Playing just 9 games for Newcastle United, Bridges would fail for score for the club he almost certainly grew up supporting as a North Shields lad and starting at Wallsend Boys.

But starting his career at Sunderland, a club where he burst onto the scene as someone who many thought would go on to have a huge career at top flight club and potentially international level, he would never fulfil his early potential.

16 goals in 79 games for the Mackems earned him a £5m move to Leeds United, supposedly as a replacement for Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink. He finished 3rd in the Premier League and reached the Semi Final of the Champions League. During this time he made it to England U21 level.

But following his unsuccessful loan to the Magpies he was released in 2004.

Joining first Bolton he would then go back to Sunderland before playing for another eight teams in the lower leagues and a short spell in Australia.