30 Facts About Michael Boulding

Michael Thomas Boulding was born on 8 February 1976 and is an English former professional footballer and tennis player.

Michael Boulding notably played in the Football League with several spells each with Grimsby Town and Mansfield Town.

Michael Boulding played professionally for Sheffield United, Barnsley, Cardiff City, Rotherham United and Bradford City before retiring with a short spell at Derby County in 2011.

Michael Boulding is the brother of fellow footballer Rory Boulding and singer-songwriter Helen Boulding.

Michael Boulding was part of the national squad and played in events across the world, including India, South America, the Far East, and the junior Wimbledon Championships and the qualifying rounds of the main Grand Slam event.

Michael Boulding held an ATP singles world ranking between 8 July 1996 and 1 November 1999, apart from between 25 August 1997 and 24 August 1998, which peaked at 1,119 with four world ranking points on 3 May 1999.

Michael Boulding maintained his links with football and trained with Doncaster Rovers, and in 1998 he joined non-league Hallam near his home in Sheffield.

Michael Boulding was given a contract by the Division Three side and turned professional in 1999, which brought an end to his tennis career.

Michael Boulding made his debut with Mansfield in a League Cup game against Nottingham Forest on 11 August 1999 as a late substitute for Gary Tallon, before his first league game came three days later against Cheltenham Town.

Michael Boulding turned down the offer and instead joined Aston Villa in July 2002 on a Bosman free transfer.

Michael Boulding played seven times for United, scoring one goal in a League Cup tie with Wycombe Wanderers.

Three games after Michael Boulding signed for Barnsley, they sacked manager Gudjon Thordarsson and replaced him with Paul Hart, who asked Michael Boulding to play at left wing.

Michael Boulding failed to score again until November and only netted one more by the end of 2004, but in the first four games of the New Year he scored another five goals.

Michael Boulding played four games for the Championship-side, all as substitute, without scoring.

Michael Boulding returned to Barnsley but was released by manager Andy Ritchie at the end of the season.

Michael Boulding was tracked by Bradford City and Crewe Alexandra, with whom he was offered a contract after a successful trial, but instead decided to retire from professional football after being asked to play on the left wing.

In July 2006, Michael Boulding returned to League Two side Mansfield Town, and after impressing manager Peter Shirtliff in pre-season training, he was offered a contract.

However, Michael Boulding missed a penalty in Mansfield's next league game as they remained bottom of the table following a goalless draw with Bradford City, before they were knocked out of the FA Cup by Premier League club Middlesbrough in the fourth round live on television.

Michael Boulding's goals attracted interest from a number of clubs including League One side Cheltenham Town, and League Two teams Bradford City, former clubs Grimsby Town and Rotherham United, and Lincoln City.

Michael Boulding scored in the club's following two games, but was then kept out of the side for two weeks by a virus.

However, Michael Boulding continued to struggle to maintain a first-team place and was released early from his contract in March 2010, along with his brother under mutual consent, after failing to make a single start under new manager Peter Taylor.

Michael Boulding had played 71 games at City, although nearly one-third were as substitute, and scored 19 goals.

Michael Boulding returned on trial to former clubs Mansfield Town, with his brother Rory, and Barnsley.

Michael Boulding offered to play for free on a short-term deal at the latter club and started the season with the Championship side, being named on the bench for the club's opening match away to Queens Park Rangers.

Michael Boulding was limited to reserve team football, which included a goal against Nottingham Forest.

Michael Boulding failed to appear for the first-team and in February 2011, he was given a trial with another Championship club Derby County scoring in a reserve game against Walsall.

Michael Boulding played for the reserves before he earned his first call-up to the Derby team for a game against Crystal Palace.

Michael Boulding did not feature in the Derby first-team and they did not retain him at the end of the season.

Michael Boulding was born on 8 February 1976 in Sheffield, England, to Mick and Deirdre Boulding.

Michael Boulding has four sisters, Sally, Mary, singer-songwriter Helen, and Laura, and a younger brother, Rory, who is 12 years his junior, and was born after the family moved to Sheffield.