John O'Sullivan (footballer) explained

John O'Sullivan
Fullname:John Anthony James O'Sullivan[1]
Birth Date:18 September 1993
Birth Place:Dublin, Ireland[2]
Height:1.81m (05.94feet)[3]
Position:Attacking midfielder
Currentclub:Shelbourne
Clubnumber:16
Youthyears1:–2009
Youthclubs1:Belvedere[4]
Youthyears2:2009–2013
Youthclubs2:Blackburn Rovers
Years1:2013–2017
Clubs1:Blackburn Rovers
Caps1:6
Goals1:0
Years2:2014
Clubs2:Southport (loan)
Caps2:21
Goals2:5
Years3:2014
Clubs3:Accrington Stanley (loan)
Caps3:13
Goals3:4
Years4:2015
Clubs4:Barnsley (loan)
Caps4:8
Goals4:0
Years5:2015–2016
Clubs5:Rochdale (loan)
Caps5:3
Goals5:0
Years6:2016
Clubs6:Bury (loan)
Caps6:19
Goals6:0
Years7:2016–2017
Clubs7:Accrington Stanley (loan)
Caps7:19
Goals7:3
Years8:2017–2018
Clubs8:Carlisle United
Caps8:35
Goals8:4
Years9:2018–2019
Clubs9:Blackpool
Caps9:13
Goals9:0
Years10:2019
Clubs10:Dundee (loan)
Caps10:11
Goals10:0
Years11:2019–2021
Clubs11:Morecambe
Caps11:72
Goals11:7
Years12:2021–2022
Clubs12:Accrington Stanley
Caps12:25
Goals12:2
Years13:2022–2023
Clubs13:Bohemians
Caps13:27
Goals13:2
Nationalyears1:2011–2012
Nationalteam1:Republic of Ireland U19
Nationalcaps1:13
Nationalgoals1:1
Nationalyears2:2012–2013
Nationalteam2:Republic of Ireland U21
Nationalcaps2:4
Nationalgoals2:0
Club-Update:22:00, 28 June 2024 (UTC)
Nationalteam-Update:10:19, 21 August 2016 (UTC)
Clubs14:Shelbourne
Years14:2024–
Caps14:19
Goals14:1

John Anthony James O'Sullivan (born 18 September 1993) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Shelbourne.

Club career

In the summer of 2009, O’Sullivan, aged 15, joined Premier League side Blackburn Rovers from Dublin-based Belvedere, a youth club that's well known for its youth system which has successfully produced dozens of players who have gone on to play football throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Working his way through the ranks at Rovers, from the Academy to the Reserves, O’Sullivan begun to be featured in match day squads as an unused substitute during the 2012–13 Football League Championship campaign, the club's first season back in the second-tier of English football having been relegated from the Premier League in May 2012.

On 4 May 2013, O’Sullivan made his senior professional debut for Rovers in their final game of the season, coming on as a second-half substitute against Birmingham City.[5]

On 9 January 2014, O'Sullivan joined Conference Premier side Southport on a one-month loan deal.[6] On 2 February, the loan was extended until the end of the season.[7] He scored his first goal for Southport on 22 February 2014 in a 3–1 away defeat against Forest Green Rovers.[8]

On 19 September 2014, O'Sullivan joined League Two outfit Accrington Stanley on a one-month loan deal.[9] On 20 October 2014, the loan was extended until 20 December 2014. O'Sullivan scored 4 goals in 13 appearances.[10]

In January 2017, it was announced that O’Sullivan and Blackburn Rovers had agreed to mutually terminate the player's contract, ending his eight-year association with the Lancashire outfit. In total, O’Sullivan made six first-team appearances for Rovers, having spent a majority of his last three-years with the club out on-loan at Southport, Accrington Stanley, Barnsley, Rochdale and Bury.[11]

In the same month, following his release from Blackburn Rovers, O’Sullivan signed for League Two side Carlisle United on an 18-month-deal.[12] He was released by Carlisle at the end of the 2017-18 season, having made 35 league appearances for the Cumbrian club, finding the net on two occasions.[13]

In June 2018, O’Sullivan linked up once again with former Rovers academy and first-team manager Gary Bowyer at League One Blackpool, signing a one-year deal with the Tangerines.[14]

On 4 September, O'Sullivan scored his first goal for Blackpool in a 3-3 draw against Macclesfield Town in the EFL Trophy.[15]

In late January 2019, O’Sullivan, joined Scottish Premiership club Dundee on loan until the end-of-the-season.[16] He left Blackpool at the end of the season, following the expiration of his contract with the Seasiders. Blackpool had opted against activating the clause in O'Sullivan's contract to extend his stay by a further year.[17]

On 2 July 2019, O'Sullivan joined League Two outfit Morecambe, agreeing to a two-year deal with the side.[18]

On 17 June 2021, it was announced that O’Sullivan had agreed to join League One side Accrington Stanley on a three-year deal upon the expiration of his contract with newly promoted Morecambe, having turned down an offer from Morecambe to join rivals Stanley. It meant that the move was to be the first time O’Sullivan had linked up with Stanley on a permanent basis, having previously had two loan-spells with the club.[19]

