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Max Bird

Max Andrew Bird (born 18 September 2000) is an English footballer who can play either as a defensive midfielder or central midfielder for EFL Championship club Bristol City.

Max Bird
Bird in 2022
Personal information
Full name Max Andrew Bird[1]
Date of birth (2000-09-18) 18 September 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Burton upon Trent, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Bristol City
Number 6
Youth career
2010–2017 Derby County
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2024 Derby County 163 (6)
2024– Bristol City 13 (1)
2024 → Derby County (loan) 9 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:06, 5 November 2024 (UTC)

Bird joined Derby County's academy aged 10 in 2010 made his first-team debut in September 2017, aged 16. He would make his league debut in December 2018, aged 18. Under Philip Cocu, Bird started to become a mainstay in the Derby first team in late December 2019 and in September 2020, he signed a four-year contract with Derby. Bird scored his league goal in September 2021 and as Derby's entered administration Bird's influence increased as they were relegated to League One from the Championship.

During Derby's spell in League One, Bird became vice-captain for Derby and wore the captain's armband whenever Curtis Davies was unable to play in the 2022–23 season, also he was linked with several moves away from Derby and in January 2024, Bristol City signed Bird on a three-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed transfer fee, Bird was loaned back for the reminder of the season as he helped the club regain promotion back to the Championship with six goals in the 2023–24 season, including the first goal in Derby's promotion decider against Carlisle United in his 200th and final appearance for the club, he scored ten times for Derby.

Career

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Derby County

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Having progressed through the Derby County Academy, Bird made his debut for the first team against Barnsley in the EFL Cup on 12 September 2017. Aged 16 at the time, he became Derby's eighth-youngest player. Shortly afterwards, he signed a new contract running until 2020.[2]

Bird's first league appearance for Derby County came in the closing seconds of a 2–1 win over Swansea City on 1 December 2018, replacing Mason Mount.[3] He made his first start on 2 March 2019 in a 4–0 away defeat to Aston Villa, playing the full 90 minutes of the game.[4] He was named 2019 EFL Apprentice of the Year[5] and played a part in the U18 Premier League title success.[6][7]

In the second half of the 2019–20 season Bird broke in to the Derby County first team and became a regular feature in the squad at the age of 19.[8] On 17 September 2020, Bird signed a new deal with Derby to take him through to the end of the 2023–24 season.[7] During the 2020–21 season, Bird would make 34 first team appearances.

In the 2021–22 season, Bird scored his first goal for Derby in a 2–1 win against Stoke City on 18 September 2021,[9] he would score another goal he made 42 appearances as financial issues off the pitch caused the club to be relegated to EFL League One.[10]

Ahead of the 2022–23 season, Bird was named vice-captain of the club by interim manager Liam Rosenior.[11] With club captain Curtis Davies injured, Bird handed the captain's armband in several games.[12] Bird made 48 appearances during the season scoring two goals, as Derby fell short of the League One promotional play-offs by 1 points. His only League One goal against Cheltenham Town on 14 January 2023 was named the club's goal of the season.[13] Bird also reached a milestone 150th first team appearance for the club during the season.[14]

During the summer pre-season and first month of the 2023–24 season, Bird was linked with a return to the Championship with Hull City, managed by former Derby coach Liam Rosenior interested in signing 22-year old Bird, but no offers met Derby's valuation.[15] Bird started the first four games of the season, but this run came to an end after Bird was ruled out for two months after picking up an ankle ligament injury during a match against Oxford United on 15 August 2023.[16] Upon his return, Bird regained his place in the centre of midfield for Derby and scored the first brace of his career in a 4–0 win over Northampton Town on 31 October 2023.[17] On 23 November 2023, amid speculation that a bigger club might put in an offer for the player, manager Paul Warne said Bird would be offered a new contract.[18] In January 2024 Warne stated that Bird would not be allowed to leave Derby in the January transfer window, despite there only being six months left on his contract.[19]

Bristol City

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On 1 February 2024, having rejected the latest contract offer and a fee having been agreed in order to avoid a tribunal case, Bird signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with Bristol City, returning to Derby County on loan until the end of the season.[20]

Derby County (loan)

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After scoring three goals for Derby in a four game period either side of transfer and loan back, Bird stated his desire to help Derby ensure a top-two automatic promotion finish, which he stated would be a perfect end to his association with Derby.[21] A calf injury sustained in early March would rule Bird out of action for a month.[22] On 27 April 2024, Bird would score the opening goal in Derby's 2–0 win against Carlisle United, a result which ensured Derby finish runners-up in League One and earn promotion to the Championship automatically in Bird's 200th and final game for Derby.[23] Bird scored 10 goals in his 200 appearances for Derby and had a very emotional send-off as he was substituted late in the game to a standing ovation by the nearly 30,000 home fans, in his final moment for the club he had been at since being a ten-year old.[24]

