Stephen McPhail
Encyclopedia
Stephen John Paul McPhail (born 9 December 1979) is an Irish
footballer who plays for Cardiff City
. He has won 10 caps for his country, the Republic of Ireland
, and scored one goal. He plays as an attacking central midfield player but can play on the left as well.
, London
and raised in Dublin, Ireland
.
manager George Graham
to christen him "the new Liam Brady
". He began to make an impact on the first team during the 1997–98 season, making his debut in February 1998 against Leicester City
, when he made several substitute appearances and impressed with his hard working play and strong passing ability, which was showcased during one league match when he made a 50-yard lob pass to Leeds and future Cardiff City
teammate Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
which some Leeds fans described as "one of the passes of the season".
He started to become a regular for the side during the 1999/00 season, after making several sub appearances, when he was given a long run in the first team squad and was rewarded with a new five-year contract at the Yorkshire
club. During this time McPhail went on to break his scoring duck for Leeds that year when he scored twice in a league match against Chelsea
at Stamford Bridge
.
After David O'Leary
left Leeds the club went on to have several different managers over the next few years and due to injuries he failed to break into the team first under Terry Venables
and later Peter Reid
. During this time he spent time on loan at Millwall
and Nottingham Forest
in order to get some first team games. He nearly made his move to Forest permanent as both player and manager felt the move would be beneficial to his career but the propsed move eventually broke down as Leeds rejected the bid. During his time at Leeds United, McPhail took part in the club's Champions League Semi Final run, taking part in memorable games against the likes of Barcelona
and playing well against Lazio
at Elland Road
.
on a free transfer, becoming the first international player from Great Britain
and Republic of Ireland
to sign for the club since Gary Fleming
in 1990. He spent two years at Barnsley where he was a major part of the squad and was part of the team that gained promotion to the English Championship via the League One play-offs. Had he stayed with Barnsley he would have been playing in the Championship the following year but instead he opted to leave the club.
, but on 13 June 2006 he signed for Football League Championship
side Cardiff City
on a free transfer from Barnsley
. He was seen as a replacement for Jason Koumas
when the club failed to secure his permanent transfer from West Bromwich Albion
after he had spent the previous year on loan at Ninian Park
. During his first season at Ninian Park, he showed his potential, being ever-present in the starting line-up and in July 2007 he was rewarded with a new four-year contract at the club. Manager Dave Jones continued to show faith in the midfielder when, at the start of the 2007/08 season, he made McPhail temporary captain in the absence of normal captain Darren Purse
and vice-captain Riccardo Scimeca
. On 27 October 2007 he finally broke his scoring drought for Cardiff, in his 55th league game, by finding the net in a 1–1 draw with Scunthorpe United
.
On 30 November 2007 after a poor start to the season for the Bluebirds McPhail spoke to local paper the South Wales Echo
and claimed that the teams poor start was "all his fault". Cardiff's form improved towards the new year as they moved back towards the play off places with McPhail's midfield partnership with Gavin Rae
beginning to produce, as he found the net twice within the space of two months with goals against Hull City
and Blackpool
. McPhail also led the team as captain to the FA Cup Final
, played on 17 May, playing in four of the five games en route to the final, being replaced by Aaron Ramsey
for the third round tie against non-league Chasetown
due to picking up his fifth booking of the season the previous week.
The start of the 2008–09
season saw McPhail make his 100th appearance for Cardiff, in a 1–1 draw with Doncaster Rovers
on 16 August and two months later he made his 100th league appearance in a 2–1 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers
. On 23 September Cardiff met rivals Swansea City
in the first South Wales derby
to take place in seven years and, after being booked in the first half, McPhail was sent off in the 75th minute resulting in a one match ban which saw him miss the league match against Birmingham City
. Remarkably on Cardiff's following visit to Swansea on 30 November, McPhail was again sent off for two bookable offenses, this time with 40 minutes remaining after kicking the ball away. Cardiff manager Dave Jones publicly slammed McPhail stating that "he probably cost us all three points". After serving his suspension, he found his place in the side taken by Joe Ledley
meaning he did not feature for the side for two months before returning to the starting line-up towards the end of the season.
At the start of the 2009–10
season, McPhail started the opening two league games before injury kept him out of the side for one month. He returned to the side on 16 September 2009 against Reading
but was sent off for a foul on Jem Karacan
. Following the end of his suspension, McPhail returned in a 6–1 win against Derby County
, creating four of the teams goals. Four weeks later, he suffered a thigh injury while playing against Nottingham Forest
on 1 November 2009, being replaced by Gavin Rae after just 26 minutes. He was originally scheduled to be out for between 6–8 weeks but, on 20 November 2009, he was diagnosed with lymphoma
and was forced to miss a longer period. McPhail returned to Cardiff's starting eleven on 5 February 2010 in a 5–1 defeat to Newcastle United
, playing 75 minutes before being substituted.
