Rory McArdle

Rory McArdle
McArdle in 2010
Personal information
Full name Rory Alexander McArdle[1]
Date of birth (1987-05-01) 1 May 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Sheffield, England
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2007 Sheffield Wednesday 1 (0)
2005–2006 → Rochdale (loan) 19 (1)
2006–2007 → Rochdale (loan) 9 (0)
2007–2010 Rochdale 125 (5)
2010–2012 Aberdeen 53 (2)
2012–2017 Bradford City 183 (12)
2017–2020 Scunthorpe United 100 (4)
2020–2021 Exeter City 21 (1)
2021–2023 Harrogate Town 35 (1)
International career
Northern Ireland U19[2] 11 (0)
2006–2008 Northern Ireland U21 19 (1)
2010–2014 Northern Ireland 7 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Rory Alexander McArdle (born 1 May 1987) is a former professional footballer. He has previously played for Sheffield Wednesday, Rochdale, Aberdeen, Bradford City and Scunthorpe United, and represented the Northern Ireland national football team.

Club career

Aberdeen

On 19 May 2010, McArdle signed a contract with Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen.[3] Near the end of the 2011–12 season, McArdle was advised that his contract with Aberdeen would not be extended.[4]

Bradford City

McArdle with the victory parade that followed Bradford City's victory in the 2013 Football League Two play-off final

McArdle signed for Bradford City on 6 June 2012, signing a two-year contract.[5][6] He made his debut on 11 August in a 1–0 win in the League Cup against Notts County.[7] He made his league debut a week later against Gillingham.[8] He made his home debut on 21 August, in a 1–0 win against Fleetwood Town.[9] He scored his first goal for the club on 25 August in a 5–1 win against AFC Wimbledon.[10] On 8 January, McArdle scored a header against Premier League side Aston Villa in the first leg of the semi-final of the League Cup, as Bradford incredibly won 3–1.[11] He also played in the second leg, which saw Bradford advance to the final 4–3 on aggregate.[12] He started in the final which Bradford lost to Premier League side Swansea City.[13] He scored his second league goal for the club on 1 April, helping Bradford to a 3–1 away to Torquay United.[14] He then scored in the 2013 Football League Two play-off final, which Bradford won 3–0 against Northampton Town securing promotion to League One.[15] On 3 August, the opening day of the season, McArdle scored a late header from a Raffaele De Vita corner to give Bradford a point in a 2–2 draw against Bristol City.[16]

He was Bradford City's 2014–15 Player of the Year.[17]

Scunthorpe United

McArdle signed a three-year deal with fellow League One club Scunthorpe United on 21 June 2017, with the deal coming into effect from 1 July 2017.[18]

Exeter City

On 19 May 2020, McArdle signed a contract with League Two club Exeter City.[19] He scored his first goal for the club in February 2021, a 'trademark near-post header' in a 1–0 win over Stevenage.[20]

Harrogate Town

On 30 June 2021, McArdle joined fellow League Two club Harrogate Town for an undisclosed fee.[21] McArdle signed a new one-year deal in May 2022.[22]

McArdle retired at the end of the 2022-23 season.[23]

International career

McArdle made his full debut for Northern Ireland on 26 May 2010 against Turkey in a friendly.[24]

