| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | George Andrew Jordan Friend[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1987-10-19)19 October 1987 (age 38)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Barnstaple, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[3] | ||
| Position(s) | Left back,centre back[4][5] | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2005 | Exeter City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2008 | Exeter City | 37 | (1) |
| 2008–2010 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 7 | (0) |
| 2009 | →Millwall (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2009 | →Southend United (loan) | 6 | (1) |
| 2009 | →Scunthorpe United (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2010 | →Exeter City (loan) | 13 | (1) |
| 2010–2012 | Doncaster Rovers | 59 | (1) |
| 2012–2020 | Middlesbrough | 266 | (9) |
| 2020–2023 | Birmingham City | 46 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | Bristol Rovers | 12 | (0) |
| Total | 456 | (13) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:46, 10 February 2024 (UTC) | |||
George Andrew Jordan Friend (born 19 October 1987) is an English former professionalfootballer who played as adefender.
In the 2012–13 season, Friend wonMiddlesbrough players' player of the season award. The following season, Friend won it again along with the Player of the Season award. Friend was named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year two years running, in the 2014–15 season, where he helped Middlesbrough reach theplay-off final, and the 2015–16 season, where he was part of the Middlesbrough team that won promotion to thePremier League. After leaving Middlesbrough in 2020, he spent three years withBirmingham City.
Friend was born inBarnstaple, Devon.[6] He began his career at thennon-LeagueExeter City as a youth team player, signing a two-year professional contract in March 2006.[citation needed] Able to playleft back, centre-back or left-sidedmidfield, he made his first-team debut on 17 April 2006 in a 0–0 draw atForest Green Rovers.[7]
His Exeter career took off in the 2007–08 season when he was integral to the side that won promotion to theFootball League after defeatingCambridge United in the play-off final atWembley Stadium.[8] During that season he became the youngest ever captain in Exeter's history and scored his first goal for the club in a 4–4 draw with Burton Albion on 26 April 2008.[9]
After playing in Exeter's opening matches in the Football League, he moved toWolverhampton Wanderers in theChampionship on 1 September 2008, signing a two-year contract, with the option of a third year,[10] for an initial fee of £350,000.[11] He made six first team appearances for Wolves during the2008–09 season as they were promoted to thePremier League as champions.[citation needed]
To gain regular playing time, he spent a month's loan atLeague One clubMillwall during August to September 2009, before returning to Wolves.[12] He soon went out on a month's loan again on 18 September to another League One club,Southend United,[13] where he scored his first league goal with a free-kick againstSouthampton.[14] After a proposed extension to his stay with Southend was cancelled due to the club's financial troubles, he instead spent six weeks on loan at Championship clubScunthorpe United.[15]
Friend was recalled by Wolves as extra cover after injuries struck, giving him his first Premier League appearance on 15 December 2009 againstManchester United.[16] His surprise involvement in the game was just one factor behind the club eventually receiving a £25,000 suspended fine for fielding an under-strength side.[17] Friend did not feature again for Wolves before being loaned out once more, this time rejoining former club Exeter City for the rest of the season,[18] during which time he helped them avoid an instant return toLeague Two.[citation needed]
At the end of the 2009–10 season it was announced that his deal at Wolves would not be extended,[19] and Friend switched to Championship clubDoncaster Rovers on a two-year contract[20] despite being linked with a return move to Exeter City.[21] Friend made his Doncaster debut in their 2–0 opening day win atPreston North End on 7 August 2010.[citation needed] On 11 September 2010, Friend scored his first goal in a 2–2 draw againstWatford.[citation needed] The next game on 14 September 2010, Friend set up a goal forJames Coppinger to score a second goal in a match with a 3–1 win overNorwich City.[citation needed] Following on from his debut, Friend established himself in the first team, playing at left-back.[citation needed] In a match with a 3–1 win over Scunthorpe United on 18 October 2011, Friend sustained an injury in early minutes and was substituted.[citation needed] After surgery, Friend was out for three months.[citation needed] On 25 January 2011, Friend made his return in a 2–0 loss againstBurnley, coming on as a substitute in the early stages.[citation needed]
Friend was appointed captain at the beginning of 2011–12 following and won player of the year and supporters player of the year at the end of the season.[citation needed] Friend managed to regain his place in the starting eleven in the left back position but the club was relegated to League One after three seasons in the Championship.[citation needed]