In the summer of 2011, McPhail changed his number to 37 to resemble his first ever number given to him by Leeds United. After missing the first month of the 2011-12 season, McPhail returned in a Football League Cup
game against Leicester City
on 21 September 2011, to be taken off after 29 minutes with a groin injury. He returned from injury in October, where he made the bench on 18 October against Peterborough United
.
selected him in the squad for a match against Scotland
. McPhail currently holds 10 caps for the Republic of Ireland national football team
and has also played for the Ireland under-21
side earlier in his career however he has not earned a full cap for Ireland since a match against Nigeria
in 2004. Due to some good form at Cardiff he had publicly declared his hopes of returning to the international scene due to the return of an Ireland B team. In October 2006 he was named in the Ireland B
squad for a match against Scotland B
and captained the side in a 0–0 draw.
In May 2008, new Ireland
manager Giovanni Trapattoni
selected McPhail for his first squad for the friendly games against Serbia
and Colombia
.
Cardiff City
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
footballer who plays for Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
. He has won 10 caps for his country, the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
, and scored one goal. He plays as an attacking central midfield player but can play on the left as well.
Early life
McPhail was born in WestminsterCity of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and raised in Dublin, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
Leeds United
McPhail started his career by coming through the youth ranks at Leeds United and attracted interest from several teams which even led to former ArsenalArsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
manager George Graham
George Graham (footballer)
George Graham is a Scottish former football player and manager. He is best remembered for his success at Arsenal, as a player in the 1970s and then as manager from 1986 until 1995.-Early life:...
to christen him "the new Liam Brady
Liam Brady
Liam Brady is a former Irish association football player, and former assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland national football team....
". He began to make an impact on the first team during the 1997–98 season, making his debut in February 1998 against Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, when he made several substitute appearances and impressed with his hard working play and strong passing ability, which was showcased during one league match when he made a 50-yard lob pass to Leeds and future Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
teammate Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Jerrel Hasselbaink usually known as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is a Dutch former football striker who played for various clubs in the Netherlands, Portugal, England, and Spain, as well as the Dutch national team. He scored more than 200 career goals...
which some Leeds fans described as "one of the passes of the season".
He started to become a regular for the side during the 1999/00 season, after making several sub appearances, when he was given a long run in the first team squad and was rewarded with a new five-year contract at the Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
club. During this time McPhail went on to break his scoring duck for Leeds that year when he scored twice in a league match against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
at Stamford Bridge
Stamford Bridge (stadium)
Stamford Bridge is a football stadium in Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, West London, and is the home of Chelsea Football Club. The stadium is located within the Moore Park Estate also known as Walham Green and is often referred to as simply The Bridge...
.
After David O'Leary
David O'Leary
David Anthony O'Leary is an Irish football manager and former player. His managerial career began at Leeds United and later he managed Aston Villa. He most recently worked as the manager of Al-Ahli Dubai...
left Leeds the club went on to have several different managers over the next few years and due to injuries he failed to break into the team first under Terry Venables
Terry Venables
Terence Frederick "Terry" Venables , often referred to as "El Tel", is a former football player and manager, as well as being a media pundit. During the 1960s and 70s, he played for various clubs including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Queens Park Rangers, and gained two caps for England...
and later Peter Reid
Peter Reid
Peter Reid is an English football manager, pundit and retired player, who is currently without a club since his departure from Plymouth Argyle.A defensive midfielder in his playing days, Reid enjoyed a long and successful career...
. During this time he spent time on loan at Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
and Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
in order to get some first team games. He nearly made his move to Forest permanent as both player and manager felt the move would be beneficial to his career but the propsed move eventually broke down as Leeds rejected the bid. During his time at Leeds United, McPhail took part in the club's Champions League Semi Final run, taking part in memorable games against the likes of Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
and playing well against Lazio
S.S. Lazio
Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football...
at Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
.
Barnsley
He left Leeds in July 2004 to sign for BarnsleyBarnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
on a free transfer, becoming the first international player from Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
to sign for the club since Gary Fleming
Gary Fleming
Gary Fleming is a retired footballer from Derry, Northern Ireland. He started his career as a youth at Tristar Boys F.C. and later signed for Derry Athletic under the tutelage of coach Jim O'Hea. There, he caught the eye of Nottingham Forest and in 1983 he signed a contract with them. His debut...
in 1990. He spent two years at Barnsley where he was a major part of the squad and was part of the team that gained promotion to the English Championship via the League One play-offs. Had he stayed with Barnsley he would have been playing in the Championship the following year but instead he opted to leave the club.
