Chris Eagles

On 28 April, Eagles scored his first senior goal for United in a 4–2 Premier League win over Everton; after coming on as a second-half substitute, he scored a 93rd-minute goal to put the result beyond doubt as United went five points clear in their race for the Premier League title.

Christopher Mark Eagles (born 19 November 1985) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger.

After coming through the youth system at Watford, he began his professional career with Manchester United, but was unable to break into the first-team on a regular basis.

Eagles made his first-team debut for Manchester United on 28 October 2003 as a second-half substitute for Kieran Richardson in an extra time win away to Leeds United in the League Cup.

He played once more that season, this time as a substitute for Cristiano Ronaldo as United lost 2–0 away to West Bromwich Albion in the Fourth Round of the League Cup.

His performances saw him nominated for the new League Cup talent award, awarded to the young player judged to have made the best first-team breakthrough in the competition.

He played 17 times for United, including in the 2004 and 2007 FA Community Shield matches.

He played in the 2004 FA Community Shield, coming on as a 74th-minute substitute in a 3–1 defeat by Arsenal at the Millennium Stadium.

Eagles was loaned out to Watford on 21 January 2005.

He scored his first goal in senior football in a 2–0 win over Gillingham at Vicarage Road on 5 February.

He made 13 Championship appearances for the "Hornets", and manager Ray Lewington said that: "he is an exciting player and has done very well".

He was also loaned to Sheffield Wednesday for the first half of the 2005–06 season.

Manager Paul Sturrock stated that: "Sir Alex said to me that he wants this player to play in front of big crowds and see how he handles it".

He scored his first goal for the "Owls" in a 1–0 victory over Leeds United at Hillsborough on 13 September.

He ended his loan spell at Wednesday with three goals in 25 appearances.

On 6 January 2006, Eagles returned on loan to Aidy Boothroyd's Watford.

He scored the only goal of the match against Stoke City in his first league appearance of his second loan spell at Watford.

He scored the winning goal in the 1–0 away win at Brighton & Hove Albion on 18 February from 50 yd (almost the halfway line), which won him the club's goal of the season award.

Watford reached the 2006 Championship play-off final, and Eagles was an unused substitute as they secured promotion to the Premier League with a 3–0 win over Leeds United.

On 31 August 2006, Eagles agreed to spend four months on loan at Dutch Eredivisie side N.E.C., to gain more experience.

He decided to take the option of returning to Old Trafford on 21 December after struggling to get many games at the Stadion de Goffert.

On 13 March, Eagles featured in the second half for United in the UEFA Celebration Match exhibition game at Old Trafford against Marcello Lippi's Europe XI.

He was an unused substitute in the 2007 FA Community Shield, as United beat Chelsea on penalties following a 1–1 draw.

He had two loan spells back at Watford, as well as with Sheffield Wednesday and Dutch club N.E.C., before a permanent move to Burnley for a £1.2 million fee in July 2008.

In July 2008, Eagles signed for Burnley on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.

The London Evening Standard reported that the fee was £1.2 million, of which £200,000 would go to Watford as part of a sell-on clause.

Manager Owen Coyle said: "He can play as a striker, or behind the striker or wide or as a central midfielder. He gives you a host of variations, but outwith that he's a talented footballer and that's what we want – young exciting talents to complement the quality we already have."

Eagles made his league debut for Burnley on 9 August in a 4–1 loss to Sheffield Wednesday.

On 27 September, he scored his first goal for Burnley in a 3–1 victory over rivals Preston North End.

He was nominated for the Championship Player of the Month award for November, losing out to Chris Iwelumo.

He ended the 2008–09 season with eight goals in 57 league and cup appearances, and came on as a 69th-minute substitute for Robbie Blake as Burnley beat Sheffield United 1–0 in the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium.

He spent three seasons with the club, helping them to win promotion out of the Championship in 2009.

He scored two goals in 34 Premier League games in the 2009–10 campaign as Burnley were relegated in 18th-place.

In July 2010, the "Clarets" accepted a bid from Scottish champions Rangers to buy Eagles, but the player was unable to agree terms with the Scottish club and remained in England.

He was sold on to Bolton Wanderers in July 2011, where he stayed for another three seasons.

He went on to have brief spells with Blackpool, Charlton Athletic, Bury, Accrington Stanley, Port Vale and Ross County.

He joined Oldham Athletic in July 2019 after spending more than a year away from the game, before leaving his contract early in January 2020.

Eagles was born in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, and was a season ticket holder at Tottenham Hotspur, whom he went to see with his family.

Originally coming through the youth system at Watford, Eagles left when he was 14 to join the Manchester United academy.

The compensation owed to Watford for this move would later form part of the package which took Danny Webber in the opposite direction.