Oldham Athletic Born in
Llandudno, Eardley graduated from the youth system at
Oldham Athletic to make his first team debut under
Ronnie Moore in a 1–1 draw with
Scunthorpe United at
Boundary Park on 6 May 2006. In the
2006–07 season, Eardley became a regular starter under new manager
John Sheridan, initially starting in a more attacking role before being shifted to defence. However, his season got off to a rough start, when he was sent off in the opening game on 5 August shortly after teammate
Chris Taylor was also red carded, as Oldham lost 1–0 to
Tranmere Rovers. In September he was given his first professional contract, which was due to run until June 2009. He scored his first goal with a
free kick in a 2–1 loss at
Chesterfield on 9 December. In his first season as a regular starter, Eardley made 41 appearances, scoring twice, as the "Latics" qualified for the
League One play-offs, but were beaten by
Blackpool at the semi-final stage. He signed a one-year extension to his contract in October, extending it until 2010. On 11 March, he scored a brace from
penalty kicks in a 2–0 win over
AFC Bournemouth. Almost two months later, he again scored a brace in a 4–1 victory over
Crewe Alexandra. In total, he made 49 appearances and scored six goals as Oldham posted an eighth-place finish. However Royle left the club and his successor,
Dave Penney, signed cover at right-back in apparent anticipation at losing Eardley during the transfer window.
Blackpool Blackpool manager,
Ian Holloway signed Eardley on 7 August 2009 for an undisclosed fee – reported to be about £350,000; Eardley signed a two-year contract, with an option for a further 12 months. On 18 August, Eardley made his debut for the "Seasiders" in a 0–0 draw with
Derby County at
Bloomfield Road. He and teammate
Charlie Adam were named in the
Championship Team of the Week following their performance in the 3–2 home victory over
Watford on 23 January 2010. However he was disciplined by Holloway the following month, along with
Barry Bannan and
Ishmel Demontagnac, when they were seen out at a nightclub in
Blackpool following a home defeat to
Leicester City, even though Eardley had a knee problem and was due to undergo treatment the next day. Holloway explained: "I'm disappointedwe'll have a party once we've got 52 points". All three were dropped from the squad for the next game, away to
Sheffield Wednesday. The
2009–10 season ended on a high note though as Blackpool far exceeded their 52 points target to instead qualify for the play-offs with 70 points; they went on to beat
Cardiff City 3–2 in the
play-off final at
Wembley Stadium, though Eardley was not in the matchday squad. Eardley scored his first goal for the Tangerines with a free kick in a 2–2 draw with
Everton in the
Premier League at Bloomfield Road on 6 November 2010 – the day of his 21st birthday. He was subsequently named in the Premier League Team of the Week, alongside teammate and fellow goalscorer
David Vaughan. He played 33 games across the
2010–11 campaign, but could not prevent Blackpool from being relegated with a 4–2 defeat to champions
Manchester United at
Old Trafford on 22 May. After Blackpool's relegation from the Premier League, Eardley's pay was cut by 50%: Holloway suggested he was "so messed up by the whole thing" that he would be left out of the squad for the opening game of the
2011–12 season. For the following game, a
League Cup first-round tie at Sheffield Wednesday, Eardley, playing in central midfield, captained a weakened side and missed a penalty. He made his first appearance in the league on 20 August; within two minutes of coming on as a second-half substitute with Blackpool 2–0 down to
Brighton & Hove Albion; he set up a goal for
Kevin Phillips and went on to produce a "brilliant display" that "helped Pool grab the unlikeliest of draws". but injuries disrupted his first-team appearances in the early part of the season. He scored a "25-yard screamer into the top corner" in a 2–2 draw with
Birmingham City on 26 November which he dedicated to
Wales international manager
Gary Speed, who died the next day. Eardley started at right-back in the
play-off final defeat against
West Ham United, taking his appearance total to 33 for the season. In September 2012, Holloway suggested that Eardley had matured over the previous year, during which his first child, a girl, had been born. He remained a first-team regular until
Michael Appleton replaced Holloway as manager, but played less frequently thereafter, and appeared even less under
Paul Ince as he ended the
2012–13 campaign with just 26 appearances to his name. Although disappointed by his lack of opportunity"there has been a lot chopping and changing within the club and sometimes that happens"he felt he had learnt from the experience and was settled at the club and in the area.
Birmingham City In May 2013, Eardley agreed a three-year deal with Birmingham City, to begin on 1 July after his contract with Blackpool expired. He started the first seven games of the
2013–14 season, Half an hour into the match against
Ipswich Town on 31 August he suffered a knee injury, later diagnosed as a ruptured
medial ligament and a partial tear to the
anterior cruciate ligament, which kept him out of action for the rest of the season. He returned to the starting eleven for the defeat at
Middlesbrough on the opening day of the
2014–15 season, but was unable to establish himself in the first team, and was not used in the Championship again following his red card during a 1–0 defeat at
Blackburn Rovers on 21 October. In January 2015, he joined League One club
Leyton Orient on loan for a month. However, the loan spell was ended prematurely on 9 February after just one appearance. Eardley finally returned to Birmingham's first team for the League Cup win at
Bristol Rovers in August 2015. He made his next first-team appearance on 5 December, in a 2–0 defeat to
Huddersfield Town at
St Andrew's, started the next four matches, then missed a few weeks with a minor groin problem. Returning on 9 January 2016 for the
FA Cup-tie with Bournemouth, he lasted until half-time, and was carried off the field with cruciate ligament damage. He was released by Birmingham when his contract expired at the end of the season.
Hibernian On 28 September 2016, Eardley signed for
Scottish Championship club
Hibernian on a short-term deal, due to run until January 2017. He had impressed Hibs manager
Neil Lennon on trial, winning a contract ahead of
Poland international
Filip Modelski. However he was unable to dislodge captain
David Gray and left
Easter Road shortly before his contract was due to expire, having made only two substitute appearances for the side.
Northampton Town On 12 January 2017, Eardley signed for
English League One side
Northampton Town until the end of the
2016–17 season. He had originally been signed by
Rob Page, who was sacked before Eardley's international clearance came through, leaving
Paul Wilkinson as caretaker-manager. He had a bright start to his Cobblers career and established himself in the first team under new manager
Justin Edinburgh. However he featured in only one further match following a 2–1 defeat to former club Oldham at
Sixfields on 28 February, and was released in May 2017.
Lincoln City After a trial at
Port Vale in July 2017, Eardley joined
Lincoln City, newly promoted to
League Two, on a short-term contract until January 2018. According to manager
Danny Cowley, "Technically and tactically you can see he's played in the Premier League and will be a good role model. He's one of those that makes everyone around him 5% better." Eardley went straight into the starting eleven for the opening fixture of the
2017–18 season, a 2–2 draw away to
Wycombe Wanderers. He later extended his deal until the end of the season, and after he was voted Player of the Season he then re-signed until 2020. On 28 May 2020, it was announced Eardley will leave the club at the end of his current contract.
Burton Albion Eardley joined
Burton Albion on 4 August 2020 on a one-year deal. On 14 January 2021, he moved on loan to
Barrow. On 12 May 2021 it was announced that he would be one of 12 players leaving Burton at the end of the season.
Connah's Quay Nomads In October 2021 he moved into the
Cymru Premier joining
Connah's Quay Nomads. ==International career==