Michael Turner Bio Send To Friend  

Michael Turner left Hull City bound for Sunderland in August 2009 for a fee worth a reputed £6 million, something of a bargain for a player talked about for an England call-up in 2008-09.

The award-laden defender had been one of the stars of Hull City's promotion to the Premier League in 2007/08 and subsequent dream start to life in the top flight.

The centre-back began his career with Charlton Athletic, he was their reserve team captain, but it was during a loan spell with Leyton Orient that he made his League debut in a 3-2 League Two win over Boston United in April 2003. He was Charlton's Young Player of the Year for 2003-04.

Another loan spell with Brentford followed at the start of 2004-05 and after three impressive months the transfer was made permanent for a nominal fee. It proved to be a superb piece of business as Turner quickly settled into life in League One in a Bees side which lost in the play-off semi-finals to Sheffield Wednesday. He won the Players' Player of the Year award

Turner's performances were beginning to grab the attention of other clubs after he helped Brentford to finish third in 2005-06 - though again they suffered play-off heartbreak - and was named Supporters' Player of the Year. And at the end of that season he was signed by Hull for £350,000 - a club record for a defender.

The player made his Hull debut in a 2-0 defeat at West Bromwich Albion and soon became a fixture in the side. He was named Supporters' Player of the Year and also managed to win the club's Goal of the Season.

And in Hull's promotion season he proved a vital weapon from set-pieces too, scoring five Championship goals that term. That earned him the Player of the Year award at the KC Stadium.

Turner proved to be a vital player for Hull in the Premier League, scoring four goals and being an ever-present.

Liverpool were interested in Turner in the summer of 2009 but could not meet the reputed asking price of £12m, which meant it was something of a surprise when Sunderland got him for half that amount.

He made his Sunderland debut in a 4-1 home win over... Hull City... and seemed to have scored the fourth goal although it officially went down as a Kamil Zayatte own goal.