 Sheehan playing forNotts County in 2013 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alan Michael Anthony Sheehan[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1986-09-14)14 September 1986 (age 39)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Athlone, Ireland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Left back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Belvedere | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2008 | Leicester City | 23 | (1) |
| 2006 | →Mansfield Town (loan) | 10 | (0) |
| 2008 | →Leeds United (loan) | 10 | (1) |
| 2008–2010 | Leeds United | 11 | (1) |
| 2009 | →Crewe Alexandra (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2009 | →Oldham Athletic (loan) | 8 | (1) |
| 2009–2010 | →Swindon Town (loan) | 23 | (1) |
| 2010–2011 | Swindon Town | 21 | (1) |
| 2011–2014 | Notts County | 114 | (9) |
| 2014–2016 | Bradford City | 25 | (1) |
| 2015 | →Peterborough United (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | →Notts County (loan) | 14 | (2) |
| 2016 | →Luton Town (loan) | 20 | (1) |
| 2016–2020 | Luton Town | 97 | (5) |
| 2020 | Lincoln City | 1 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Northampton Town | 14 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Oldham Athletic | 6 | (0) |
| Total | 402 | (25) | |
| International career | |||
| 2005–2007 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 5 | (1) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2023–2024 | Swansea City (caretaker) | ||
| 2025 | Swansea City | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Alan Michael Anthony Sheehan (born 14 September 1986) is an Irish professionalfootballcoach and formerplayer who played as aleft back. He was recently head coach ofEFL Championship clubSwansea City.
Sheehan began his playing career atBelvedere. He joinedLeicester City in July 2003 and played for eleven other clubs in the English football leagues over a nearly 20-year playing career. He won two promotions withLuton Town as club captain and was named in thePFA Team of the Year in 2018. Internationally, Sheehan played for theRepublic of Ireland national under-21 team.
In 2021, Sheehan became a player-coach atOldham Athletic. He then joined the coaching staff at Luton,Southampton and Swansea City. Sheehan had two spells as Swansea'scaretaker head coach before becoming their permanent head coach in 2025, but was sacked later that year.
Sheehan joinedLeicester City in July 2003 after being spotted by a scout whilst playing forBelvedere.[3] He initially played for the club's youth team and joinedMansfield Town on loan to gain first team experience.[3]
Sheehan scored his first competitive goal for Leicester in a 4–1 win overWatford on 25 August 2007,[4] and his second in a 3–2 win overNottingham Forest on 18 September.[5] Following Leicester's 2–0 victory overBristol City on 24 November,[6] Sheehan was named in theChampionship Team of the Week.[7] He made 20 league starts in the senior team for Leicester.[3]
On 31 January 2008, Sheehan joinedLeeds United on loan for the rest of the season,[8] having rejected a new contract offer from Leicester.[9] He made his Leeds debut in a 2–0 defeat toTranmere Rovers on 2 February 2008, replacingBen Parker at left back.[10] Sheehan scored his first goal for Leeds in their 1–0 win overDoncaster Rovers on 1 April 2008.[11]
Sheehan wassent off in Leeds' 1–0 win overYeovil Town for a two-footed tackle onZoltán Stieber.[12] The straightred card meant he wassuspended for both legs of the play-off semi-final againstCarlisle United.[13] After Leeds lost the play-off final against Doncaster Rovers, Sheehan signed permanently for Leeds on 1 July 2008.[14] He scored a long range goal againstCrewe Alexandra in a 5–2 win,[15] but was sent off for another two-footed tackle in a match againstSwindon Town.[16]
In March 2009, Sheehan joined Crewe Alexandra on loan for the rest of the season.[17] He made his debut in the 2–2 draw withMilton Keynes Dons.[18] The following season, he joinedLeague One clubOldham Athletic on a one-month loan and made his league debut for Oldham on 4 September in a 3–0 home defeat to Hartlepool United.[19] Sheehan gained two assists in a 2–0 win over Carlisle United[20] and scored his first Oldham goal in a 2–1 win over Milton Keynes Dons on 29 September 2009.[21] On 2 October 2009, his loan was extended until 1 November.[22]
On 26 November 2009, Sheehan joined League One club Swindon Town on loan and made his debut in theFA Cup match againstWrexham.[23][24] Swindon facedCharlton Athletic in the League One play-offs; Sheehan played in the first leg, which Swindon won 2–1,[25] but he missed the second leg through injury.[26] Sheehan returned to play in the play-off final defeat toMillwall, and was substituted after 67 minutes after aggravating his injury.[27] On 31 August 2010, Sheehan signed for Swindon from Leeds on a one-year deal.[28]
In July 2011, Sheehan left Swindon to join League One clubNotts County on a two-year contract.[3] Two years later, in July 2013, he signed a two-year contract extension.[29] Sheehan was made clubcaptain during the2013–14 campaign and was awarded Player of the Year towards the end of the season.[30]
After making more than 100 appearances for Notts County, Sheehan signed for League One club Bradford City on a free transfer in June 2014.[31] He was signed by managerPhil Parkinson for his ability to play left back and centre back.[32] Sheehan scored a penalty on his league debut, a 3–2 home win overCoventry City.[33]
On 26 March 2015, Sheehan moved on a short-term loan to League One clubPeterborough United until the end of the2014–15 season.[34] At the start of thefollowing season, Sheehan made two league appearances for Bradford City and returned to Notts County on a three-month loan.[35] While at Notts County, Sheehan scored the winning goal in the club's 2–1 win againstPortsmouth, which was the sixth league win in seven games for Notts County.[36]