Cardiff City
Due to being out of contract, he attracted interest from teams all over the Football LeagueThe Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, but on 13 June 2006 he signed for Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
side Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
on a free transfer from Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
. He was seen as a replacement for Jason Koumas
Jason Koumas
Jason Koumas is a Welsh professional footballer who is currently a free agent after being released by Wigan Athletic. Formerly of Tranmere Rovers, Cardiff City and West Bromwich Albion, he is a former Welsh international...
when the club failed to secure his permanent transfer from 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...
after he had spent the previous year on loan at Ninian Park
Ninian Park
Ninian Park was a football stadium in Leckwith, Cardiff, Wales. Until 2009, it was the home ground of Cardiff City F.C., who compete in the English Football League Championship...
. During his first season at Ninian Park, he showed his potential, being ever-present in the starting line-up and in July 2007 he was rewarded with a new four-year contract at the club. Manager Dave Jones continued to show faith in the midfielder when, at the start of the 2007/08 season, he made McPhail temporary captain in the absence of normal captain Darren Purse
Darren Purse
Darren John Purse is an English professional footballer who plays for League Two club Plymouth Argyle as a defender, on loan from Championship side Millwall....
and vice-captain Riccardo Scimeca
Riccardo Scimeca
Riccardo Scimeca is an English former professional footballer who played for Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City, West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City in a career spanning 16 years, making over 400 appearances...
. On 27 October 2007 he finally broke his scoring drought for Cardiff, in his 55th league game, by finding the net in a 1–1 draw with Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
.
On 30 November 2007 after a poor start to the season for the Bluebirds McPhail spoke to local paper the South Wales Echo
South Wales Echo
The South Wales Echo is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Cardiff, Wales and distributed throughout the surrounding area.The newspaper was founded in 1884 and was based in Thomson House, Cardiff city centre. It is published by Media Wales Ltd , part of the Trinity Mirror group...
and claimed that the teams poor start was "all his fault". Cardiff's form improved towards the new year as they moved back towards the play off places with McPhail's midfield partnership with Gavin Rae
Gavin Rae
Gavin Paul Rae is a Scottish international footballer, who currently plays for Scottish First Division club Dundee. Rae started his career with Dundee, making over 200 league appearances for the club. He moved to Rangers in January 2004, but struggled to hold down a regular place in their team due...
beginning to produce, as he found the net twice within the space of two months with goals against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
and Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
. McPhail also led the team as captain to the FA Cup Final
2008 FA Cup Final
The 2008 FA Cup Final was a football match held at Wembley Stadium on 17 May 2008 and was the final match of the 2007–08 FA Cup competition. The match was the 127th FA Cup Final, and the second to be held at the new Wembley Stadium since its redevelopment. The match was contested by Portsmouth and...
, played on 17 May, playing in four of the five games en route to the final, being replaced by Aaron Ramsey
Aaron Ramsey
Aaron James Ramsey is a Welsh professional footballer who plays for the premier league club Arsenal and is the captain of the Wales national football team...
for the third round tie against non-league Chasetown
Chasetown F.C.
Chasetown Football Club is an English football club based in the Chasetown area of Burntwood, Staffordshire. The club currently plays in the Northern Premier League Premier Division and is nicknamed The Scholars, having been formed by affiliates of nearby Chase Terrace High School in the Chase...
due to picking up his fifth booking of the season the previous week.
The start of the 2008–09
Cardiff City F.C. season 2008-09
The 2008–09 season was Cardiff City's sixth consecutive year playing in the Football League Championship and their 82nd season playing in The Football League...
season saw McPhail make his 100th appearance for Cardiff, in a 1–1 draw with Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
on 16 August and two months later he made his 100th league appearance in a 2–1 defeat against Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
. On 23 September Cardiff met rivals Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
in the first South Wales derby
South Wales derby
The South Wales derby is a football local derby between Welsh clubs Cardiff City and Swansea City and is regarded as one of the most fierce rivalries in British football....
to take place in seven years and, after being booked in the first half, McPhail was sent off in the 75th minute resulting in a one match ban which saw him miss the league match against Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
. Remarkably on Cardiff's following visit to Swansea on 30 November, McPhail was again sent off for two bookable offenses, this time with 40 minutes remaining after kicking the ball away. Cardiff manager Dave Jones publicly slammed McPhail stating that "he probably cost us all three points". After serving his suspension, he found his place in the side taken by Joe Ledley
Joe Ledley
Joseph Christopher Ledley is a Welsh footballer who plays for Scottish Premier League club Celtic and the Welsh national team as a central or left midfielder....
meaning he did not feature for the side for two months before returning to the starting line-up towards the end of the season.
