Ricardo Gardner
Personal information
Full name Ricardo Wayne Gardner[1]
Date of birth (1978-09-25) 25 September 1978
Place of birth Saint Andrew Parish, Jamaica
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Left winger, left wing-back
Youth career
1992–1997 Harbour View
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1998 Harbour View 10 (2)
1998–2012 Bolton Wanderers 342 (20)
2011 → Preston North End (loan) 4 (0)
Total 356 (22)
International career
1997–2012 Jamaica 111[2] (9)
Managerial career
2015–2016 Jamaica U-20
2015–2018 Harbour View (Head coach)
2019–2020 Portmore United (Assistant coach)
2020–2021 Portmore United (Head coach)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ricardo Wayne Gardner (born 25 September 1978), commonly known as Bibi, is a Jamaican former professional footballer. He works as assistant coach at Portmore United. A left winger, he could also play in the centre of midfield or at left wingback. He last played for Bolton Wanderers in May 2012, completing a 14-year spell at the club, of which 11 were spent in the Premier League. Gardner earned 111 caps for the Jamaica national football team, scoring 9 goals and playing at four CONCACAF Gold Cups and the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

Playing career

Club career

Early career

Born in Saint Andrew, Jamaica, Gardner began his professional career with Harbour View, where he debuted as a starter at the age of only 14 years. He also, representing Wolmer's Boys' High School, dominated the local high school football leagues and was considered outstanding.[3] His performances for Jamaica during the 1998 World Cup attracted English First Division side Bolton Wanderers to offer Harbour View £1 million for his services.[4]

Bolton Wanderers

Gardner immediately established himself a place in the first team for Bolton. He came on as a substitute to make his debut against Hartlepool in the League Cup on 25 August 1998,[5] and made his league debut as a substitute again against West Bromwich Albion on 8 September 1998. In this game, Bolton were reduced to 10 men after the sending off of Guðni Bergsson shortly after Gardner came on, but he scored a late winner to give his team a memorable 3–2 victory over West Brom.[6] He made 22 appearances, half of them starts, in his first year while scoring three goals. In his second season, 1999–2000, he established a place in the starting eleven, starting 23 of 26 games, that he has held on to since. Although Gardner suffered a cruciate ligament injury that took him out of action at the end of the season, he made a full recovery, and was able to return to the starting line-up in 2000–01 (scoring in the 2001 Division One Play off Final), playing with the promoted Bolton in the Premier League. He was voted Bolton Wanderers F.C. Player of the Year for the 2005–06 season by the club's fans.[7][8] Due to a knee injury, Gardner did not make his first appearance in the 2006–07 season until December.

In November 2007, he scored his first goal at club level in nearly five years when he opened the scoring in Bolton's 2–2 draw against German giants Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena in the UEFA Cup group stage. A year later after being moved from a wing-back role back into midfield he scored in the Wanderers 2–0 win over local rivals Manchester City.[9]

Gardner made his 400th appearance for Bolton in a 3–0 defeat to Fulham on 27 April 2011.[10] On 24 May 2011, he was in discussions to extend his Bolton contract into a fourteenth year. Gardner rejected a move to West Ham United favouring to sign a new one-year contract at Bolton,[11] which he signed on 5 August.[12] He made four league appearances at the beginning of the next season but was sent off for two bookable offences in Bolton's 3–1 defeat at Swansea City on 29 October [13] and then suffered an injury, making no further appearances that year.

At the close of the January 2012 transfer window, he wasn't named in Bolton's twenty five man Premier League squad for the second half of the season meaning he would play no further part in the league campaign.[14] It was later revealed that he had been omitted due to having had an operation on his knee that the Bolton medical staff could not guarantee he would recover from in time to play again that season.[15] It was announced on 18 May 2012 that Ricardo had left the club in line with the expiration of his contract.[10] At the time, Gardner was the second longest serving foreign player in Premier League history after serving fourteen years at Bolton, only beaten by his former Bolton teammate Jussi Jääskeläinen.[16]

Preston North End (loan)

On 8 March 2011, Gardner went to Preston North End on an emergency one-month loan as cover for Phil Brown's side. Bolton manager Owen Coyle said it was a great chance for Gardner to improve his match fitness after only just recovering from injury.[17]

He made his debut the following day at the left-back position in the 2–1 loss to Leeds United and played three more games for the club.[18]

Retirement

After the end of his contract with Bolton Wanderers, he spent a year training at his old club, West Ham United and Barnsley to keep up his fitness, and played in two reserve team matches for West Ham[19] but decided to leave England to seek a move to the MLS.[20] He went on an unsuccessful trial at Real Salt Lake[21] where he played for the reserves in a 1–0 win against the Portland Timbers reserves[22] and announced his official retirement in May 2014.[23]

International career

Gardner rose to international prominence following the 1998 World Cup. Gardner was an important player for the Jamaican national team and earned his place as the team's captain, captaining the team between 2005 and 2009.[24] He also captained the team for one game in 2012 at the 2012 Caribbean Cup.

