.jpg) Ireland playing forManchester City in 2009 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Stephen James Ireland[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1986-08-22)22 August 1986 (age 38)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Cork, Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–2001 | Cobh Ramblers | ||
| 2001–2005 | Manchester City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2010 | Manchester City | 138 | (16) |
| 2010–2014 | Aston Villa | 47 | (1) |
| 2011 | →Newcastle United (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | →Stoke City (loan) | 13 | (2) |
| 2014–2018 | Stoke City | 46 | (0) |
| 2018 | Bolton Wanderers | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 246 | (19) | |
| International career | |||
| 2005 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 1 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | Republic of Ireland | 6 | (4) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Stephen James Ireland (born 22 August 1986) is an Irish former professionalfootballer who played as anattacking midfielder.
Ireland played as a youth player withCobh Ramblers before joining English clubManchester City in 2001 at the age of 18. He made his professional debut in September 2005 and soon established himself as a regular at theCity of Manchester Stadium. At the start of the2008–2009 season, City was taken over by theAbu Dhabi United Group, which led the club to buy players such asRobinho andVincent Kompany. Ireland was a key player for Manchester City that season, becoming the club's player of the year.
Ireland fell out of favor at City when managerMark Hughes was sacked and replaced withRoberto Mancini in December 2009. In September 2010, Ireland was transferred toAston Villa in a swap deal withJames Milner. After a slow start to his Villa career, he was loaned out toNewcastle United where he only played twice. In the2011–12 season, he improved and won the Fans' Player of the Season award. However, he fell out of the first team underPaul Lambert and in September 2013 he joinedStoke City on loan, before making the move permanent in January 2014. After being released from Stoke in 2018, he joinedBolton Wanderers for a brief spell before retiring.
His early performances with Manchester City saw him earn international recognition with theRepublic of Ireland. However, a row withSteve Staunton saw his international career come to an abrupt end in 2007.
Born inCork,County Cork, Ireland started his career inCobh, playing junior football forCobh Ramblers, a team his father Michael had previously played for.[3] As a schoolboy, Ireland had trials with a number of British clubs, though several were discouraged by hisOsgood-Schlatter disease, which he suffered from in his mid-teens.[4] He eventually choseManchester City, where he moved in August 2001, as a fifteen-year-old.
In 2005, at the age of 18, he joined English clubManchester City. He played for the first team in a number of pre-season friendlies and made his competitive debut on 18 September 2005, againstBolton Wanderers, coming on as an 81st-minute substitute.[5] He subsequently made his first competitive start againstDoncaster Rovers on 21 September 2005. He won theMan of the Match award on his firstPremier League start againstEverton on 2 October 2005.[6][7] He then started the next six matches for City, which won him a contract to keep him at the club until 2009.[8] In the remainder of the season he participated in around half of Manchester City's matches, ending the season with a total of 16 starts and 12 substitute appearances.[9] On 26 December, Ireland scored his first Premier League goal for City, a left footed volley from 20 yards. The goal proved to be the only goal in a vital 1–0 victory atSheffield United'sBramall Lane.[10] On 18 February, Ireland rounded off the scoring for Manchester City in a 3–1 away win overPreston North End in the fifth round of theFA Cup with a stunning volley from outside the area.
Having started the2007–08 Premier League season well with City, Ireland scored the only goal, a volley, in a 1–0 home win overSunderland. His celebration for the goal courted some controversy, Ireland dropped his shorts to reveal a pair ofunderpants sporting theSuperman logo, however the FA decided a warning would be the fairest course of action.[11][12] Then in November againstReading, he scored to keep Manchester City's home record at 100%. Two weeks later, he was sent off in the 2–1 loss atTottenham Hotspur, and received a three match ban. Ireland scored a goal in the reverse fixture, which led Manchester City to a 2–1 home victory over Spurs. He scored his final goal of the season with a sweet strike in the 2–3 loss toFulham. He got the ball just outside the left side of the penalty box and curved it overKasey Keller into the top right corner. He finished the 2007–08 season with four goals.