Career statistics

As of end of 2021–22 season
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Rochdale (loan) 2005–06[25] League Two 19 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 20 1
Sheffield Wednesday 2006–07[26] Championship 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0
Rochdale (loan) 2006–07[26] League Two 25 0 1 0 — 0 0 26 0
Rochdale 2007–08[27] League Two 46 3 1 0 2 0 0 0 49 3
2008–09[28] League Two 43 2 3 0 1 0 2[a] 0 49 2
2009–10[29] League Two 20 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 22 0
Total 109 5 6 0 3 0 2 0 120 5
Aberdeen 2010–11[30] Scottish Premier League 28 2 4 1 4 1 0 0 36 4
2011–12[31] Scottish Premier League 25 0 5 0 2 1 0 0 32 1
Total 53 2 9 1 6 2 0 0 68 5
Bradford City 2012–13[32] League Two 40 2 4 0 8 1 4[b] 1 56 4
2013–14[33] League One 41 3 1 0 0 0 1[a] 0 43 3
2014–15[34] League One 43 3 8 0 3 0 1[a] 0 55 3
2015–16[35] League One 35 3 5 0 1 0 3[c] 0 44 3
2016–17[36] League One 24 1 1 0 0 0 8[d] 1 33 2
Total 183 12 19 0 12 1 17 2 231 15
Scunthorpe United 2017–18[37] League One 36 1 3 0 2 0 2[e] 0 43 1
2018–19[38] League One 38 0 2 0 1 0 2[a] 0 43 0
2019–20[39] League Two 26 3 1 0 1 0 3[a] 0 31 3
Total 100 4 6 0 4 0 7 0 117 4
Exeter City 2020–21[40] League Two 21 1 3 0 1 0 2[a] 0 27 1
Harrogate Town 2021–22[41] League Two 23 1 1 0 0 0 2[a] 0 26 1
Career total 534 26 46 1 27 3 30 2 649 32
  1. ^ a b c d e f g Appearances in the Football League Trophy
  2. ^ One appearance in the Football League Trophy and three in the League Two play-offs
  3. ^ One appearance in Football League Trophy and two in League One play-offs
  4. ^ Five appearances in EFL Trophy and three in League One play-offs
  5. ^ Appearances in League One play-offs

Honours

Bradford City

References

  1. ^ "Notification of shirt numbers: Exeter City" (PDF). English Football League. p. 28. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  2. ^ Rory McArdle – UEFA competition record (archive)
  3. ^ "Rochdale's Rory McArdle agrees to Aberdeen switch". BBC Sport. 20 May 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  4. ^ "Aberdeen striker Darren Mackie among six to exit". BBC Sport. 25 April 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  5. ^ "Rory McArdle becomes Bradford City's second summer signing". Telegraph & Argus. 6 June 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  6. ^ "Bradford City sign Aberdeen defender Rory McArdle". BBC Sport. 7 June 2012. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
  7. ^ "Notts County 0–1 Bradford" BBC Sport. 11 August 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  8. ^ "Gillingham 3–1 Bradford" BBC Sport. 18 August 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  9. ^ "Bradford 1–0 Fleetwood" BBC Sport. 21 August 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  10. ^ "Bradford 5–1 AFC Wimbledon" BBC Sport. 25 August 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2012.
  11. ^ "Bradford 3–1 Aston Villa" BBC Sport. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  12. ^ "Aston Villa 2–1 Bradford" BBC Sport. 22 January 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  13. ^ "Bradford 0–5 Swansea" BBC Sport. 24 February 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  14. ^ "Torquay 1–3 Bradford" BBC Sport. 1 April 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  15. ^ "Bradford 3–0 Northampton" BBC Sport. 18 May 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  16. ^ "Bristol City 2–2 Bradford" BBC Sport. 3 August 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  17. ^ "McARDLE DOMINATES PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARDS". Bradford City A.F.C. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  18. ^ "Iron Sign Rory McArdle". Scunthorpe United F.C. 21 June 2017. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  19. ^ "✍️ Rory McArdle signs for Exeter City". Exeter City F.C. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  20. ^ Parker, Simon (5 February 2021). "BANTAMS OPPOSITION: McArdle's painful blow for Exeter". Telegraph & Argus. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  21. ^ "Rory McArdle: Harrogate Town sign Exeter City defender". BBC. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
  22. ^ "Rory McArdle: Harrogate Town defender signs new one-year contract". BBC Sport. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  23. ^ Harrogate Town's former Bradford City stalwart Rory McArdle to retire from football, harrogateadvertiser.co.uk, 3 May 2023
  24. ^ "N Ireland 0–2 Turkey". BBC Sport. 26 May 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  25. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  26. ^ a b "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  27. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  28. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  29. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  30. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  31. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  32. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  33. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  34. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  35. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  36. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  37. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  38. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  39. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  40. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  41. ^ "Games played by Rory McArdle in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  42. ^ "Starting Lineups - Bradford vs Swansea". Sky Sports. 24 February 2013. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
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