Dele Alli

Dele Alli

Alli playing for Milton Keynes Dons in 2015
Personal information
Full nameBamidele Jermaine Alli[1]
Date of birth11 April 1996[2]
Place of birthMilton Keynes, England
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current team
Milton Keynes Dons
(on loan from Tottenham Hotspur)
Number14
Youth career
–2007City Colts[3]
2007–2012Milton Keynes Dons
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2012–2015Milton Keynes Dons62(18)
2015–Tottenham Hotspur0(0)
2015–→ Milton Keynes Dons (loan)10(4)
National team‡
2012–2013England U179(0)
2014England U182(0)
2014–England U194(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:55, 22 April 2015 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 03:15, 15 November 2014 (UTC)

Bamidele Jermaine "Dele" Alli (born 11 April 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Milton Keynes Dons of Football League One, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur of the Premier League. Born in Milton Keynes, he joined the youth system at MK Dons aged 11 and broke into the first team five years later, during the 2012–13 season. Over the next two-and-a-half years he made 62 league appearances for MK, scoring 18 goals, and played for the England U17, U18 and U19 teams. He signed for Tottenham in February 2015 for an initial fee of £5 million, and as part of the deal was loaned back to MK Dons for the rest of the 2014–15 season.

Club career

Milton Keynes Dons

Early career

Alli, born in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, joined the youth system at Milton Keynes Dons when he was 11 years old.[3] He made his debut for the first team as a sixteen-year-old on 2 November 2012, coming on as a 64th-minute substitute for James O'Shea in a 0–0 draw with Southern Football League club Cambridge City in the FA Cup first round at Bridge Road.[4] His first touch in professional football was a back-heeled pass.[3] His first goal came in the replay against Cambridge eleven days later, where he scored in a 6–1 win at Stadium mk on his first start.[5] He made his league debut in the 2–3 defeat to Coventry City at home on 29 December, where he played 71 minutes before being replaced by Zeli Ismail.[6] His only other league appearance in the 2012–13 Football League One season, came as a second-half substitute for Patrick Bamford in the last game of the season, a 2–0 win over Stevenage at Broadhall Way.[7]

2013–14 season

The 2013–14 season saw Alli break into the MK Dons first team on a regular basis. He started the Dons' first league game of the season, a 0–0 draw away at Shrewsbury Town.[8] In his first Football League Trophy appearance, Alli scored to help MK Dons beat Northampton Town 2–0 and thus progress to the second round of the tournament.[9] On 28 September, Alli scored his first professional league goal in the 4–1 thrashing of Stevenage.[10]

After being in and out of the first team picture in late 2013 due to injury setbacks, Alli would go on and establish himself as a first-choice player in 2014. He scored the opening goal in the 3–2 win over Shrewsbury Town at Stadium mk on 11 January, with a header from Stephen Gleeson's pinpoint pass.[11] On 11 March, against Notts County at Meadow Lane, aged 17 years and 11 months old, Alli scored a hat-trick to guide the 'Dons to a 3–1 victory.[12] His next and final goal of the 2013–14 season, came on 5 April against Coventry City at the Sixfields Stadium; Alli struck a thunderous volley from 25 yards out as MK Dons defeated Coventry, 2–1.[13] He made 37 appearances in all competitions during the 2013–14 season, scoring 7 times, with 33 appearances and 6 goals in the league.

2014–15 season

Alli playing for MK Dons in 2015.

With the departure of Gleeson to Birmingham City[14] in June 2014, Alli became the first-choice central midfield partner to Darren Potter. He started the season brightly, playing the first league game of the season as the Dons overcame a 2–0 deficit to defeat Gillingham, 4–2.[15] He then helped the team to a 3–1 win over arch-enemies, AFC Wimbledon, in the League Cup first round.[16] His first goal of the 2014–15 season came in the first away league game, a 3–2 defeat to Peterborough United, where he scored a tap-in from Will Grigg's deflected shot.[17]

On 26 August, Alli played the full 90 minutes in the League Cup second round as MK Dons recorded a historic 4–0 win over Manchester United.[18] It was reported that numerous scouts from top clubs across Europe attended the game to watch him play, including representatives from Bayern Munich and Liverpool.[3][19] In the game after the 4–0 League Cup win over Manchester United, Alli continued his rich vein of form with a goal curled in from the edge of the box in a 2–0 win over Crawley Town.[20] After the international break, Alli played 77 minutes in the 5–3 win against Barnsley, assisting the Dons second goal and scoring their third goal himself with a chip over the Barnsley goalkeeper.[21]

On 18 September, Alli extended his contract with MK Dons until June 2017.[22] Two days later, in a game against Crewe Alexandra, he scored a hat-trick and achieved one assist in what turned out to be a 6–1 victory for the Dons. It was the second hat-trick of his career and the first he achieved at home, which also led to him winning the Man of the Match award.[23]

On 2 February 2015, Alli signed for Tottenham Hotspur in the last hours of the mid-season transfer window on a five-and-a-half-year deal for an initial fee of £5 million. He was loaned back to MK Dons for the remainder of the 2014–15 season.[24] On 19 April, he was chosen as the Young Player of the Year at the Football League Awards.[25]

