Dom Bernard Explained

Dom Bernard
Fullname:Dominic Archie Bernard[1]
Birth Date:29 March 1997
Birth Place:Gloucester, England
Height:1.80 m
Position:Defender
Youthclubs1:Tredworth Tigers
Youthyears2:2009–2018
Youthclubs2:Birmingham City
Years1:2018–2019
Clubs1:Birmingham City
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:2018–2019
Clubs2:Aldershot Town (loan)
Caps2:35
Goals2:0
Years3:2019–2024
Clubs3:Forest Green Rovers
Caps3:158
Goals3:1
Nationalyears1:2013
Nationalteam1:Republic of Ireland U17
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2015
Nationalteam2:Republic of Ireland U18
Nationalcaps2:1
Nationalgoals2:0
Club-Update:20:06, 27 April 2024 (UTC)

Dominic Archie Bernard (born 29 March 1997) is a professional footballer who most recently played as a defender for club Forest Green Rovers.

Bernard began his football career with Birmingham City. He made his senior debut while on loan to Aldershot Town of the National League in 2018–19, and was released at the end of that season without having played senior football for Birmingham. He signed for Forest Green Rovers in July 2019.

Bernard was born in Gloucester, England, and has represented the Republic of Ireland internationally at under-17 and under-18 levels.

Club career

Early life and club career

Bernard was born in Gloucester.[2] and attended Upton St Leonards primary school.[3] He represented Gloucestershire Schools at football at primary school level, as well as playing for local team Tredworth Tigers,[3] before joining Birmingham's Academy at the age of 12. He took up a scholarship with the club in July 2013.[4] By 2014–15 pre-season, he was captain of the under-18 team.[5]

Birmingham City

Bernard played in the Birmingham team, a mixture of first-team and reserve players, that won the 2014–15 Birmingham Senior Cup,[6] and signed his first professional contract, of two years, a few days later. According to coach Steve Spooner, "Dom is your thinking man's footballer. He is very calm and composed on the ball and seldom goes to ground. He sees things quickly and his reading of the game is excellent."[7] He was a member of the Birmingham reserve team that lost the 2016 Birmingham Senior Cup final to National League North champions Solihull Moors.[8] He was one of three youngstersthe others were Josh Dacres-Cogley and Wes Hardingwho began their pre-season training with the first team,[9] but suffered an Achilles injury that kept him out for most of the 2016–17 season.[2]

The club took up the one-year option on Bernard's contract for the 2017–18 season,[10] and offered him a further year for 2018–19.[11] Initially a member of the U23 squad for pre-season training in Austria, Bernard was called into the senior party, and on their return to England, he played in several first-team friendlies. He then joined Aldershot Town of the National League on a six-month loan.[12] He became a regular in the side, and his loan was extended to the end of the season.[13] He won the club's Player of the Month award for January 2019,[14] and finished the season with 37 appearances in all competitions.

In March 2019, Birmingham confirmed that Bernard would be released when his contract expired at the end of the season.[15]

Forest Green Rovers

After taking part in pre-season training with Forest Green Rovers, Bernard signed a one-year contract with the League Two club on 17 July 2019.[16] He made his debut on the opening day of the 2019–20 season, in the starting eleven for the match at home to Oldham Athletic. He soon established himself as a regular in the starting eleven, playing on the right of the defence in a variety of formations, and in early November, his contract was extended to run until 2021.[17]

Following the second of back-to-back relegations, Bernard was released at the end of the 2023–24 season.[18]

International career

Bernard was first called up to the Republic of Ireland under-17 squad for two friendly matches against Slovakia in September 2013.[19] He started the first and came on for the last few minutes of the second, both of which were defeats.[20] He played for the under-18s once in June 2015,[21] but was injured when under consideration for the under-19s a few months later.[22]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupEFL CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Birmingham City2018–19Championship00000000
Aldershot Town (loan)2018–19[23] National League3501010370
Forest Green Rovers2019–20League Two280302010340
2020–21League Two250000050300
2021–22League Two341002030391
2022–23League One340302031421
2023–24League Two370001030410
Total158160701511862
Career total193170701612232