On 22 January 2016, Sheehan signed forLeague Two clubLuton Town on loan from Bradford until the end of2015–16.[37] He scored avolley, his only goal during his loan spell for the club, in a 1–1 draw withYeovil Town on 2 February 2016.[38] Sheehan played in every match, making 20 league appearances for the club during his loan spell.[39]
Four months after joining Luton, Sheehan signed a permanent two-year contract with the club.[40] His contract was extended by a further year at the end of the2017–18 season after a promotion clause was triggered as a result of Luton'spromotion to League One.[41] Sheehan then signed a new two-year contract with Luton at the end of May 2018.[42] He was named in the League TwoPFA Team of the Year for 2017–18[43] and was awarded Luton's Player of the Year.[44]
The following season, Luton were promoted to the Championship with Sheehan as club captain.[45][46] He reached an agreement with Luton over the final six months of his contract and was released as a free agent on 31 January 2020.[47]
Sheehan signed for League One clubLincoln City on 2 March 2020 on a contract until the end of the2019–20 season.[48] He then joined League One clubNorthampton Town on 27 October 2020 on an appearance-based contract.[49] Sheehan re-signed for Oldham Athletic as aplayer-coach on 23 July 2021 on a one-year contract, before retiring from playing in January 2022.[50][51]
Sheehan won 5 caps forRepublic of Ireland U21.[52]
After several months as a player-coach at Oldham Athletic, Sheehan returned to Luton Town as a first-team coach in 2022.[53] Following the departure of managerNathan Jones toSouthampton later that year, Sheehan followed him as a first-team coach alongsideChris Cohen.[54] Jones was sacked by Southampton three months later; Sheehan and Cohen left with him.[55]
Sheehan was appointed as one of two assistant head coaches at Championship clubSwansea City in June 2023.[56] Following the sacking ofMichael Duff in December 2023, he was appointedcaretaker head coach.[57] WhenLuke Williams replaced Duff, Sheehan returned to his assistant role and later earned hisUEFA Pro Licence in June 2024.[58]
After Williams was sacked in February 2025, Sheehan was again appointed caretaker head coach.[59] The following month, he was given the caretaker role until the end of the season after a run of seven points from five matches.[60] Following a 2–2 draw against Leeds United, Sheehan led Swansea to five consecutive wins, which was the club's longest league winning run since 2007.[61] On 30 April 2025, he was appointed head coach on a permanent three-year deal,[62][63] but was sacked in November 2025 after a poor start to the season.[64]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Leicester City | 2004–05[65] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2005–06[66] | Championship | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2006–07[67] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08[68] | Championship | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 24 | 2 | ||
| Total | 23 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 29 | 2 | |||
| Mansfield Town (loan) | 2006–07[67] | League Two | 10 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| Leeds United (loan) | 2007–08[68] | League One | 10 | 1 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | ||
| Leeds United | 2008–09[69] | League One | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 14 | 1 |
| 2009–10[70] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 2 | ||
| Crewe Alexandra (loan) | 2008–09[69] | League One | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Oldham Athletic (loan) | 2009–10[70] | League One | 8 | 1 | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 9 | 1 | ||
| Swindon Town (loan) | 2009–10[70] | League One | 23 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 1[b] | 0 | 26 | 1 | |
| Swindon Town | 2010–11[71] | League One | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| Total | 44 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 2 | ||
| Notts County | 2011–12[72] | League One | 39 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 3 |
| 2012–13[73] | League One | 33 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 38 | 0 | |
| 2013–14[74] | League One | 42 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 45 | 7 | |
| Total | 114 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 127 | 10 | ||
| Bradford City | 2014–15[75] | League One | 23 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 29 | 1 |
| 2015–16[39] | League One | 2 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Total | 25 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 1 | ||
| Peterborough United (loan) | 2014–15[75] | League One | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Notts County (loan) | 2015–16[39] | League Two | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | |
| Luton Town (loan) | 2015–16[39] | League Two | 20 | 1 | — | — | — | 20 | 1 | |||
| Luton Town | 2016–17[76] | League Two | 34 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[c] | 1 | 41 | 3 |
| 2017–18[77] | League Two | 42 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 46 | 3 | |
| 2018–19[78] | League One | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[d] | 1 | 21 | 1 | |
| 2019–20[79] | Championship | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 7 | 1 | ||
| Total | 117 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 135 | 9 | ||
| Lincoln City | 2019–20[79] | League One | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Northampton Town | 2020–21[80] | League One | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 15 | 1 | |
| Oldham Athletic | 2021–22[81] | League Two | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Career total | 402 | 25 | 23 | 1 | 15 | 2 | 18 | 2 | 458 | 30 | ||
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Swansea City (caretaker) | 4 December 2023 | 4 January 2024 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 042.86 | [82] |
| Swansea City | 17 February 2025 | 11 November 2025 | 32 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 040.63 | [82] |
| Total | 39 | 16 | 11 | 12 | 041.03 | |||
Luton Town
Individual