On 10 June 2022, John returned home to Dublin to sign for League of Ireland Premier Division side Bohemians.[20]

On 8 December 2023, O'Sullivan would join Bohemian's rivals Shelbourne for the 2024 season.[21]

International career

O'Sullivan made his debut for the Ireland national under 15 team in 2008, he won international u16 player of the year. He has been called up at all age groups to the Republic of Ireland U21s. In 2011, he featured in all the games for Ireland u19 team that reached the semi-final of the euro finals.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Blackburn Rovers2012–13Championship1000000010
2013–140000000000
2014–152000000020
2015–162000100030
Total5000100060
Southport (loan)2013–14Conference Premier2130000213
Accrington Stanley (loan)2014–15League Two134000000134
Barnsley (loan)2014–15League One8000000080
Rochdale (loan)2015–16League One2010000030
Bury (loan)2015–16League One190000000190
Accrington Stanley (loan)2016–17League Two19121301[22] 0252
Carlisle United2016–17League Two17100002[23] 2193
2017–18181400010231
Total352400032424
Blackpool2018–19League One130204031221
Dundee2018–19Scottish Premiership110000000110
Morecambe2019–20League Two343101030393
2020–21384313030475
Total727414060868
Accrington Stanley2021–22League One242100011263
Bohemians2022LOI Premier Division8130111
20231915021262
Total2728021373
Shelbourne2024LOI Premier Division191100030231
Career total2882223212019534229

Honours

Morecambe

2021[24]

Bohemians

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Premier League Clubs submit Squad Lists . premierleague.com . Premier League . 2 September 2011 . 5 May 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130731092613/http://www.premierleague.com/content/dam/premierleague/site-content/News/publications/squad-lists/squad-lists-september-2011.pdf . 31 July 2013 .
  2. Book: Glenda. Rollin. Jack. Rollin. Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013. 2012. Headline. London. 978-0-7553-6356-8. 430. 43rd.
  3. Web site: John O'Sullivan . WorldFootball.net . 23 February 2020.
  4. Web site: Past Belvo Players. www.belvederefc.com. 2 February 2016. 2 February 2016. 16 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210116140524/http://www.belvederefc.com/profiles/past-belvo-players.1483.html. dead.
  5. Web site: Birmingham 1–1 Blackburn. BBC Sport . 4 May 2013 . 4 May 2013 .
  6. Web site: John Coleman Signs Four Players Today . Southport FC . 9 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140109181154/http://www.southportfc.net/news/details.php?news_id=9611 . 9 January 2014 .
  7. Web site: O'Sullivan Loan Extended . Blackburn Rovers FC . 2 February 2014.
  8. Web site: Forest Green 3–1 Southport . BBC Sport . 22 February 2014 . 22 February 2014.
  9. Web site: Accrington: O'Sullivan & Maguire join from Blackburn and West Ham. BBC Sport. 19 September 2014.
  10. Web site: John O'Sullivan: Blackburn midfielder extends Accrington stay. BBC Sport. 20 October 2014.
  11. Web site: Dollery. Paul. Blackburn terminate Irish winger O'Sullivan's contract by mutual agreement. 2021-09-04. The42. 17 January 2017 . en.
  12. Web site: Former Blackburn Rovers winger John O'Sullivan joins Carlisle United. 2021-09-04. Lancashire Telegraph. en.
  13. Web site: Carlisle United release eight players after missing out on League Two play-offs. 7 May 2018. 9 May 2018. BBC Sport.
  14. News: John O'Sullivan: Blackpool sign out-of-contract Carlisle United midfielder . BBC . 12 June 2018. 10 September 2018.
  15. Web site: 4 September 2018. 7 September 2018. blackpoolfc.o.uk. Macclesfield 3 Blackpool 3.
  16. Web site: Dundee sign Scott Wright, Ryan McGowan, Ethan Robson and John O'Sullivan on loan. BBC Sport. 1 February 2019. 17 June 2019.
  17. Web site: 14 players exit Dundee after relegation. BBC Sport. 20 May 2019.
  18. Web site: John O'sullivan Signs.
  19. Web site: John O'Sullivan: Accrington Stanley sign Morecambe winger on a three-year deal. BBC. 17 June 2021. 17 June 2021.
  20. Web site: BOHEMIANS SIGN MIDFIELDER JOHN O'SULLIVAN. Bohemian F.C. 10 June 2022. 10 June 2022.
  21. Web site: 2023-12-08 . Damien Duff bolsters Shelbourne squad with signings of John Martin and John O’Sullivan . 2023-12-10 . Independent.ie . en.
  22. Appearance(s) in the Football League Trophy
  23. Appearances in the League Two play-offs
  24. Web site: League Two play-off final: Morecambe 1–0 Newport County - Shrimps Win Promotion. BBC Sport. 31 May 2021. 11 October 2021.
  25. Web site: Dempsey . Andrew . Bohemians secure Leinster Senior Cup crown with win over Usher Celtic . 2023-09-19 . extratime.com . en.