International career

Alli has made several appearances at U17 and U18 levels for England.[26] On 27 August 2014, Alli was called up to the England U19 squad following an impressive start to the campaign.[27] He made his debut for England U19 in the 1–1 draw against Germany U19. In the game, Alli assisted the opening goal feeding a through ball to Bradley Fewster who gave England a 1–0 lead.[28] In February 2015, it was reported that John Fashanu would try to convince Alli to play for Nigeria.[29]

Personal life

Alli was a Liverpool fan growing up, and Steven Gerrard was his childhood hero.[3][30][31] Alli's father is Nigerian.[32]

Career statistics

As of match played 21 April 2015.
Club statistics
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Milton Keynes Dons 2012–13[33] League One 2051000071
2013–14[34] League One 33610201[lower-alpha 1]1377
2014–15[35] League One 37161040004216
Career total 72227160118624
  1. ↑ Appearance in Football League Trophy

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ↑ Dele Alli profile at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  2. ↑ "First Team Profiles". Milton Keynes Dons F.C. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Chris Osborne (19 September 2014). "MK Dons' Dele Alli has the makings of next Steven Gerrard". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  4. ↑ Osborne, Chris (2 November 2012). "Cambridge City 0–0 MK Dons". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  5. ↑ "MK Dons 6–1 Cambridge City". BBC Sport. 13 November 2012. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  6. ↑ "MK Dons 2 – 3 Coventry City". BBC Sport. 29 December 2012. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "Stevenage F.C. 0 – 2 MK Dons". BBC Sport. 27 April 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  8. ↑ "Shrewsbury Town 0 – 0 MK Dons". BBC Sport. 3 August 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  9. ↑ "MK Dons 2 – 0 Northampton Town". MK Web. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  10. ↑ "MK Dons 4 – 1 Stevenage F.C.". BBC Sport. 28 September 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  11. ↑ "MK Dons 3 – 2 Shrewsbury Town". BBC Sport. 11 January 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  12. ↑ "Notts County 1 – 3 MK Dons". BBC Sport. 11 March 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  13. ↑ "Coventry City 1 – 2 MK Dons". BBC Sport. 5 April 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  14. ↑ "BBC Sport - Stephen Gleeson: Birmingham City sign MK Dons midfielder". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  15. ↑ "BBC Sport - Milton Keynes Dons 4-2 Gillingham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  16. ↑ Chris Osborne (13 August 2014). "BBC Sport - Milton Keynes Dons 3-1 AFC Wimbledon". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  17. ↑ "BBC Sport - Peterborough United 3-2 MK Dons". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  18. ↑ Chris Osborne. "BBC Sport - Milton Keynes Dons 4-0 Manchester United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  19. ↑ "MK Dons chairman Pete Winkelman relishing Capital One Cup tie with Manchester United". Telegraph.co.uk. 25 August 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  20. ↑ "BBC Sport - Milton Keynes Dons 2-0 Crawley Town". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  21. ↑ "BBC Sport - Barnsley 3-5 Milton Keynes Dons". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  22. ↑ "Dele Alli: MK Dons midfielder prospect extends contract". BBC Sport. 18 September 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  23. ↑ "Match report: MK Dons 6 Crewe Alexandra 1 - Dele Alli inspired Dons dismantle Alex". MK News. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  24. ↑ "Dele Alli: Tottenham sign £5m MK Dons midfielder & loan him back". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  25. ↑ "Kevin Phillips: Ex-England striker wins Football League award". BBC Sport. 19 April 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  26. ↑ "Alli Called up to England U17 Squad">"European call for MK Dons and England U17 star Dele Alli". MK Web. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
  27. ↑ The Football Association. "Three U17 Euro winners make step up to England U19s". Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  28. ↑ The Football Association. "Germany 1-1 England: Under-19 match international match report - England - The FA". Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  29. ↑ "MK Dons loanee Dele Alli set to be tempted away from England national side by former Wimbledon player". MKWeb.co.uk. 13 February 2015. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  30. ↑ The Football Association. "Deli Alli hopes to emulate Gerrard - England - The FA". Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  31. ↑ "Liverpool and Bayern Munich target Dele Alli dances to his own tune at MK Dons". Telegraph.co.uk. 18 September 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  32. ↑ http://m.shieldsgazette.com/sport/football/newcastle-united/wonderkid-dele-alli-seven-things-about-the-newcastle-and-liverpool-target-1-7068546
  33. ↑ "Games played by Dele Alli in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  34. ↑ "Games played by Dele Alli in 2032/2014". Soccerbase. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  35. ↑ "Games played by Dele Alli in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  36. ↑ "Latest Sky Bet League 1 News". Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  37. ↑ http://www.thefa.com/news/england/development/2015/feb/dele-alli-wins-player-of-the-month-award
  38. ↑ "Kevin Phillips: Ex-England striker wins Football League award". BBC Sport. 19 April 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  39. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32474398

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dele Alli.