He returned to the first team in a good individual and team performance in the 3–0 win againstWest Ham United. He finished the match with two assists, crossing forElano to strike home. He opened his tally in the 3–0 away win atSunderland. He scored again in the 2–2 draw atNewcastle United on 20 October. He scored both goals in the 2–2 draw atHull City on 16 November,[13] and opened the score in the successive league match againstArsenal. After netting in a 2–1 win over Everton, Ireland took his seasons tally to 13 in a memorable season for the Irishman.
On 20 May 2009, he was named Manchester City's Senior Player of the Year for his blistering performances throughout the2008–09 season and as a result, secured a new five-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2014.[14] He later became the Greater Manchester Player of the Year.[15] He opened his account in the 2009–10 season with an opening day goal in the 2–0 win atBlackburn Rovers.[16]
In December 2009,Mark Hughes was sacked as manager and was replaced by formerInter Milan managerRoberto Mancini. With the good form ofNigel de Jong,Vincent Kompany and new signingPatrick Vieira at the club, Ireland spent most of the second half of the season as a substitute. By the end of the2009–10 season, he only scored three goals, which were all before Mancini's arrival. Mancini said Ireland must "change his head" in order to play.[17]
At the start of the2010–11 Premier League season, Ireland was targeted to be transferred with loan toAston Villa in exchange forJames Milner, but the deal was held up when he demanded £2 million from Manchester City to agree to the move.[18] On 17 August 2010 it was reported the deal had been done, and he was at Aston Villa'sBodymoor Heath Training Ground for a medical.[19] The final price was £8million in a part exchange for Milner.[20] Ireland signed a 4-year deal with the Midlands club. After completing the move, Ireland criticised his former club, saying that its young players were "money-obsessed" and that: "I guess James Milner must think the grass is greener on the other side. He's going to get a shock soon because it's definitely not that way."[21] Ireland made his debut for the club on his 24th birthday in an away fixture atNewcastle United. Ireland started and played for the full duration of the match as Villa were beaten 6–0.[22] However, by the end of October 2010, Ireland had been dropped from the Villa team with managerGérard Houllier publicly stating that he needed to work harder at his game.[23]
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On the final day of the transfer window, 31 January 2011, Ireland joinedNewcastle United on loan until the end of the season, with a view to a permanent deal.[24] Ireland was already injured when he joined Newcastle and suffered a number of setbacks, including a controversial nightclub incident with teammate Leon Best the night before a match.[25] He finally made his debut on 19 April 2011 in a 0–0 draw withManchester United, appearing as a 65th-minute substitute.[26] However, after appearing only twice and playing just 49 minutes of football for theTyneside club, Ireland was ruled out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury, and was returned to Aston Villa.[27]
At the start of the2011–12 season, Ireland stated his intentions to remain at Aston Villa and fight for his place in the team under new managerAlex McLeish, despite having a disappointing first term at the club.[28] It was also confirmed that he would take the number 7 jersey fromAshley Young who had recently joinedManchester United.[29][30] Alex McLeish warned Ireland to create headlines on the pitch after being pictured posing withshisha pipe on Twitter.[31][32] On 31 December 2011, Ireland scored his first ever goal for Villa in a 3–1 away win at Chelsea, scoring the opener and assisting the third goal in a man of the match winning performance.[33] At the end of the season, after some impressive displays, Ireland was voted Aston Villa's Supporters' player of the season.[34]
After a positive start to the2012–13 season, Ireland broke a bone is his wrist during Villa's 4–1 loss away at Southampton on 22 September in which he had assisted aDarren Bent goal.[35] ManagerPaul Lambert revealed it would rule him out for "a few weeks".[36] Paul Lambert left Ireland out of his squad for the second half of the 2012–13 season for 'footballing reasons'.[37] At the end of the season Ireland was heavily linked with a move away from the club and began training with the reserves.[38]
On 2 September 2013, Ireland joinedStoke City on loan for the2013–14 season, which would see him link up withMark Hughes.[39][40] Speaking after joining Stoke, Ireland expressed the hope that his loan spell would help him resurrect his career, stating: "It's been really frustrating as I take my job seriously and it's been difficult for me not being on the team bus playing games. I'm just so grateful to the manager here at Stoke for giving me the opportunity to build up my career again. I've absolutely got a point to prove and I'm dying to get back into the swing of things. This is a massive opportunity and I'm still only 27. It's a vital year for me to be playing week in, week out."[41][42]
