James Tunnicliffe

{{Infobox football biography

| name = James Tunnicliffe

| image = James Tunnicliffe 1.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Tunnicliffe playing for Stockport County in 2013

| fullname = James Mark Tunnicliffe

| height =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1989|1|17}}

| birth_place = Denton, England

| position = Defender

| youthyears1 = {{0|000}}?–2005

| youthclubs1 = Stockport County

| years1 = 2005–2009

| years2 = 2007

| years3 = 2009–2011

| years4 = 2010

| years5 = 2010–2011

| years6 = 2011–2012

| years7 = 2012

| years8 = 2012–2014

| years9 = 2013–2014

| clubs1 = Stockport County

| clubs2 = → Northwich Victoria (loan)

| clubs3 = Brighton & Hove Albion

| clubs4 = → Milton Keynes Dons (loan)

| clubs5 = → Bristol Rovers (loan)

| clubs6 = Wycombe Wanderers

| clubs7 = → Crewe Alexandra (loan)

| clubs8 = Stockport County

| clubs9 = → Stalybridge Celtic (loan)

| caps1 = 41

| goals1 = 0

| caps2 = 3

| goals2 = 0

| caps3 = 17

| goals3 = 2

| caps4 = 9

| goals4 = 1

| caps5 = 25

| goals5 = 0

| caps6 = 17

| goals6 = 1

| caps7 = 2

| goals7 = 0

| caps8 = 55

| goals8 = 3

| caps9 = 10

| goals9 = 1

| totalcaps = 179

| totalgoals = 8

| club-update = 23:24, 14 September 2015 (UTC)

}}

James Mark Tunnicliffe (born 17 January 1989) is an English former professional footballer.

Early life

Born in Denton, Greater Manchester, Tunnicliffe attended Denton West End Primary School, where he left in 2000. He then attended Audenshaw School in Audenshaw. He grew up with his younger brother Jordan, who played football for West Bromwich Albion F.C., Barnsley F.C. and Stalybridge Celtic F.C.[http://nonleague.pitchero.com/news/stalybridge-borrow-barnsley-defender-28093/ Jordan, brother of Celtic`s James Tunnicliffe]

Football career

=Early career=

Tunnicliffe played for his local amateur football team, Reddish Villa, with his younger brother Kristian, until the age of 11 when scouted by Stockport County. Tunnicliffe progressed through Stockport County's Centre of Excellence youth system.

=Stockport=

Tunnicliffe made his debut for Stockport as a substitute in a 2–0 defeat at Notts County in 2005 aged just 16. He had a trial at Liverpool in October 2005,[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stockport/4327758.stm Tunnicliffe stays on at Anfield] but did not impress enough for Liverpool to meet Stockport's price demands.[http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11669_2353033,00.html Reds reject Hatters youth] A similar trial at Southampton followed, with Tunnicliffe this time rejecting the offer, feeling that the move wasn't right for his career or him personally.

He was used sparingly in Stockport's first team prior to the 2008–09 season, where injuries to other defenders led to Tunnicliffe making a handful of appearances early in the season, and later the departure of Gareth Owen resulted in him being thrust into regular first team participation. His bright start was rewarded with a two-year contract extension in November 2008, which would keep him with Stockport until May 2011. Stockport manager Jim Gannon said at the time that Tunnicliffe was one of the players that the club needed to retain and build around, and that he had all the attributes of a top class modern-day central defender.

=Brighton & Hove Albion=

On 25 June 2009, Tunnicliffe joined League One side Brighton & Hove Albion for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-year contract.[http://www.seagulls.co.uk/page/Latest/0,,10433~1702258,00.html Duo Sign on the Dotted Line] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090628101248/http://www.seagulls.co.uk/page/Latest/0%2C%2C10433~1702258%2C00.html |date=28 June 2009 }}, Seagulls World, 25 June 2009. Retrieved 25 June 2009 After losing his place in the Brighton starting XI under manager Gus Poyet, Tunnicliffe was permitted to leave Brighton on a short-term loan deal to gain more first-team experience. Tunnicliffe initially joined fellow League One club Milton Keynes Dons on loan for a month beginning on 11 February 2010.{{cite web|url=http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/argusgeneralsportsnews/5002395.Albion_defender_joins_Dons/ |title=Albion Defender joins Dons |work=The Argus |date=11 February 2010 |accessdate=11 February 2010 }}{{dead link|date=April 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Poyet stated that "He is joining a good club and we will make sure we keep an eye on his progress and performances while he is there. We will see how things go, but we may extend the deal until the end of the season – but he will be back with us this summer, getting ready for next season."{{cite web|url=http://www.seagulls.co.uk/page/Latest/0,,10433~1962494,00.html |title=Tunnicliffe loaned out |publisher=Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. |date=11 February 2010 |accessdate=11 February 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100213100256/http://www.seagulls.co.uk/page/Latest/0%2C%2C10433~1962494%2C00.html |archivedate=13 February 2010 }}

=Wycombe Wanderers=

On 22 June 2011, it was confirmed that Tunnicliffe had signed for recently promoted League One side Wycombe Wanderers. Tunnicliffe's debut came in the 1–1 draw with Scunthorpe United at the start of the 2011–12 season. He scored Wycombe's only goal of the game from a corner taken by Scott Donnelly.{{cite web|url=http://www.wycombewanderers.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10430~2376885,00.html |title=Tunnicliffe agrees transfer |publisher=Wycombe Wanderers F.C. |date=22 June 2011 |accessdate=22 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329063948/http://www.wycombewanderers.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0%2C%2C10430~2376885%2C00.html |archivedate=29 March 2012 }}{{Cite web|url=http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/sport/9089762.New_defender_looking_to_play_the_right_way/|title = New defender looking to play the right way}} On 9 February 2012, he joined League Two side Crewe Alexandra on a one-month loan deal.{{cite web|url=http://www.crewealex.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10414~2605132,00.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630230636/http://www.crewealex.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10414~2605132,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 June 2012 |title=Alex Agree Tunnicliffe Loan |publisher=Crewe Alexandra F.C. |date=9 February 2012 |accessdate=10 February 2012 }}

He was released by Wycombe in May 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18009005? |title=Relegated Wycombe Wanderers release six players |publisher=BBC |date=9 May 2012 |accessdate=9 May 2012}}

=Stockport County=

On 28 June 2012, Tunnicliffe rejoined his former club in the Conference National on a two-year contract, having rejected offers from Football League sides.{{cite web|title=Hatters sign Tunnicliffe|url=http://www.stockportcounty.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10419~2825036,00.html?|publisher=Stockport County F.C.|accessdate=28 June 2012}}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

=Stalybridge Celtic=

On 14 November 2013, Tunnicliffe joined Stalybridge Celtic on loan. He scored one goal in eleven appearances for the club before he returned to Stockport. At the end of February he left Stockport after his contract was cancelled by mutual agreement.{{cite web|title=Tunnicliffe leaves County|date=15 February 2014|url=http://nonleague.pitchero.com/news/tunnicliffe-leaves-county-29022/|publisher=Pitchero Non League|accessdate=12 July 2014}}