Michael Bridges

Sunderland

Bridges emerged as one of the Premier League's most promising young strikers during the 1996–97 season at Sunderland, but was unable to save them from relegation. Two years later he helped them return to the Premiership and joined Leeds United for £5 million soon afterwards. He made a total of 79 Appearances at Sunderland, and scored 16 Goals. In the summer of 1999, Sunderland agreed a fee to sell him to Tottenham Hotspur. Bridges who travelled down to sign a contract with manager George Graham and many years later in a 2021 podcast he recalled the reason he didn't make the move was the treatment he got from owner Alan Sugar as he was about to sign his contract. Bridges mentioned on the podcast: "Then all of a sudden this blue Rolls-Royce pulled up outside and he said, 'Oh, here's Lord Sugar, he's come to say hi and welcome to the club', and I kid you not, I'll give you the thirty seconds I got off Alan Sugar while I was sat there with my agent, in London, scared stiff by the way. He said: 'Young man, nice to meet you I've never heard of you before, I've heard you're a Sunderland reserve player, I'm putting all my faith in these two lads [Graham and Pleat] here who say I've got to pay this kind of money for you. I think it's ridiculous because you don't get much for your money, because you don't look like you could lift a paperweight. And by the way, you're not getting the money your agent thinks he's getting, you've got to earn that - take care, good…

After retiring from playing in 2015, Bridges took his coaches badges and, in April 2018, lodged an interest in managing Football League 2 side Carlisle United. As of 2021, he is a pundit for Optus Sport in Australia. He was the manager of National Premier Leagues Northern NSW team Edgeworth FC from 2020 to 2021.

Sunderland

Football League First Division/Championship: 1995–96, 1998–99, 2004–05 Carlisle United

Football League Two: 2005–06