english association football player

Lewis Carl Dunk ( yield 21 November 1991 ) is an english professional football player who plays as a centre-back for Premier League clubhouse Brighton & Hove Albion, which he captains, and the England national team. aside from a brief lend spell at Bristol City in 2013, Dunk has spent the entirety of his career at his hometown club Brighton, with whom he turned professional in 2010. In the 2016–17 season, Dunk achieved promotion to the Premier League with Brighton and was named in the Championship team of the class. He became the club ‘s captain from the 2019–20 season. Since his Premier League debut in 2017, Dunk has scored 11 goals making him the joint peak scoring centre-back of the current prison term aboard Virgil van Dijk.

Despite never being capped at youth level, although he was called up to the England U21 side in 2011, Dunk made his aged England debut on 15 November 2018 against the United States, in which remains his only hood to date .

Club career [edit ]

Brighton & Hove Albion [edit ]

early career [edit ]

Dunk started his football career at Wimbledon until he was released following their elimination and resettlement to Milton Keynes, which they are known as Milton Keynes Dons. [ 5 ] After leaving Wimbledon, Dunk joined Brighton & Hove Albion when he was playing for the U12 team. [ 6 ] While progressing, Dunk went on trial at Crystal Palace and impressed the side that they offered him a narrow but he rejected the be active, citing “ school commitment and could n’t travel three times a workweek up to London ” and stayed at Brighton & Hove Albion at a full concentrate of excellence. [ 5 ] He then signed a eruditeness with the club. [ 7 ] [ 8 ] He was promoted to the club ‘s U18 squad in November 2007. [ 7 ] On 30 April 2010, Dunk signed a biennial professional contract with Brighton & Hove Albion after impressive performances captaining the clubhouse ‘s youth team. [ 9 ] The come day, Dunk made his inaugural professional appearance starting in the 0–0 withdraw at Milton Keynes Dons. [ 10 ] After the match, he said : “ It ‘s fantastic, the best week of my life. We knew we were being told about pros and I was hopeful but I never thought I would be making my debut. I was told at the lapp time as I was told about my abridge. Playing for my home township club is what I have constantly wanted to do so it ‘s great. The others helped me along, talked to me all the time and merely pulled me through. ” [ 11 ] This turned out to be his alone appearance of the 2009–10 season. At the begin of the 2010–11 season, Dunk suffered a animal foot injury that kept him out for four weeks. [ 12 ] On 14 September 2010, he returned from injury and played 45 minutes, in a 0–0 reap against Wycombe Wanderers ’ Reserves. [ 13 ] Dunk made his beginning appearance of the temper, starting the hale bet on, in a 1–1 string against Tranmere Rovers on 2 October 2010. [ 14 ] His performance against Woking in the FA Cup on 6 November 2010 received criticism, with Manager Gus Poyet saying : “ In the foremost one-half he did quite well, then, because of the position, he was one of the players who started to do things he does n’t do normally, changing the testis, going besides long, playing with a little spot more risk. ” [ 15 ] Dunk continued to fight for a start place in the baseball club ‘s defensive structure throughout the 2010–11 season. [ 16 ] On 31 January 2011, Dunk signed a annual annex on his contract keeping him at the club until the summer of 2013. [ 17 ] Dunk made eight appearances in the 2010–11 season [ 18 ] as Brighton gained promotion to the Championship as League One champions. [ 19 ] [ 20 ] ahead of the 2011–12 season, Dunk stated that he was aiming to fight for his place in the first base team at Brighton & Hove Albion. [ 21 ] With chap defenders Tommy Elphick and Adam El-Abd sidelined by injury, Dunk started the 2011–12 temper aboard captain Gordon Greer, playing in Brighton ‘s first ever match at Falmer Stadium versus Doncaster Rovers, winning 2–1. [ 22 ] During the couple, he made a tackle on Billy Sharp which injured Sharp. Dunk apologised when the crippled was concluded. [ 23 ] Dunk was involved as Brighton kept four clean sheets in the first four months of the season. [ 24 ] Since the depart of the 2011–12 season, he promptly established himself in the begin eleven for the side, appearing in the future two months before being sidelined for one match, ascribable to suspension. [ 25 ] After serving a one-match suspension, Dunk returned to the starting line–up against Hull City on 15 October 2011 and helped them keep a houseclean sheet, in a 0–0 draw. [ 26 ] He then set up a goal for Greer to score the club ‘s first goal of the game, in a 2–0 winnings against Barnsley on 6 November 2011. [ 27 ] Dunk started in the future eight matches by the end of the year and along the way, helped Brighton & Hove Albion keep two consecutive clean sheets against Derby County and Nottingham Forest. [ 28 ] This lasted until he served a one-match suspension. [ 29 ] Dunk returned to the starting line–up against Bristol City on 14 January 2012 and set up the club ‘s moment goal of the game, in a 2–0 winnings. [ 30 ] Throughout the January transfer window, he was linked a travel away from the baseball club, as Newcastle United, Cardiff City and Norwich City were concerned in signing him, but Brighton managed to keep him. [ 31 ] Despite being sidelined on three more occasions later in the season, Dunk went on to make 36 appearances in all competitions throughout the season, in Brighton ‘s beginning season back in the Championship. [ 32 ] [ 33 ] Despite this, he was nominated for The Football League Young Player of the year but lost out to Wilfried Zaha. [ 34 ] In the follow season, Dunk ‘s playing opportunities became more restricted ; as he fell behind the likes of Adam El-Abd and Matthew Upson in the peck order at Brighton. [ 35 ] On 14 August 2012, he made his first appearance of the season, starting the whole game, in a 3–0 loss against Swindon Town in the first round of the League Cup. [ 36 ] Following the absent of Greer and El-Abd, Dunk made his first gear league appearance of the temper against Peterborough United on 6 November 2012 and helped them keep a clean tabloid, winning 1–0. [ 37 ] He then started in the next four matches before being sent–off against Crystal Palace on 1 December 2012, in the 8th moment for a foul on Yannick Bolasie, losing 3–0. [ 38 ] After serving a one-match suspension, on 18 December 2012 Dunk returned to the starting line–up against Millwall, lone to be substituted after playing 39 minutes, as they drew 2–2. [ 39 ] Despite this, he featured 9 times in all competitions. [ 40 ] Dunk ‘s struggles for regular game time continued into the start of the 2013–14 season. [ 41 ] On 4 October 2013, Dunk joined League One cabaret Bristol City on a one-month lend deal, to gain some first-team football. [ 42 ] He made his debut for the club in a 2–1 away kill to Wycombe Wanderers on 8 October 2013, in the EFL Trophy. [ 43 ] Dunk suffered a stifle injury and was substituted in the fortieth minute, as Bristol City won 4–2 against Carlisle United on 26 October 2013. [ 44 ] Upon the decision of his lend go, he then returned from wound for the club ‘s growth team on 11 November 2013 against Ipswich Town ‘s development team, winning 3–1. [ 45 ] Two months belated, on 4 January 2014 Dunk made his first appearance for Brighton & Hove Albion of the season, playing 23 minutes in a 1–0 win against Reading in the one-third round off of the FA Cup. [ 46 ] Dunk made 11 appearances for Brighton in all competitions, [ 47 ] including a beginning in the club ‘s the 4–1 play-off semi-final second-leg defeat to Derby County on 11 May 2014. [ 48 ]

