Danny Sonner

Daniel James Sonner, born on January 9, 1972, in Wigan, England, embarked on a distinguished football career as a midfielder, recognized for his languid playing style, excellent vision, and passing skills. He commenced his professional journey with Wigan Athletic in 1990 before making his mark at Burnley in 1991. After a brief loan spell at Bury, Sonner ventured to Germany in 1993, playing for FC Erzgebirge Aue and Preußen Köln, gaining international experience early in his career. His return to English football saw him join Ipswich Town in 1996, where he played 56 league games over two seasons. In October 1998, he moved to Sheffield Wednesday, featuring in the Premier League during the 1998–99 season and contributing to 53 appearances.

Sonner’s career milestones include his time at Birmingham City, starting in 2000, where he notably helped the team reach the 2001 League Cup final. During this period, he scored against his former club, Sheffield Wednesday, in the quarter-finals and earned a runner-up medal in the final against Liverpool. After his tenure at Birmingham, he moved to Walsall in 2002, Nottingham Forest in 2003, and Peterborough United in 2004. He had a significant and popular spell at Port Vale, initially on loan in 2005 and then permanently, where he made more appearances than for any other club, totalling 75 league games before departing in 2007. Later, he returned to Walsall briefly and concluded his playing career at Wrexham in 2008.

Internationally, Sonner represented Northern Ireland, earning 13 caps between 1997 and 2004, and also played four times for the Northern Ireland B national team, scoring one goal. His career spanned across all top four divisions of English football, accumulating 386 appearances in the English Football League and over 42 in German football. Following his extensive playing career, Sonner transitioned into coaching, joining Savannah United in Savannah, Georgia, in August 2015, where he continues to inspire and develop young talent.