Shay Given, Ireland footballer: Profile, Career, News & Videos

Shay Given is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Widely regarded as one of the greatest Irish goalkeepers of all time and – in his prime – one of the best Premier League goalkeepers, he is the second-most capped Republic of Ireland player, with 134 caps (a tally exceeded only by Robbie Keane).

Given began his career at Celtic; however, he never made a first-team appearance. Released by Celtic, he was signed by Blackburn Rovers on a free transfer in 1994. Whilst on loan from Blackburn, he was part of both the Sunderland team who won the Football League First Division title in 1995–96 and the Swindon Town team who won the Football League Second Division title that same season. He was signed by Newcastle United in 1997 for a fee of £2.5 million, and there he began competing to be a first-choice Premier League goalkeeper. Given was part of the teams who were runners-up in the 1998 and 1999 FA Cup campaigns, and was named in the Premier League Team of the Season for the 2001–02 and 2005–06 seasons. He played in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup with Newcastle, and was involved in the club's title challenge in 2001–02. Although he submitted a transfer request during the 2000–01 campaign after losing his position in the starting line-up, it was denied, and Given went on to regain his place.

On 1 February 2009, Given transferred to Manchester City for £6 million on a four-and-a-half-year contract. While Given was at Manchester City, the club, after finishing third in the Premier League, qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in its history, as well as winning the FA Cup – though he did not appear in the league in the campaign by which City reached the Champions League, nor did he play in the FA Cup. On 18 July 2011, he joined Aston Villa for a fee believed to be around £3.5 million, signing a five-year contract. Given joined Stoke City in July 2015, remaining with the club for two seasons.

Having surpassed the total of 100 caps required for membership, he is part of the FIFA Century Club. Given gained his first international cap in 1996 and played in goal during every match for his country during the 2002 FIFA World Cup campaign, helping them reach the knockout stage. He was later on the pitch in Paris when the Republic of Ireland were knocked out of the play-offs for a spot in the 2010 FIFA World Cup by France before helping his team qualify for UEFA Euro 2012. Given played at UEFA Euro 2012 and was selected in Martin O'Neill's 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2016, but did not appear in any of Ireland's four matches at the tournament. He announced his international retirement in July 2016, having amassed 134 caps for his country and kept 52 clean sheets.