First team discovery [edit ]

On 25 July 2014, Dunk signed a new four-year contract with Brighton, which kept him at the club until the end of the 2017–18 season. [ 49 ] He scored his beginning goal for Brighton in the club ‘s first pit of the 2014–15 season, a 2–0 win over Cheltenham Town in the EFL Cup, which marked new boss Sami Hyypiä ‘s first acquire at the club. [ 50 ] Two weeks later, on 30 August 2014, Dunk scored a brace, in a 2–2 tie against Charlton Athletic. [ 51 ] He then helped Brighton keep three consecutive clean sheets between 20 September 2014 and 27 September 2014. [ 52 ] Dunk then added two more goals throughout October, scoring against Watford and Huddersfield Town. [ 53 ] After serving a one-match abeyance, he returned to the starting line–up, appointed as captain, in a 2–1 personnel casualty against Fulham on 29 November 2014. [ 54 ] Dunk then captained the slope for the following five matches for the rest of 2014. [ 55 ] He again helped Brighton keep three consecutive houseclean sheets between 29 December 2014 and 10 January 2015, against Fulham, Brentford ( where he scored ) and Charlton Athletic. [ 56 ] In another match against Brentford, Dunk was sent off for a second bookable offense, as they lost 1–0. [ 57 ] Two weeks subsequently, on 7 February 2015, he scored his seventh finish of the season, in a 3–2 passing against Nottingham Forest. [ 58 ] After serving a two-match suspension, he again captained Brighton in three consecutive matches between 6 April 2015 and 14 April 2015. [ 59 ] Dunk made his hundredth appearances for the clubhouse, in a 2–0 loss against Watford on 25 April 2015. [ 60 ] Throughout the 2014–15 season, Dunk quickly became a beginning team regular, playing in the centre–back military position. [ 61 ] [ 62 ] In the 2014–15 season, Dunk made 44 appearances and scored seven goals, making him Brighton ‘s top scorekeeper in all competitions for the temper. [ 63 ] ahead of the 2015–16 season, Dunk continued to be linked a motivate aside from Brighton, but the club stated that they would not be selling him. [ 64 ] Amid the transfer speculation, he was fined by Brighton and was placed on the substitute bench throughout August. [ 65 ] Eventually, Dunk ended the transfer meditation by signing a five–year contract, keeping him until 2020. [ 66 ] He captained the side for the beginning time in the 2015–16 season, as Brighton lost 2–1 against Walsall in the second round of the League Cup. [ 67 ] In the absence of Gordon Greer, he captained the golf club for the next five matches between 20 October 2015 and 7 November 2015. [ 68 ] In an FA Cup third round match against Hull City on 9 January 2016, Dunk gave away a penalty, as they lost 1–0, and three days belated he made a mistake that led to a second base goal of the crippled, in a 2–0 get the better of against Rotherham United. [ 69 ] Manager Chris Hughton said : “ As regards to Lewis, he has been excellent for us. Making any mistakes is part and parcel of the game. ” [ 70 ] dunk retained his rate in the first team for the side and was able to regain his phase in the defense. [ 71 ] He then helped to keep five consecutive cleanse sheets between 23 February 2016 and 15 March 2016 against Bristol City, Leeds United ( in which, Dunk scored his first goal of the season ), Preston North End, Sheffield Wednesday and Reading. [ 72 ] He then scored two straight goals in two matches between 5 April 2016 and 11 April 2016 against Birmingham City and Nottingham Forest. [ 73 ] He was sent off on two occasions throughout the 2015–16 season, both second bookable crime ; the first one came on 15 December 2015 against Queens Park Rangers, drawing 1–1 and the second came on 2 May 2016 against Derby County for second bookable, drawing 2–2. [ 74 ] The crimson card in the latter intend that he would miss the last game of the temper, an aside trip to Middlesbrough in winner-takes-all earning automatic pistol promotion to the Premier League. Middlesbrough were ahead on goal difference and were promoted to the acme trajectory after a 1–1 draw, with Brighton having to compete in the play-offs to fight for promotion. [ 75 ] Dunk scored in Brighton ‘s 1–1 play-off semi-final second-leg home attract against Sheffield Wednesday on 16 May 2016, however Brighton ‘s 3–1 aggregate frustration condemned them to another season in the Championship. [ 76 ] Despite this, he regained his first team space, playing in the centre–back place, throughout the 2015–16 temper. [ 77 ] At the end of the 2015–16 season, Dunk made forty–one appearances and scoring four times in all competitions .
ahead of the 2016–17 temper, Dunk was again linked with a be active away from Brighton, with Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion reportedly interested in signing him. [ 78 ] He started the 2016–17 season well by helping the golf club keep three consecutive clean sheets in the first three league matches of the season. [ 79 ] On 6 September 2016, Dunk signed a five–year shrink with Brighton, keeping him until 2021. [ 80 ] He again helped Brighton keep four consecutive fairly sheets between 13 September 2016 and 27 September 2016 against Huddersfield Town, Burton Albion, Barnsley and Ipswich Town. [ 81 ] After serving a one-match abeyance, he scored on his return to the starting line–up, in a 5–0 succeed against Norwich City on 29 October 2016. [ 82 ] Following this, Dunk was nominated for October ‘s Player of the Month but lost out to Sone Aluko. [ 83 ] On 2 January 2017, Dunk scored his irregular goal of the season, in a 2–1 acquire against Fulham. [ 84 ] shortly after serving a two-match suspension, he returned to the starting line–up as master, helping the side win 2–1 against Sheffield Wednesday. [ 85 ] After captaining for the second base prison term, Dunk was sent off for second bookable umbrage, in a 3–1 loss against Huddersfield Town on 2 February 2017. [ 86 ] After serving a one-match pause, he returned to the starting line–up, in 4–1 win against Burton Albion on 11 February 2017. [ 87 ] Two weeks by and by, on 25 February 2017, Dunk made his hundred-and-fiftieth appearances for the club, in a 3–0 winnings against Reading. [ 88 ] He formed a partnership at centre-back with new Brighton sign Shane Duffy throughout the 2016–17 season. [ 89 ] The club conceded a joint-league well of 40 goals for the season, in which Brighton were promoted to the Premier League. [ 90 ] In this season, Dunk was besides named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year aboard fellow Brighton players David Stockdale, Bruno and Anthony Knockaert. [ 91 ] He besides finished third rate for the club ‘s Player of the Year behind Stockdale and Knockaert. [ 92 ]

