Scott McKenna

Last updated

Scott McKenna
Personal information
Full name Scott Fraser McKenna [1]
Date of birth (1996-11-12) 12 November 1996 (age 27)
Place of birth Kirriemuir, Scotland
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.89 m) [2]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Copenhagen
(on loan from Nottingham Forest)
Number 26
Youth career
2008–2014 Aberdeen
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2014–2020 Aberdeen 91 (5)
2015Ayr United (loan) 12 (0)
2016Alloa Athletic (loan) 4 (0)
2016–2017Ayr United (loan) 11 (1)
2020– Nottingham Forest 94 (3)
2024–Copenhagen (loan) 11 (0)
International career
2013–2015 Scotland U19 [3] 14 (0)
2017 Scotland U21 5 (0)
2018– Scotland 33 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 May 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20:21, 23 November 2023 (UTC)

Scott Fraser McKenna (born 12 November 1996) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Danish Superliga club Copenhagen, on loan from Premier League club Nottingham Forest, and the Scotland national team.

Contents

Club career

Aberdeen

McKenna began his career in the Aberdeen academy and was initially a left back before moving to the centre. The Daily Record called him "one of the most promising defenders in the country". [4]

McKenna made his professional debut for Aberdeen as a substitute against St Johnstone on 6 February 2016. [5] His first start came against Heart of Midlothian on 16 May 2016. [6] [7] On 22 May 2016, he signed a new two-year contract with Aberdeen, [4] In November 2016, McKenna moved on loan to Scottish Championship side Ayr United for 28 days, his second time on loan with the club. [8] His loan was subsequently extended until the end of the season. [9]

In October 2017, McKenna extended his Aberdeen contract until 2021. The club rejected a bid from Hull City to buy him in January 2018. [10] In January 2018, McKenna scored from more than 35 yards in Aberdeen's 3–1 win against Kilmarnock. He claimed in an interview after the match that Kilmarnock skipper Kris Boyd urged him to "shoot" so he obliged. [11] On 7 March 2018, McKenna signed a new contract extension until 2023. [12]

Aberdeen rejected an offer of £3.5 million for McKenna from Celtic in August 2018. [13] Later in August, Aberdeen rejected a larger offer from Aston Villa. [14] During the summer 2019 transfer window, Aberdeen rejected offers from Queens Park Rangers and Nottingham Forest for McKenna after he handed in a transfer request. [15]

In December 2019 Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack confirmed the club had received no offers or approaches from other clubs for McKenna or teammate Sam Cosgrove. [16] McKenna suffered a torn hamstring during a Scottish Cup tie at St Mirren on 29 February 2020. [17]

In August 2020 he was one of eight Aberdeen players who received a suspended three-match ban from the Scottish FA after they breached restrictions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic by visiting a bar earlier in the month. [18] Aberdeen entered transfer negotiations with Nottingham Forest regarding McKenna in September 2020, which meant that he was left out of the Aberdeen team for a match with Motherwell. [19]

Nottingham Forest

On 23 September 2020, McKenna moved to EFL Championship side Nottingham Forest for an undisclosed fee, [20] confirmed by Aberdeen as a "club-record" amount [21] reported to be £3 million that could rise to £6 million. [22] He made his Forest debut on 25 September 2020 in a 1–0 defeat to Huddersfield Town. [23] He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 win over Coventry City on 4 November 2020. [24] He was voted as Forest's Player of the Season for the 2021–22 campaign, [25] during which they won promotion to the Premier League. [26] McKenna missed significant parts of the 202223 season due to hamstring and collarbone injuries. [26]

On 30 January 2024, McKenna joined Danish Superliga club Copenhagen on loan for the remainder of the season. [27]

International career

McKenna captained the Scotland under-19s in a 2–2 draw with the Czech Republic in 2014. [28] McKenna made his first appearance for the Scotland under-21s in September 2017. [29]

McKenna was selected for the full national squad in March 2018, [30] and made his full international debut in a 1–0 defeat against Costa Rica on 23 March. [31] In his fourth game for Scotland, a 1–0 defeat to Mexico on 2 June 2018, McKenna was made team captain. [32] On 11 October 2018, McKenna came on a second-half substitute in a 2–1 defeat against Israel, marking his competitive debut for Scotland. [33]

Personal life

A pupil at Webster's High School in Kirriemuir, [34] McKenna supported Celtic as a boy. [35] He is distantly related to the late Alan Gilzean, who was a cousin of McKenna's maternal grandmother. [35] His father Ian played semi-professionally in the Scottish Football League for Forfar Athletic and Montrose in the 1990s. [35] [36]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 16 May 2024 [37]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Aberdeen 2014–15 [38] Scottish Premiership 0000000000
2015–16 [39] Scottish Premiership3000000030
2016–17 [40] Scottish Premiership0000100010
2017–18 [41] Scottish Premiership302400000342
2018–19 [42] Scottish Premiership30240302 [lower-alpha 1] 0392
2019–20 [43] Scottish Premiership24140106 [lower-alpha 1] 0351
2020–21 [44] Scottish Premiership4000002 [lower-alpha 1] 060
Total91512050100001185
Aberdeen U20 2017–18 [41] SPFL Development League 1 [lower-alpha 2] 010
Ayr United (loan) 2014–15 [38] Scottish League One 120000000120
Alloa Athletic (loan) 2015–16 [39] Scottish Championship 4000000040
Ayr United (loan) 2016–17 [40] Scottish Championship11120001 [lower-alpha 3] 0141
Nottingham Forest 2020–21 [45] Championship 2411000251
2021–22 [46] Championship45230003 [lower-alpha 4] 0512
2022–23 [47] Premier League 2001030240
2023–24 [48] Premier League50100060
Total9436030301063
Copenhagen (loan) 2023–24 Danish Superliga 110002 [lower-alpha 5] 0130
Career total223920080120502689
  1. 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in the Europa League
  2. Appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup in which age-restricted sides from the Scottish Premiership clubs compete against senior clubs
  3. Appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup
  4. Appearances in Championship play-offs
  5. Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International

As of match played 19 November 2023 [3]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Scotland 201880
201960
202040
202160
202251
202340
Total331

Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first.

List of international goals scored by Scott McKenna
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
18 June 2022 Hampden Park, Glasgow, ScotlandFlag of Armenia.svg  Armenia 2–02–0 2022–23 UEFA Nations League B

Honours

Nottingham Forest

Individual

See also

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References

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