Andrew Little (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Andrew Little is a Northern Irish
footballer who plays for Scottish Premier League
club Rangers
. He is also a Northern Ireland
international.
A versatile player, he can play in any outfield position, though prefers a more attacking role. He left Ballinamallard United for Rangers
in 2006, where he turned professional the following year. He made a number of first team appearances in 2009–10, but was otherwise limited to youth and reserve team football until he won a loan move to Port Vale in August 2011.
Having represented Northern Ireland at under-19 and under-21
levels, as well as making one appearance for the "B" team
, he won his first senior
cap in March 2009.
to Scotland
in 2006 to join the Rangers Academy
. He scored for the "Gers" in the club's Scottish Youth Cup
final victory over Old Firm
rival's Celtic
at Hampden Park
in 2008
. That season he also helped the club to top the Scottish Premier under-19 League
.
He made his senior debut as a substitute for Kris Boyd
in the 3–0 win over St. Mirren
in the Scottish Cup
semi-finals on 25 April 2009. The next month he was selected as a member of Rangers' HKFC International Soccer Sevens
side; he helped the side to reach the final of the tournament, where they then lost out to Celtic.
On 4 October 2009, Little was given his first Rangers start against Celtic
at right-back, but was substituted eleven minutes in after injuring his hamstring
in the opening minute of the match. He scored his first goal for the club on 23 January 2010, in a league game against Heart of Midlothian
which finished 1–1. Overall he made ten appearances in 2009–10.
He scored his second goal for the club on 27 October 2010, in a League Cup
game against Kilmarnock
. The goal was later a candidate for the club's goal of the season award. However he then missed much of the rest of the season with a hip injury that eventually required surgery to correct. Upon his recovery, Little signed a one-year contract extension in July 2011.
Looking for first team football, Little went on loan at Port Vale
on 31 August 2011. His loan deal was due to last until 1 January 2012, however he returned on 24 October 2011 after he suffered knee ligament damage. He made two starts and five substitute appearances for the League Two
club, with his contribution at Vale Park
also limited by call-ups to the Northern Ireland squad.
final victory over Chile. He then moved up to the under-21 side
, where he made four appearances, scoring against Scotland
and twice against San Marino
. He won a cap for the "B team"
against Scotland
in 2009.
Little made his debut for the senior team
on 28 March 2009 in a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Poland
; he replaced David Healy
in the 90th minute of the match and Northern Ireland went on to win 3–2. He picked up further caps in friendlies against Italy
, Albania
, Turkey
, and Chile
.
is a presenter for Sky Sports
.
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with Rangers
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
footballer who plays for Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
club Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
. He is also a Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
international.
A versatile player, he can play in any outfield position, though prefers a more attacking role. He left Ballinamallard United for Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
in 2006, where he turned professional the following year. He made a number of first team appearances in 2009–10, but was otherwise limited to youth and reserve team football until he won a loan move to Port Vale in August 2011.
Having represented Northern Ireland at under-19 and under-21
Northern Ireland national under-21 football team
The Northern Ireland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Northern Ireland.-Former coaches:* To 20 August 2008.-2008/09 Matches:-Current squad:Squad to play San Marino.-Other Recent Call-Ups:...
levels, as well as making one appearance for the "B" team
Northern Ireland B national football team
Northern Ireland B is a secondary football team run occasionally as support for the Northern Ireland national football team. Primarily seen as a stepping-stone between the Under-21 and Full international teams, the matches are also used to give a run-out for fringe players and to honour Irish...
, he won his first senior
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
cap in March 2009.
Club career
A former Ballinamallard United player, he moved from Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 2006 to join the Rangers Academy
Rangers F.C. Reserve and Youth squads
In addition to the first team, Rangers F.C. also have a reserve team and an under-19 side.On 20 April 2004, Rangers Football Club announced the creation of a new company which would oversee the development of the club's youth players. The company, called Rangers Youth Development Limited, is...
. He scored for the "Gers" in the club's Scottish Youth Cup
Scottish Youth Cup
The Scottish Youth Cup is an annual Scottish football competition run by the Scottish Football Association for under-19 teams...
final victory over Old Firm
Old Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
rival's Celtic
Celtic F.C. Reserve and Youth squads
As well as the Celtic first team, competing in the Scottish Premier League, the club also have reserve and under-19 sides.-Reserve team:Celtic Reserves are the reserve team of Celtic. The team mainly consists of Under-19 players at the club and fringe first team players...
at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
in 2008
Scottish Youth Cup 2007–08
The 2007–08 Scottish Youth Cup was the 25th season of the competition. The holders Rangers defeated Celtic in the final.-Calendar:-First round:-Second round:-Third round:-Fourth round:-Quarter-finals:-Semi-finals:-----Final:...