Honours

Forest Green Rovers

2021–22[24]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Club list of registered players as at 19th May 2018 . The Football League . 5 . 12 March 2019.
  2. News: Gloucester born youngster progressing well at Birmingham City . Jon . Palmer . Gloucestershire Live . 5 February 2018 . 12 March 2019.
  3. News: From Birmingham City to Bishop's Cleeve and from Manchester United to the England rugby team: Gloucester Primary Schools FA success stories . Jon . Palmer . Gloucestershire Live . 6 March 2018 . 12 March 2019.
  4. Web site: List of Players Registered as Scholars in Accordance with Rule C.3 Between 01/07/2013 and 31/07/2013 . PDF . The Football Association . 39 . 12 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140408233947/http://www.thefa.com/~/media/files/thefaportal/governance-docs/registrations/july-2013.ashx . 8 April 2014.
  5. Web site: U18s Holland diary – day one . Jeremy . Poulson . Birmingham City F.C. . 29 July 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150905154916/https://www.bcfc.com/news/article/20140729-u18s-holland-diary-day-one-1797806.aspx . 5 September 2015.
  6. Web site: Blues win the Senior Cup . Peter . Lewis . Birmingham City F.C. . 30 April 2015 . 12 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170809000102/https://www.bcfc.com/news/articles/2015/blues-win-the-senior-cup/ . 9 August 2017.
  7. Web site: Youngsters sign first pro deals . Peter . Lewis . Birmingham City F.C. . 6 May 2015 . 12 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170805223441/https://www.bcfc.com/news/articles/2015/youngsters-sign-first-pro-deals/ . 5 August 2017.
  8. News: Birmingham Senior Cup final: Birmingham City U21s 1 Solihull Moors 2 . Brian . Dick . Birmingham Mail . 5 May 2016 . 12 March 2019.
  9. News: Birmingham City comment: Absentees, photographer's cases and the calm before the storm as Blues return to pre-season training . Brian . Dick . Birmingham Mail . 1 July 2016 . 12 March 2019.
  10. Web site: New deals for Blues youngsters . Birmingham City F.C. . 4 July 2017 . 4 September 2022.
  11. Web site: Contract offers for Blues Under-23s . Birmingham City F.C. . 14 February 2018 . 4 September 2022.
  12. Web site: Dominic Bernard makes loan move . Birmingham City F.C. . 24 July 2018 . 4 September 2022.
  13. News: Aldershot extend loan deals . The Non-League Paper . 22 January 2019 . 12 March 2019.
  14. Web site: Dom Bernard wins January POTM . Aldershot Town Supporters Trust . 12 February 2019 . 18 July 2019.
  15. News: The Under 23s Birmingham City have decided to release and retain . Brian . Dick . Birmingham Mail . 21 March 2019 . 24 March 2019.
  16. News: Forest Green Rovers unveil former Birmingham City player as latest new signing . Tom . Gibbon . Gloucestershire Live . 17 July 2019 . 17 July 2019.
  17. News: Former Birmingham City youngster signs new contract at Forest Green Rovers after impressive start . Robert . Iles . Gloucestershire Live . 8 November 2019 . 16 November 2019.
  18. Web site: Retained and Released List 2024. www.fgr.co.uk. 30 April 2024. 30 April 2024.
  19. Web site: Ireland U17s squad named for friendly games in Slovakia . Football Association of Ireland (FAI) . 2 September 2013 . 12 March 2019.
  20. Web site: Ireland U17s suffer friendly defeat in Slovakia . FAI . 10 September 2013 . 12 March 2019.
    Web site: Ireland U17s suffer friendly loss to Slovakia . FAI . 12 September 2013 . 12 March 2019.
  21. Web site: Ireland U18s beat Luxembourg in friendly . FAI . 2 June 2015 . 12 March 2019.
  22. Web site: Doolin names Ireland U19 squad for Italy friendly game . FAI . 2 September 2015 . 12 March 2019.
  23. Web site: D. Bernard . Soccerway . Perform Group . 5 October 2019.
  24. News: Mansfield Town 2–2 Forest Green Rovers: Draw seals title for Rovers . BBC Sport . 7 May 2022 . 31 December 2022.