Patrick McCourt
Encyclopedia
Patrick James "Paddy" McCourt (born 16 December 1983) is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a left winger for Scottish Premier League club Celtic
and the Northern Ireland national football team
.
He started his career with English Football League side Rochdale
in 2001, before moving to League of Ireland
side Shamrock Rovers
in 2005. A year later he moved to fellow League of Ireland team, Derry City
where he won the FAI Cup
in 2006
and also won the League of Ireland Cup twice in 2006 and 2007. In 2008 he signed for Scottish Premier League
club Celtic
and won the Scottish Cup
in 2011
.
He made his Northern Ireland
debut in 2002 but didn't play again until 2009. He scored his first two goals against the Faroe Islands
on 10 August 2011.
, Northern Ireland
, McCourt was educated at Steelstown Primary School in Derry and began his career with an early move from Foyle Harps to Rochdale
on a youth team contract. His potential quickly persuaded the Spotland
club to sign him on a three-and-a-half-year contract in December 2001, shortly after making his debut against Kidderminster Harriers
. His first season ended with 23 appearances and four goals. This came at the peak of McCourt's early career, and he attracted the attention of several Premier League
clubs during 2002–03, including Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City
.
In the 2003–04 season, McCourt managed just a handful of starts for the club and had two spells away on trial with First Division
sides Norwich City
and Crewe Alexandra
, though neither club followed up their initial interest in him. Despite scoring goals during his spell at Spotland Stadium, a combination of injuries and loss of form hastened his departure from Rochdale
in February 2005.
After Rochdale
manager Steve Parkin
had informed him that he was to be released, McCourt headed for another trial, this time with Scottish Premier League
outfit Motherwell
. Again a move failed to materialise after a two-week stay at Fir Park
.
, manager of League of Ireland
full-timers, Shamrock Rovers.
He scored three goals in his first six appearances for the Dublin club and topped the goalscoring table by May 2005. As the club ran into financial difficulty, mainly due to the costs surrounding the building of Tallaght Stadium
, the club were forced to place all their players on the transfer list for free, however, this excluded McCourt. After 7 goals in 17 appearances (3 of which were goal of the season contenders) and following interest from Bristol City
and Queen's Park Rangers, Shamrock Rovers, in need of funds, decided to let McCourt go. The player was signed by his home-town club, Derry City
, for a fee thought to be around £60,000. He was Rovers top goalscorer that season and won the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland
award of 'Young Player of the Year'.
to the runners-up position in both the 2005 and 2006 League of Ireland seasons. In the 2006 season he played in their UEFA Cup
run in wins over IFK Gothenburg
and Gretna
and helped Derry to the FAI Cup
and League of Ireland Cup. McCourt scored six goals in 31 appearances for City in the 2007 season and won a League of Ireland Cup medal. His skill had reportedly interested West Bromwich Albion
, and Derry City announced in June 2008 that they had reached agreement with the newly-promoted Premier League side.
for McCourt. Premier League club West Brom
had also agreed terms with both player and club, but the lure of joining Celtic, the club he supported as a boy, persuaded McCourt to move to Glasgow. On 19 June, McCourt signed for the club for an undisclosed fee after agreeing a three-year contract. He made his competitive debut for Celtic on 25 October 2008 in the 4–2 win over Hibernian
.
He has featured prominently for the Celtic reserve team
, particularly in the game on 28 April 2009 against Rangers
which clinched the Reserve League Title
for the Hoops for the eighth season in succession, a career high point for him. He also appeared at the inaugural Wembley Cup
in which he excelled for Celtic. He featured in another of Celtic's pre-season friendly matches against Manchester City
on 8 August 2009 at Eastlands
.
On 23 September, McCourt opened his goalscoring account for Celtic with a memorable goal in a League Cup
match at Falkirk
, in which he beat five defenders before chipping the ball over Bairns goalkeeper Robert Olejnik
. He then scored his first SPL goal in his first league start three days later, against St Mirren on 26 September, a goal very similar to his previous strike, which saw him ghost past six defenders before beating the goalkeeper in addition. On 24 January 2010, McCourt bagged his second league goal for Celtic against St Johnstone after a mazy run and supreme finish into the top right hand corner, from just inside the penalty box. McCourt also scored the second of Celtic's goals in a 2–1 victory over Seattle Sounders
in a friendly match in Seattle on 18 July.
