Grant Leadbitter

Grant Leadbitter (born 7 January 1986 in Chester-le-Street) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Football League Championship club Ipswich Town. He played for Sunderland from 2003 until 2009 after rising up as a product from the teams Youth Academy. In 2007 Leadbitter received a call-up for England U21, and featured for them three times.

Club career

Youth career

Leadbitter grew up in Fence Houses as a Sunderland fan, and joined the Sunderland youth academy at the age of 16. He progressed through the ranks and represented England at the U19 level in 2002, scoring against Brazil to help England finish in the top four in the league tournament

Sunderland

Leadbitter's first professional appearance for Sunderland came as a substitute in a League Cup defeat against Huddersfield Town in September 2003. Before obtaining a regular first-team place at the club, he was loaned to hibernian in September 2005, where he scored once against celtic in five league games. After his loan stay in hibernian, he began to be selected regularly by then manager Mick McCarthy, and started in several Premiership games for the Black Cats in February 2006.

After Sunderland's relegation in 2006, Leadbitter stalled on contract talks, with many predicting he was aiming to attract the attention of a Premiership club after his impressive displays during the previous season. However, a contract was subsequently agreed with the player claiming he...
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