Harding: Daniel Andrew (Dan)

2005- 2006 (Player Details)

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Born: Gloucester: 23-12-1983

Debut: v Millwall (h): 07-08-2005

6’0” 11st 11lb (2006)

He left his East Sussex school at sixteen and joined the Brighton and Hove Albion Youth scheme. He first came to prominence with Brighton and Hove Albion after being a trainee and signing for them in August 2002. In the same month he made his debut in a 2-0 defeat by Norwich City. It was his only appearance for the Seagulls that season. After a successful run in the reserves and the youth side he finally made the left back position at Brighton his own. After an impressive two seasons, and with England's Under-Twenty-one coach Peter Taylor a firm admirer big things were inevitable. Capped four times by England Under-Twenty-ones he won his first cap in the 3-1 win over Ukraine at the Riverside in August 2004. He played in Brighton’s Division two Play-off Final triumph over Bristol City at the Millenium Stadium Cardiff. After scoring once in seventy-six matches for Brighton, he was snapped up by Leeds United in July 2005 for a fee of £850,000, which had been set by tribunal. A Leeds fan himself, he cut short a holiday in Orlando to join the Elland Road outfit. At six foot he was one of the taller members of the squad yet found it hard holding down the left-back position. His time at Leeds was not a happy time and he failed to convince many of the fans of his ability to live up to his reputation. After one season, Harding moved to Ipswich Town in a part exchange deal for Ian Westlake, with Leeds paying Ipswich an additional £500,000. He quickly won over the Ipswich fans and established himself as a Portman Road regular, but then lost his place in the team and was transfer-listed. He joined Southend on a six months loan on 8th August 2008 and scored once in nineteen starts in the League and one start in the League Cup. On 29 January 2009, he joined Reading on loan for the remainder of the 2008–09 season. He started three League games and two play-off final games. In May 2009, after talks with Ipswich's new Manager Roy Keane, Harding was told his contract would not be renewed and that he would be released from the club. While at Portman Road he scored one League goal in seventy starts and three games from the bench,and started four F.A. Cup ties and two League Cup ties. On 21 July 2009, he signed a two year contract with Southampton, and started the season as a regular. By the end of the 2009-10 season he had scored three times, including one against his former club, Leeds United, in forty-two League starts and once in five Johnstone's Paint Trophy ties as well as starting four F.A. Cup and two League Cup ties. He also gained a Johnstone's Paint Trophy winners medal as Southampton beat Carlisle United 4-1 in the final at Wembley on 28th March 2010.