Former Portsmouth, Luton and Plymouth defender who became prolific promotion winner finds new club
The centre-half made 38 appearances and scored once after arriving at Fratton Park
A former Pompey player who ended up winning four promotions has completed a move to Lincoln.
Sonny Bradley has signed a two-year deal with the League One side following his release from Derby at the season’s end.
The 33-year-old finished last term on loan at Wycombe, who he helped into the League One play-offs, only to lose to eventual winners Charlton 1-0 on aggregate in the semi-finals.
Regardless, the centre-half has won promotion from every Football League division, with Plymouth (League Two), Luton (League One and the Championship) and Derby (League One).
Unfortunately, he didn’t manage similar success at Pompey, where boss Guy Whittingham took him from Hull in May 2013, with Bradley going on to make 38 appearances and scoring once.
However, plenty of career glory has subsequently followed and now the defender has arrived at Sincil Bank, reuniting him with former Luton and Derby team-mate James Collins, and ex-Hatters assistant coach Chris Cohen.
‘It was a straightforward decision’
‘A couple of quick conversations with James Collins, Chris Cohen and the manager as well, and I was happy and in for a medical.
‘When I do follow James about, it only brings success. It did at Luton and did at Derby so hopefully we can do the same here.
‘I'm just looking forward to getting started now.’
First recruit of Guy Whittingham’s Portsmouth era
Bradley was the first signing of Whittingham’s rebuild after fan ownership saved Pompey from liquidation - although lasted just one season at Fratton Park.
He arrived in May 2013 alongside Danny East following the pair’s release from Hull, although he had previously enjoyed two loan spells with Aldershot.
Also joining Pompey on the same day was Romain Padovani, with the French central midfielder handed a two-year deal following a successful trial.
Bradley was a regular in the first half of the 2013-14 campaign, but then fell out of favour under Richie Barker, while caretaker boss Andy Awford continued to overlook him.
His sole start in the final 14 matches was a 1-0 win at Northampton on the day the Blues’ Football League future was secured having been plunged into a relegation battle.
Bradley’s last Pompey outing was as a substitute in a 4-4 draw at Bury in May 2014, where he was introduced from the bench as an emergency striker and credited with a goal, albeit actually being an own goal.
Sold by Portsmouth to Crawley - but career flourished
That summer, following Awford’s permanent appointment as boss, he cashed in on the defender by selling him to League One rivals Crawley - and it would mark Bradley’s career flourishing.
He would go on to achieve promotion at Plymouth, Luton (twice) and Derby, before suffering play-off disappointment with Wycombe in May, where he started in both semi-final legs.
And now he has been snapped up by Lincoln, who finished 11th in League One last season, 17 points adrift of the play-offs.