On 23 July 2012, despite interest fromIpswich Town andNottingham Forest, it was announced that Doncaster had agreed a fee with Middlesbrough for Friend.[22] He signed for Middlesbrough on 30 July for an undisclosed fee,[4] reported as £100,000.[23] In August 2012, he made his debut in Capital One Cup againstBury.[24]
After completing a successful season, in which Friend became a fans' favourite because of his consistent performances, he was awarded the Community Player of the Year after attending numerous off-field events, as well as winning the players' player of the year award.[citation needed] For the 2013–14 season, Friend was issued the number 3 squad number previously worn by departing defenderAndré Bikey.[citation needed] Friend scored his first goal for Boro in a 2–2 draw at Wigan on 25 August.[citation needed] It was his first goal since 2010.[citation needed] Friend scored his second goal for Boro with a 20-yard strike in a 2–2 draw against Nottingham Forest on 17 September 2013.[citation needed]
Friend captained Middlesbrough for the first time in a 2–0 victory againstRotherham United on 11 April 2015.[citation needed]
Friend rejected an offer to remain at Middlesbrough after his contract expired, and became available on a free transfer.[23] On 15 August 2020, he signed a two-year deal with the option of a third with fellow Championship clubBirmingham City, where the head coach was his former manager at Middlesbrough,Aitor Karanka.[5] Over the three years he spent with Birmingham, he made 52 appearances in all competitions. He was one of six senior professionals released at the end of the 2022–23 season.[25]
On 4 July 2023, Friend signed for League One clubBristol Rovers on a one-year deal[26] following a successful trial period with the club.[27] He had previously played for the club twenty-six years prior, at Under-9s level, alongside new teammateScott Sinclair.[28]
On 28 February 2024, Friend announced his retirement from football with immediate effect, remaining with Bristol Rovers to take on the role of Director of Football.[29] On 31 March 2025, the club announced that Friend would be departing his role at the end of the2024–25 season.[30]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Exeter City | 2005–06[31] | Conference National | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2006–07[32] | Conference National | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08[33] | Conference Premier | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5[a] | 0 | 37 | 1 | |
| 2008–09[34] | League Two | 4 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| Total | 37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 45 | 1 | ||
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2008–09[34] | Championship | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10[35] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Millwall (loan) | 2009–10[35] | League One | 6 | 0 | — | — | 1[b] | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Southend United (loan) | 2009–10[35] | League One | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | |||
| Scunthorpe United (loan) | 2009–10[35] | Championship | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| Exeter City (loan) | 2009–10[35] | League One | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | |||
| Doncaster Rovers | 2010–11[36] | Championship | 32 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 35 | 1 | |
| 2011–12[37] | Championship | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 29 | 0 | ||
| Total | 59 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 64 | 1 | |||
| Middlesbrough | 2012–13[38] | Championship | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 39 | 0 | |
| 2013–14[39] | Championship | 41 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 43 | 3 | ||
| 2014–15[40] | Championship | 42 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 48 | 1 | |
| 2015–16[41] | Championship | 40 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 45 | 1 | ||
| 2016–17[42] | Premier League | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 27 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18[43] | Championship | 33 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 39 | 2 | |
| 2018–19[44] | Championship | 38 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 43 | 3 | ||
| 2019–20[45] | Championship | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | ||
| Total | 266 | 9 | 12 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 299 | 10 | ||
| Birmingham City | 2020–21[46] | Championship | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 28 | 0 | |
| 2021–22[47] | Championship | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | ||
| 2022–23[48] | Championship | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| Total | 46 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 52 | 0 | |||
| Bristol Rovers | 2023–24[49] | League One | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Career total | 456 | 13 | 20 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 510 | 14 | ||
Exeter City
Middlesbrough
Individual