David Ball

Manchester City

Ball spent his early childhood with Prestwich Marauders, before he joined the youth system at Manchester City at the age of seven. He battled back from a foot injury at the end of his teenage years. A star of the youth and reserve sides he scored in the 2008 final of the FA Youth Cup, which City won, and was joint-fifth top-scorer in the 2008–09 Premier Reserve League and joint-second top-scorer in the 2009–10 Premier Reserve League. He was named as City's Academy Player of the Month for December 2007 and Reserve team Player of the Month for February 2008. He made it onto the first-team bench only once, though this was for the famous Manchester derby game on 20 September 2009 where City lost 4–3 to Manchester United at Old Trafford. He was loaned out to League One club Swindon Town in July 2010 for six months, in order to gain first team experience. This came despite interest from other clubs. He made his league debut at the County Ground on 7 August 2010, in a 2–1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion, but was replaced by Alan O'Brien after sixty minutes for tactical reasons. He was initially played out of position in midfield by manager Danny Wilson and then spent time on the substitutes bench before taking an injured Charlie Austin's place up front in October. He scored his first senior goal on 5 October, as Swindon beat Torquay United 2–0 in the Football League Trophy. He scored a brace eleven days later in a 5–4 defeat at Peterborough United. He was…

As of match played 13 January 2025

Manchester City

FA Youth Cup: 2007–08 Peterborough United

Football League One play-offs: 2011 Fleetwood Town

Football League Two play-offs: 2014 Rotherham United

EFL League One play-offs: 2018 Individual

A-League Men Player of the Month: February 2020