Bryan Small
# Bryan Small

Bryan Small (born 15 November 1971) is an English former professional footballer who played as a defender.

He started out as a trainee at his hometown club Aston Villa and played for a total of 11 clubs in a series of free transfers and loan deals. Small played for Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers, Luton Town, Bradford City, Bury, Stoke City and Walsall. At international level he was capped 12 times for the England under-21 team.

## Playing career

Small was born in Birmingham and began his career as a trainee at Aston Villa making his debut away at Everton in 1991–92. He played in 13 matches that season and made 15 appearances in 1992–93.

In 1993–94 Small played 12 times for Villa including two against Deportivo de La Coruña in the UEFA Cup. In the 1994–95 season he played five matches for Villa and had a loan spell at second city rivals Birmingham City where he played three times.

He left Villa in March 1996 for Bolton Wanderers where he made 16 appearances helping the club win the First Division in 1996–97. Small was unable to force his way into the team in the Premier League and spent time out on loan at Luton Town, Bradford City and Bury. At Bury he scored his only goal of his career against Sunderland.

In the summer 1998 Small moved to Stoke City where he made 43 appearances in 1998–99 as Stoke failed to claim a play-off place. In 1999–2000 he nine appearances before being released in the summer of 2000. Following his release from Stoke Small had unsuccessful trials at Carlisle United and Brentford.

Another free transfer followed to Walsall but he failed to make the first team. After a loan spell at Forest Green Rovers he moved to Kettering Town before he finished his career at Hednesford Town.

## Later career

Small began his coaching career with Stourport Swifts and in July 2008 turned out for old club Bolton in the Masters Tournament.

## Personal life

Small's nephew, Thierry Small, became Everton's youngest first-team debutant when he made a brief appearance in the FA Cup as a 16-year-old in early 2021, and turned professional later that year with Southampton.

## Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :

| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Aston Villa | 1991–92 | First Division | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Aston Villa | 1992–93 | Premier League | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Aston Villa | 1993–94 | Premier League | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Aston Villa | 1994–95 | Premier League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Aston Villa | Total | Total | 36 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 45 | 0 |
| Birmingham City (loan) | 1994–95 | Second Division | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 1995–96 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 1996–97 | First Division | 11 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Bolton Wanderers | Total | Total | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Luton Town (loan) | 1997–98 | Second Division | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Bradford City (loan) | 1997–98 | First Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Bury | 1997–98 | First Division | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| Stoke City | 1998–99 | Second Division | 37 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| Stoke City | 1999–2000 | Second Division | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Stoke City | Total | Total | 45 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 52 | 0 |
| Walsall | 2000–01 | Second Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Forest Green Rovers (loan) | 2001–02 | Football Conference | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Kettering Town | 2002–03 | Football Conference | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 146 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 168 | 1 |

* ↑ Appearances in the Football League Trophy, Full Members Cup and UEFA Champions League

## Honours

Bolton Wanderers

* Football League First Division: 1996–97
