Ollie O'Neill | |
Full Name: | Oliver John O'Neill |
Birth Date: | 8 January 2003 |
Birth Place: | London, England |
Position: | Midfielder |
Currentclub: | Leyton Orient |
Clubnumber: | 21 |
Youthyears1: | 2010–2016 |
Youthclubs1: | Brentford |
Youthyears2: | 2016–2022 |
Youthclubs2: | Fulham |
Years1: | 2022–2024 |
Clubs1: | Fulham |
Caps1: | 0 |
Goals1: | 0 |
Years2: | 2023 |
Clubs2: | → Derry City (loan) |
Caps2: | 19 |
Goals2: | 1 |
Years3: | 2024– |
Clubs3: | Leyton Orient |
Caps3: | 17 |
Goals3: | 5 |
Nationalteam1: | Republic of Ireland U16 |
Nationalyears2: | 2020 |
Nationalteam2: | Republic of Ireland U17 |
Nationalcaps2: | 3 |
Nationalgoals2: | 1 |
Nationalyears3: | 2021 |
Nationalteam3: | Republic of Ireland U19 |
Nationalcaps3: | 1 |
Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
Nationalyears4: | 2021– |
Nationalteam4: | Republic of Ireland U21 |
Nationalcaps4: | 11 |
Nationalgoals4: | 2 |
Club-Update: | 28 May 2024 (UTC) |
Nationalteam-Update: | 17:01, 11 June 2024 (UTC) |
Oliver John O'Neill (born 8 January 2003) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Leyton Orient and the Republic of Ireland U21 team.
Brought up in West London, O'Neill was in the academy at Brentford from the age of seven until thirteen when they made the decision to disband their academy. O'Neill attended the City of London School where he received 11 A* GCSE grades and two A* A-Level grades.[1]
O'Neill signed his first professional contract with Fulham in February 2020.[2] He was named the scholar of the year in the Fulham academy in 2021.[3] He called up to the first team squad at Fulham for the first time being an unused substitute against Leeds United in the EFL Cup in September 2021.[4] He signed a new three-year contract with the club in July 2022.[5] He had interest from other English clubs for a loan spell but was injured over the January 2023 transfer window and no moves materialised as a result.[6]
O'Neill joined Derry City on a six-month loan deal in February 2023. He said he was attracted by the style of play of Derry manager Ruaidhri Higgins.[7] He made his League of Ireland debut for Derry City on 20 February 2023 in a 1–1 draw at St Patrick’s Athletic.[8] He scored his first league goal for Derry City on 6 March 2023 against UCD.[9] He played nineteen games, starting twelve, before returning to Fulham.[10]
On 23 January 2024, O'Neill signed for EFL League One side Leyton Orient for an undisclosed fee on a two-and-a-half-year contract.[11]
O'Neill began representing Republic of Ireland at the under-16 Victory Shield.[12] He scored a 92nd winner for the Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team against Sweden on 17 November 2021.[13]
He was brought up in Ealing, London with his parents and brothers and sisters. They have Irish family in Waterford and Galway and Kerry. His father’s family are from Waterford and his mother's family are living in Galway.[14]