Pugh: Daniel Adam (Danny)

2004-2006 (Player Details)

Left Back

Born: Cheadle Hulme, Stockport: 19-10-1982

Debut: Derby County (h): 07-08-2004

6’0” 12st 10lb (2007)

He came through the Youth system, signing professional on 18th July 2000 and after making just one substitute appearance for his first club, Manchester United, Pugh became the first player signed under new Leeds Manager Kevin Blackwell as part-exchange for former Leeds favourite Alan Smith. Pugh was signed as a utility player, his ability to play on the left hand side of midfield or defence was to be a key factor in a Leeds squad which only had four players remaining from the season before (those four players being Gary Kelly, Michael Duberry, Frazer Richardson and Matthew Kilgallon). His Leeds career started well and for the first half of the season he held down the left midfield position in a 4-4-2 formation, and had been the club's top scorer until the arrival of David Healy from Preston North End. Pugh was then switched to left full back after an injury to Stephen Crainey and a dip in form from Frazer Richardson. However, Pugh subsequently fell out of favour at Leeds. Blackwell's decision to switch to a 4-3-3 formation meant that Pugh's position was taken by David Healy and, with Matthew Kilgallon occupying the left full back position, Pugh was dropped to the bench. He was sold to Preston North End on 6th July 2006 for a fee of £250,000, his last few months at Leeds having been spent almost entirely out of the first team, and he had made only five appearances in his final six months with the club. Pugh was a regular in the Preston first team, playing tucked in off the left flank or occasionally as an out-and-out central midfielder. On 2nd November 2007, it was announced that Stoke City had signed Pugh, initially on loan with a view to a permanent move in January. Manager Tony Pulis was "delighted to have signed a quality left-sided midfielder". At Deepdale Pugh had played fifty-two League games, including two as substitute, scoring five goals. He also scored once in five appearances in the Cup competitions. The move was made permanent on 3rd January 2008, after playing fourteen League games and one FA Cup game while on loan, with Stoke paying Preston £500,000 for Pugh's services in a three and and a half year deal. Pugh became a regular after joining the club, playing as left-sided midfielder and left back. He also deputised in centre midfield, winning ‘Man of the Match’ awards in games against Watford and Newcastle United. He wiped out memories of play-off failures with Preston and Leeds by winning automatic promotion in his first year at Stoke, playing thity-times, three of which were as a substitute,when, together with ex-Leeds players, Richard Cresswell and Dominic Matteo, he helped Stoke City win promotion to the EPL. While still a member of the squad, he was unable to command a regular place in the starting eleven, playing seventeen times, eight of which were from the bench, in the Club's debut Premier League campaign and no doubt he would be hoping for a more regular role in 2009-10. On 21st October 2009 he signed a further one year extension to his contract, which would keep him at Stoke until June 2012, despite having only played three games in the 2009-10 season to that point. He scored his first League goal for Stoke on 27th February 2010, but then conceded a penalty for hand ball in the last minute of the game against Arsenal. Since signing permanently for Stoke he has scored once and started twenty-three League games and come from the bench in seventeen more, started one F.A. Cup tie and been a substitute three times, and scored one goal in six League Cup ties, one of which was as a substitute.