. That season he also helped the club to top the Scottish Premier under-19 League
Scottish Premier under-19 League
The Scottish Premier Under-19 League is the top level of youth football in Scotland. It is contested by the Under-19 teams of Scottish Premier League clubs.-History:...
.
He made his senior debut as a substitute for Kris Boyd
Kris Boyd
Kris Boyd is a Scottish professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Turkish side Eskişehirspor.Boyd grew up in the Ayrshire village of Tarbolton and started his senior career with Kilmarnock. He transferred to Rangers in January 2006, and was Rangers' top goalscorer in each of his...
in the 3–0 win over St. Mirren
St. Mirren F.C.
St Mirren Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Paisley, Renfrewshire who play in the Scottish Premier League, having been promoted from the First Division in 2005–06.St...
in the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
semi-finals on 25 April 2009. The next month he was selected as a member of Rangers' HKFC International Soccer Sevens
HKFC International Soccer Sevens
The HKFC International Soccer Sevens is an annual 7-a-side football competition organized by Hong Kong Football Club at Hong Kong Football Club Soccer/Rugby Pitch.-Format:* The competition features two tournaments, Main Tournament and Masters Tournament...
side; he helped the side to reach the final of the tournament, where they then lost out to Celtic.
On 4 October 2009, Little was given his first Rangers start against Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
at right-back, but was substituted eleven minutes in after injuring his hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
in the opening minute of the match. He scored his first goal for the club on 23 January 2010, in a league game against Heart of Midlothian
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
which finished 1–1. Overall he made ten appearances in 2009–10.
He scored his second goal for the club on 27 October 2010, in a League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
game against Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
. The goal was later a candidate for the club's goal of the season award. However he then missed much of the rest of the season with a hip injury that eventually required surgery to correct. Upon his recovery, Little signed a one-year contract extension in July 2011.
Looking for first team football, Little went on loan at Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
on 31 August 2011. His loan deal was due to last until 1 January 2012, however he returned on 24 October 2011 after he suffered knee ligament damage. He made two starts and five substitute appearances for the League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
club, with his contribution at Vale Park
Vale Park
Vale Park is a football stadium in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, England. It is the home ground of Port Vale F.C., who have played at the ground since 1950....
also limited by call-ups to the Northern Ireland squad.
International career
Little won eleven caps for the Northern Ireland under-19s, scoring four goals, including one in the 2008 Milk CupMilk Cup
The Milk Cup is an international youth football tournament held annually in Northern Ireland. The cup matches are mainly played in the North Coast area of Northern Ireland, with matches taking place in the towns of Portrush, Portstewart, Castlerock, Limavady, Coleraine, Ballymoney, Ballymena and...
final victory over Chile. He then moved up to the under-21 side
Northern Ireland national under-21 football team
The Northern Ireland national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Northern Ireland.-Former coaches:* To 20 August 2008.-2008/09 Matches:-Current squad:Squad to play San Marino.-Other Recent Call-Ups:...
, where he made four appearances, scoring against Scotland
Scotland national under-21 football team
The Scotland national under-21 football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is Scotland's national under 21 football team and is considered to be a feeder team for the Scotland national football team....
and twice against San Marino
San Marino national under-21 football team
The San Marino U21 team is a feeder team toSan Marino senior team.-Current squad:----...
. He won a cap for the "B team"
Northern Ireland B national football team
Northern Ireland B is a secondary football team run occasionally as support for the Northern Ireland national football team. Primarily seen as a stepping-stone between the Under-21 and Full international teams, the matches are also used to give a run-out for fringe players and to honour Irish...
against Scotland
Scotland B national football team
The Scotland B national football team, controlled by the Scottish Football Association, is a secondary football team of Scotland, run occasionally as support for the Scotland national football team as a second string side to the first team....
in 2009.
Little made his debut for the senior team
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
on 28 March 2009 in a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
; he replaced David Healy
David Healy (footballer)
David Jonathan Healy, MBE is a Northern Ireland international footballer who plays as a striker for Scottish Premier League champions Rangers...
in the 90th minute of the match and Northern Ireland went on to win 3–2. He picked up further caps in friendlies against Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
, Albania
Albania national football team
The Albania national association football team is the national association football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania...
, Turkey
Turkey national football team
The Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...
, and Chile
Chile national football team
The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in...
.
Style of play
A utility player, he can play anywhere in defence and midfield, and can also be used as a striker.Personal life
Little's older brother GrahamGraham Little
Graham Little is a freelance Northern Irish television presenter and journalist. He is also the older brother of Rangers striker, and Northern Ireland international, Andrew Little.-Broadcasting career:...
is a presenter for Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
.
