Aiden McGeady

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Aiden McGeady
AidenMcGeadyIreland.png
McGeady lining up for the Republic of Ireland in 2013.
Personal information
Full name Aiden John McGeady[1]
Date of birth (1986-04-04) 4 April 1986 (age 30)
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Playing position Winger
Club information
Current team
 Everton
Number 7
Youth career
2000–2001 Queen's Park
2001–2004 Celtic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2004–2010 Celtic 185 (32)
2010–2014 Spartak Moscow 72 (12)
2014– Everton 32 (1)
2016 → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 13 (1)
National team‡
2002 Republic of Ireland U17 3 (0)
2003 Republic of Ireland U19 1 (0)
2004–2006 Republic of Ireland U21 12 (1)
2004– Republic of Ireland 81 (5)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 May 2016.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 May 2016

Aiden John McGeady (born 4 April 1986) is a Scottish-born Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger for English club Everton and for the Republic of Ireland internationally. McGeady was born and brought up in Scotland but chose to play for Ireland, qualifying through an Irish grandparent.

He started his career at Scottish Premier League club Celtic – with whom he won four league titles, two Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups – before moving to Russian club Spartak Moscow in 2010. In Russia, McGeady was a runner-up in the Russian Premier League. He joined Everton in January 2014. He was part of the Irish squad that played in the 2012 European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.[3]

A two-footed player, McGeady is known for his ball playing trickery with the ball on the wing.[4] His father, John McGeady, was also a professional footballer for Sheffield United.[5][6]

Club career[edit]

Celtic[edit]

Aiden McGeady playing for Celtic against Dynamo Moscow

McGeady began his career with Queen's Park, but joined Celtic in 2001 while still in his early teens.[7] He progressed through the academy, playing with the youth and reserve teams, and won the Scottish Youth Cup in 2003.[7]

His senior debut was on 24 April 2004 aged 18 in a league game against Hearts at Tynecastle late in the 2003–04 season. He started the match and scored a goal after 17 minutes,[8] and finished that season with 4 league appearances as Celtic won the league.[9] He made his UEFA Champions League debut the next season in a game against Italian side AC Milan and made the breakthrough into the first-team that same season, with 27 appearances in the league as Celtic finished runners up in Martin O'Neill's final season with the club.

McGeady's 2005–06 season was hampered by a persistent knee injury and he struggled to secure a starting place ahead of Shaun Maloney and Shunsuke Nakamura, but still managed to make 19 appearances over the course of the season as Celtic won the league title.

The 2006–07 season saw Maloney leave Celtic for Aston Villa in January 2007, giving McGeady an opportunity to secure a regular starting place. He played regularly from that point in the Celtic team that again won the SPL championship and also qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League for the first time in club history, defeating Manchester United, Benfica and Copenhagen in the group stage before losing 1–0 to eventual champions A.C. Milan in extra time.

The 2007–08 season was McGeady's annus mirabilis, earning him praise from the media, fans and fellow players.[10] One of his most memorable performances came against Aberdeen, scoring a goal and setting up three, including a second goal for striker Scott McDonald with a 360-degree turn and cross. He continued to provide goals for his team, most importantly McDonald's equalising goal against rivals Rangers, a match that Celtic went on to win 3–2 which proved to be crucial in Celtic's successful defence of their title. Throughout the season, he contributed a total of eight goals and 24 assists and was awarded the SPFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year on 20 April 2008, only the second player ever to receive both awards in the same season (the first was Shaun Maloney in 2006), as voted by his fellow players. The club reached the knockout stages of the Champions League for a second consecutive season and won the league title for the third year in a row, overhauling Rangers with one week left and winning at Dundee United on the final day of the season to clinch the trophy.

McGeady entered in 2008–09 as Celtic's star player but his performances suffered as Celtic endured a poor second half to the season. On 16 December 2008, after a much-publicised dressing room row with manager Gordon Strachan, McGeady was fined two weeks' wages and suspended for two matches,[11] although Strachan later denied any fall-out between him and McGeady.[12] Celtic finished runners up to Rangers on the final day of the season and Strachan resigned soon after.

