Damien Delaney

Damien Delaney

Delaney playing for Crystal Palace in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Damien Finbarr Delaney
Date of birth	(1981-07-20) 20 July 1981 (age 35)
Place of birth	Cork, Ireland
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position	Centre back
Club information
Current team	Crystal Palace
Number	27
Youth career
	Avondale United
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1998–2000	Cork City
2000–2002	Leicester City	8	(0)
2001–2002	→ (loan)	12	(1)
2002	→ Huddersfield Town (loan)	2	(0)
2002	→ Mansfield Town (loan)	7	(0)
2002–2008	Hull City	224	(5)
2008–2009	Queens Park Rangers	54	(2)
2009–2012	Ipswich Town	98	(2)
2012–	Crystal Palace	156	(6)
National team‡
2008–	Republic of Ireland	9	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:20, 21 January 2017 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20:37, 25 May 2014(UTC)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:20, 21 January 2017 (UTC).

Damien Finbarr Delaney (born 20 July 1981) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Crystal Palace.

Delaney began his career at Cork City. He later played for Leicester City, Hull City and Queens Park Rangers before moving to Ipswich Town in 2009. He became a free agent after leaving the club in August 2012. He then signed for Crystal Palace as he became a vital player in the centre of defence in their promotion season.

Born in Cork, Delaney attended Coláiste Chríost Rí and began his career at local club Avondale United at schoolboy level before moving on to Cork City.

He also played football with the Cork minor team. Delaney was a Munster minor football winner with the team in 1999 and shone for his club St Michael’s. He struck 2–2 in an All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Mayo that year, before he committed fully to soccer. He has explained he never demanded a guaranteed starting berth with his country

He was brought to England by Peter Taylor at Leicester City, where he made eight FA Premier League appearances. He had spells on loan at , Huddersfield Town and Mansfield Town. Whilst at Stockport, he scored his first career goal in a match against Rotherham United. Taylor later made Delaney his first signing for Hull City, on 16 October 2002, for a fee of £50,000.