Playing in the Premier League [edit ]

Dunk ( in-between ) marking Tammy Abraham during a pit between Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea on 28 September 2019. Dunk played the full 90 minutes, and scored an own finish, in Brighton ‘s beginning always Premier League match, a 0–2 base get the better of to Manchester City. [ 93 ] Five days late, on 17 August 2017, he signed a five-year contract elongation, keeping him until 2022. [ 94 ] In the absence of Bruno, Dunk took over the captainship. [ 95 ] On 24 February 2018, Dunk scored his fourth own finish of the season in a 4–1 home acquire over Swansea City, [ 96 ] which brought him horizontal surface with Martin Škrtel at the exceed of the list of most own goals in a season in the Premier League. [ 97 ] He scored his first Premier League goal in a 2–1 victory over Arsenal on 4 March 2018. [ 98 ] Dunk played in every peer in Brighton ‘s debut season in the Premier League, as the club finished in 15th target and amassed 40 points. [ 99 ] [ 100 ] He finished second invest for the club ‘s Player of the Year behind Pascal Groß. [ 101 ] At the start of the 2018–19 season, Dunk suffered an ankle injury and was substituted in the twentieth hour, as Brighton won 3–2 against Manchester United on 19 August 2018, resulting in him being sidelined for one peer. [ 102 ] On 1 September 2018, he returned to the starting line–up in a 2–2 draw against Fulham. [ 103 ] Since returning to the first team from wound, Dunk retained his first team seat for the side, partnering Shane Duffy in the centre–back put american samoa well as resuming his captain duty in the absence of Bruno. [ 104 ] On 5 October 2018, Dunk, aboard centre-back partner Duffy, signed a new contract with Brighton, with the pair signing five-year contracts that extended their stays at the golf club until June 2023. [ 105 ] He then helped the side keep three consecutive clean sheets between 5 October 2018 and 27 October 2018 against West Ham United, Newcastle United and Wolves. [ 106 ] Dunk ‘s only goals in the 2018–19 temper came in consecutive games in November 2018 : a 3–1 loss to Everton [ 107 ] and a 2–1 kill to Cardiff City. [ 108 ] He was sent off for a second gear bookable offense in a 2–0 loss against Bournemouth on 22 December 2018. [ 109 ] After serving a one-match pause, Dunk returned to the starting line–up against Everton on 29 December 2018 in a 1–0 succeed. [ 110 ] On 17 March 2019, Dunk played the entirety of Brighton ‘s 2–2 draw against Millwall in the FA Cup sixth-round. [ 111 ] Dunk scored in the resulting penalty shoot-out, which Brighton won 5–4 to qualify for the FA Cup semi-finals for entirely the second time in the club ‘s history. He besides played in the subsequent semi-final, a 1–0 frustration to Manchester City. [ 112 ] Since returning from suspension, he retained his first gear team place ampere well as his captainship, for the remainder of the 2018–19 temper and helped Brighton finish 17th in the postpone as they secured their Premier League condition. [ 113 ] By the end of the 2018–19 season, Dunk had made 38 appearances, scoring twice in all competitions. He finished second base place for the golf club ‘s Player of the Year behind Duffy. [ 114 ] ahead of the 2019–20 season, Dunk was given the Brighton captainship by new head coach Graham Potter. [ 115 ] He subsequently captained the baseball club in their first match of the season, a 3–0 succeed over Watford, whilst besides putting in a man of the match performance. [ 116 ] Dunk scored in consecutive Premier League matches for Brighton in November 2019, finding the net in frustration to both Manchester United and Liverpool. [ 117 ] In April 2020, he was in talks with the golf club over a irregular pay edit aboard Seagulls veteran Glenn Murray due to the impingement of Covid 19, a move that Murray described as bringing the “ golf club together even more. ” [ 118 ] Dunk scored his third goal of the season, and was named world of the catch, in Brighton ‘s first base game back following the