In the first game of the 2010–11 SPL season
, McCourt scored the only goal of the game against newly-promoted Inverness CT
with a typical solo run and shot, beating three defenders and then netting from the edge of the box. He scored his second goal of the season – his first at Celtic Park
– in Celtic's 3–0 victory over Hearts
on 11 September, after spectacularly beating 3 players before chipping the goalkeeper. On 6 November, McCourt netted the final goal of Celtic's 9–0
demolition of Aberdeen
from the penalty spot. On 27 November, he scored Celtic's 600th home SPL goal in a 2-2 draw with Inverness at Celtic Park, with another mazy run, and precise finish. On 29 December, McCourt scored the winning goal in the a 1-0 win against Motherwell
with another skillful run and 20-yard finish. On 26 January, McCourt added another SPL goal, a 4-0 win over Hearts
from just inside the penalty box
. On 15 August it was reported, after he had scored his first goals for Northern Ireland, that several English clubs, including Liverpool
, were interested in buying him.
at International level. He received nine caps
for Northern Ireland under-21s
.
In April 2002, Northern Ireland manager Sammy McIlroy
handed him his senior international debut against Spain
at Windsor Park
. His second cap came in February 2009 after he came on as a substitute against San Marino
in a qualifying
match for the 2010 World Cup
.
McCourt scored his first international brace with two exceptional solo goals, as he helped Northern Ireland to a 4-0 victory over the Faroe Islands
in a 2012 European Championships qualification
match on the 10 August 2011.
ability, as well as his ability to score spectacular solo goals. This has led to him being nickname
d "the Derry Pelé
" by players, fans and pundits.
with Derry City
and was joint top scorer in the League of Ireland in 1991/92. He is also a Derry City director.
On 12 January 2011, bullets were sent in the post to McCourt, from an address in Northern Ireland
. Celtic manager Neil Lennon
and teammate Niall McGinn
were sent similar packages earlier in the same week.
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...
and the Northern Ireland national football 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...
.
He started his career with English Football League side Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
in 2001, before moving to League of Ireland
League of Ireland
The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
side Shamrock Rovers
Shamrock Rovers F.C.
Shamrock Rovers Football Club are a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the most successful club in Irish football history. The club have won the League of Ireland title a record 17 times and the FAI Cup a record 24...
in 2005. A year later he moved to fellow League of Ireland team, Derry City
Derry City F.C.
Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division...
where he won the FAI Cup
FAI Cup
The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...
in 2006
2006 FAI Cup Final
The 2006 FAI Cup Final was a soccer match held at Lansdowne Road, Dublin on 3 December 2006 and was the final match of the 2006 FAI Cup competition. The match was the 83rd FAI Cup Final, and the last to be held at the old Lansdowne Road before it shut for redevelopment. It was also the last ever...
and also won the League of Ireland Cup twice in 2006 and 2007. In 2008 he signed 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 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...
and won 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...
in 2011
2011 Scottish Cup Final
The 2011 Scottish Cup Final was the 126th final of the Scottish Cup, Scottish football's most prestigious knockout association football competition. The match toke place at Hampden Park on 21 May 2011 and was played by Scottish Premier League clubs Motherwell and Celtic...
.
He made his 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...
debut in 2002 but didn't play again until 2009. He scored his first two goals against the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands national football team
The Faroe Islands national football team represents the Faroe Islands in association football and is controlled by the Faroe Islands Football Association, the governing body for football in the Faroe Islands. The Faroe Islands became a member of FIFA in 1988 and UEFA in 1990 and are the third...
on 10 August 2011.
Rochdale
Born in DerryDerry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
, Northern Ireland
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...
, McCourt was educated at Steelstown Primary School in Derry and began his career with an early move from Foyle Harps to Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
on a youth team contract. His potential quickly persuaded the Spotland
Spotland Stadium
Spotland Stadium is a sports venue located at Willbutts Lane in the Spotland area of Rochdale, Greater Manchester. It is currently home to Rochdale AFC and Rochdale Hornets RLFC...
club to sign him on a three-and-a-half-year contract in December 2001, shortly after making his debut against Kidderminster Harriers
Kidderminster Harriers F.C.
Kidderminster Harriers F.C. are an English football club based in Kidderminster, Worcestershire formed in 1886 They currently play in the Conference National and have played at Aggborough Stadium since they were formed...
. His first season ended with 23 appearances and four goals. This came at the peak of McCourt's early career, and he attracted the attention of several Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
clubs during 2002–03, including Blackburn Rovers and Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
.
In the 2003–04 season, McCourt managed just a handful of starts for the club and had two spells away on trial with First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
sides Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
and Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
, though neither club followed up their initial interest in him. Despite scoring goals during his spell at Spotland Stadium, a combination of injuries and loss of form hastened his departure from Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
in February 2005.
After Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
manager Steve Parkin
Steve Parkin
Stephen John "Steve" Parkin is an English former footballer and manager, currently working as assistant manager at Bradford City.-Mansfield Town:...
had informed him that he was to be released, McCourt headed for another trial, this time with 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...
outfit Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
. Again a move failed to materialise after a two-week stay at Fir Park
Fir Park
Fir Park Stadium is a football stadium situated in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The stadium plays host to the home matches of Scottish Premier League club Motherwell.- History :...
.
Shamrock Rovers
In March 2005, McCourt was signed by Roddy CollinsRoddy Collins
Roderick 'Roddy' Collins , is a Irish former professional football player and current manager of Monaghan United. He has also worked as a television pundit, and is the brother of acclaimed former boxer, Steve Collins....
, manager of League of Ireland
League of Ireland
The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
full-timers, Shamrock Rovers.
He scored three goals in his first six appearances for the Dublin club and topped the goalscoring table by May 2005. As the club ran into financial difficulty, mainly due to the costs surrounding the building of Tallaght Stadium
Tallaght Stadium
Tallaght Stadium is a football stadium in the Southside suburb of Tallaght, Dublin. Shamrock Rovers originally announced details of the stadium back in July 1996...
, the club were forced to place all their players on the transfer list for free, however, this excluded McCourt. After 7 goals in 17 appearances (3 of which were goal of the season contenders) and following interest from Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
and Queen's Park Rangers, Shamrock Rovers, in need of funds, decided to let McCourt go. The player was signed by his home-town club, Derry City
Derry City F.C.
Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division...
, for a fee thought to be around £60,000. He was Rovers top goalscorer that season and won the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland
Professional Footballers Association of Ireland
The Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland ' is the representative body for professional and semi-professional footballers in Ireland. Players from all nationalities in the League of Ireland are represented, not just Irish players. It is a member of FIFPro; the international body for...
award of 'Young Player of the Year'.
Derry City
McCourt helped Derry CityDerry City F.C.
Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division...
to the runners-up position in both the 2005 and 2006 League of Ireland seasons. In the 2006 season he played in their UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
run in wins over IFK Gothenburg
IFK Göteborg
IFK Göteborg is a Swedish professional football club based in Gothenburg. Founded in 1904, the club has won 18 national championship titles, five national cup titles, and two UEFA Cups....
and Gretna
Gretna F.C.
Gretna Football Club was a Scottish football club that represented the town of Gretna, Dumfries and Galloway, close to the border between England and Scotland...
and helped Derry to the FAI Cup
FAI Cup
The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...
and League of Ireland Cup. McCourt scored six goals in 31 appearances for City in the 2007 season and won a League of Ireland Cup medal. His skill had reportedly interested West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
, and Derry City announced in June 2008 that they had reached agreement with the newly-promoted Premier League side.
Celtic
In June 2008, Derry agreed a fee with CelticCeltic 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...
for McCourt. Premier League club West Brom
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
had also agreed terms with both player and club, but the lure of joining Celtic, the club he supported as a boy, persuaded McCourt to move to Glasgow. On 19 June, McCourt signed for the club for an undisclosed fee after agreeing a three-year contract. He made his competitive debut for Celtic on 25 October 2008 in the 4–2 win over Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
.
He has featured prominently for the Celtic reserve team
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...
, particularly in the game on 28 April 2009 against Rangers
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...
which clinched the Reserve League Title
Scottish Premier Reserve League
The Scottish Premier Reserve League was the top reserve team league for Scottish football teams. The competition started at the same time as the inauguration of the Scottish Premier League in the 1998–99 season. It was initially an under-21 league, with a quota of five players over the age...
for the Hoops for the eighth season in succession, a career high point for him. He also appeared at the inaugural Wembley Cup
Wembley Cup
The Wembley Cup is an invitational football tournament. The first edition of the tournament took place between 24 and 26 July 2009 at Wembley Stadium, London, United Kingdom. The winning team was Celtic, ahead of FC Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, and Al-Ahly. Each team played two matches, with...
in which he excelled for Celtic. He featured in another of Celtic's pre-season friendly matches against Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
on 8 August 2009 at Eastlands
City of Manchester Stadium
The City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester, England – also known as the Etihad Stadium for sponsorship purposes– is the home ground of...
.
On 23 September, McCourt opened his goalscoring account for Celtic with a memorable goal 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...
match at Falkirk
Falkirk F.C.
Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Falkirk. It is one of two professional football teams from the town, the other being East Stirlingshire...
, in which he beat five defenders before chipping the ball over Bairns goalkeeper Robert Olejnik
Robert Olejnik
Robert"Bobby" Olejnik is an Austrian professional footballer who plays for League Two side Torquay United.- Career :...
. He then scored his first SPL goal in his first league start three days later, against St Mirren on 26 September, a goal very similar to his previous strike, which saw him ghost past six defenders before beating the goalkeeper in addition. On 24 January 2010, McCourt bagged his second league goal for Celtic against St Johnstone after a mazy run and supreme finish into the top right hand corner, from just inside the penalty box. McCourt also scored the second of Celtic's goals in a 2–1 victory over Seattle Sounders
Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle Sounders FC is an American professional soccer club based in Seattle, Washington. The club competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. Sounders FC was established in November 2007 as a MLS expansion team, making it the 15th team in...
in a friendly match in Seattle on 18 July.
In the first game of the 2010–11 SPL season
2010–11 Scottish Premier League
The 2010–11 Scottish Premier League was the thirteenth season of the Scottish Premier League, the highest division of Scottish football. It commenced on 14 August 2010 and ended on 15 May 2011...
, McCourt scored the only goal of the game against newly-promoted Inverness CT
Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club are a Scottish football club from Inverness who compete in the Scottish Premier League. They are currently managed by Terry Butcher and assistant manager Maurice Malpas...
with a typical solo run and shot, beating three defenders and then netting from the edge of the box. He scored his second goal of the season – his first at Celtic Park
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
– in Celtic's 3–0 victory over Hearts
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...
on 11 September, after spectacularly beating 3 players before chipping the goalkeeper. On 6 November, McCourt netted the final goal of Celtic's 9–0
Celtic v Aberdeen (6 November 2010)
The Scottish Premier League match between Celtic and Aberdeen on 6 November 2010 at Celtic Park in Glasgow set a record as the biggest home win in the league's history.The match included nine goals for Celtic, two hat-tricks, three penalties and two red cards....
demolition of Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
from the penalty spot. On 27 November, he scored Celtic's 600th home SPL goal in a 2-2 draw with Inverness at Celtic Park, with another mazy run, and precise finish. On 29 December, McCourt scored the winning goal in the a 1-0 win against Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
with another skillful run and 20-yard finish. On 26 January, McCourt added another SPL goal, a 4-0 win over Hearts
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...
from just inside the penalty box
Penalty box
The penalty box is the area in ice hockey, rugby league, rugby union and some other sports where a player sits to serve the time of a given penalty, for an offense not severe enough to merit outright expulsion from the contest...
. On 15 August it was reported, after he had scored his first goals for Northern Ireland, that several English clubs, including Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, were interested in buying him.
International career
McCourt has represented Northern IrelandNorthern 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...
at International level. He received nine caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for Northern Ireland under-21s
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:...
.
In April 2002, Northern Ireland manager Sammy McIlroy
Sammy McIlroy
Samuel Baxter "Sammy" McIlroy is a former Northern Ireland international footballer whose clubs included Manchester United....
handed him his senior international debut against Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
at Windsor Park
Windsor Park
Windsor 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:...
. His second cap came in February 2009 after he came on as a substitute against San Marino
San Marino national football team
The San Marino national football team is the national football team of San Marino, controlled by the San Marino Football Federation...
in a qualifying
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 3
The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group 3 was a UEFA qualifying group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group comprised the Czech Republic, Poland, Northern Ireland, Slovakia, Slovenia and San Marino....
match for the 2010 World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
.
McCourt scored his first international brace with two exceptional solo goals, as he helped Northern Ireland to a 4-0 victory over the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands national football team
The Faroe Islands national football team represents the Faroe Islands in association football and is controlled by the Faroe Islands Football Association, the governing body for football in the Faroe Islands. The Faroe Islands became a member of FIFA in 1988 and UEFA in 1990 and are the third...
in a 2012 European Championships qualification
UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying Group C
This 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.----...
match on the 10 August 2011.
International goals
- Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1 10 August 2011 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...
3-0 4-0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying 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.----...2 10 August 2011 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...
4-0 4-0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying 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.----...
Style of play
McCourt is known for his exceptional ball control and dribblingDribbling
In sports, dribbling refers to the maneuvering of a ball around a defender through short skillful taps or kicks with either the legs , hands , stick or swimming strokes...
ability, as well as his ability to score spectacular solo goals. This has led to him being nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d "the Derry Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
" by players, fans and pundits.
