Bale is back!

Gareth Bale returns to N17 as a special guest for our Premier League derby against Chelsea on Monday evening.

One of the great players of the modern era, Gareth will recall his memories over two spells in Lilywhite as Paul Coyte’s half-time guest - this will be one not to miss!

Signed from Southampton in the summer of 2007, Gareth scored 71 goals in 237 appearances for us over two spells, 2007-2013 and 2020/21. Highlights included back-to-back goals in wins against Arsenal and Chelsea as we qualified for the Champions League for the first time in 2010, before he lit up Europe’s biggest stage with a hat-trick against Inter at the San Siro. He then tore the holders apart as we won the return 3-1 at the Lane.

PFA Player of the Year in 2010/11 and 2012/13, when he also won the PFA’s Young Player award, Gareth scored a number of stunning goals as he racked up 26 goals in all competitions in 2012/13 before joining Real Madrid in August, 2013. He won three La Liga titles and five Champions Leagues during his time in Spain, including one of the all-time great final goals against Liverpool in 2018.

He returned to us on loan in 2020/21, scoring another 16 goals, before heading back to Madrid and then a final club move to Los Angeles FC, where he won the MLS Cup, scoring in the final.

A talisman for Wales, Gareth scored 41 goals in 111 caps between 2006-2022, leading his country to three major tournaments, Euro 2016, Euro 2020 and the World Cup in 2022 – Wales’ first appearance on the world stage since 1958 – where he scored his last international goal against the USA. Awarded an MBE in 2022, he retired from football in January.