Royal Antwerp, including a 4–0 defeat to Club Brugge on 8 February 2004, in which he was sent off for two bookable offences. After returning to Manchester United at the end of 2003–04, Bardsley made three appearances on the club's 2004–05 pre-season tour of the United States, playing against Bayern Munich, Celtic and Milan. He made another promising start to the 2005–06 season, and an injury to Gary Neville gave him plenty of opportunities to play between August and November 2005. He was regularly named as a substitute for much of the rest of the season, before going on loan to Championship club Burnley on 16 March 2006. He played six matches and scored an own goal in the first minute of a 1–1 draw at home to Southampton. Loan to Rangers Bardsley again made a significant contribution to Manchester United's pre-season programme in 2006–07, but on 16 August, he was sent out on loan again, this time to Scottish Premier League club Rangers. On 9 September 2006, he scored his only goal for Rangers against Falkirk with a terrific long-range free kick. He was sent off against Hibernian, and therefore missed the Old Firm match against Celtic. On 17 October, it was reported that Bardsley was involved in a training ground disagreement with manager Paul Le Guen and his future at Rangers appeared to be in doubt. Indeed, Bardsley never played for Rangers again and returned to Manchester United in December. Loan to Aston Villa On 8 January 2007, Bardsley joined Aston Villa on loan until the end of the season and played his first Premier League match against Watford on 20 January. It was announced on 1 May that Bardsley would be returning to Manchester United when his loan deal with Villa ran out as manager Martin O'Neill did not want to make the move permanent. Loan to Sheffield United After playing what would turn out to be his last match for the Manchester United first team against Coventry City in the League Cup on 26 September 2007, it was confirmed on 15 October Bardsley would join Sheffield United on loan until January 2008. He made his full debut for the Blades a few days later in a 1–1 draw with Preston North End at Bramall Lane. Despite Sheffield United agreeing a deal with Manchester United to sign him permanently, Bardsley left at the end of his loan