Sean Long (footballer) explained

Sean Long
Fullname:Sean Martin Long[1]
Birth Date:2 May 1995[2]
Birth Place:Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Position:Full-back
Currentclub:Forest Green Rovers
Clubnumber:3
Youthyears1:–2012
Youthclubs1:Cherry Orchard
Youthyears2:2012–2013
Youthclubs2:Reading
Years1:2013–2017
Clubs1:Reading
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:2015–2016
Clubs2:Luton Town (loan)
Caps2:9
Goals2:0
Years3:2016
Clubs3:Braintree Town (loan)
Caps3:9
Goals3:0
Years4:2016–2017
Clubs4:Cambridge United (loan)
Caps4:7
Goals4:0
Years5:2017
Clubs5:Lincoln City (loan)
Caps5:14
Goals5:0
Years6:2017–2018
Clubs6:Lincoln City
Caps6:17
Goals6:0
Years7:2018–2024
Clubs7:Cheltenham Town
Caps7:190
Goals7:7
Years8:2024–
Clubs8:Forest Green Rovers
Caps8:3
Goals8:0
Nationalteam1:Republic of Ireland U16
Nationalteam2:Republic of Ireland U17
Nationalteam3:Republic of Ireland U18
Nationalyears4:2013–2014
Nationalteam4:Republic of Ireland U19
Nationalcaps4:12
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2014–2016
Nationalteam5:Republic of Ireland U21
Nationalcaps5:11
Nationalgoals5:1
Club-Update:19:36, 21 August 2024 (UTC)

Sean Martin Long (born 2 May 1995) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a full-back for club Forest Green Rovers.

Club career

Reading

Long joined Reading from Irish club Cherry Orchard in 2012.[3] He made his professional debut on 26 August 2014 as a second-half substitute in a 1–0 League Cup win over Scunthorpe United.[4]

On 16 October 2015, Long signed for League Two club Luton Town on an initial one-month loan.[5] He made his debut for the club a day later in a 2–1 defeat away to Crawley Town.[6] Long made four further appearances including three in League Two and one in the FA Cup before his loan was extended on 16 November 2015 until 2 January 2016, continuing to cover for Stephen O'Donnell who was recovering from a double hernia injury.[7] He returned to Reading on 5 January 2016 after making 11 appearances for the club in all competitions.[8]

On 15 March 2016, Long signed for National League club Braintree Town on loan until the end of the season.[9] He made his debut for the club later that day in a 0–0 draw with Gateshead.[10] Long made nine league appearances for Braintree, helping them to secure a place in the National League play-offs after a 3–0 win at home to Altrincham on 30 April 2016 and would face Grimsby Town in the semi-finals over two legs.[11] He featured in the semi-final first leg as Braintree earned a 1–0 away win to gain a slender advantage over their opponents.[12] Long featured again in the semi-final second leg, as Braintree were defeated 2–0 after extra time and 2–1 on aggregate, ending their hopes of promotion.[13]

On 9 May 2016, Long was one of 15 Reading youth-team players offered a new contract by the club,[14] with confirmation of his new deal being signed coming on 1 July 2016.[15]

On 28 July 2016, following a pre-season trial, Long signed a six-month loan deal with League Two club Cambridge United.[16] He made his debut on the opening day of 2016–17 in a 1–1 draw at home to Barnet. Long made 12 appearances and returned to Reading following the expiration of his loan spell.[17]

Lincoln City

On 5 January 2017, Long signed a loan deal with National League club Lincoln City for the remainder of 2016–17 with a view to a permanent transfer.[18] He made his debut two days later in Lincoln's 2–2 draw away to Ipswich Town in the FA Cup third round, having entered the match as a stoppage time substitute and completed the loan spell with 19 appearances.

Reading announced that Long would be released when his contract expired at the end of the season.[19] He was named in Lincoln's retained list for 2017–18.[20] Long came on as a 95th-minute substitute as Lincoln beat Shrewsbury Town 1–0 at Wembley Stadium in the 2018 EFL Trophy Final on 8 April 2018.[21]

Cheltenham Town

Long signed for League Two club Cheltenham Town on 26 June 2018 on a two-year contract after rejecting a new contract with Lincoln.[22] He signed a one-year extension to his contract in September 2019.[23] Cheltenham reached the League Two play-offs in 2019–20 with a fourth-place finish on points per game after the season was suspended in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom,[24] and were beaten 3–2 on aggregate by Northampton Town in the semi-final.[25] Long played every minute of the club's play-off campaign and finished the season with 43 appearances and two goals. He made 23 appearances and scored two goals in 2020–21 as Cheltenham won the League Two title and promotion to League One.

On 22 May 2024, the club announced the player had rejected a new contract and would be leaving.[26]

Forest Green Rovers

On 24 May 2024, it was confirmed that Long had signed for newly-relegated National League club Forest Green Rovers.[27]

International career

Long has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-16, under-17, under-18 and under-19 level.[28] He made 12 appearances for the under-19 team between 2013 and 2014.[29]

Long was called up to the under-21s for the first time in May 2015,[30] along with Reading teammates Pierce Sweeney and Shane Griffin.

