Ethan Laird

Ethan Benjamin Laird (born 5 August 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a right-back for EFL Championship club Birmingham City.

Ethan Laird
Laird with AFC Bournemouth in 2022
Personal information
Full name Ethan Benjamin Laird[1]
Date of birth (2001-08-05) 5 August 2001
Place of birth Basingstoke, England
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.77 m)[2]
Position(s) Right-back
Team information
Current team
 Birmingham City
Number 2
Youth career
0000–2019 Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2023 Manchester United 0 (0)
2021 → Milton Keynes Dons (loan) 24 (0)
2021–2022 → Swansea City (loan) 20 (0)
2022 → AFC Bournemouth (loan) 6 (0)
2022–2023 → Queens Park Rangers (loan) 32 (1)
2023– Birmingham City 3 (0)
International career
2017–2018 England U17 5 (0)
2018–2019 England U18 7 (2)
2019 England U19 3 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:15, 19 August 2023 (UTC)

Laird is a graduate of Manchester United's youth system and made his first-team debut for the club in a UEFA Europa League game in November 2019. He spent time on loan at Milton Keynes Dons, Swansea City, AFC Bournemouth and Queens Park Rangers. In the 2021–22 season, he helped Bournemouth gain promotion to the Premier League by finishing as runners-up in the Championship. He spent the 2022–23 season on loan at Queens Park Rangers before joining Birmingham City.

Laird has played for England at under-17, under-18 and under-19 levels. He is also eligible to represent Jamaica at international level.

Club career

Manchester United
Laird playing for Manchester United U18s in 2017

Laird joined Manchester United's youth system at the age of 10.[3] He made his reserve team debut in a match against Swansea City on 18 March 2018.[4] He signed his first professional contract with the club in October 2018,[5] but less than two months later he suffered a long-term injury in a UEFA Youth League match at home to Young Boys,[6] and made just two more appearances in 2018–19.

Laird graduated to the reserve team for the 2019–20 season, and scored in the team's opening match of their EFL Trophy campaign away to Rotherham United on 6 August 2019;[7] however, he suffered another injury in a game against Reading on 16 August and was ruled out for two months.[8] After returning to action, he was included in the 20-man travelling party for the first team's UEFA Europa League match away to Partizan on 24 October,[9] but was not named in the 18-man squad for the match. After United qualified for the Europa League knockout phase, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær took a squad mostly made up of youth team players to Kazakhstan for their away game against Astana on 28 November, and named Laird as one of three players to make their senior debuts in the match, along with Di'Shon Bernard and Dylan Levitt;[10] the match finished as a 2–1 defeat.[11]

Loan to Milton Keynes Dons

On 8 January 2021, Laird joined League One side Milton Keynes Dons on loan until the end of the 2020–21 season.[12][13] He made his professional league debut for the club on 16 January 2021 in a 3–0 defeat away to Peterborough United.[14]

Loan to Swansea City

On 16 August 2021, Laird joined EFL Championship club Swansea City on loan for the duration of the 2021–22 season, reuniting with former MK Dons manager Russell Martin.[15][16]

Loan to AFC Bournemouth

On 6 January 2022, Laird joined AFC Bournemouth on a short-term loan deal until the end of the season.[3]

Loan to Queens Park Rangers

On 15 August 2022, Laird joined Queens Park Rangers on loan until the end of the 2022–23 season.[17] On 30 August 2022, Laird scored his first senior goal with the second in an impressive 3–1 victory over Hull City, converting a cross from opposite full-back Kenneth Paal.[18]

Birmingham City

Laird signed for another Championship club, Birmingham City, on a three-year contract on 30 June 2023; the fee was undisclosed,[19] but was reported by the Manchester Evening News as £750,000 plus add-ons and a sell-on clause.[20]

International career

Laird is eligible to represent England or Jamaica at international level.[21] He has played youth international football for England at under-17, under-18 and under-19 levels.[22] He was a member of the under-17 squad that hosted the 2018 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.[23]

Career statistics
As of match played 19 August 2023[24]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester United U21 2019–20[25] —————3[lower-alpha 1]131
2020–21[26] —————1[lower-alpha 1]010
Total ————4141
Manchester United 2019–20[25] Premier League 0000002[lower-alpha 2]0—20
2020–21[26] Premier League 00000000—00
2021–22[27] Premier League 00000000—00
2022–23[28] Premier League 00000000—00
Total 00000020—20
Milton Keynes Dons (loan) 2020–21[26] League One 2401000—00250
Swansea City (loan) 2021–22[27] Championship 2000010——210
AFC Bournemouth (loan) 2021–22[27] Championship 600000——60
Queens Park Rangers (loan) 2022–23[28] Championship 3211000——331
Birmingham City 2023–24[29] Championship 300000——30
Career total 85120102041942
  1. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
  2. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

AFC Bournemouth

References
  1. "Premier League clubs publish retained lists". Premier League. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  2. "Ethan Laird Profile, News & Stats". Premier League. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  3. "Laird agrees new loan move". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. 6 January 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  4. Butler, Cliff (18 March 2018). "Under-23s match report: Swansea 2 United 0". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  5. Marshall, Adam (8 October 2018). "Laird thrilled with pro contract". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  6. O'Toole, Dan; Marshall, Tyrone (27 November 2018). "Manchester United U19s 6-2 Young Boys U19s highlights and reaction". Manchester Evening News. MEN Media. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  7. Marshall, Adam (7 August 2019). "Laird's first step on his 'major comeback'". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  8. Butler, Cliff (16 August 2019). "United Under-23s maintain a perfect start". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  9. Thompson, Gemma (23 October 2019). "Revealed: Ole's United squad for Belgrade trip". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  10. Marshall, Adam (28 November 2019). "Confirmed: United team to play Astana". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  11. Thompson, Gemma (28 November 2019). "FC Astana 2 Manchester United 1". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  12. "Ethan Laird: Milton Keynes Dons sign Manchester United full-back on loan". BBC Sport. 8 January 2021.
  13. "Dons land Laird loan". Milton Keynes Dons FC. 8 January 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  14. "Peterborough United 3-0 Milton Keynes Dons". BBC Sport. 16 January 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  15. "Laird clinches Championship loan move". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  16. "Ethan Laird joins Swansea City on loan". swanseacity.com. Swansea City AFC. 16 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  17. "Ethan Laird: Manchester United defender joins QPR on loan". BBC Sport. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  18. "Queens Park Rangers 3–1 Hull City". BBC Sport. 30 August 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  19. "Ethan Laird signs for Blues!". Birmingham City F.C. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  20. Luckhurst, Samuel (1 July 2023). "Why Manchester United sold Ethan Laird". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  21. "Man U defender Laird joins Bournemouth on loan". jamaica-gleaner.com. 8 January 2022. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  22. "E. Laird". besoccer.com. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  23. "England start U17 European Championship with victory over Israel". BBC Sport. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  24. Ethan Laird at Soccerway. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  25. "Games played by Ethan Laird in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  26. "Games played by Ethan Laird in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  27. "Games played by Ethan Laird in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
  28. "Games played by Ethan Laird in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  29. "Games played by Ethan Laird in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  30. "AFC Bournemouth 1–0 Nottingham Forest". BBC Sport. 3 May 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
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