2009–10 began well for McGeady as he scored two goals against Aberdeen on the opening day of the season. Under new manager Tony Mowbray, the team's form was poor for much of the season, which led to Mowbray being sacked in March. McGeady enjoyed an improved season, staying injury-free while contributing seven goals and 16 assists in 34 appearances. Former teammate Neil Lennon took over as interim manager after Mowbray's departure. Ross County knocked Celtic out of the Scottish Cup and Celtic ended the season trophyless for the first time since 2003, having finished in second place in the SPL.

Spartak Moscow[edit]

Aiden McGeady in action for Spartak Moscow

In August 2010, McGeady joined Russian side Spartak Moscow signing a four-and-half-year contract.[13][14] The fee of £9.5 million made McGeady the most expensive export from Scottish football.[14] He made his league debut in September, a 2–1 win against Saturn.[15] He scored his first goal for Spartak in a 2–2 draw at home to Amkar later the same month.[16] In the last game of the season, McGeady was sent off for a late challenge on Marcin Kowalczyk in the derby against Dynamo Moscow.[17] He was included in the Russian Football Union's list of 33 top players, published in December 2010, placing McGeady as second best right winger.[18]

In 2011–12 McGeady started his season by scoring a late goal against FC Basel, putting Spartak through to the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League.[19] In his first full season he made thirty-one appearances, scoring three times, but expressed a desire to leave the club once his contract ran out.[20]

After starting 2012–13 scoring in a 2–1 win over Volga, McGeady received his first red of that season, getting sent off in a 5–0 defeat to FC Zenit Saint Petersburg on 11 August 2012.[21] Spartak were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by McGeady's former club, Celtic.[22] In May 2013, McGeady received a red card for the second time in the season after he struck an opponent, and then made an offensive gesture as he left the pitch.[23] He was accused of vandalising a dressing room door at Saransk Stadium and was warned that he could face police action.[24] Originally suspended for six matches,[25] the Russian Football Union reduced his suspension to two matches.[26] After serving two matches, he made his return on the last game of the season, where he provided an assist in a 2–0 against Alania Vladikavkaz. At the end of the season, McGeady made seventeen appearance and scoring five times

McGeady scored his first goal of 2013–14, also providing an assist, as Spartak won 2–0 against Ural Sverdlovsk Oblast. In September he had a hat-trick of assists in a 3–2 win over Krasnodar, but he was disciplined, sent to train with the club's youth team, and was later placed on the transfer list after ignoring team orders.[27] Despite being disciplined, Manager Valeri Karpin says McGeady can make it back to the first team.[28]

Everton[edit]

Aiden McGeady in action for Everton

In January 2014, McGeady joined English Premier League club Everton on a four-and-a-half-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[29] He made his debut by coming on as a substitute in a 1–1 draw away to West Bromwich Albion.[30] McGeady was mainly used as a substitute as he made just three starts in his first season, helping Everton to record their best ever points tally in the Premier League era of 72 to finish fifth.[31]

McGeady scored his first goal for Everton on 16 August 2014, curling in the ball in off the post in a 2−2 draw with Leicester City on the opening day of the 2014-15 Premier League season.[32] A knee injury in January 2015 saw McGeady lose his place in the team to Aaron Lennon who signed for Everton during the transfer window that same month.[33] McGeady only featured twice for Everton for the rest of the season, making two late second-half substitute appearances in May 2015.[34]

The start of the following season saw McGeady completely frozen out of the Everton first team; by November 2015 he had made only one appearance, in a League Cup tie against Barnsley on 26 August, and even then he was taken off at half-time.[34][35] On 1 February, McGeady signed for Sheffield Wednesday on loan for the remainder of the 2015/16 season, with manager Carlos Carvalhal stating that he had attempted to sign McGeady while managing Sporting Lisbon.[36] McGeady scored his first goal for Sheffield Wednesday in a 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest on 12 March 2016.[37]

International career[edit]

McGeady played for Scotland Schools while at Queen's Park. He played in an under-13 World Cup tournament in Paris.[38] After Queen's Park he joined Celtic, who had a policy of not permitting their youths to play for their school teams due to conflicting kick off times. Scotland had a rule which would not permit a player who did not play for their school team to be considered for a call-up to Scotland Schools selects.[39]