Club level
|-|2008–09||Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
||SPL
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
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|2009–10||Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
||SPL
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
||6||1||3||0||1||0||0||0||10||1
|-
|2010–11
2010–11 Rangers F.C. season
The 2010–11 season is the 114th season of competitive football by Rangers.-Overview:Rangers played a total of 55 competitive matches during the 2010-11 season. With financial problems at the club ongoing, the summer began for Rangers with several players leaving the club. With a limited transfer...
||Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
||SPL
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
||0||0||0||0||2||1||0||0||2||1
|-
|2011–12
2011–12 Rangers F.C. season
The 2011–12 season is the 115th season of competitive football by Rangers.-Overview:Rangers played a total of 44 competitive matches during the 2011-12 season...
||Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
||SPL
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
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|2011–12
2011–12 Port Vale F.C. season
The 2011–12 season is Port Vale's one-hundredth season of football in the Football League, and fourth successive season in League Two. It marked the start of Micky Adams' second spell in charge of the club, and despite fan unrest with the board, Vale fans and players were hopeful of promotion come...
||Port Vale
Port Vale F.C.
Port Vale Football Club is an English football club currently playing in Football League Two. They are based in Burslem, Staffordshire — one of six towns that make up the city of Stoke-on-Trent. The club's traditional rivals in the city are Stoke City, and games between the two clubs are known as...
||League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
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International level
- Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first.
Caps Date Venue Opponent Result Competition Scored Location 01 (00) 2009-03-29 Windsor Park Windsor ParkWindsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...
, BelfastBelfastBelfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
3–2 2010 World Cup qualifier 0 
02 (00) 2009-06-06 Arena Garibaldi, Pisa PisaPisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
0–3 Friendly Exhibition gameAn exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
0 
03 (00) 2010-03-10 National Stadium, Tirana TiranaTirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
0–1 Friendly Exhibition gameAn exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
0 
04 (00) 2010-05-27 Veterans Stadium, Connecticut ConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
0–2 Friendly Exhibition gameAn exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
0 
05 (00) 2010-05-30 Estadio Nacional, Santiago SantiagoSantiago is the capital city of Chile. Santiago may also refer to:*Santiago *Santiago , a Spanish given name*Santiago!, a shortened form of the Reconquista battle cry "Santiago y cierra, España"...
0–1 Friendly Exhibition gameAn exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
0 
06 (00) 2010-08-11 City Stadium Podgorica city stadiumPodgorica Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Podgorica, Montenegro.Notable matches played at the stadium include:*SFR Yugoslavia - Luxembourg 0:0 - att: 15,000...
, PodgoricaPodgoricaPodgorica , is the capital and largest city of Montenegro.Podgorica's favourable position at the confluence of the Ribnica and Morača rivers and the meeting point of the fertile Zeta Plain and Bjelopavlići Valley has encouraged settlement...
0–2 Friendly Exhibition gameAn exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
0 
07 (00) 2010-10-11 Stadio Adriatico Stadio AdriaticoStadio Adriatico is a stadium in the city of Pescara, Abruzzo, Italy, which opened in 1955. For the 1960 Summer Olympics, it hosted some of the football preliminaries. It originated as a multipurpose facility and is a center of the CONI...
, PescaraPescaraPescara is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. As of January 1, 2007 it was the most populated city within Abruzzo at 123,059 residents, 400,000 with the surrounding metropolitan area...
0–3 Euro 2012 qualifier UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group CThis page shows the standings and results for Group C of the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying tournament.- Standings :- Results and fixtures :Group C fixtures were negotiated between the participants in a meeting held in Belgrade on 8 March 2010.----...
0
Honours
with Northern Ireland under-19s- Milk CupMilk CupThe Milk Cup is an international youth football tournament held annually in Northern Ireland. The cup matches are mainly played in the North Coast area of Northern Ireland, with matches taking place in the towns of Portrush, Portstewart, Castlerock, Limavady, Coleraine, Ballymoney, Ballymena and...
winner: 2008
with Rangers
- Scottish Premier under-19 LeagueScottish Premier under-19 LeagueThe Scottish Premier Under-19 League is the top level of youth football in Scotland. It is contested by the Under-19 teams of Scottish Premier League clubs.-History:...
champion: 2007–082007–08 in Scottish reserve and youth footballThe 2007–08 season was a season of reserve and youth football in Scotland. The season commenced in August 2007.-Scottish Premier Reserve League:-Scottish Premier under-19 League:-Scottish Youth Cup:... - HKFC International Soccer SevensHKFC International Soccer SevensThe HKFC International Soccer Sevens is an annual 7-a-side football competition organized by Hong Kong Football Club at Hong Kong Football Club Soccer/Rugby Pitch.-Format:* The competition features two tournaments, Main Tournament and Masters Tournament...
runner-up: 20092009 HKFC International Soccer Sevens2009 HKFC International Soccer Sevens is the 10th staging of this competition. It was held on 29-31 May 2009.-Masters Tournament:Group A... - Scottish Premier LeagueScottish Premier LeagueThe Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
champion: 2009–10