Premier League ‘s hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a 2–1 acquire over Arsenal on 20 June 2020 ; Dunk equalised for Brighton before Neal Maupay scored the decisive goal. [ 119 ] He made his three-hundredth appearance for The Seagulls in a 3–0 home defeat against Manchester United on 30 June. [ 120 ] Throughout the 2019–20 season, Dunk retained his first gear team space for the side, partnering Adam Webster in the centre–back position, as he helped the club exist delegating once again. [ 121 ] [ 122 ] Despite missing two matches during the 2019–20 season, Dunk made 36 appearances and scoring three times in all competitions. [ 123 ] For his performance, Dunk won the club ‘s Player of the Year Award. [ 124 ] After being linked with a affect to Chelsea Dunk signed a raw five-year abridge with Brighton in August 2020. [ 125 ] On 26 September, Dunk scored his fifth Premier League own goal, putting Manchester United back level in an eventual 3–2 home get the better of. [ 126 ] Dunk was sent off for the second time in his Premier League career and one-seventh Albion dismissal in the concluding moments of the plot for a late, accidental, bipedal challenge on Gary Cahill in a 1–1 off draw against bitter rivals Crystal Palace on 18 October. [ 127 ] Dunk scored his first base goal of the 2020–21 season on 27 December, finishing off a short circuit corner putting The Seagulls ahead in an eventual 2–2 away reap at West Ham. [ 128 ] He scored again two games later, again converting another set man from a corner, scoring the equalizer in a 3–3 dwelling draw against Wolves in The Seagulls first meet of 2021. [ 129 ] Dunk played in Brighton ‘s 1–0 away victory over defending champions Liverpool on 3 February claiming their first base league winnings at Anfield since 1982. [ 130 ] Dunk made his three-hundredth league appearance for The Seagulls on 6 February where he scored the opening goal of the game with a header from a corner in an eventual 1–1 aside draw at Burnley. [ 131 ] On 27 February, in a 1–0 away defeat at West Brom, Dunk had a finish controversially ruled out by referee Lee Mason after reviewing VAR with the barren kick which the Seagulls master scored from was deemed to be taken besides cursorily. [ 132 ] After being denied the goal at West Brom, he scored his tenth Premier League goal two games late, scoring the first base goal in an eventual 2–1 away win over Southampton, on 14 March, Brighton ‘s first victory in the Premier League over their south slide rivals. [ 133 ] On 9 May, Dunk scored the opening finish in an away fastness against Wolves, however he was late dismissed for pulling back Fábio Silva who was darting for goal with Wolves going on to capitalise on his dismissal scoring two, going on to win 2–1. Teammate Neal Maupay was later sent off after the full time whistle for confronting the referee, Jonathan Moss. Dunk ‘s eleventh ever Premier League goal in this match mean he has scored more than any other centre-back in the current time, going one more than Virgil van Dijk with 10 goals. however, van Dijk equalled this score in November 2021. [ 134 ] [ 135 ] He returned for Brighton ‘s last game of the season away at Arsenal where they lost 2–0, ending the season in 16th topographic point with a respectful –6 goal difference, conceding 46 goals. [ 136 ] At Brighton ‘s goal of season awards, Dunk received the 2020–21 Players ‘ Player of the Season, express, “ For your teammates to vote for you, I think it ‘s the best award you can win. ” [ 137 ] On 6 November 2021, in Brighton ‘s eleventh Premier League match of the 2021–22 season, Dunk had to play in goal for the final few minutes of the 1–1 home draw against Newcastle, after keeper Robert Sánchez was shown the red card after Albion had used all their substitutes. [ 138 ] After being an ever present for The Seagulls in the league Dunk was sidelined for the away draw at Southampton on 4 December. [ 139 ] It was late announced that Dunk had suffered a knee wound and would not feature again in 2021. [ 140 ]