Personal life
McCourt's older brother Harry also played for and won the FAI CupFAI Cup
The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...
with Derry City
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
and was joint top scorer in the League of Ireland in 1991/92. He is also a Derry City director.
On 12 January 2011, bullets were sent in the post to McCourt, from an address in Northern Ireland
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...
. Celtic manager Neil Lennon
Neil Lennon
Neil Francis Lennon is a former footballer from Northern Ireland. He is the current manager and former captain of Celtic....
and teammate Niall McGinn
Niall McGinn
Niall McGinn is a Northern Irish footballer who plays for Brentford as a winger on loan from Celtic.-Derry City:...
were sent similar packages earlier in the same week.
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cups | Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rochdale | 2001–02 2001-02 in English football The 2001-02 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England.-Arsenal cruise to title glory:In what had earlier been one of the most closely fought Premiership title races for years, Arsenal won the championship by seven points. Their crown was won in the penultimate game of the... |
23 | 4 | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 26 | 4 | ||||||||
| 2002–03 2002-03 in English football The 2002-03 season was the 123rd season of competitive football in England.-Most Memorable rise:*Wigan Athletic marked their 25th season of Football League membership by winning the Division Two championship and reaching the league's second tier for the very first time.-Most Memorable... |
26 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |||||
| 29 | 2 | ||||||||
| 2003–04 2003-04 in English football The 2003-04 season was the 124th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Arsenal completed the entire campaign without losing a single league game.... |
24 | 2 | 4 | 0 | |||||
| 28 | 2 | ||||||||
| 2004–05 2004-05 in English football The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League... |
6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| 8 | 0 | ||||||||
| Total | 79 | 8 | 12 | 0 | - | - | 91 | 8 | |
| Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers F.C. Shamrock Rovers Football Club are a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the most successful club in Irish football history. The club have won the League of Ireland title a record 17 times and the FAI Cup a record 24... |
2005 | 17 | 7 | ||||||
| 17 | 7 | ||||||||
| Total | 17 | 7 | - | - | - | - | 17 | 7 | |
| Derry City | 2005 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 0 | ||||
| 19 | 1 | ||||||||
| 2006 | 21 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 3 | |
| 2007 | 17 | 2 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 6 | |
| 2008 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 9 | 0 | ||||||||
| Total | 61 | 5 | 22 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 88 | 10 | |
| 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... |
2008–09 2008-09 in Scottish football The 2008–09 season was the 112th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Overview:* Hamilton Academical competed in the Scottish Premier League for the first time, their first season in the top-flight since the 1988–89 season, after being promoted as First Division champions the... |
4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2009–10 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 3 | |
| 2010–11 | 25 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 7 | |
| 2011-12 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| Total | 48 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 63 | 10 | |
| Career total | 205 | 29 | 43 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 259 | 35 | |
Honours
- FAI CupFAI CupThe Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...
: 1
-
- Derry CityDerry City F.C.Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division...
– 20062006 FAI Cup FinalThe 2006 FAI Cup Final was a soccer match held at Lansdowne Road, Dublin on 3 December 2006 and was the final match of the 2006 FAI Cup competition. The match was the 83rd FAI Cup Final, and the last to be held at the old Lansdowne Road before it shut for redevelopment. It was also the last ever...
- League of Ireland Cup: 2
- Derry CityDerry City F.C.Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division...
– 2006, 2007- Scottish CupScottish CupThe 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...
: 1
- Scottish Cup
- CelticCeltic 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...
– 20112011 Scottish Cup FinalThe 2011 Scottish Cup Final was the 126th final of the Scottish Cup, Scottish football's most prestigious knockout association football competition. The match toke place at Hampden Park on 21 May 2011 and was played by Scottish Premier League clubs Motherwell and Celtic...
- Derry City
- PFAI Young Player of the Year: 1
- Shamrock RoversShamrock Rovers F.C.Shamrock Rovers Football Club are a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the most successful club in Irish football history. The club have won the League of Ireland title a record 17 times and the FAI Cup a record 24...
– 2005
- Shamrock Rovers
- Sky Sports NewsSky Sports NewsSky Sports News is a 24-hour sports news channel in the United Kingdom. It is run by BSkyB whose sports channels include Sky Sports 1, 2, 3 and 4, as well as Sky Sports HD1, HD2, HD3 and HD4....
SPL Goal of the Season 2009/10 (versus St. Mirren)
External links
- Pat McCourt profile CityWeb