Ciaran Clark
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- Shay Given
- Enda Stevens
- Richard Dunne
- Ciaran Clarke
- Steven Ireland
- Robbie Keane
Glenn Whelan?
Derrek Williams
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Nope
- Shay Given
- Derrick Williams
- Enda Stevens
- Richard Dunne
- Ciaran Clarke
- Steven Ireland
- Robbie Keane
Samir Carruthers?
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- Shay Given
- Derrick Williams
- Enda Stevens
- Richard Dunne
- Ciaran Clarke
- Samir Carruthers
- Steven Ireland
- Robbie Keane
Michael Drennan?
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- Shay Given
- Derrick Williams
- Enda Stevens
- Richard Dunne
- Ciaran Clarke
- Samir Carruthers
- Steven Ireland
- Michael Drennan
- Robbie Keane
You’re on fire
Was there another Villa lad on that Brian Kerr underage squad?
There was. The last two both had stints at Shamrock Rovers since. One even played for the Republic and scored the first goal for the national side by a LOI player since 1978.
Graham Burke LOI?
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Correct. One left
- Shay Given
- Derrick Williams
- Enda Stevens
- Richard Dunne
- Ciaran Clarke
- Daniel Devine
- Samir Carruthers
- Steven Ireland
- Michael Drennan
- Robbie Keane
- Graham Bourke
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Calum Robinson?
Nope
Derrick Williams
He’s named already
Last one was Daniel Devine
What happened to Villa’s Irish XI?
By David Scott
When you mention Aston Villa and Ireland, thoughts will go to the mid 90s quartet of Paul McGrath, Steve Staunton, Ray Houghton and Andy Townsend. The first three came second in 92/93 season and won the League Cup in 1994, while Townsend captained the 1996 League Cup winning team, receiving ‘Man of the Match’ in the final. While there has generally always been some Irish interest at the club since, at one stage in 2012 Villa could have fielded an entire XI of Irish players. Considering that the side finished in 16th with 38 points, you could hardly call it a ‘golden age’ of Irish Villa players. However, this article will reflect on what became of the Villa’s Irish XI.
Villa’s Irish XI 2012:
GK: Shay Given,
DF: Richard Dunne, Derrick Williams, Daniel Devine, Enda Stevens, Ciaran Clark
MD: Samir Carruthers, Michael Drennan, Stephen Ireland
FW: Graham Burke, Robbie Keane.
Shay Given – sadly we didn’t see the best of Ireland’s most prolific goalkeeper in recent times. Although Roberto Mancini described him as “one of the five best goalkeepers in the world” in 2009, he was dropped for Joe Hart the following year, and was signed by Alex McLeish in 2011 at the age of 35. Although the side narrowly avoided relegation, Given kept eight clean sheets and made 100 saves in 32 league appearances. The following season he lost his place to Brad Guzan and was loaned to Middlesbrough. In 2014 he became a temporary assistant to Paul Lambert and he played every game of Villa’s run to the 2015 FA Cup final. He finished his playing career at Stoke City and was appointed Goalkeeping coach at Frank Lampard’s Derby County. He was a joint interim manager of Derby for two games, and was appointed first team coach under Wayne Rooney. He departed this role in July 2021.
Richard Dunne – For one season, he was the new Paul McGrath. A colossus at centre half, he was named in the PFA Team of the Season for 2009/2010. Sadly the sudden departure of Martin O’Neill didn’t serve him well as he fell out with Gerard Houllier. A fractured clavicle the following season all but ended his Villa career and he was released in 2013, when he signed for QPR, where he finished his career. He then moved to Monaco and founded the FMC Elite Football Academy.
Derrick Williams – Williams made the substitutes bench during an injury crisis towards the end of the 2011/2012 season and made one substitute appearance in December 2012 under Paul Lambert. He was sold to Bristol City in 2013, where he won the Football League Trophy and helped them earn promotion to the Championship, before moving to Blackburn Rovers in 2016. He now plays for LA Galaxy.
