Dean Shiels

Name: Dean Shiels
Born: 1 February 1985, Magharafelt
Height: 5.11 ft
Weight: 10.00 st
Position: Forward/Winger

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 14 Full Caps / 1 Goal (2005-2012), 6 Under-21 Caps / 2 Goals (2004-2006), Under-19, Under-17, Under-16, Under-15.
Club Honours: (with Kilmarnock) Scottish League Cup Winner 2011/12; (with Rangers) Scottish Cup Runner-Up 2015/16; SPFL Championship Winner 2015/16; SPFL League One Champion 2013/14; Scottish Third Division Champion 2012/13; Scottish Challenge Cup Winner 2015/16.

Club Career: 
Teams.......--Seasons-- Signed -Fee- -League-- FA Cup Lge Cup Europe  Other
Arsenal.....02/03-03/04 Jul-02 Youth .0 (0)/ 0
Hibernian...04/05-08/09 Jul-04 .Free 79(38)/24 9(1)/3 10(1)/4 3(5)/0
Doncaster R 08/09-11/12 Feb-09 Undis 46(37)/10 3(0)/0 .2(0)/0

Kilmarnock. 11/12...... Jul-11 .Loan 18 (2)/ 6 1(0)/0 .2(0)/0
Kilmarnock. 11/12 ..... Jan-12. Free 15 (0)/ 7 2(0)/1 .2(0)/1
Rangers ... 12/13-15/16 Jul-12  Free 47(43)/19 6(5)/4 .7(1)/4 ...... 8(6)/2
Dundalk ... 2016 ...... Aug-16 .Free .2 (5)/ 3 ....... 0(4)/0
FC Edmonton 2017 ...... Feb-17 .Free
Dunfermline 17/18 ..... Jul-17 .Free 16 (3)/ 0 2(0)/0 .1(2)/0 ...... 1(0)/0
Derry City. 2018 ...... Jul-18 .Free

Coleraine . 18/19 ..... Jan-19 .Free

Biography:
Son of former Northern Ireland Under-17 coach Kenny, Dean Shiels has come through considerable adversity to make it as a professional footballer.

A starlet of a the Northern Ireland Youth set-up, Shiels signed schoolboy forms with Arsenal in July 2001 and his first professional contract a year later. Unable to impress beyond the Gunners’ Under-19 side, Shiels left Highbury by mutual consent in June 2004.

Linked with a return to Northern Ireland with Linfield or Ballymena (then managed by his father), Shiels instead signed a three year deal with Scottish Premier side, Hibernian. That same summer he impressed with the Northern Ireland Under-19 side in the Milk Cup Elite competition, scoring twice in a famous win over Brazil. The goals showed the youngster as a potential ‘complete’ striker, the first a stunning strike from distance and the second a well placed low header.

After joining Hibs Shiels made good progress. On 18 August 2004 he made his Under-21 debut against Switzerland and six days later scored his first senior club goal as Hibs drew 4-4 with Dundee. A regular in his first campaign, he scored six goals in 43 appearances. In November 2005 Shiels made his senior Northern Ireland debut in a Gala Friendly against Portugal as the Irish FA continued its 125th Anniversary celebrations.

Just two months after his first senior international Sheils announced he would be under-going an operation to have his right eye removed. He had lost the sight in the eye after a childhood accident and, much to his credit, few knew of the handicap. Whilst the operation reduced his effectiveness during his second season, it only ruled him out of football for seven weeks and by the end of the season he was touring the USA with the Northern Ireland team.

Shiels was a key figure in Hibs side that reached the 2007 CIS Cup Final, including scoring a brace in a memorable 6-0 win over upstarts Gretna. Unfortunately injury forced him to miss the Final with Kilmarnock and so Shiels still awaits his first domestic honour.

With his contract due to expire at the end of the 2008/09 season, Shiels moved to Doncaster Rovers for a fee of around £50,000 on transfer deadline day, 2nd February 2009. In July 2011 he joined Kilmarnock, managed by his father, on a six month loan deal. The move was made permanent in January 2012 and yielded a surprise League Cup final success over Celtic. Shiels' contribution to Killie's successes has been recognised by his appearance on the short-list for the Scottish PFA Player of the Year.

Shiels signed for Rangers in July 2012 shortly after they were demoted to the bottom tier of the Scottish League following their financial melt-down. He has seldom been a regular starter in the four seasons it has taken Rangers to gain promotion to the Premiership and has subsequently dropped from the international reckoning despite appearing to be much-favoured during Michael O'Neill's earliest games as manager.

Shortly after Rangers' top-flight return was confirmed Shiels was released. Subsequently he signed for high-flying League of Ireland side, Dundalk. He made his Lilywhites' debut in a 1-0 win over Wexford in August 2016.

...

Shiels worked within his father, Kenny's, Northern Ireland Womens team coaching set-up. His first managerial appointment came in February 2021 when he took over at Dungannon Swifts. He resigned in June 2023 after keeping Dungannon in the Premiership following victory over Annagh United in the promotion-relegation play-off.

Irish FA Bio
Soccerbase

Northern Ireland Cap Details:
15-11-2005 Portugal...... H D 1-1 FR. sub
21-05-2006 Uruguay....... N L 0-1 FR. sub
26-05-2006 Romania....... N L 0-2 FR
06-02-2007 Wales......... H D 0-0 FR. sub
20-08-2008 Scotland...... A D 0-0 FR. sub
06-09-2008 Slovakia...... A L 1-2 WCQ sub
10-09-2008 Czech Republic H D 0-0 WCQ sub
19-11-2008 Hungary....... H L 0-2 FR. sub
03-03-2010 Albania....... A L 0-1 FR. sub
29-02-2012 Norway........ H L 0-3 FR
15-08-2012 Finland....... H D 3-3 FR
07-09-2012 Russia........ A L 0-2 WCQ sub
11-09-2012 Luexmbourg.... H D 1-1 WCQ 1 goal
14-11-2012 Azerbaijan.... H D 1-1 WCQ

Summary: 5(9)/1. Won 0, Drew 7, Lost 7.

Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
18-08-2004 Switzerland... H D 0-0 FR. sub
08-02-2005 Scotland...... H W 2-1 FR
16-08-2005 Rep of Ireland H D 2-2 FR. sub
10-05-2006 Leichtenstein. H W 4-0 ECQ 1 Goal
16-08-2006 Romania....... A L 0-3 ECQ
01-09-2006 Germany....... H L 2-3 ECQ 1 Goal

Summary: 4(2)/2. Won 2, Drew 2, Lost 2.