Gary Cahill Bio Send To Friend  

Cahill signed for Bolton in January 2008, having progressed through the ranks at Aston Villa and was called up to the England squad for the game against Kazakhstan in June 2009 following the withdrawal of Rio Ferdinand.

Villa handed him his first taste of the professional game in November 2004 when joining Championship side Burnley on loan for the remainder of the season.

The defender impressed greatly over the remainder of the campaign, playing a total of 32 games and scoring his first ever goal - the only one of the match in a victory at Stoke City. He was named Burnley's Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year.

The England Under-21 international was handed a Villa squad number for 2005-06 and spoke of his eagerness to become the latest Academy prospect to make an impression on the first team - he would play seven games during the campaign.

He progressed to make 20 appearances in 2006-07 and ended the season as part of Stuart Pearce's England Under-21 squad that reached the semi-finals of the European Championships.

Cahill fell out of favour at Villa under Martin O'Neill and was heavily linked with cross-city rivals Birmingham before plumping for a £5m move to Bolton. He played a leading role in Bolton's escape from relegation and won the club's 'best newcomer' award at the end of 2007-08 and impressed the following season as well with his whole-hearted displays.

Cementing his reputation as one of the most promising centre-backs in the league, he caught the eye of Fabio Capello, who called him up to the England squad for the game against Kazakhstan in June and again for the qualifier against Croatia in September.