Daniel Devine – A prominent figure in the 2010 FA Youth Cup side which made the final, he sadly suffered a knee injury and missed the successful FA Youth Cup campaign of 2013. After three years out of the game due to the injury, he eventually signed for Shamrock Rovers in 2017. He left the club in August of that year to concentrate of full time education.
Enda Stevens – Signed by Alex McLeish from Shamrock Rovers, Stevens never made the breakthrough and was loaned out to Notts County, Northampton and Doncaster Rovers. He was then sold to Sheffield United, and played a prominent role in their promotion to the Premiership in 2019. Thankfully Villa went up in the playoff that year, but it looked for a while like Steven was the one that got away. He has stayed with the United despite their relegation and is a regular choice at left back for the Irish national team.
Ciaran Clark – When Dunne was dropped under Gerard Houllier, Ciaran Clark would often deputise. In fact it was Dunne who played a role in Clark declaring to play for Ireland by informing the FAI of his eligibility. He played both as a defender and defensive midfielder in his time at Villa and was somewhat of a utility player, playing alongside Ron Vlaar, Nathan Baker and Jores Okore at various stages. He left Villa for Newcastle United when both clubs were relegated, and is still at Tyneside today.
Samir Caruthers – Caruthers made three substitute appearances during the aforementioned injury crisis in 2012. In 2013 he captained Villa’s NextGen Series side which beat Chelsea 2-0 in the final, however he was loaned out at the beginning of the 2013/2014 season to Milton Keynes Dons, who he would permanently sign for. He made the wrong type of headlines when he was banned from the Cheltenham Races in 2016, after being pictured apparently urinating into a beer glass. He later helped Sheffield United win League One in 2017. He now plays for National League South side Hemmel Hempstead Town.
Stephen Ireland – He joined Villa against his will as part of a swap deal for James Milner in 2010 just hours before Martin O’Neill left the club. Gerard Houllier loaned him to Newcastle United in the next January transfer window, however he returned after injuring his ankle. An incident in a nightclub and a picture with a sisha pipe meant Ireland created the wrong headlines. However, he came good in the 2011/2012 season, particularly in a 3-1 win away to Chelsea and was voted the Supporters Player of the Season. Despite a positive to start the following season, he broke a bone in his wrist and on his return to fitness he was forced to train with the notorious ‘bomb squad.’ He was sold to Stoke City after a loan spell there. He briefly signed for Bolton Wanders, though only played for their developmental side twice. He since set up his own football agency, but recently revealed that he hopes to play professionally again.
Graham Burke – Burke scored both of Villa’s goals in their NextGen final against Chelsea in 2013 and made two League Cup appearances for the senior side. However he was loaned out later that year to Shrewsbury Town and would sign permanently for Notts County. He headed home to Shamrock Rovers in 2017 and revived his career; he was called up to the Irish national team and his goal against the USA was the first goal by a League of Ireland player for the senior side since 1978. This earned him a move to Preston North End, where he teamed up with another Irish Villa academy graduate Callum Robinson (who only joined Villa in 2013 so doesn’t make this list). After a loan spell at Gillingham, he is now back with Shamrock Rovers.
Michael Drennan – Drennan was another member of Villa’s successful NextGen Series team but he also failed to make the breakthrough into the senior side. He was loaned to Portsmouth and Carlisle, before returning to the League of Ireland, playing for Shamrock Rovers, Sligo Rovers and St Patrick’s Athletic. He now plays for Evergreen FC in the Kilkenny District and Soccer League.
Robbie Keane – yes, he was at Villa. Blink and you would have missed him, Keano was signed on loan from LA Galaxy during the MLS offseason in January 2012. He scored 3 goals in 6 games, including a brace in a 3-2 win against Wolves. After 5 seasons at the MLS, he finished his career in the Indian League side ATK, and became player manager for three games when Teddy Sheringham was fired. He then retired from playing and became Mick McCarthy’s assistant at the Irish national team, and was also Jonathan Woodgate’s assistant manager at Middlesbrough. Both these contracts recently expired but Keane has been keeping himself fit by helping out at Shamrock Rovers.
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