Ireland made his Stoke debut on 14 September 2013 in a 0–0 draw against his former club Manchester City.[43] Ireland scored his first goal for Stoke on 25 September 2013 in a 2–0League Cup win overTranmere Rovers.[44] On 9 November 2013, he scored againstSwansea City in a 3–3 draw.[45] He made his move permanent on 14 January 2014.[46] On 15 April 2014, Ireland signed a new three-year contract with Stoke keeping him contracted until the summer of 2017.[47][48] Ireland played 29 times in 2013–14 as Stoke finished in 9th position.[49]
Ireland scored twice in the FA Cup againstWrexham on 4 January 2015.[50] He also scored in the next round againstRochdale.[51] On 28 February 2015, Ireland suffered a deep cut on his calf which required 15 stitches following a challenge byHull City defenderMaynor Figueroa.[52]
Ireland was again overlooked by Hughes in2015–16 as he made 16 appearances of which only three were starts and none were in the Premier League.[53] On 10 May 2016, he suffered a broken leg in training, keeping him sidelined for a lengthy period.[54] Ireland missed the entire2016–17 season due to injury.[55] In July 2017, he signed six-month contract extension to enable him to continue his rehabilitation.[56][57] Another contract extension until the end of the season followed in December.[58] Ireland made only five appearances in2017–18 as Stoke suffered relegation to theEFL Championship.[59] He was released by Stoke at the end of the season.[60]
Ireland joinedEFL Championship sideBolton Wanderers on 9 October 2018.[61] On 20 December 2018, Ireland left Bolton without playing a game, though he did play two matches for Bolton'sDevelopment Squad,[62] after having his contract cancelled by mutual consent.[63] Ireland stated in June 2020 that he regretted joining Bolton as they were going through financial trouble and assumed he did not play as he had playing bonuses in his contract.[64]
Ireland represented the Republic of Ireland at under-15, under-16 and under-17 level. When called up to under-18 level, he had a dispute with coachBrian Kerr when he was left out of the side for a match in Ireland's home town ofCobh and told to watch the match from the stands. The team lost the match 4–0, and Kerr suggested Ireland would be involved in the next match, in nearbyCork City. When Ireland was again left out, he requested to return to his club, and Kerr informed him that he would never play for the Republic of Ireland while Kerr was manager.[65]
In January 2006 Kerr was replaced asRepublic of Ireland senior team manager bySteve Staunton. In Staunton's first squad, for a match againstSweden on 1 March, Ireland received a senior call-up for the first time. He came on a substitute in the match, replacingJohn O'Shea in a 3–0 friendly win atLansdowne Road.[66] He scored his first international goal on 7 October to open a 5–2 loss away toCyprus inUEFA Euro 2008 qualification.[67] On 7 February 2007, he scored in the last eight seconds as the team won 2–1 away toSan Marino in another qualifier; had he not scored, the opponents would have had a first ever point in European qualification.[68][69]
On 24 March 2007, he scored the first ever association football goal inCroke Park againstWales.[70] This was his third international goal in four matches, and he also scored in a 2–2 home draw againstSlovakia inBratislava on 8 September.[71]
In September 2007, immediately after the Slovakia game, Ireland requested compassionate leave to miss the following qualifier against the nearby Czech Republic, claiming that he had to attend his grandmother's funeral.[72]
Ireland returned to his country via a private jet chartered by theFootball Association of Ireland. When the FAI discovered that his maternal grandmother in Cork was still alive, he claimed that it was actually his paternal grandmother in London who had died. She too was discovered to be alive. He told a third lie by saying that one of his grandfathers was divorced and had a partner who had died. On 14 September, he apologised and said that the false claims were started by his girlfriend, who had miscarried. He said that she told Staunton the false claims on the telephone, so that Ireland would be allowed to go home.[73][74]
Speculation abounded that Ireland might make himself available for a call-up to the national squad to faceGeorgia on 11 February 2009.[75] However, when the squad was announced on 19 January, the player's name did not feature, andLiam Brady took the opportunity to explain to the press that he andGiovanni Trapattoni had previously come to an agreement with the player whereby he would inform them when he felt like playing again, and that so far no contact had been made from the player's end.[76]
