| Michael Ball |
|
Birth Place:
Liverpool
Birth Date:
02/10/1979
Playing Position:
Defender
Signed:
17/08/2001
International
Honours:
|
MICHAEL began his career at Goodison Park - which was a dream come true for the life long
Evertonian.
He came up through the ranks there, just like former Gers’ star Gary Stevens, who also began his very successful career at Everton.
The talented defender burst onto the scene in the 1996-97 season with a number of fine performances and hasn’t looked back since.
Perhaps exposed a little too much in his teenage years, according to Walter Smith, he was rested for large parts of season 2000/01 making just 14 starts throughout the campaign.
An England international, Michael was awarded his first senior call-up by Sven Goran Eriksson in a friendly match against Spain in February 2001.
Ball proved his ability at Goodison and it attracted many admirers, including arch-rivals Liverpool.
But he reckoned there was no way he could move across the city, and was more than thrilled to swap the light blue of Everton for the light blue of Rangers.
His move to Rangers was a protracted affair because he was carrying an injury when discussions took place, and as a result he had to wait for nearly two weeks before the club was satisfied with his fitness.
The fee of £6.5m is the second highest in Rangers’ history, but McLeish is convinced that the left-sided defender will go on to be a major player for the club in the years ahead.
| Appearance Stats: [Starts, subs, goals] | | Season | Club | SPL | TSC | CIS | Euro | Total | | 2001/02 | Rangers | 5 | 2 | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 2 | 0 | 0 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 8 | 3 | 1 | | 2002/03 * | Rangers | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | | Total | 5 | 2 | 0 | | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 2 | 0 | 0 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 8 | 3 | 1 |
|
 |
