Matthew Stephen Cassidy (born 2 October 1988) is a footballer who plays for A.F.C. Blackpool as a midfielder.

Matthew Cassidy
Personal information
Full name Matthew Stephen Cassidy[1]
Date of birth (1988-10-02) 2 October 1988 (age 36)
Place of birth Blackpool, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
A.F.C. Blackpool
Youth career
2004–2005 Bolton Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2008 Bolton Wanderers 1 (0)
2009–2010 Enosis Neon Paralimni 32 (0)
2010–2011 AEL Limassol 1 (0)
2011–2012 Othellos 24 (0)
2012–2013 Hyde United 18 (0)
2017– A.F.C. Blackpool 0 (0)
International career
2003–2004 Republic of Ireland U17 2 (0)
2004–2005 Republic of Ireland U18 3 (0)
2005–2007 Republic of Ireland U19 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:31, 22 April 2013 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 6 August 2008

Club career

edit

Early career

edit

Born in Blackpool,[2] he started his career playing for Bolton Wanderers Youth and Reserve sides from the 2005–06 to the 2007–08 season and was named Academy Player of the Year in 2007.He also played for the Liverpool Dream Team of the late 90s [3] In the summer of 2007 he made his first team debut for Bolton in a defeat to Hibernian.[4]

Leaving for Cyprus

edit

After leaving Bolton in the summer of 2008, he was offered contracts at a number of English clubs including Doncaster Rovers and Luton Town, but Cassidy turned down these offers to accept a contract at Cypriot First Division club Enosis Neon Paralimni.[3] after being impressed with the set up there.[3] in the Cypriot First Division with Enosis Neon Paralimni.[3] He was Ireland's first ever footballing export to Cyprus.[5][6]

He made his debut for the Cypriot club on 29 August 2009, in his side's 3–0 defeat to Apollon Limassol, coming on as a second-half substitute.[7] On 6 December 2009, he made his first start for the club in a 2–0 win over APEP.[8] After one year with Enosi Neon Paralimniou he left the club having made a total of 17 appearances scoring no goals.[9] After leaving Enosis, Cassidy moved to one of the biggest clubs of the island of Cyprus, AEL Limassol.[3] Cassidy signed a five-year contract with the club on 9 June 2010. He made his debut, coming on as a 70th-minute substitute in their 2–1 defeat to AEK Larnaca.[10] But after just the one appearance,[9] he left the club for Othellos, serving just one year with of his five-year contract.[11]

Return to England

edit

On 10 August 2012, he returned to England and signed for Conference National newcomers Hyde.[11] He made his debut for the club in their 2–1 home defeat to Luton Town on 17 August 2012.[12] He left before the end of the season.

In July 2017 Cassidy signed for A.F.C. Blackpool.

International career

edit

He has represented the Republic of Ireland at U17, U18 and U19 youth levels. In 2006 and 2007, Cassidy played in multiple games during Ireland's qualification tournament for the 2006 UEFA under-19 Championships.[13]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Profile". Fussball Talente. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  2. ^ "Football Squads – Hyde". Football Squads. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Whatever Happened to the Bolton Wanderers Academy?". Manny Road. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  4. ^ "Hibernian 3–0 Bolton Wanderers". Burnden Aces. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  5. ^ "Irish 'Cypriot' thinks Trap has the edge". The Herald. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Cassidy relishing Cypriot chance". UEFA.com. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  7. ^ "Enosis 0 – 3 Apollon". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  8. ^ "Enosis 2 – 0 APEP". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  9. ^ a b "Matthew Cassidy". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  10. ^ "AEL 1 – 2 AEK Larnaca". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  11. ^ a b "Three New Tigers". Football Conference. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  12. ^ "Hyde 1–2 Luton Town". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
  13. ^ "Ireland under-19s". FAI. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
edit