The Republic of Ireland had no such rule preventing a player from being selected and instructed former Celtic player Packie Bonner, who knew of McGeady's Irish heritage, to invite McGeady to play for the Republic of Ireland Under-15 Schoolboys team. McGeady qualifies for Ireland through his paternal grandparents, who hail from the Gaeltacht area of Gweedore, County Donegal.[40][41][42] McGeady accepted the offer and joined the Irish youth setup. McGeady was later named in a Scotland under-16 squad, but declined, citing his experience of the Irish set up, despite attempts to persuade him to do so by Scotland head coach Berti Vogts.[38][40] This decision has led to jeering from fans of Rangers as "that wee traitor from Castlemilk" in the controversial Famine song.[43]

McGeady made his full debut for the Republic of Ireland in July 2004 against Jamaica.[44] He has made over 70 appearances for Ireland, being called up by manager Giovanni Trapattoni in each of his squads and featuring often. However, he lost his place in the starting line-up during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers.[45]

McGeady in action for the Republic of Ireland against Poland, November 2013.

On 26 March 2011, McGeady scored his first goal for Ireland in the Aviva Stadium against Macedonia in Euro 2012 qualifier, with Ireland winning 2–1.[46] On 7 October 2011, McGeady scored his second international goal against Andorra thanks to a deflection off the Andorra defender to make the game 2–0.[47] In the first leg of the UEFA Euro 2012 play-off against Estonia, McGeady provided the assist for the first goal when his cross found the head of Keith Andrews who scored. The game finished 4–0 to Ireland.[48]

McGeady was named in Trapattoni's 23-man squad for the 2012 European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.[49] McGeady set up Ireland's first and only goal of the tournament from a free-kick, converted by Leicester City's Sean St Ledger in the 3–1 defeat to Croatia.[50]

In Martin O'Neill's first game as Irish manager, he scored his first international goal for over two years in a 3-0 win over Latvia.[51] In September 2014, McGeady scored both of Ireland's goals against Georgia in a 2-1 away victory in the opening game of the Euro 2016 qualifiers.[52]

International goals[edit]

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 26 March 2011 Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland  Macedonia 1–0 2–1 Euro 2012 qualifying
2 7 October 2011 Estadi Comunal d'Aixovall, Andorra  Andorra 2–0 2–0 Euro 2012 qualifying
3 15 November 2013 Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland  Latvia 2–0 3–0 International Friendly
4 7 September 2014 Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi, Georgia  Georgia 1-0 2-1 Euro 2016 qualifying
5 7 September 2014 Boris Paichadze Dinamo Arena, Tbilisi, Georgia  Georgia 2-1 2-1 Euro 2016 qualifying

Career statistics[edit]

Club[edit]

As of match played 13 November 2015.[34]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Total
App Goals Assists App Goals Assists App Goals Assists App Goals Assists App Goals Assists
Celtic 2003–04 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 2
2004–05 27 4 7 5 0 1 2 1 3 3 0 0 37 5 11
2005–06 20 4 6 1 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 24 4 7
2006–07 34 5 8 4 0 3 2 0 2 6 0 0 46 5 13
2007–08 36 7 16 4 0 4 1 0 0 10 1 4 51 8 24
2008–09 29 3 6 3 1 2 4 2 2 4 1 0 40 7 10
2009–10 35 7 15 4 0 1 2 0 0 9 0 1 49 7 16
Total 185 31 60 21 1 11 13 3 7 33 2 5 252 37 83
Spartak Moscow 2010 11 2 3 0 0 0 – 12 1 0 23 3 3
2011–12 31 3 10 3 1 2 – 0 0 0 34 4 12
2012–13 17 5 4 1 0 0 – 5 0 3 23 5 7
2013–14 13 1 7 0 0 0 – 0 0 0 13 1 7
Total 72 11 24 4 1 2 – 17 1 3 93 13 29
Everton 2013–14 16 0 1 2 0 1 – – 18 0 2
2014–15 16 1 3 2 0 0 1 0 0 5 0 2 24 1 5
2015–16 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Total 32 1 4 4 0 1 2 0 0 5 0 2 43 1 7
Career Total 289 43 87 29 2 13 15 3 7 55 3 10 386 52 119