Coaching career

In December 2015, Gardner was appointed as coach of the Jamaica U-20 team.[25] Gardner resigned as Harbour View FC Head coach in December 2018.[26] In March 2019, Gardner joined the staff of Portmore United as assistant coach.[27] In 2021, Gardner left his role as head of Portmore United to move back to England.[28]

Personal life

Gardner is a Rastafarian and sports dreadlocks.[3] He is part owner, with Robert Scarlett and Ian Goodison, of a record label, Heart of Love Production,[3] which promotes ragga and dancehall music.[29]

Career statistics

Source:[30][31]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bolton Wanderers1998–99First Division3021031–30373
1999–20002954091––426
2000–0132320––32375
2001–02Premier League3132010––343
2002–03322––––322
2003–04220–40––260
2004–053304010––380
2005–06300403070–440
2006–0718030–––210
2007–08260––41–301
2008–092941010––314
2009–102113020––261
2010–11500010––60
2011–12400020––60
Total 342202402721116241025
Preston North End (loan)2010–11Championship400000––40
Career total 346202402721116241425

Honours

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2008). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2008–09. Mainstream. ISBN 978-1-84596-324-8.
  2. ↑ "Jamaica - Record International Players".
  3. 1 2 3 "Bibi – the 'big dog' now". Jamaica Gleaner. 11 October 2008. Archived from the original on 7 October 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  4. ↑ "Bibi vs Boyz". Jamaica Star. Archived from the original on 30 October 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  5. ↑ "Hartlepool 0 Bolton 3 (Agg: 0–4)". Sporting Life. 25 August 1998. Archived from the original on 27 December 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  6. ↑ "West Bromwich Albion 2 Bolton Wanderers 3". Sporting Life. 8 September 1998. Archived from the original on 19 October 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
  7. 1 2 "Vote for your 2017/18 Bolton Wanderers Player of the Year!". Bolton Wanderers. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  8. 1 2 McGill, Aldwyn (27 May 2012). "Jamaica Football: Reggae Boyz History". Stars Soccer Review. Caribbean Stars. p. 5. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  9. ↑ "Bolton 2-0 Man City". BBC Sport. 2 November 2008. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  10. 1 2 "Relegated Bolton release 'Bibi' Gardner". www.jamaicaobserver.com. 18 May 2012. Archived from the original on 20 May 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  11. ↑ Ricardo rejects Sam to stick with Whites The Bolton News, 17 June 2011
  12. ↑ Bibi says delighted with new deal at Bolton Archived 17 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine Jamaica Observer, 7 August 2011
  13. ↑ "Swansea 3-1 Bolton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  14. ↑ Premier League Clubs submit Squad Lists Archived 27 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine Premier League, 2 February 2012
  15. ↑ Gardner out for season - but not for good The Bolton News, 7 February 2012
  16. ↑ Van Persie given tantalising taste of what could be The Independent, 19 December 2011
  17. ↑ "Ricardo "bibi" Gardner Signs One-month Loan Deal with Preston | Harbour View Football Club". 9 March 2011.
  18. ↑ "Ricardo Gardner". Preston North End FC. Archived from the original on 20 March 2011. Retrieved 16 June 2011.
  19. ↑ "West Ham U21s 0-1 Saints U21s: Report".
  20. ↑ "Ricardo Gardner thanks everyone for the great Bolton memories". 15 May 2013.
  21. ↑ "Ricardo Gardner on trial with Real Salt Lake". 13 August 2013.
  22. ↑ "Reserves Recap: RSL 1-0 Portland Timbers | Real Salt Lake".
  23. ↑ "Ricardo".
  24. ↑ Jamaican Observer: "'Bibi' is back! Gardner recalled to Boyz set-up for Caribbean Cup"
  25. ↑ "Gardner appointed new U20 coach - Jamaica Football Federation | Jamaica Football Federation". Archived from the original on 23 December 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  26. ↑ "'Bibi' says bye - Gardner resigns as Harbour View head coach". 11 December 2018.
  27. ↑ "Gardner joins flourishing Portmore United". Jamaica Star. 15 March 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
  28. ↑ "Gardner leaves Portmore United". Jamaica Gleaner. 30 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  29. ↑ "Set Me Free Riddim – Various Artists (VA)". Caribbean Music Database. Archived from the original on 11 September 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2011.
  30. ↑ Ricardo Gardner at Soccerbase
  31. ↑ "Ricardo Gardner". Bolton Wanderers F.C. Archived from the original on 23 December 2008. Retrieved 16 March 2019.
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