Max Bardell

Max James Bardell (born 14 November 2002) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for AFC Fylde on loan from EFL Championship club Derby County.

Max Bardell

Personal information
Full name	Max James Bardell[1]
Date of birth	(2002-11-14) 14 November 2002 (age 22)[1]
Place of birth	Huddersfield, England
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	AFC Fylde (on loan from Derby County)
Number	14
Youth career
	Huddersfield Town
0000–2019	Manchester City
2019–2023	Derby County
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2021–	Derby County	0	(0)
2024–	→ AFC Fylde (loan)	9	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12:51, 30 January 2025 (UTC)

Bardell has previously featured in academy setups at Huddersfield Town and Manchester City, before he joined Derby County's academy in 2019, he made his first team debut at Derby in 2021 and became a professional in the summer of 2021.

Career

Bardell started his career at the academies of Huddersfield Town & Manchester City, before joining the Derby County academy in 2019 on a scholarship.^[2]

During the 2019–20 season, Bardell played 18 times for the under-18s in, including two appearances in Derby's run to the play-off rounds in the UEFA Youth League.^[2][1] For the 2020–21, in second year of his scholarship, Bardell captained the under-18 side,^[2] as well as making his first appearances for the under-21s.^[2][1]

In January 2021, Derby's first team squad suffered a Covid-19 outbreak which forced the first-team players and staff to miss the club's third round FA Cup tie at Chorley and the club's under-21s and 18s players and staff would replace them.^[3] On 9 January, the game took place with Bardell playing 73 minutes at right back, the youthful Derby side lost 2–0,^[4] but Bardell won praise for his performance.^[5]

In the summer of 2021, Bardell signed his first professional contract with Derby County, after completing his two-year scholarship.^[6] During the 2021–22 season, Bardell became a permanent member of the club's under-21s, but a hamstring injury limited appearances.^[2] He featured in two first match day Championship squads as an unused substitute in February 2022.^[7][8]

The 2022–23 season was another injury affected one for Bardell,^[2] he was restricted to four under-21 appearances.^[1] Bardell made his second appearance for the first team in a 5–0 FA Cup First Round replay win over Torquay United in November 2022,^[9] Derby described this as his "official" debut.^[2] On 18 January 2023, Bardell signed a contract extension, extending his stay at Derby until June 2025.^[10]

Bardell featured in two-first team matchday squads in August 2024 at the start of the 2023–24 season^[11][12] A few days after being part of the first team squad, Bardell picked up an injury in the under-21 match against Tottenham Hotspur on 25 August 2023.^[13] This injury came at a time when all of Derby's professionally contracted right-backs were sidelined with injury.^[14] Bardell would return from his injury in January 2024. However, on 1 March 2024, Bardell picked up another injury in an under-21s match against Manchester United which would end his season prematurely.^[15] Bardell played in 6 Premier League 2 matches during the season for the under-21s.

On 30 October 2024, Bardell joined National League side AFC Fylde on an initial one-month loan deal.^[16] On 3 December, this loan was extended until January 2025,^[17] before then being extended for the remainder of the season.^[18]

Personal life

Born in England, Bardell is of Irish descent.^[19]

Career statistics

As of match played 28 January 2025^[20]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Derby County	2020–21[21]	Championship	0	0	1	0	0	0	—		1	0
	2021–22[22]	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2022–23[23]	League One	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	2023–24[23]	League One	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2024–25[24]	Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	Total		0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
AFC Fylde (loan)	2024–25[1]	National League	9	0	0	0	—		1[a]	0	10	0
Career total			9	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	12	0

1. Appearance(s) in FA Trophy

References

1. Max Bardell at Soccerway. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
2. "Max Bardell". dcfc.co.uk. Derby County F.C. 9 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
3. Bower, Aaron (6 January 2021). "Derby County to field youth players at Chorley after Covid outbreak". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
4. "Chorley 2–0 Derby County". BBC Sport. 9 January 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
5. Stone, Simon (9 January 2021). "Derby County: Fans lavish Max Bardell with praise after 'accomplished' Chorley display". Football Fancast. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
6. "BARDELL: "RELIEF TO SCORE AND GET OUR FIRST WIN"". Derby County. 9 January 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
7. Beardmore, Michael (2 February 2022). "Huddersfield Town 2–0 Derby County". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
8. "Derby County 3–1 Hull City". BBC Sport. 8 February 2022. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
9. Pilnick, Brent (15 November 2022). "Derby County 5–0 Torquy United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
10. Pallat, James (18 January 2023). "Derby County announce triple contract update". Derby Telegraph. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
11. "Derby County 0–2 Blackpool". BBC Sport. 8 August 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
12. "Derby County 1–0 Fleetwood Town". BBC Sport. 19 August 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
13. "U21 Match Report: Derby County 0–2 Tottenham Hotspur". Derby County. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
14. Curtis, Leigh (15 September 2023). "Derby County set to enter free agent market as agents contacted over transfer". Derby Telegraph. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
15. "U21 Match Report: Manchester United 2–4 Derby County". Derby County. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
16. "Max Bardell Joins the Coasters". www.afcfylde.co.uk. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
17. "Max Bardell Extends Mill Farm Stay". afcfylde.co.uk. 3 December 2024. Retrieved 9 December 2024.
18. "Max Bardell Extends Loan Spell". afcfylde.co.uk. 30 January 2025. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
19. Gaine, Bill (10 January 2023). "A 'Granny Rule XI' We'd Love To See Playing For Ireland Some Day". Balls.ie.
20. Max Bardell at Soccerbase
21. "Games played by Max Bardell in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
22. "Games played by Max Bardell in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
23. "Games played by Max Bardell in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
24. "Games played by Max Bardell in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2024.

External links

• Max Bardell at Soccerbase
• Max Bardell at Soccerway