International[edit]

Year Apps Goals Assists
2004 2 0 0
2005 1 0 0
2006 5 0 1
2007 8 0 1
2008 6 0 2
2009 9 0 1
2010 6 0 2
2011 9 2 3
2012 8 0 4
2013 9 1 2
2014 11 2 1
2015 5 0 0
Total 79 5 17

Honours[edit]

Club[edit]

Celtic
Spartak Moscow

Individual[edit]

  • Celtic FC Young Player of the Year (3): 2005, 2006, 2007
  • Celtic FC Fans Player of the Year (1): 2008
  • Celtic FC Players' Player of the Year (2): 2008, 2010
  • SPFA Players' Player of the Year (1): 2008
  • SPFA Young Player of the Year (1): 2008
  • SPFA SPL Team of the Year (2): 2007–08, 2008–09
  • Russian Football Union Top 33 (2): 2010, 2011–12
  • BBC Sportsound Player of the Year (1): 2008
  • Clydesdale Bank Young Player of the Year (1): 2008
  • Scottish Premier League Player of the Month (3): December 2004, November 2007, February 2008
  • Scottish Premier League Young Player of the Month (4): March 2005, November 2005, August 2006, September 2006
  • Eircom Republic of Ireland Young Player of the Year (1): 2009

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Premier League Clubs submit Squad Lists" (PDF). Premier League. 4 February 2014. p. 12. Retrieved 9 February 2014. 
  2. ^ "Player Profile". www.SpartakMoscow.com. Retrieved 30 July 2013. 
  3. ^ "Republic of Ireland manager GiovanniTrapattoni happy with selection policy". RTÉ News. 3 June 2012. 
  4. ^ Diallo, Raf. "Why is Aiden McGeady thriving at Spartak Moscow?". www.newstalk.ie. Retrieved 30 July 2013. 
  5. ^ "Scottish talent with an Irish allegiance". The Irish Abroad. 12 October 2004. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. 
  6. ^ "Hooray for Holyrood!". Evening Times. 6 February 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2014. 
  7. ^ a b "Players - Aiden McGeady". Everton FC. Retrieved 25 November 2015. 
  8. ^ "Hearts 1–1 Celtic". BBC. 25 April 2004. Retrieved 12 January 2014. 
  9. ^ "Games played by Aiden McGeady in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Retrieved 12 January 2014. 
  10. ^ Chick Young's View BBC Sport (11 February 2008)
  11. ^ McGeady handed Celtic suspension BBC Sport, 17 December 2008
  12. ^ Murray, Ewan (11 May 2009). "Gordon Strachan denies playing personality games with Celtic team selection". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 23 April 2010. 
  13. ^ "Celtic's Aiden McGeady returns from Spartak talks". BBC Sport. 5 August 2010. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2010. 
  14. ^ a b "Aiden McGeady completes record move to Spartak Moscow". BBC Sport. 13 August 2010. Archived from the original on 13 August 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2010. 
  15. ^ "McGeady delighted after setting up winner on debut for Spartak". The Scotsman. 13 September 2010. 
  16. ^ "Aiden McGeady shows stomach for first Spartak goal". The Scotsman. 25 September 2010. 
  17. ^ "Video: Red mist descends on Aiden McGeady in Moscow derby". STV Sport. 29 November 2010. 
  18. ^ "33 ЛУЧШИХ ФУТБОЛИСТА РОССИИ 2010 – Российский Футбольный Союз" (in Russian). Russian Football Union. 
  19. ^ "Spartak shake off Basel revival". UEFA.com. 24 February 2011. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2014. 
  20. ^ "McGeady wants to leave "Spartacus" after the contract" [Макгиди намерен покинуть "Спартак" после окончания контракта] (in Russian). Chempionat.com. 22 May 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2014. 
  21. ^ "Zenit 5–0 Spartak Moscow". Yahoo! Eurosport. 11 August 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2014. 
  22. ^ "Aiden McGeady impressed by former club Celtic". BBC Sport. 4 December 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2014. 
  23. ^ "McGeady scores and gets sent-off as Spartak's European hopes fade". Irish Independent. 3 May 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2014. 