International career [edit ]

Dunk is uncapped for England at youth flat ; his call-up to the England under-21 team for their european Championship qualifiers against Iceland and Belgium in November 2011 marks his alone youth international call-up. [ 141 ] In October 2018, he was called up for the first fourth dimension to replace the hurt James Tarkowski in the senior England squad for matches against Croatia and Spain in the Nations League. however, he did not make an appearance. [ 142 ] In the adjacent calendar month Dunk was called up again for a friendly against United States and a Nations League match against Croatia. He made his debut on 15 November play in the whole meet in England ‘s 3–0 acquire over the United States at Wembley Stadium. [ 143 ] In doing indeed, he became the fourth Brighton player to earn a senior England cap, and the first since Steve Foster in 1982. [ 144 ]

personal life [edit ]

Dunk was born in Brighton, East Sussex [ 145 ] and educated at Varndean School. [ 7 ] [ 118 ] He is the son of former Sussex non-league player Mark Dunk. [ 10 ] A Chelsea fan, Dunk idolised John Terry in his youth and named his syndicate cad ‘Didier ‘ in court to Chelsea forward Didier Drogba. [ 146 ] Dunk became engaged to his spouse in summer 2019. [ 147 ]

career statistics [edit ]

club [edit ]

As of match played 1 December 2021

International [edit ]

As of match played 15 November 2018[155]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
England 2018 1 0
Total 1 0

Honours [edit ]

Brighton & Hove Albion
Individual

References [edit ]

  • Profile at the Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. website
  • Profile at the Football Association website