| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 13 September 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) [1] | ||
| Position | Left back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Queen's Park | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Rangers | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2021 | Rangers | 0 | (0) |
| 2018 | → Edinburgh City (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2019 | → Dumbarton (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2020 | → Orange County SC (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2020 | → Clyde (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Hamilton Academical | 35 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | Dumbarton | 17 | (2) |
| 2024 | Cove Rangers | 8 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | Dumbarton | 25 | (3) |
| 2025– | Queen's Park | 19 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2017 | Republic of Ireland U18 | ||
| 2018 | Republic of Ireland U19 | ||
| 2018–2019 | Scotland U19 | 10 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 12:36, 13 January 2026 (UTC) | |||
Matthew Shiels (born 13 September 2000) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a left back for Queen's Park.
Shiels was born in Glasgow. [1] His paternal grandparents were from Donegal in Ireland, [2] and he grew supporting Celtic. [3]
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]
He signed for Queen's Park in June 2025. [23]
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] [24] making his debut on 9 November. [25]
He also played with the Republic of Ireland under-19s, [26] before later reverting his international allegiance back to Scotland, [27] playing ten games for the Scotland under-19 team. [28]
Shiels plays primarily as a left back, but also played as a left winger and striker for Rangers. [29] On signing for Dumbarton in August 2023 he said he preferred playing in a more attacking role. [30]
| Club | Season | League | National cup [a] | League cup [b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rangers U20 | 2017–18 [31] | — | — | — | 1 [c] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2019–20 [32] | — | — | — | 1 [c] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2020–21 [33] | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Total | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Edinburgh City (loan) | 2017–18 [31] | Scottish League Two | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Dumbarton (loan) | 2019–20 [32] | Scottish League One | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Orange County SC (loan) | 2020 [1] | USL Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Clyde (loan) | 2020–21 [33] | Scottish League One | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Hamilton Academical | 2021–22 [34] | Scottish Championship | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 [c] | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 2022–23 [35] | Scottish Championship | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 [d] | 0 | 41 | 3 | |
| Total | 35 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 51 | 3 | ||
| Dumbartom | 2023–24 [36] | Scottish League Two | 17 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 [c] | 0 | 22 | 3 |
| Cove Rangers | 2023–24 [36] | Scottish League One | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| Dumbartom | 2024–25 [37] | Scottish League One | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 3 |
| Queen's Park | 2025–26 [38] | Scottish Championship | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Career total | 113 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 150 | 9 | ||
Hamilton Academical