Alan Sheehan

Alan Sheehan

Personal information
Full name	Alan Sheehan
Date of birth	(1986-09-14) 14 September 1986
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s)	Left back
Team information
Current team	Swindon Town
Youth career
	Belvedere FC
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)
International career‡
2005–2006	Republic of Ireland U21	5	(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:02, 01 May 2011 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:41, 05 December 2009

Alan Sheehan (born 14 September 1986) is an Irish footballer. He is a defender who plays for Swindon Town. His position is mainly recognised as an attacking left back and he is a former Republic of Ireland Under-21 international. He is also a set piece specialist.

Career

Leicester City

Sheehan joined Leicester City in July 2003 after being spotted by a scout whilst playing for the famous youth club Belvedere FC. He became a regular in both the Academy under 19s and the reserves, playing at left-back. He also spent two months on loan at Mansfield Town in the 2006/07 season in order to gain regular first-team experience. A free-kick specialist, Sheehan made his breakthrough into the first team when Craig Levein named him in the starting line-up for City's final game of the 2004/05 season against Plymouth Argyle. The 18-year-old picked up the Academy Player of the Season at the club's 2005 awards ceremony.

Sheehan signed a new two-year contract with the club that would keep him at the Walkers Stadium until the end of the 2007/08 season. He scored his first ever competitive goal for Leicester in a 4-1 win against Watford with a deflected 25-yard shot on 25 August 2007, and his second in a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest with a classy free-kick on 18 September. Following Leicester's 2-0 victory over Bristol City on 24 November, Sheehan was named in the Championship Team of the Week two days later, together with fellow teammates Stephen Clemence and Richard Stearman.

Leeds United

On 31 January 2008 he joined Leeds United on loan for the rest of the season, making his debut in a 2-0 defeat to Tranmere Rovers on 2 February 2008 replacing Ben Parker at left back. However, after just four games in the role, Leeds boss Gary McAllister saw the need to provide extra competition in the position by signing Aston Villa's Stephen O'Halloran, also on loan. Despite O'Halloran suffering a serious injury in the warm up for his debut at Swindon Town, Sheehan still lost his Leeds place, this time to Frazer Richardson.

Sheehan revealed that he had rejected a new contract offer from Leicester prior to signing for Leeds. He scored his first goal for the Yorkshire club in their 1-0 win at Doncaster Rovers on 1 April 2008, a trademark free-kick from 25 yards out. Sheehan was sent off in Leeds' 1-0 win at Yeovil Town for a two-footed tackle on Zoltán Stieber, however Leeds still confirmed their play-off spot in that match. The straight red card meant he was suspended for the play-off semi-final matches against Carlisle United and also the final against Doncaster Rovers.

After Leeds failed to earn promotion, Sheehan made his move to Leeds permanent on 1 July 2008, after his contract with Leicester expired. He has signed a three-year deal with the club and was expected to compete for the position of first-choice left-back with Ben Parker.

Sheehan has endured a tough early 2008/2009 season. After scoring a long range goal against Crewe Alexandra in a 5-2 win, Sheehan was sent off for another two footed tackle in a game against Swindon Town. This cost him his place in the team due to suspension and was replaced by Aidan White. Another setback was to come after Sheehan was injured and forced to sit out for a long period of games. During this run in, his injury was aggravated in an attempted come back against Rotherham United. After returning from injury, Sheehan wasn't involved in new manager Simon Grayson's plans.

On 23 March, Sheehan joined Crewe Alexandra on loan for the rest of the 2008/2009 season, and made his debut a day later in the game at Milton Keynes Dons. Sheehan returned to Leeds for the upcoming 2009-10 season. He made two high profile errors in the pre season game against Blackburn Rovers when he gave away a penalty and was very lucky not to give away a second penalty, this performance seems to have decreased his chances of getting back into the first team, with right footed central midfielder Andy Hughes being preferred at left back during Ben Parker's spell out with a hamstring injury. It appeared that Sheehan was out of manager Simon Grayson's plans.

1 September Sheehan joined Oldham Athletic on loan from Leeds United on a months loan. Sheehan made his debut for Oldham in the 3-0 home defeat against Hartlepool United. In his game Sheehan was unlucky not to score a right footed shot which cannoned off the crossbar. Sheehan started in the 1-0 defeat against Bristol Rovers, meaning in his first two appearances Oldham have lost both games.

Sheehan gained two assists in Oldhams 2-0 win over Carlisle. Carlisle's manager Greg Abbott proclaimed after the match that Sheehan was 'Premiership Class'. Oldham have been impressed with Sheehan in his first few games and are in discussions with Leeds about extending his loan further. Sheehan scored his first Oldham goal against MK Dons. He extended his loan until 1 November 2009 on 2 October. His form for Oldham alerted scouts at other clubs with Nottingham Forest reportedly interested in signing Sheehan. On the 1st November Sheehan returned to Leeds United, with Oldham playing Leeds twice during the month of November Oldham decided to sign Lee Hills on loan instead of renewing Sheehan's loan spell.

Swindon Town Loan

0n the 26th November, Sheehan joined League 1 club Swindon Town on loan until January 4, 2010. He was given permission by Leeds to play in the FA Cup for Swindon. Sheehan made his debut for Swindon in the FA Cup game against Wrexham and he was substituted after 62 minutes to a chorus of boo's from the Wrexham fans. In the next game Sheehan won a penalty for Swindon against Leyton Orient. Leeds gave Sheehan permission to play for Swindon in the FA Cup. Danny Wilson said he was extremely impressed by Sheehan's performance against Premiership opposition Fulham, and claimed Sheehan seems to play even better against better teams which was encouraging to him.

5 January 2010 Sheehan's loan was extended at Swindon for the rest of the season including the playoff's should Swindon reach them. Sheehan, under the terms of the loan deal, will not be available to play for Swindon in their games against Leeds United. Sheehan and Swindon went into the final game of the season against Millwall knowing that should his parent club Leeds United slip up that Swindon could grab an automatic promotion spot. But with Leeds winning against Bristol Rovers they were promoted in 2nd place, meaning Swindon faced Charlton Athletic in the playoffs. Sheehan played in the playoff first leg which Swindon won 2-1, but he missed the second leg at The Valley through injury which saw his Swindon teammates eliminate Charlton via a penalty shootout. Sheehan played for Swindon in the League 1 playoff final loss to Millwall. He had to be substituted in the second half after aggravating an injury.

Return to Leeds

After his loan spell at Swindon ended, on the 14th May 2010 Sheehan was placed on the transfer list at Leeds United and told to find a new club. He was demoted from squad number 11 to squad number 34. He didn't play a single game for Leeds' first team during the 2010-11 pre-season friendlies.

Swindon Town

Sheehan returned to Swindon on a one year contract on deadline day 2010 for what is believed to be a free transfer from Leeds United and will wear the number 21 shirt, he will give much needed experience to the Swindon back line. He will face competition for the left back spot from Michael Rose after his summer switch to Wiltshire.

Preston North End

According to the popular PNE fans site, PNE Online Community Blog, Alan went on a week's long trial at Preston North End on 3 May 2011, playing in a 2-0 Reserves victory over Accrington Stanley as well as in the 5-3 defeat to Sunderland in the Totesport Cup semi final.

International

Sheehan has made many appearances for his country at under 19 level and was also called up by the Football Association of Ireland to attend a training camp before making his international debut for the under 21s against Israel U21 in June 2005.

External links

• Alan Sheehan at Soccerbase

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