1999/2000: Signs professional contract at Oxford United
2000/2001: Makes first team debut for Oxford
2001/2002: Scores first professional goal
June 2004: Signs for Sunderland for £150,000, decided by tribunal, after rejecting new contract at Oxford
May 2005: Wins Championship with Sunderland, making 42 appearances, and winning Players Player of the Year, aswell as taking on captaincy
2005/6: Signs new 3-year-deal with Wearsiders. Resigns captaincy during season to concentrate on his football.
May 2006: Suffers relegation from the Premier League with a then record low points tally.
2006/7: Takes over captaincy for second time after Steven Caldwell is sold to Burnley.
May 2007: Wins Championship for second time, making 45 appearances and scoring 4 goals.
August 2007: Suffers cruciate knee injury against Wigan, out until November
Summer 2008: Linked with moves to Stoke, Fulham and West Brom
2008/9: Plays 34 games for Sunderland in successful fight against relegation
July 2009: Signs 4-year-deal with Stoke, moving for initial £3m, increasing to £5m with add-on's