Gareth McAuley

Gareth McAuley

McAuley with West Bromwich Albion in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Gareth Gerald McAuley
Date of birth	(1979-12-05) 5 December 1979 (age 37)
Place of birth	Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Height	1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Playing position	Centre back
Club information
Current team	West Bromwich Albion
Number	23
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1996–2000	Linfield
1999–2000	→ Ballyclare Comrades (loan)
2000–2002	Crusaders
2002–2004	Coleraine	65	(4)
2004–2006	Lincoln City	77	(10)
2006–2008	Leicester City	74	(5)
2008–2011	Ipswich Town	115	(7)
2011–	West Bromwich Albion	191	(15)
National team‡
2003	Northern Ireland B	1	(0)
2005–	Northern Ireland	70	(9)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14:11, 29 April 2017 (UTC). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14:03, 17 March 2017 (UTC)

Gareth Gerald McAuley /məkˈɔːli/ (born 5 December 1979) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Premier League club West Bromwich Albion and the Northern Ireland national team.

McAuley began his career playing in Northern Irish football with Linfield, Ballyclare Comrades, Crusaders and Coleraine before joining English side Lincoln City in the summer of 2004. He impressed enough at Sincil Bank to earn a move to Championship side Leicester City. He moved on to Ipswich Town in June 2008 following Leicester's relegation and then on to Premier League side West Bromwich Albion in July 2011. McAuley won West Brom's player of the year award for the 2012–13 season.

McAuley began his career at Linfield and spent some time in early 2000 on loan at Ballyclare Comrades. After four years at Linfield, he moved to Crusaders in the summer of 2000. After two successful seasons, he moved to Coleraine.

In the summer of 2004, McAuley decided the time had come to look for a move into full-time football in the Football League. After attracting interest from Lincoln City and he linked up with Edgeley Park based club for a two-week trial under the eye of the former Northern Ireland manager Sammy McIlroy who had given McAuley his first Northern Ireland B call-up. After impressing in his trial, McAuley seemed set to sign for Stockport but talks broke down and he instead joined Lincoln City on a two-year deal with Coleraine receiving £10,000 for his services. With Lincoln already boasting one of the strongest defences in League Two at the time of McAuley's arrival, he did not walk straight into the first team. His first few appearances for the club were all as a substitute, and often in the role of a target man striker.