Michael Branch (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Michael Branch | ||
| Date of birth | 18 October 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | Liverpool, England | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Everton | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–2000 | Everton | 41 | (3) |
| 1998 | → Manchester City (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 1999 | → Birmingham City (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1999–2000 | → Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan) | 9 | (4) |
| 2000–2003 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 62 | (6) |
| 2002 | → Reading (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | → Hull City (loan) | 7 | (3) |
| 2003–2004 | Bradford City | 33 | (6) |
| 2004–2006 | Chester City | 60 | (16) |
| 2007 | Halifax Town | 0 | (0) |
| 2010 | Burscough | ||
| Total | 218 | (38) | |
| International career | |||
| England U21 | 1 | (0) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Paul Michael Branch (born 18 October 1978) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker from 1995 to 2010.
He played Premier League football for Everton after coming through the club's youth academy, also playing for the England U21 side where he earned one cap. He went on to play in the Football League with Manchester City, Birmingham City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Reading, Hull City, Bradford City and Chester City before finishing his career in Non-league football with Halifax Town and Burscough.
On 9 November 2012, he was jailed for seven years for serious drug offences.