Matthew Shiels

Last updated

Matthew Shiels
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-09-13) 13 September 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) [1]
Position(s) Left back
Team information
Current team
Dumbarton
Number 22
Youth career
Rangers
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2018–2021 Rangers 0 (0)
2018Edinburgh City (loan) 3 (0)
2019Dumbarton (loan) 8 (0)
2020Orange County SC (loan) 0 (0)
2020Clyde (loan) 6 (0)
2021–2023 Hamilton Academical 35 (0)
2023–2024 Dumbarton 17 (2)
2024 Cove Rangers 8 (0)
2024– Dumbarton 15 (1)
International career
2017 Republic of Ireland U18
2018 Republic of Ireland U19
2018–2019 Scotland U19 10 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:30, 21 December 2024 (UTC)

Matthew Shiels (born 13 September 2000) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a left back for Scottish League One side Dumbarton.

Contents

Early and personal life

Shiels was born in Glasgow. [1] His paternal grandparents were from Donegal in Ireland, [2] and he grew supporting Celtic. [3]

Club career

After playing youth football for Rangers, and spending loan spells at Edinburgh City, Dumbarton and Clyde, [4] [5] [6] as well as in the United States with Orange County SC, [7] Shiels signed for Hamilton Academical in summer 2021. [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]

Shiels left Hamilton in June 2023 [15] and re-joined Dumbarton in August 2023 [16] scoring his first goal for the club in a 4–0 victory against Bonnyrigg Rose in November 2023, [17] in a game where he also won a penalty and provided an assist. [18] After impressing for the Sons, he left for Scottish League One side Cove Rangers in January 2024 – scoring on his final appearance for the Sons in a 4–1 defeat to Rangers. [19] [20] He left Cove after just eight appearances, [21] and returned to Dumbarton on a season long deal in the summer of 2024. [22]

International career

Having previously been called up for Scotland at under-17 level, in November 2017 he was called up to the Republic of Ireland under-18 squad, [2] [23] making his debut on 9 November. [24]

He also played with the Republic of Ireland under-19s, [25] before later reverting his international allegiance back to Scotland, [26] playing ten games for the Scotland under-19 team. [27]

Playing style

Shiels plays primarily as a left back, but also played as a left winger and striker for Rangers. [28] On signing for Dumbarton in August 2023 he said he preferred playing in a more attacking role. [29]

Honours

Hamilton Academical

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References

  1. 1 2 "Scotland – M. Shiels – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com.
  2. 1 2 McNulty, Chris (6 November 2017). "Rangers man with strong Donegal connections gets Irish call-up – Donegal Daily". www.donegaldaily.com.
  3. "Dumbarton's Matty Shiels set for Cove Rangers switch after Scottish Cup goal - Daily Record". www.dailyrecord.co.uk. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  4. Matthew Shiels at Soccerbase
  5. "Matthew Shiels Joins Clyde On Loan". www.rangers.co.uk.
  6. McNulty, Chris (September 2020). "Rangers player with Donegal links goes out on loan – Donegal Daily". www.donegaldaily.com.
  7. "Rangers Players Head to Orange County SC, Francis Jacobs to Play with Rangers U-16". Orange & Black SoccerCast. 3 February 2020.
  8. "Shiels signs pre-contract with Accies". 14 May 2021.
  9. Thomson, Paul (17 September 2021). "Former Rangers kid Matthew Shiels raring to go at Hamilton after injury hell". Daily Record.
  10. McGilvray, Andy (18 December 2021). "Leaving Rangers for Accies is already benefiting defender Matthew Shiels". Daily Record.
  11. Pirie, Mark (25 June 2021). "Rangers academy graduate on first team pathway frustration". GlasgowLive.
  12. "Rangers exit 'the best thing for my career' says Matthew Shiels as he prepares for Hamilton spell". 3 June 2021.
  13. "Rangers youngster Matthew Shiels released by Ibrox side and pens deal at Premiership club". HeraldScotland. 14 May 2021.
  14. "Rangers youngster Matthew Shiels released by Ibrox side and pens deal at Premiership club". Glasgow Times. 14 May 2021.
  15. "Departure of several players – Hamilton Accies". 15 June 2023.
  16. Crawford, Jack (4 August 2023). "MATTHEW SHIELS SIGNS FOR DUMBARTON". Dumbarton Football Club. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  17. Clarke, Fraser (10 November 2023). "Dumbarton's Matty Shiels says confidence is key to sparkling recent showings". Daily Record. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  18. "Dumbarton 4-0 Bonnyrigg Rose - Red hot Sons prove too strong for Rose - Daily Record". www.dailyrecord.co.uk. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
  19. Crawford, Jack (23 January 2024). "Duo depart Dumbarton". Dumbarton Football Club. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  20. Clarke, Fraser (22 January 2024). "Dumbarton's Matty Shiels set for Cove Rangers switch after Scottish Cup goal". Daily Record. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  21. Gordon, Richard (29 May 2024). "Squad Update". Cove Rangers FC. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  22. Crawford, Jack (31 May 2024). "MATTY SHIELS IS BACK AT THE ROCK". Dumbarton Football Club. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  23. McDougall, Mark (6 November 2017). "Rangers striker Matthew Shiels handed shock Republic of Ireland call-up". Daily Record.
  24. McNulty, Chris (10 November 2017). "Rangers striker Shiels makes Irish debut in Spain thanks to… – Donegal Daily". www.donegaldaily.com.
  25. "Coveted Rangers starlet Matthew Shiels enjoys debut victory with Tom Mohan's Ireland | Derry Journal".
  26. "Why Scottish-Irish footballing relations have been at a low ebb for 20 years". independent. 11 June 2022.
  27. "Matthew Shiels | Scotland | Scottish FA". www.scottishfa.co.uk.
  28. Thomson, Paul (18 September 2021). "Rangers had me as striker and left winger, I can be Accies' utility man – Shiels". Daily Record.
  29. Clarke, Fraser (9 August 2023). "Returning Son Matty Shiels says title ambitions convinced him on Dumbarton move". Daily Record. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  30. Raith Rovers 0–1 Hamilton Academical, Andrew Petrie, BBC Sport, 26 March 2023