Bridges Back At Brunton Park

Michael Bridges

Almost two years since he left the Blues to sign a three-year deal with the Tigers for a bumper fee of up to £350,000, £325,000 of which was cash upfront, Bridges has today come back to Cumbria. The striker, who can play in any positon across the forward line, now becoming a United player again for the whole of the 2008-09 campaign.

That three-year contract with Hull expires in the summer of 2009, and Carlisle then have the first option on signing Bridges after that. That suggesting that the Tigers haven't really had the best of the deal compared to United, that borne out by the fact that the 29-year old has made only 11 starts, 13 substitute appearances and scored only three goals in his near 24 months on Humberside, although he did spend six months on loan with Sydney FC in Australia last winter.

The first time around Bridges initially joined the Cumbrians on loan, with a view to a permanent transfer from Bristol City in November 2005, and he did indeed make that move a full one when he signed an 18-month contract with the Blues over the Christmas period that year. In his time at Brunton Park then Michael made 28 starts, plus three as a substitute, scoring a bumper 15 goals in the process.

So with Bridges turning down a new deal with United in mid-2006 and making no secret of his ambitions to play at a higher level again, the club were faced with the prospect of seeing him walk away for nothing in the summer of 2007. Bridges moving on was a constant rumour at that time, even more so when Darlington had a £250,000 bid rejected for him, and it was no real suprise to see him leave on transfer deadline day and move to the KC Stadium.


First Team Transfers 2008-09 : Click here