On 19 February 2009, it was reported that Ireland had intimated to Manchester City teammateShay Given that he would like to represent the Republic of Ireland at the2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and that a return to the international fold was imminent. When the Irish squad to faceBulgaria on 28 March andItaly on 1 April was announced, his name was once again omitted. Trapattoni said at the accompanying press conference that he himself did not believe Ireland would return, stating that when he had met with the player months previously he had appeared withdrawn and reluctant to look the Republic of Ireland manager in the eye.[77]
In May 2009, Ireland said that he would probably not return to the national team: "I always say 'never say never' because it's hard not to, but I don't think I'll ever go back."[78] In August 2010, he restated that he would not return: "I watch Ireland matches like anyone else might do at this stage, but I don't feel a part of it at all. It doesn't make me feel like I should go back and play again. That question is gone for me and the answer won't change my mind."[79]
On 30 March 2012, Ireland suggested that he would be willing to return to international football afterEuro 2012.[80] In May 2014, after Republic of Ireland managerMartin O'Neill made several attempts to contact him, Ireland's agent got in touch with the FAI to say that he would not be available for upcoming friendly matches.[81]
In an interview in 2019, the player explained that the reason he never returned to play for the Republic of Ireland was to look after his children.[82]
Ireland is married and has three children.[83] He owned a home inPrestbury,Cheshire and a number of custom built vehicles.[84] Following the conclusion of his contract with Bolton Wanderers, he listed the home for sale and sold it in 2019 for £3.75 million (€4.3 million).[85] Ireland has a number oftattoos including a large pair of angel wings on his back.[86]
After his playing career, Ireland became afootball agent. RepresentingCork City teenagersCathal Heffernan andMark O'Mahony, he negotiated lowrelease clauses of €35,000 and €50,000 for them to move toA.C. Milan andBrighton & Hove Albion, respectively.[87]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester City | 2005–06[88] | Premier League | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 28 | 0 | |
| 2006–07[89] | Premier League | 24 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 29 | 3 | ||
| 2007–08[90] | Premier League | 33 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 39 | 4 | ||
| 2008–09[91] | Premier League | 35 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14[a] | 3 | 50 | 13 | |
| 2009–10[92] | Premier League | 22 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 30 | 3 | ||
| Total | 138 | 16 | 13 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 14 | 3 | 176 | 23 | ||
| Aston Villa | 2010–11[93] | Premier League | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| 2011–12[94] | Premier League | 24 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 28 | 1 | ||
| 2012–13[95] | Premier League | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | ||
| Total | 47 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 1 | ||
| Newcastle United (loan) | 2010–11[93] | Premier League | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Stoke City | 2013–14[49] | Premier League | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 29 | 3 | |
| 2014–15[96] | Premier League | 17 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 20 | 3 | ||
| 2015–16[53] | Premier League | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17[97] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18[98] | Premier League | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | ||
| Total | 59 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 6 | ||
| Bolton Wanderers | 2018–19[99] | EFL Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | 246 | 19 | 21 | 5 | 24 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 305 | 30 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republic of Ireland | 2006 | 2 | 1 |
| 2007 | 4 | 3 | |
| Total | 6 | 4 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 October 2006 | GSP Stadium,Nicosia, Cyprus | 2 |  Cyprus | 1–0 | 2–5 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualification | [101] |
| 2 | 7 February 2007 | San Marino Stadium,Serravalle, San Marino | 3 |  San Marino | 2–1 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualification | [102] |
| 3 | 24 March 2007 | Croke Park,Dublin, Ireland | 4 |  Wales | 1–0 | 1–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualification | [103] |
| 4 | 8 September 2007 | Tehelné pole,Bratislava, Slovakia | 6 |  Slovakia | 1–0 | 2–2 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualification | [104] |
Individual
