Daniel Nardiello

Manchester United

Born in Coventry, West Midlands, Nardiello was a product of the academy of Wolverhampton Wanderers, but signed trainee terms for Manchester United in 1999. They were ordered by the Football League Appeals Committee to pay £200,000 as compensation. He progressed quickly through the club's under-17 and under-19 teams, turning professional on 22 October 1999. He made his debut for them on 5 November 2001 in a 4–0 League Cup defeat to Arsenal. In the 2002–03 season, he played in a UEFA Champions League match against Maccabi Haifa. After scoring 12 goals for the Manchester United reserves, he was sent on a one-month loan to Swansea City on 24 October 2003 where he scored one goal in a EFL Trophy defeat to Southend United. Nardiello spent the second half of the 2003–04 season on loan to Barnsley. He made his debut for the Tykes on 27 January 2004, scoring two goals as they beat Blackpool 3–0 at home. He scored seven goals in 16 games during his loan spell at the club before returning to Old Trafford. Having become a firm favourite with the Barnsley fans, he returned again to Oakwell on a season-long loan for the 2004–05 season. Dogged with injuries, Nardiello still managed to play in 30 games, scoring seven goals.

Barnsley

In July 2005, Nardiello signed a two-year permanent contract with Barnsley after being released by Manchester United. He scored two vital goals in Barnsley's League One play-off games. The first was the winning goal against…

Because of his mixed heritage, Nardiello could have played international football for Wales (his father's birthplace), England (his own birthplace) or Italy (his grandparents' birthplace). He played at under-15 and under-16 levels for England. However, in the end he decided to follow in the footsteps of his father, Donato, who played twice for Wales in the early 1980s. He made his first appearance for Wales in a friendly against New Zealand on 26 May 2007, coming on as a 65th-minute substitute for Robert Earnshaw. He made one more appearance that year, as a substitute against Bulgaria in August 2007, before making his final appearance, again as a substitute, against Luxembourg in March 2008.

Club

Born in England, he is the son of former Wales international Donato Nardiello, and made three appearances for the Wales national team between 2007 and 2008. His brother Michael also played professional football, as did his uncle Gerry Nardiello and cousin Reis Ashraf.