  24. ^ "Aiden McGeady accused of trashing dressing room following red card". Sport STV. 7 May 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2014. 
  25. ^ "Ireland's Aiden McGeady given six-game Spartak Moscow ban". BBC Sport. 8 May 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2014. 
  26. ^ "Appeals Committee overturned the disqualification shestimatchevuyu McGeady" [Апелляционный комитет отменил шестиматчевую дисквалификацию Макгиди] (in Russian). Chempionat.com. 22 May 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2014. 
  27. ^ "Spartak Moscow discipline Aiden McGeady for disobeying team orders". Sky Sports. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2014. 
  28. ^ "Aiden McGeady could play for Spartak Moscow again". BBC Sport. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2014. 
  29. ^ "Aiden McGeady joins Everton from Spartak Moscow". RTÉ. 11 January 2014. 
  30. ^ "West Bromwich Albion 1–1 Everton". BBC Sport. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2014. 
  31. ^ "Hull City 0–2 Everton". Sports Mole. Retrieved 26 May 2014. 
  32. ^ "Aiden McGeady with majestic strike but Chris Wood earns a point for Leicester". Irish Independent. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014. 
  33. ^ "Aiden McGeady needs to put Everton woes behind him and concentrate on helping Ireland beat Poland, insists Martin O'Neill". Daily Record. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2015. 
  34. ^ a b c "Adien McGeady". Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 May 2014. 
  35. ^ Kelly, Ryan (16 September 2015). "From hero to zero - Aiden McGeady must move for the sake of his Ireland career". Goal. Retrieved 25 November 2015. 
  36. ^ http://www.swfc.co.uk/news/article/bringing-quality-to-the-team-2932244.aspx
  37. ^ "Nottm Forest 0-3 Sheff Wed". BBC Sport (BBC). 12 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016. 
  38. ^ a b Who's to blame in sorry tale of the one that got away? Sunday Herald, 2 May 2004
  39. ^ Bhoy who would be king Times Online, 4 April 2004
  40. ^ a b The Big Interview: Aiden McGeady Sunday Times, 1 May 2005
  41. ^ St Anthony (12 November 2011). "Well Done Aiden McGeady". celticunderground. Retrieved 3 June 2012. Aiden with dual Scots-Irish nationality and had we became professional footballers we would have had a similarly difficult decision to make. 
  42. ^ Hal LaRoux (10 March 2011). "McGeady To Juventus?". balls. Retrieved 3 June 2012. Aiden has obtained an Irish passport because of his grandfather in the military 
  43. ^ The Racist Famine song
  44. ^ Aiden McGeady 4TheGame Archived 16 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
  45. ^ "McGeady furthers his footballing education". Irish Independent. 22 August 2010. Archived from the original on 24 August 2010. Retrieved 22 August 2010. 
  46. ^ "Rep of Ireland 2–1 Macedonia". BBC Sport. 26 March 2010. Retrieved 29 March 2011. 
  47. ^ "Republic on course for Euro 2012". skysports.com (SkySports). 7 October 2011. 
  48. ^ Hytner, David (12 November 2011). "Republic of Ireland on verge of Euro 2012 as Keane helps thrash Estonia". guardian.co.uk (London). 
  49. ^ "Euro 2012 squad". irishtimes.com. 8 May 2012. 
  50. ^ Phillips, Owen (10 June 2012). "Euro 2012: Republic of Ireland 1-3 Croatia". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 September 2014. 
  51. ^ "Republic of Ireland 3-0 Latvia". BBC Sport. 15 November 2013. 
  52. ^ Quinn, Philip (7 September 2013). "Georgia 1-2 Republic of Ireland: Aiden McGeady scores twice as Martin O'Neill's men secure late win in first Euro 2016 qualifier". Mail Online. Retrieved 7 September 2014. 

External links[edit]

Everton F.C. – current squad
Republic of Ireland squad – UEFA Euro 2012
Republic of Ireland
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