Chris Eagles

Eagles was born in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, and was a season ticket holder at Tottenham Hotspur, whom he went to see with his family. Originally coming through the youth system at Watford, Eagles left when he was 14 to join the Manchester United academy. The compensation owed to Watford for this move would later form part of the package, which took Danny Webber in the opposite direction.

Manchester United

Eagles made his first-team debut for Manchester United on 28 October 2003 as a second-half substitute for Kieran Richardson in an extra time win away to Leeds United in the League Cup. He played once more that season, this time as a substitute for Cristiano Ronaldo as United lost 2–0 away to West Bromwich Albion in the fourth round of the League Cup. His performances saw him nominated for the new League Cup talent award, awarded to the young player judged to have made the best first-team breakthrough in the competition. He played in the 2004 FA Community Shield, coming on as a 74th-minute substitute in a 3–1 defeat by Arsenal at the Millennium Stadium. Eagles was loaned out to Watford on 21 January 2005. He scored his first goal in senior football in a 2–0 win over Gillingham at Vicarage Road on 5 February. He made 13 Championship appearances for the "Hornets", and manager Ray Lewington said that: "he is an exciting player and has done very well". He was also loaned to Sheffield Wednesday for the first half of the 2005–06 season. Manager Paul Sturrock…

Eagles was a winger, though he could also play as an attacking midfielder. Writing for The Guardian in December 2008, Steve Claridge reported that Eagles "is a natural footballer who makes the difficult things look easy", boasting natural ability and composure, as well as good distribution skills; he did however, criticize his tactical discipline and defensive work rate. Former Bury teammate Tom Pope said that: his "technique was frighteningly good – that was his ability on the ball, dribbling and his awareness of players around him".

Eagles joined Alcoholics Anonymous in September 2021 after being found by police while drunk in charge of a vehicle outside the home of ex-girlfriend Jennifer Metcalfe; he was banned from driving for three months and fined £1,250. He had recently split from his fiancée, Danielle Mitchinson, with whom he had two children during an eight-year relationship.

Manchester United

FA Community Shield: 2007 Watford

Football League Championship play-offs: 2006 Burnley

Football League Championship play-offs: 2009