![]() O'Brien with Millwall in 2015 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Aiden Anthony O'Brien [1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 4 October 1993||
Place of birth | Islington, England | ||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) [3] | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Shelbourne | ||
Number | 48 | ||
Youth career | |||
2009–2011 | Millwall | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2011–2020 | Millwall | 188 | (34) |
2012 | → Staines Town (loan) | 2 | (0) |
2012 | → Hayes & Yeading United (loan) | 7 | (0) |
2013 | → Crawley Town (loan) | 9 | (0) |
2013–2014 | → Aldershot Town (loan) | 5 | (3) |
2014 | → Torquay United (loan) | 3 | (0) |
2020–2022 | Sunderland | 45 | (5) |
2022 | Portsmouth | 17 | (5) |
2022–2024 | Shrewsbury Town | 18 | (0) |
2023 | → Gillingham (loan) | 14 | (2) |
2023–2024 | → Sutton United (loan) | 17 | (1) |
2024– | Shelbourne | 0 | (0) |
International career‡ | |||
2009–2010 | Republic of Ireland U17 | 5 | (3) |
2012 | Republic of Ireland U19 | 2 | (1) |
2013–2014 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 10 | (5) |
2018–2019 | Republic of Ireland | 5 | (1) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:38, 12 August 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:54, 28 February 2019 (UTC) |
Aiden Anthony O'Brien (born 4 October 1993) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for League of Ireland Premier Division club Shelbourne. Born in England, he represented the Republic of Ireland national team. O'Brien began his career with Millwall, who loaned him out to five different clubs. After making 188 league appearances for Millwall, he moved to Sunderland, before moving on to Portsmouth and finally Shrewsbury, where he had two further loan spells.
Born in Islington, London, [4] O'Brien started his career in the youth system at Millwall and signed his first professional contract in 2010 on his 17th birthday. [5] He made his debut for the club in the League Cup third round 5–0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers, coming on as a substitute for Dany N'Guessan. [6] On 1 January 2012, O'Brien signed for Conference South side Staines Town on a one-month loan. [7]
A month later, O'Brien signed for Conference Premier side Hayes and Yeading on a one-month loan and immediately found himself playing games. [8]
In May 2014, O'Brien agreed a new two-year deal with Millwall with the 20-year-old being highly regarded by Millwall manager Ian Holloway. [9]
O'Brien made his first appearance of the 2014–15 season coming on as a substitute for Richard Chaplow against Southampton in the League Cup. The game finished 2–0 to Southampton. [10] A month later, in September 2014, he made his first league appearance for Millwall in a 3–1 defeat to Birmingham City. O'Brien spoke of his delight of fulfilling a lifelong ambition when he made his league debut for Millwall and has dedicated the achievement to his father. [11] [12]
At the end of the 2017–18 season, his contract was extended by Millwall after the club exercised an option. [13] He left Millwall at the end of 2019–2020 season, after his contract expired. [14]
On 30 July 2020, O’Brien signed for Sunderland, on a two-year deal. [15] On 8 September 2020 he scored his first goal for Sunderland in an EFL Trophy tie against Aston Villa U21s. [16]
On 24 August 2021, O'Brien scored a hat-trick against Blackpool in the second round of the EFL Cup. His third goal came in the first minute of stoppage time to secure a dramatic 3–2 victory, earning him the "Player of the Round" award. [17] [18]
On 31 January 2022, O'Brien joined EFL League One side Portsmouth on a free transfer. [19] He scored his first goal for the club against Doncaster Rovers on 12 February 2022. [20]
Despite being offered a new contract by Portsmouth, [21] O'Brien opted to sign a two-year deal with fellow EFL League One side Shrewsbury Town. [22]
On the last day of the January 2023 transfer window O'Brien signed for EFL League Two side Gillingham on loan for the remainder of the 2022–23 season. [23]
On 1 August 2023, O'Brien signed for League Two club Sutton United on loan until January 2024. [24]
He was released by Shrewsbury at the end of the 2023–24 season. [25]
On 12 August 2024, O'Brien signed for League of Ireland Premier Division club Shelbourne on a multi-year contract. [26]
On 6 February 2013, O'Brien scored on his debut for the Republic of Ireland U21s against Netherlands in a 3–0 win at Tallaght Stadium. [27] O'Brien then scored his first competitive goal and his third goal for Ireland in 4–1 away win against the Faroe Islands. [28] On 15 November 2013, O'Brien scored another two goals against the Faroe Islands in a 5–2 win at The Showgrounds. [29]
O'Brien scored five times for the U21s, placing him two goals off Robbie Brady's all time goal scoring record of seven.
