Jamie O'Brien (footballer)

James O'Brien (born 8 June 1990) is an Irish footballer who plays for Shelbourne. He made his debut in the Football League for Bradford City in August 2009. He has represented Ireland at all levels up to under-19.

For other footballers, see Jim O'Brien.

James O'Brien
Personal information
Date of birth (1990-06-08) 8 June 1990
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Shelbourne
Number 12
Youth career
0000–2006 Cherry Orchard
2006–2007 Birmingham City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2009 Birmingham City 0 (0)
2009 → Solihull Moors (loan)
2009–2010 Bradford City 23 (2)
2010–2011 St Patrick's Athletic 9 (0)
2011–2012 Longford Town 9 (0)
2013–2014 Athlone Town 43 (7)
2014–2016 Bohemians 8 (0)
2016 Waterford United 18 (3)
2016–2017 Bluebell United
2017– Shelbourne 27 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4 October 2018

Early life

O'Brien was born in Dublin and raised in the Ballyfermot district.[1] His younger brother Mark and cousin Cliff Byrne are also professional footballers.[1][2]

Club career

O'Brien began his football career with Ballyfermot club Cherry Orchard.[1] In the summer of 2006 he moved to England to take up a scholarship with Birmingham City. After only one year with the club, during which he was part of the youth team which reached the quarter-final of the FA Youth Cup, he signed a two-year professional contract.[3] He played regularly for Birmingham's reserve team and was an unused substitute as they won the Birmingham Senior Cup in 2008.[4] O'Brien joined Conference North side Solihull Moors on a month's loan in January 2009,[5] but the loan was interrupted when the player sustained a pelvic injury a couple of weeks later.[6]

After his contract with Birmingham expired, O'Brien spent pre-season with League Two club Bradford City. He impressed during trials, scoring on his debut in a pre-season friendly against Burnley, and on 4 August 2009 signed a three-month contract.[2] He made his professional debut for Bradford on 12 August as a second-half substitute in a 3–0 loss against Nottingham Forest in the League Cup.[7][8] His debut in the Football League came three days later as a late substitute in the goalless draw at home to Port Vale.[9] O'Brien scored his first goal for Bradford on 22 August, in a 5–4 victory away at Cheltenham Town.[10][11] Due to having surgery O'Brien has been restricted to substitute appearances.

O'Brien signed a new 18-month contract with Bradford City on 29 October,[12] but was released on 26 July 2010, 10 months early.[13] He subsequently returned to his native Dublin where he signed for his boyhood club St Patrick's Athletic.[14]

He signed for Longford Town in July 2011, and was released in July 2012.[15]

In July 2013 he was playing for Athlone Town.[16] He signed for Bohemians ahead of the 2015 season,[17] and in January 2016, he joined Waterford United, where he was reunited with manager Roddy Collins for whom he had played at Athlone Town.[15][18]

O'Brien signed for Shelbourne on 31 January 2017.[19]

International career

While a Cherry Orchard player, O'Brien captained Ireland's under-16 side. According to his manager Vincent Butler, he was "excellent for us this season and in most of our matches was the best player on the pitch",[20] and his performances with that team earned him the eircom/FAI Under-16 International Player of the Year award.[21] He graduated to the under-17s,[1] missing out on the elite qualifying round of the 2007 UEFA Under-17 championships through injury,[22] under-18s,[23] and, in the 2008–09 season, to the under-19s.[24]

References
Infobox statistics
  • Bradford City: Jamie O'Brien at Soccerbase.
  • League of Ireland clubs: "Player profile: James O'Brien". Airtricity League Stats Centre. Airtricity League. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
General
  1. "Meet Ireland's Under 17 Squad Ahead Of Tonight's Friendly Against Italy". Football Association of Ireland (FAI). 23 January 2007. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  2. "James O'Brien given time to prove himself". Bradford City official website. 4 August 2009. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  3. "Trio Sign Pro Deals". Birmingham City F.C. 4 July 2007. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  4. "Birmingham Senior Cup – Birmingham City 5 Burton Albion 0". Birmingham Mail. 8 April 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  5. "Youngsters Join Moors On Loan". Birmingham City F.C. 13 January 2009. Archived from the original on 1 March 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  6. Stoner, Colin (28 January 2009). "Stuart Nicholson makes a dream start as Tamworth beat King's Lynn 2–0 at The Lamb". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  7. "Nottm Forest 3–0 Bradford". BBC Sport. 13 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  8. "Nottingham Forest 3 Bradford City 0". Bradford City official website. 13 August 2009. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  9. "Bradford 0–0 Port Vale". BBC Sport. 15 August 2009. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  10. "Cheltenham Town 4 Bradford City 5". Bradford City official website. 22 August 2009. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  11. "Cheltenham 4–5 Bradford". BBC Sport. 22 August 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  12. "James O'Brien earns extended contract". Bradford City official website. 29 October 2009. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
  13. "Bradford City agree to release midfielder James O'Brien". BBC Sport. 27 July 2010. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  14. "Midfielder James O'Brien signs for Pat's". St Patrick's Athletic F.C. 27 July 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  15. "James O'Brien – Waterford United". ExtraTime.ie. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  16. Parker, Simon (16 July 2013). "James O'Brien regrets cutting short stay at Bradford City". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  17. Kennedy, Cormac (5 March 2015). "Season Preview 2015 - Bohemians". ExtraTime.ie. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  18. "Across the Back by Booter". Waterford Today. 24 February 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  19. Niall Lanigan, James O'Brien, Robert Bayly and Jamie Quinn sign up for 2017, shelbournefc.ie, 31 January 2017
  20. "Ireland's skipper, James O'Brien, looks for positive start against Croatia". FAI. 25 April 2006. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  21. "17th eircom/FAI International Award Winners Announced". FAI. 4 February 2007. Archived from the original on 6 February 2007. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  22. "Ireland's U17 eager to challenge Germany for place in UEFA Championship finals". FAI. 26 March 2007. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  23. "Statistics: Under18". SoccerScene.ie. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  24. "Under 19 Player Profiles". FAI. 16 January 2009. Archived from the original on 20 August 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
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