At the tender age 14, Ricardo "Bibi" Gardner was already a starter for Harbour View of Jamaica"s National Premiere League, and made his international debut soon after. He is predominantly a left-sided player, starting at the left-back position for Jamaica and left midfield for his club.
A former Manning Cup player for Wolmers Boys School, the young and talented Gardner was a stand out for the
Reggae Boyz at the World Cup in France. He assisted on Jamaica"s first ever World Cup goal, when with a brilliant cross from the left he found the head of teammate, Robbie Earle. Earle made no mistake in finding
the back of Croatia"s net.
Gardner"s stellar performance in France did not go unnoticed, as shortly thereafter he signed with Bolton Wanderers FC of the English 1st Division. He became the first locally grown Jamaican, in over fifty years, to sign a professional contract with an English League club.
His time at Bolton has been spectacular. He has provided the fans with memorable performances and scored fabulous goals. In fact he scored on his club debut against Hawthorns, with just two minutes left on the clock. A serious knee injury in the latter stages of the season saw the player being sidelined for several months. He has since fully recovered.
With Gardner back to full fitness, the fans will no doubt be once again treated to his arsenal of skills as he patrols up and down the left flank. Those skills will come in quite handy as the Reggae Boyz make a run for a berth in the 2002 World Cup finals.
Ricardo Gardner 