In September 2017, O'Brien was called up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Wales. [30]
On 11 September 2018, O'Brien scored his first senior international goal for Ireland on his debut in a friendly against Poland in Wrocław which finished 1–1. [31] The goal would later be named as the 2018 FAI International Goal of the Year. [32]
Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Millwall | 2011–12 [33] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
2012–13 [34] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
2013–14 [35] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
2014–15 [36] | Championship | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 20 | 2 | ||
2015–16 [37] | League One | 43 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 [lower-alpha 1] | 2 | 53 | 13 | |
2016–17 [38] | League One | 43 | 13 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 [lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 57 | 15 | |
2017–18 [39] | Championship | 30 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 32 | 6 | ||
2018–19 [40] | Championship | 35 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 42 | 4 | ||
2019–20 [41] | Championship | 18 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 21 | 4 | ||
Total | 188 | 34 | 14 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 2 | 226 | 44 | ||
Staines Town (loan) | 2011–12 [42] | Conference South | 2 | 0 | — | — | 1 [lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
Hates & Yeading United (loan) | 2011–12 [33] | Conference Premier | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
Crawley Town (loan) | 2012–13 [34] | League One | 9 | 0 | — | — | — | 9 | 0 | |||
Aldershot Town (loan) | 2013–14 [35] | Conference Premier | 5 | 3 | — | — | 4 [lower-alpha 3] | 4 | 9 | 7 | ||
Torquay United (loan) | 2013–14 [35] | League Two | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
Sunderland | 2020–21 [43] | League One | 32 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 [lower-alpha 4] | 2 | 41 | 6 |
2021–22 [44] | League One | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 [lower-alpha 5] | 0 | 12 | 5 | |
Total | 39 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 53 | 11 | ||
Portsmouth | 2021–22 [45] | League One | 17 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 5 |
Shrewsbury Town | 2022–23 [46] | League One | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 [lower-alpha 5] | 0 | 8 | 0 |
2023–24 [46] | League One | 12 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 0 | ||||
Total | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 0 | ||
Gillingham (loan) | 2022–23 | League Two | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 |
Sutton United (loan) | 2023–24 | League Two | 23 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 [lower-alpha 5] | 0 | 29 | 2 |
Shelbourne | 2024 | LOI Premier Division | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | ||
Career total | 320 | 47 | 19 | 6 | 17 | 8 | 30 | 8 | 386 | 69 |
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 11 September 2018 | Stadion Miejski, Wrocław, Poland | ![]() | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
Millwall
Sunderland
Individual
Aiden John McGeady is a professional football player who plays as a right winger for Scottish Championship club Ayr United. He was born in Scotland, and represented the Republic of Ireland national team from 2004 until 2017.
Joseph Murphy is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL League Two club Tranmere Rovers.
Shane Kevin Ferguson is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays for EFL League One side Rotherham United and the Northern Ireland national team. He previously played for Newcastle United in the Premier League, where he had two spells on loan to Birmingham City of the English Championship, as well as Rangers of the Scottish Championship and Scottish Professional Football League and Millwall of the EFL Championship. He then spent five and a half seasons with Millwall and three with Rotherham United. He is capable of playing anywhere on the left flank as a full back or winger.
Thomas Michael Flanagan is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League Two club Colchester United. Born in England, he plays for the Northern Ireland national team.
Thomas William Bradshaw is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for EFL Championship club Millwall and the Wales national team.
Carl Winchester is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League One club Shrewsbury Town.
Conor Gerard McLaughlin is a Northern Irish former footballer who played as a right back.
Conor Geraroid Hourihane is an Irish professional footballer who plays in a player-coach role as a central midfielder for EFL League One club Barnsley and the Republic of Ireland national team.
George Evans is an English professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder, centre-back or right-back for EFL League One club Wrexham.
Joshua Jon Cullen is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for EFL Championship club Burnley. Born in England, he plays for the Republic of Ireland national team at international level. He has previously played for West Ham United and Anderlecht and on loan for Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic.
George Christopher Barnaby Honeyman is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Millwall.
Sean James Kweku Clare is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender or midfielder for Leyton Orient. He has previously played for Sheffield Wednesday, Hearts, Oxford United and Charlton Athletic and had loan spells at Bury, Accrington Stanley, Gillingham and Burton Albion.
Brandon Alex Graham Hanlan is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL League One side Wycombe Wanderers.
James William Bolton is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League Two club Fleetwood Town.
Ryan Jack Barnett is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger for EFL League One club Wrexham AFC.
Morgan Feeney is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League One club Shrewsbury Town.
Daniel George Ballard is a professional footballer who plays as a centre back for EFL Championship side Sunderland. Born in England, he represents Northern Ireland at international level.
Joshua Akinola Ogunfaolu-Kayode is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL League One side Shrewsbury Town, on loan from EFL League One club Rotherham United.
Troy Daniel Parrott is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Eredivisie club AZ and the Republic of Ireland national team.
Finn Isaac Azaz is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for EFL Championship club Middlesbrough and the Republic of Ireland national team.