Name: Andy Wilkinson
Position: Right Back, Left Back
Date of Birth: 6/8/1984
Nationality: English
Place of Birth: Stone
Squad Number: 28
Nickname: Wilko
Former Clubs: Telford, Partick Thistle, Shrewsbury, Blackpool
Joined Stoke: 2001 (from academy)
Despite being one of the younger members of the squad, Wilkinson is currently Stoke’s longest serving player, having made his debut in 2001 after coming through the club’s youth academy. He began has career as a centre back, but is now considered exclusively as a full back.
He is a strong, robust player, famed and lauded for his uncompromising attitute and tough tackling, and has been known to push opponents from behind for no reason other than to let them know he’s watching them.
It wasn’t until the 2007/08 season that he made his breakthrough to become a first team regular, but he began the 2008/09 Premier League season as second choice behind club captain Andy Griffin. Wilkinson was given his chance in the winter, and has never looked back, looking every bit the top flight player with impressive showings when up against some of the world’s best wingers.
Helped by loan spells at various clubs, he is maturing into a very good defender, and with a little improvement to his distribution, at present the weakest point of his game, he could go a long way.
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