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Reading2013–14Championship00000000
2014–15Championship00001010
2015–16Championship000000
2016–17Championship000000
Total00001010
Luton Town (loan)2015–16League Two9020110
Braintree Town (loan)2015–16[31] National League9020110
Cambridge United (loan)2016–17League Two70001040120
Lincoln City (loan)2016–17National League1402030190
Lincoln City2017–18League Two170101070260
Total3103010100450
Cheltenham Town2018–19League Two5000001060
2019–20League Two341301051432
2020–21League Two222100000232
2021–22League One391302000441
2022–23League One451101040511
2023–24League One452101010482
Total190790501112158
Forest Green Rovers2024–25National League3000000030
Career total2497140802712988

Honours

Reading

2013–14[32]

Lincoln City

2016–17[31]

2017–18[21]

Cheltenham Town

2020–21[33] [34]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: EFL: Retained list: 2015/16 . English Football League . 39 . 30 July 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161202052144/http://www.efl.com/documents/professional-retained-report-2015-16549-3151378.pdf . 2 December 2016.
  2. Web site: Sean Long . 11v11.com . AFS Enterprises . 1 December 2015.
  3. Web site: U19 Squad profiles: 2013–14 . Football Association of Ireland . 14 August 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140827171715/http://www.fai.ie/international/under-19/u19-squad-profiles-2013-14.html . 27 August 2014 . dead.
  4. Web site: Taylor strikes late to secure cup win . Reading F.C. . 26 August 2014 . 1 July 2017.
  5. Web site: Town sign full-back Sean Long on loan from Reading . Luton Town F.C. . 16 October 2015 . 1 July 2017.
  6. Web site: Ross . Lawson . Report: Crawley Town 2–1 Luton Town . Luton Town F.C. . 17 October 2015 . 1 July 2017.
  7. News: Sean Long: Reading defender extends Luton Town loan spell . BBC Sport . 16 November 2015 . 15 March 2016.
  8. Web site: Sean Long returns to Reading . Luton Town F.C. . 5 January 2016 . 1 July 2017.
  9. News: Braintree: Full-back Sean Long signs on loan until the end of the season . BBC Sport . 15 March 2016 . 15 March 2016.
  10. News: Braintree Town 0–0 Gateshead . BBC Sport . 15 March 2016 . 15 March 2016.
  11. News: Braintree Town 3–0 Altrincham . BBC Sport . 30 April 2016 . 8 May 2016.
  12. News: Phil . Shepka . Grimsby Town 0–1 Braintree Town . BBC Sport . 5 May 2016 . 8 May 2016.
  13. News: Braintree Town 0–2 Grimsby Town (agg: 1–2, aet) . BBC Sport . 8 May 2016 . 8 May 2016.
  14. Web site: Contract offers made to Academy talent . Reading F.C. . 9 May 2016 . 1 July 2017.
  15. Web site: 15 youngsters sign new pro deals with Reading . Reading F.C. . 1 July 2016 . 1 July 2017.
  16. Web site: Cambridge United sign full back Sean Long on six month loan deal . Cambridge United F.C. . 28 July 2016 . 1 July 2017.
  17. News: Marc . Beyeler . League 2 transfer rumours: Keith Keane leaves Cambridge United to join Rochdale, Leyton Orient pair leave the club . Cambridge News . 3 January 2017 . 4 January 2017.
  18. News: Mark . Whiley . Reading defender Sean Long joins Lincoln City with view to permanent move . Lincolnshire Echo . Lincoln . 5 January 2017 . 5 January 2017.
  19. Web site: Club offer contracts to young talent . Reading F.C. . 12 May 2017 . 1 July 2017.
  20. Web site: Retained list for 2017/18 season . Lincoln City F.C. . 18 May 2017 . 1 July 2017.
  21. News: Ged . Scott . Lincoln City 1–0 Shrewsbury Town . BBC Sport . 8 April 2018 . 16 April 2018.
  22. News: Sean Long: Cheltenham Town sign Lincoln City full-back on two-year deal . BBC Sport . 26 June 2018 . 26 June 2018.
  23. News: Jon . Palmer . Cheltenham Town's former Lincoln City defender Sean Long signs extended deal . Gloucestershire Live . Local World . 27 September 2019 . 13 September 2020.
  24. News: League One & League Two clubs vote to end seasons early . BBC Sport . 9 June 2020 . 17 May 2021.
  25. News: Tom . Garry . Cheltenham Town 0–3 Northampton Town (agg: 2–3): Cobblers seal comeback win to reach Wembley . BBC Sport . 22 June 2020 . 17 May 2021.
  26. Web site: 22 May 2024 . Cheltenham Town: Liam Sercombe, Luke Southwood and Sean Long to leave club . 22 May 2024 . BBC Sport.
  27. News: Cheltenham's Sercombe and Long join Forest Green . BBC Sport . 24 May 2024 . 11 June 2024.
  28. Web site: News Archive . Cherry Orchard F.C . 27 August 2014.
  29. Web site: Sean Long . SoccerScene.ie . 18 November 2017.
  30. News: Long, Sweeney and Griffin get Ireland U21s call . Reading F.C. . 14 May 2015 . 1 July 2017.
  31. Web site: S. Long . Soccerway . Perform Group . 1 July 2017.
  32. News: Reading turn tables on Man City to lift U21 PL Cup . Premier League . 19 April 2014 . 1 April 2016.
  33. Web site: League Two: 2020/21: Current table . Soccerbase . Centurycomm . 17 May 2021.
  34. Web site: Cheltenham: Squad details: 2020/21 . Soccerbase . Centurycomm . 17 May 2021.