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Personal
Fullname: Séamus John James Given
aka: Shay Given
Born: 20 April 1976
Birthplace: Lifford, Donegal
Signed: September 1992
Height: 6′ 1/2″ (184cm)
Position: Goalkeeper
Internationals: Republic of Ireland
International Caps: 98
International Goals: 0
Biog
Schoolboy goalkeeping prodigy invited to train with Celtic during a pre-season tour of Ireland in 1991. He had been making his mark in the rough and tumble of the Irish Junior circuit, minding the Lifford Celtic net while just 14 years old and helping his school St. Columba’s College to the national Cup Final.
Despite strong interest from England – including trial spells at Manchester United and Frank Stapleton’s Bradford City – Shay opted to throw in his lot with boyhood favourites Celtic in September 1992, citing the presence of Irish heroes Liam Brady and Packie Bonner as the decisive factors. Was rarely spotted during his inaugural season, but emerged as the regular U18 custodian for 1993/94 after the well thought of Stewart Kerr moved up to the reserve squad. For three matches in December and January Given was even on first team bench-warming duties after Gordon Marshall was loaned to Stoke and Carl Muggleton was ironing out his move from Leicester City. These games included the ill-fated 1994 Ne’erday Old Firm match.
However, allegedly because Lou Macari deemed him too small, his contract was not renewed in the close season and Kenny Dalglish swooped to take him to upwardly mobile Premiership outfit Blackburn Rovers. Dalglish’s son Paul made the reverse journey that same summer. Shay himself has subsequently spoken of being driven by a burning motivation to prove Macari wrong. While the scheming Fergus McCann later sought to make capital out of Macari‘s apparent clanger by having his lawyers cast it up in their 1997 court battle.
After moving to England it is fair to say Shay has had a half-decent career and picked up a few Ireland caps to boot!
He never lost his Celtic roots, and played in front of 48,000 supporters for a ‘Celtic Legends’ select side at Anfield v their Liverpool counterparts in a charity match in March 2023.
Playing Career
| League Appearances | League Goals | ||
| 1991/92 | Lifford Celtic | ? | ? |
| 1992/93 | Celtic | 0 | 0 |
| 1993/94 | Celtic | 0 | 0 |
| 1994/95 | Blackburn Rovers | 0 | 0 |
| 1995/96 | Blackburn Rovers | 0 | 0 |
| Swindon Town loan | 5 | 0 | |
| Sunderland loan | 17 | 0 | |
| 1996/97 | Blackburn Rovers | 2 | 0 |
| 1997/98 | Newcastle United | 24 | 0 |
| 1998/99 | Newcastle United | 31 | 0 |
| 1999/00 | Newcastle United | 14 | 0 |
| 2000/01 | Newcastle United | 34 | 0 |
| 2001/02 | Newcastle United | 38 | 0 |
| 2002/03 | Newcastle United | 38 | 0 |
| 2003/04 | Newcastle United | 38 | 0 |
| 2004/05 | Newcastle United | 36 | 0 |
| 2005/06 | Newcastle United | 38 | 0 |
| 2006/07 | Newcastle United | 22 | 0 |
| 2007/08 | Newcastle United | 19 | 0 |
| 2008/09 | Newcastle United | 22 | 0 |
| Manchester City | 15 | 0 | |
| 2009/10 | Manchester City | ? | ? |
Honours
Republic of Ireland U16 Internationalist ? caps
Republic of Ireland U18 Internationalist 5 caps
Republic of Ireland U21 Internationalist 5 caps
Republic of Ireland Internationalist 98 caps (debut: 27 March 1996)
Pictures
- Player Pics
Media
- Shay returns to Celtic Park 2008 (YouTube)