older brother Steve celebrating promotion to the Football League with Accrington Stanley. Steve currently plays for Droylsden

He is a former member of the England Under-21 team and scored in a 2-0 victory over Slovakia at the Stadium of Light.

• Phil Jagielka career stats at Soccerbase

Sheffield United F.C. - Current Squad

1 Kenny | 2 Bromby | 4 Davis | 5 Morgan | 6 Jagielka | 7 Shelton | 8 Stead | 9 Hulse | 10 Webber | 12 A. Quinn | 13 Bennett | 14 Sommeil | 15 Kozluk | 16 Kilgallon | 17 Montgomery | 18 Tonge | 19 Gillespie | 20 Armstrong | 21 Leigertwood | 22 Lucketti | 23 Fathi | 24 Short | 26 Geary | 27 Nadé | 28 S. Quinn | 29 Gerrard | 30 Li | 31 Law | 32 Kâzım-Richards | 33 Annerson | 34 Ashmore | 37 Marrison | 38 Hurst | 39 Seck | –– Gyaki | –– Hao | Manager: Warnock