Ross Wallace

Ross Wallace (born 23 May 1985 in Dundee, Scotland) is a professional football (soccer)er currently playing for Preston North End F.C. on loan from Sunderland A.F.C..

Club career

Celtic

Wallace started his career with Celtic F.C. where he played as a left midfielder but under his former manager Gordon Strachan he played at left back for the reserves and eventually the first team.

Towards the end of the 2005-06 in Scottish football season, new signing Mark Wilson (Scottish footballer) replaced him at left back even though it is not his natural position. Wallace did, however, play the whole of the Scottish League Cup Final at left back because Wilson was cup tied after having played in the competition for Dundee United F.C.. Alan Thompson (footballer) once said that Wallace was likely to succeed him in the future at left midfield.

Sunderland

He joined Sunderland from Celtic on 31 August 2006 along with teammate Stanislav Varga.

2006–07

He made his first team début on 9 September against Derby County F.C. and scored the winner in a 2-1 win. His arrival on Wearside saw him keep the number 33 that he wore at Celtic, which had previously belonged to former Sunderland favourite Julio Arca (now with Middlesbrough F.C.).

He had made an excellent start as a Sunderland player with a match-winning goal on his début at Derby and again at Hull City F.C.. On both occasions he removed his shirt after scoring, which at Hull earned him a second yellow card and his second red card of the season. He later apologised and promised not to do it again.

Sunderland fans were more than pleased with the promising form Wallace showed throughout the 2006-07 in English football campaign as Sunderland won the Championship. His early formed did tail towards the back of the season only for him to re-find his form as the season ended. The left-wing position had been highly contested between Ross and team-mate Tobias Hysén.

2007–08

Wallace started the season as Sunderland's first choice left-back despite several new defenders joining the club during the pre-season. On 11 August 2007 Ross lined up against Tottenham Hotspur F.C. on the first game of the season and successfully provided the 93rd minute assist that enabled Michael Chopra to score and Sunderland to win the game. This form has continued into the second game away to Birmingham City F.C. when once again Ross played an integral part in the decisive goal when he provided the free kick that eventually led to Stern John's late equaliser. The match finished 2-2.

He scored his first goal of the season against Reading F.C. at the Stadium of Light in a 2-1 victory for Sunderland, scoring again on a 3-2 loss to Arsenal F.C. scoring the first ever goal for Sunderland A.F.C at their first ever game at the Emirates Stadium. Despite his impressive season so far, Roy Keane stated he would consider offers for Wallace. On 18 January 2008 it was reported that Wallace had sustained an Anterior Cruciate Ligament knee injury and would therefore miss the rest of the 2007/8 football season.

Preston (Loan)

Last month, In the summer transfer market it was announced that Wallace had rejected a offer from Preston North End so that he could fight for his place in the Sunderland squad. But due to the summer signings of Sunderland, Keane has told Wallace that he is even further down the pecking order and unlikely to get much games next season. Wallace has signed a year long loan at Preston with a view to a permanent deal at the end of the season. There is also a clause in the deal which allows Wallace to return to the Stadium of Light if he or the club (Sunderland) wishes in January.

International aspirations

On 13 August 2007, two Sunderland players were called into the Scotland national football team national team: defender Russell Anderson and goalkeeper Craig Gordon. Although pleased with the two nominated players, many Sunderland fans expressed disappointment in the fact that Wallace had once again been overlooked for the squad, especially as he had started the new season so well and that Scotland manager Alex McLeish had selected four goalkeepers in his squad.