At the start of the 2009–10
Cardiff City F.C. season 2009–10
The 2009–10 season is Cardiff City F.C.'s 83rd season in The Football League since joining in 1920. The season is also the club's first in the Cardiff City Stadium, replacing their former ground Ninian Park, which had been used by the club for 99 years. Cardiff had their most successful season in...
season, McPhail started the opening two league games before injury kept him out of the side for one month. He returned to the side on 16 September 2009 against Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
but was sent off for a foul on Jem Karacan
Jem Karacan
Jem Paul Karacan is an English-born Turkish footballer who plays for Reading as a midfielder. He has played internationally for the Turkish youth team, and has captained the U-21 side.-Early life:...
. Following the end of his suspension, McPhail returned in a 6–1 win against Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
, creating four of the teams goals. Four weeks later, he suffered a thigh injury while playing against Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
on 1 November 2009, being replaced by Gavin Rae after just 26 minutes. He was originally scheduled to be out for between 6–8 weeks but, on 20 November 2009, he was diagnosed with lymphoma
Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
and was forced to miss a longer period. McPhail returned to Cardiff's starting eleven on 5 February 2010 in a 5–1 defeat to Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
, playing 75 minutes before being substituted.
In the summer of 2011, McPhail changed his number to 37 to resemble his first ever number given to him by Leeds United. After missing the first month of the 2011-12 season, McPhail returned in a Football League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
game against Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
on 21 September 2011, to be taken off after 29 minutes with a groin injury. He returned from injury in October, where he made the bench on 18 October against Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
.
International career
He received his first call up in May 2000 when manager Mick McCarthyMick McCarthy
Michael Joseph "Mick" McCarthy is an English-born former Irish international footballer who is currently the manager of Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he has been in charge since July 2006....
selected him in the squad for a match against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. McPhail currently holds 10 caps for the Republic of Ireland national football team
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
and has also played for the Ireland under-21
Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team
The Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team, is the national under-21 football team of the Republic of Ireland and is controlled by the Football Association of Ireland and competes in the biennial European Under-21 Football Championship and has competed since 1978.-Competition...
side earlier in his career however he has not earned a full cap for Ireland since a match against Nigeria
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
in 2004. Due to some good form at Cardiff he had publicly declared his hopes of returning to the international scene due to the return of an Ireland B team. In October 2006 he was named in the Ireland B
Republic of Ireland B national football team
Republic of Ireland B is the reserve team of the Republic of Ireland national football team. There are no competitions for B teams. However since 1957 the Football Association of Ireland has arranged occasional friendlies.-Early B internationals:...
squad for a match against Scotland B
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....
and captained the side in a 0–0 draw.
In May 2008, new Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
manager Giovanni Trapattoni
Giovanni Trapattoni
Giovanni Trapattoni , sometimes known as "Trap" or "Il Trap", is an Italian football coach and former player, considered the most successful club coach in the history of Serie A. As a player he was part of Italy's squad at the 1962 FIFA World Cup....
selected McPhail for his first squad for the friendly games against Serbia
Serbia national football team
The Serbia national football team represents Serbia in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Serbia, the governing body for football in Serbia. Serbia's home ground is Stadion Crvena Zvezda in Belgrade and their last head coach was Vladimir Petrović...
and Colombia
Colombia national football team
The Colombian national football team represents Colombia in international football competitions and is controlled by the Colombian Football Federation. It is a member of the CONMEBOL...
.
Club stats
As of 29 November 2011| Club | Season | League The Football League The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football... |
FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | ||
| Leeds United | 1997–98 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1998–99 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| 1999–00 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 38 | 2 | |
| 2000–01 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| Millwall Millwall F.C. Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the... (loan) |
2000–01 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Leeds United | 2001–02 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2002–03 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 19 | 0 | |
| 2003–04 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest F.C. Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship... (loan) |
2003–04 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| Subtotal | 95 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 125 | 3 | |
| Barnsley Barnsley F.C. Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's... |
2004–05 | 36 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 2 |
| 2005–06 | 37 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 2 | |
| Subtotal | 168 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 202 | 7 | |
| Cardiff City Cardiff City F.C. Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for... |
2006–07 | 43 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 0 |
| 2007–08 | 43 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 3 | |
| 2008–09 | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 0 | |
| 2010-11 | 28 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | |
| 2011-12 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| Total | 344 | 10 | 15 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 387 | 10 | |
Honours
Barnsley- Football League Division Two play-off winners: 2005–06The Football League 2005-06The 2005–2006 season was the 106th completed season of The Football League.-Overview:In this season of Football League, Reading was the only club in England to get more than 100 points and they also have won the League Championship...
Cardiff City
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
runners-up: 2007–08FA Cup 2007-08The 2007–08 FA Cup was the 127th season of the world's oldest football knockout competition, The Football Association Challenge Cup, or FA Cup for short. A record 731 clubs' entries were accepted for the competition....
External links
- Stephen McPhail Profile at Cardiff City FC.co.uk.
- Stephen McPhail player profile at football.co.uk
- Stephen McPhail player profile at 4thegame.com