- Michael McGovern
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This article is about the Northern Ireland footballer. For other uses, see Michael McGovern (disambiguation).
Michael McGovern Personal information Full name Michael McGovern Date of birth 12 July 1984 Place of birth Enniskillen, Northern Ireland Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) Playing position Goalkeeper Club information Current club Falkirk Youth career ?–2001 Enniskillen Town United 2001–2004 Celtic Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 2004–2008 Celtic 0 (0) 2005 → Stranraer (loan) 19 (0) 2006 → St. Johnstone (loan) 1 (0) 2008–2009 Dundee United 0 (0) 2009–2011 Ross County 71 (0) 2011– Falkirk 2 (0) National team‡ 2005–2006 Northern Ireland U21 10 (0) 2010– Northern Ireland 1 (0) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 August 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 30 May 2010Michael McGovern (born 12 July 1984) is a Northern Ireland footballer currently playing for Scottish First Division club Falkirk as a goalkeeper.
Born in Enniskillen, McGovern started his career with Scottish Premier League club Celtic in 2001 but left in 2008 without making a first team appearance. He joined Second Division side Stranraer on loan in January 2005, then in 2006 went to First Division side St. Johnstone on an emergency loan. After leaving Celtic he joined fellow SPL side Dundee United but left after one season having not made a first team appearance. In 2009 he went back to the First Division with Ross County, where he enjoyed a successful two year spell. In 2011 he moved again on a free transfer to fellow First Division side Falkirk.
He was an unused substitute in the 2007 Scottish Cup Final, which earned him his only medal with Celtic. He helped Ross County to the 2010 Scottish Cup Final which they lost against his former team Dundee United.
He is a Northern Ireland international, having been capped once.
Contents
Club career
McGovern joined Celtic in July 2001 from home town junior club Enniskillen Town United. His first involvement with the first team squad was as a substitute at the Camp Nou during Celtic's Champions League match against Barcelona.[1] Later that season, McGovern moved on loan to Stranraer,[2] where he made nineteen appearances and the following season, joined St. Johnstone on a one-month emergency loan,[3] playing once. He made his first-team debut for Celtic as a substitute in Henrik Larsson's farewell testimonial match. At Celtic he managed to pick up a Scottish Cup medal in 2007.
In March 2008, McGovern – whose sister is a defender for the Northern Ireland women's international team – received his first call-up to the Northern Ireland squad.[4] On June 17, 2008, McGovern agreed a pre-contract move to Dundee United, signing a one-year deal.[5] Despite first-choice goalkeeper Łukasz Załuska announcing a pre-contract move in December to Celtic, McGovern failed to make a first-team appearance for United, with manager Craig Levein admitting, "it looks like Michael McGovern may not be here next season."[6] Levein confirmed McGovern's impending departure in May,[7] with the goalkeeper moving to Ross County in late June.[8]
McGovern enjoyed a successful first season with Ross County, making 50 appearances.[9] These included the 2010 Scottish Cup Final and his full international debut.[9] McGovern left Ross County at the end of the 2010–11 Scottish First Division season.
McGovern signed for Falkirk on 20 July 2011.[10] He quickly established himself as first choice goalkeeper and on 21 September 2011 played in Falkirk's 3-2 Scottish League Cup win over holders Rangers.[11]
International career
McGovern made his full debut for Northern Ireland, on 31 May 2010, in a 1-0 loss to Chile. He came on at half-time for Alan Blayney, and made a "stunning" save from a long-range effort by Marco Estrada.[12]
Career statistics
- As of 23 September 2011.
Club Season League Cup League Cup Other Total Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Celtic 2003–04 - - - - 0 0 Celtic 2004–05 - - - - 0 0 Stranraer (loan) 2004–05 19 0 - - - 19 0 Celtic 2005–06 - - - - 0 0 St Johnstone (loan) 2006–07 1 0 - - - 1 0 Celtic 2007–08 - - - - 0 0 Dundee United 2008–09 - - - - 0 0 Ross County 2009–10 35 0 6 0 3 0 3[1] 0 47 0 Ross County 2010–11 36 0 2 0 2 0 - 40 0 Falkirk 2011–12 6 0 0 0 3 0 3[2] 0 12 0 Total 97 0 8 0 8 0 6 0 119 0 Honours
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- 2010 (Runner-up)
References
- ^ "McGovern on Celtic bench". BBC Sport. 2004-03-24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/3564923.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- ^ "McGovern joins Stranraer on loan". BBC Sport. 2005-01-01. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/stranraer/4139629.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- ^ "Celtic's McGovern moves to Saints". BBC Sport. 2006-12-01. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/st_johnstone/6198872.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- ^ "Johnson returns for Bulgaria game". BBC Sport. 2008-01-25. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/7209001.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- ^ "Dundee United make double swoop". BBC Sport. 2008-06-17. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/d/dundee_utd/7421319.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-17.
- ^ "Levein wants experienced back-up for new keeper". Press and Journal. 2009-04-25. http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1186981. Retrieved 2009-04-27.
- ^ "Dixon delight at award from fellow Arabs". The Courier. 2009-05-06. http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2009/05/06/sportstory13086699t0.asp. Retrieved 2009-05-06.
- ^ "Keeper McGovern heads to County". BBC Sport. 2009-06-25. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/ross_county/8120022.stm. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
- ^ a b Friel, David (3 June 2010). "Michael capped off epic season". The Scottish Sun. http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/leaguedivision1/2997563/Michael-McGovern-Long-season-worth-it-for-first-Northern-Ireland-cap.html. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
- ^ "McGovern signs for Falkirk". BBC Sport. 20 July 2011. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14233062.stm. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
- ^ "Falkirk 3-2 Rangers". BBC Sport. 21 September 2011. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14910198.stm. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
- ^ "Chile 1-0 Northern Ireland: Paredes Header Decides Tame World Cup 2010 Warm-Up". Goal. 31 May 2010. http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/572/internationals/2010/05/31/1951034/chile-1-0-northern-ireland-paredes-header-decides-tame-world-cup-. Retrieved 15 August 2011.
External links
- Michael McGovern career stats at Soccerbase
- Michael McGovern at National-Football-Teams.com
Falkirk F.C. – current squad McGovern · Bowman · Bennett · Dods · Scobbie · Duffie · Brisbane · Kingsley · Wallace · Alston · Compton · D.Fulton · J.Fulton · Millar · Murdoch · Sibbald · El Allagui · Graham · Higginbotham · Weatherston · Manager: Pressley
Categories:- 1984 births
- Living people
- People from Enniskillen
- Association footballers from Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland under-21 international footballers
- Northern Ireland international footballers
- Association football goalkeepers
- Celtic F.C. players
- Stranraer F.C. players
- St. Johnstone F.C. players
- Dundee United F.C. players
- Ross County F.C. players
- Falkirk F.C. players
- Scottish Football League players
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