Josh Feeney

Josh Feeney

Personal information
Full name	Joshua Feeney
Date of birth	(2005-05-06) 6 May 2005 (age 19)
Height	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Shrewsbury Town (on loan from Aston Villa)
Number	6
Youth career
0000–2021	Fleetwood Town
2021–2024	Aston Villa
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2024–	Aston Villa	0	(0)
2024	→ Real Unión (loan)	8	(0)
2024–	→ Shrewsbury Town (loan)	9	(1)
International career‡
2021	England U16	2	(1)
2021–2022	England U17	10	(1)
2022–2023	England U18	4	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:51, 28 October 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12:19, 14 October 2023 (UTC)

Joshua Feeney (born 6 May 2005) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for EFL League One club Shrewsbury Town, on loan from Premier League club Aston Villa. He is an England youth international. ^[1]

Early life

Feeney's father Charlie was a football coach in Poulton in Lancashire, and Josh played football there from the age of five. ^[2]

Career

Feeney joined Fleetwood Town at 12 years old. Feeney then joined Aston Villa from Fleetwood Town in July 2021 for an undisclosed fee. ^[3]

In the summer of 2022 he signed his first professional contract with Aston Villa. ^[4] During the 2022–23 season Feeney was included in Aston Villa first-team training and made his first match day squad on the opening week of the Premier League season, being named as a substitute against Brentford in August 2022. ^[5] In July 2023, Feeney signed a contract extension with Aston Villa. ^[6]

On 1 February 2024, Feeney signed for Primera Federación club Real Unión, a sister club of Aston Villa managed by former Aston Villa U21 manager Iñigo Idiakez, on loan until the end of the season. ^[7] Feeney made his debut on 10 February in a 2–1 defeat to Gimnàstic de Tarragona. ^[8]

In 2024, Feeney was promoted to the Aston Villa senior team, and on July 17, 2024, Feeney made his debut for Aston Villa during a 3–0 friendly win against EFL League Two club Walsall. ^[9]

On 6 August 2024, Feeney joined League One side Shrewsbury Town on a season-long loan deal, joining up with fellow Villa youngster Tommi O'Reilly. ^[10] Feeney returned to Aston Villa a few weeks later, after suffering a hamstring injury in training before making his Shrewsbury debut. However, the loan was not cancelled and Feeney was expected to return to Shrewsbury Town training once completing his rehabilitation with Villa. ^[11]

International career

Eligible to play for England and Scotland, Feeney chose to represent England at youth level. ^[12] In 2021 he began to captain England U16s. ^[13] In September 2022 he won his first cap for the England U18 team. ^[14]

Career statistics

Club

As of 26 October 2024 ^[15]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		EFL Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Aston Villa	2021–22	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		2 [a]	0	2	0
	2022–23		0	0	0	0	0	0	—		2 [a]	0	2	0
	2023–24		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1 [a]	0	1	0
	2024–25		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	5	0
Real Unión (loan)	2023–24	Primera Federación	8	0	—		—		—		0	0	8	0
Shrewsbury Town (loan)	2024–25	EFL League One	9	1	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	9	1
Career total			17	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	22	1

1. Appearances in the EFL Trophy

References

1. "Josh Feeney". Soccerway. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
2. Townley, John (18 July 2023). "Josh Feeney signs Aston Villa deal - lowdown on the 'stand-out' centre back". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
3. Moore, Andy (6 July 2021). "Fleetwood Town's England teenager Josh Feeney signs for Aston Villa". Blackpool Gazette. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
4. Ramsdale, Ben (5 July 2022). "Aston Villa confirm signing of young England defender as Steven Gerrard sticks to promise". Birmingham World. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
5. Evans, Greg. "Josh Feeney:The Villa 16 year-old who has passed every test, a first team future awaits". The Athletic. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
6. Woolaston, Steve (18 July 2023). "Aston Villa give new deal to player Steven Gerrard said had a 'huge future'". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
7. "Josh Feeney y Tommi O´Reilly refuerzan la plantilla del Real Unión". Real Unión Club (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2024-02-01.
8. "Toca seguir peleando". Real Unión Club (in European Spanish). 10 February 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
9. "Walsall 0-3 Aston Villa". www.avfc.co.uk. 17 July 2024.
10. "Shrewsbury Town snap up Josh Feeney on loan". www.shrewsburytown.com. 6 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
11. Pallatt, James (2024-08-21). "Villa return confirmed as injury blow dealt before first match for new club". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
12. Burns, Scott (21 March 2021). "Josh Feeney in Scotland and England tug of war as Fleetwood starlet switches allegiance". Daily Record. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
13. "Young defender Josh Feeney captains and scores for England Under-16s". Fleetwoodtownfc. 5 June 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
14. Rust, Danny (25 September 2022). "Aston Villa: 17-year-old could be 'future England international' at Villa Park". Givemesport. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
15. Josh Feeney at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 February 2024.