Personal life

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On 24 February 2019, Bird's 45-year father, Andrew died from a combination of pneumonia and sepsis, Bird played in an under-23 Derby cup fixture 8 hours after his father's death who had just seen his 18-year-old son make his league debut two months earlier.[12]

Career statistics

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As of match played 27 April 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Derby County 2017–18[25] Championship 0 0 0 0 1 0 — 1 0
2018–19[26] Championship 4 0 2 0 2 0 — 8 0
2019–20[27] Championship 22 0 3 0 2 0 — 27 0
2020–21[28] Championship 33 0 0 0 1 0 — 34 0
2021–22[29] Championship 41 2 1 0 0 0 — 42 2
2022–23[30] League One 38 1 5 0 2 0 3[a] 1 43 2
2023–24[31] League One 24 3 2 0 1 0 3[a] 0 30 3
Total 163 6 13 0 9 0 6 1 191 7
Bristol City 2023–24 Championship 0 0 — — — 0 0
Derby County (loan) 2023–24[31] League One 9 3 — — — 9 3
Career total 172 9 13 0 9 0 6 1 200 10
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

Honours

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Derby County

References

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  1. ^ a b "Max Bird: Profile". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
  2. ^ Jordan-Probert, Jools (23 January 2018). "Max Bird - Derby County player profile and stats". Derby Telegraph. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Derby County 2-1 Swansea City". British Broadcasting Corporation. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  4. ^ "Aston Villa 4-0 Derby County". British Broadcasting Corporation. 2 March 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  5. ^ "BIRD WINS APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR AT EFL AWARDS". Derby County F.C. 7 April 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Derby Countys Under 18 Premier League Champions Where are they now". Jobs in Football. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  7. ^ a b "BIRD AND SIBLEY SIGN NEW LONG-TERM CONTRACTS WITH DERBY COUNTY". Derby County F.C. 17 September 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Good times, tough times - Max Bird opens up on his Derby County journey". Derby Evening Telegraph. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  9. ^ "Derby 2-1 Stoke". BBC. 18 September 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  10. ^ "Queens Park Rangers 1-0 Derby County". BBC Sport. 18 April 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  11. ^ "BIRD PROUD TO TAKE ON VICE-CAPTAINCY ROLE". Derby County F.C. 22 July 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  12. ^ a b "FA Cup fourth round: Derby County's Max Bird on what losing his dad taught him about life and loss". BBC. 29 January 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  13. ^ "END OF SEASON AWARDS: DERBY COUNTY GOAL OF THE SEASON – MAX BIRD". Derby County F.C. 2 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  14. ^ "KNIGHT AND BIRD REFLECT ON 150 GAMES MILESTONE". Derby County F.C. 7 February 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  15. ^ "Derby County boss Paul Warne provides update on Hull City transfer target Max Bird". Hull Daily Mail. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  16. ^ "Hull City facing Derby County transfer decision after Max Bird blow". Derby Evening Telegraph. 15 August 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  17. ^ "Derby County 4–0 Northampton Town". BBC. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  18. ^ "Derby pair Cashin & Bird to be offered new deals". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  19. ^ "Derby County activate Eiran Cashin clause as Paul Warne makes request amid transfer interest". Derby Evening Telegraph. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Max Bird and Adedire Mebude: Derby midfielder signs until 2027 and winger joins on loan". BBC Sport. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Max Bird addresses automatic promotion question after Derby County stumble". Derby Telegraph. 11 February 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  22. ^ "Derby County press notes: Pact made, key duo close to return and Wycombe disappointment". Derby Telegraph. 8 April 2024. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  23. ^ a b "Breaking: Derby County promoted as duo seal it for Paul Warne's side". Derby Telegraph. 27 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  24. ^ "Derby County's promotion emotion - a £55m gesture, a fitting farewell and what happened to Ebou Adams". Derby Telegraph. 28 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  25. ^ "Games played by Max Bird in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  26. ^ "Games played by Max Bird in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  27. ^ "Games played by Max Bird in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  28. ^ "Games played by Max Bird in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  29. ^ "Games played by Max Bird in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  30. ^ "Games played by Max Bird in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  31. ^ a b "Games played by Max Bird in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
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