Aaron Donnelly

Aaron Martin Donnelly (born 8 June 2003) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays for Scottish Premiership club Dundee, on loan from Premier League club Nottingham Forest. He turned professional at Nottingham Forest in August 2021. He spent the second half of the 2022–23 season on loan at Port Vale and was loaned out to Dundee for the 2023–24 season.

Aaron Donnelly
Personal information
Full name Aaron Martin Donnelly[1]
Date of birth (2003-06-08) 8 June 2003[2]
Place of birth Magherafelt, Northern Ireland[3]
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[4]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Dundee
(on loan from Nottingham Forest)
Number 25
Youth career
Magherafelt Sky Blues
2015–2019 Dungannon Swifts
2019–2022 Nottingham Forest
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Nottingham Forest 0 (0)
2023 → Port Vale (loan) 20 (1)
2023– → Dundee (loan) 0 (0)
International career‡
2019 Northern Ireland U17 2 (0)
2021– Northern Ireland U21 10 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:01, 24 July 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 October 2023

Early and personal life

Aaron Martin Donnelly was born on 8 June 2003 in Magherafelt to Noel and Martina.[2][5] He has family from Newcastle upon Tyne and is related to Dec Donnelly.[5] He played gaelic football as a forward growing up.[5]

Club career

Nottingham Forest

In June 2019, Donnelly signed a deal with English side Nottingham Forest from Dungannon Swifts,[6] who he had played for since he was twelve.[7][8] He had been scouted by Gary Brazil and Bob Shaw whilst playing in the Victory Shield.[9] In August 2021, Donnelly signed his first professional contract with Forest.[10][11] That deal was extended at the end of the 2021–22 season when Forest gained promotion to the Premier League.[12] He made his professional debut for Forest on 23 August 2022, when manager Steve Cooper started him in a 3–0 EFL Cup win over Grimsby Town.[13] In December 2022, Donnelly had extended his contract with Forest.[14]

On 23 January 2023, Donnelly joined EFL League One side Port Vale on loan for the remainder of the 2022–23 season.[15][16] Manager Darrell Clarke said that Donnelly would provide competition on the left-side of defence following the departure of Connor Hall earlier in the month and noted that assistant manager Andy Crosby had coached the player with the Northern Ireland under-21s.[17] Donnelly made his debut in the English Football League on 28 January, playing on the left-side of a back three alongside Nathan Smith and Lewis Cass as the Vale kept a clean sheet in a 0–0 draw at Cheltenham Town.[18] On 4 March, he scored his first career goal to secure a 1–0 win over Milton Keynes Dons at Vale Park, and dedicated the goal to a deceased supporter whose memory was being honoured with a minute's applause as Donnelly's volley hit the back of the net.[19]

On 24 July 2023, Donnelly joined Scottish Premiership club Dundee on a season-long loan.[20] Donnelly would suffer an injury in training shortly after, with Dundee manager Tony Docherty saying Donnelly "will be out for a while", and returned to Nottingham for treatment.[21] He returned to Dundee ahead of schedule in September.[22]

International career

Donnelly has competed with the Northern Ireland national team at under-17 and under-21 level.[23][24] He received his first call-up to the senior side in June 2023.[25]

Style of play

Donnelly is a left-sided defender who is aggressive in both defence and attack, providing crosses going forward, along with overlaps and underlaps.[26]

Career statistics
As of matched played 7 May 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Nottingham Forest 2022–23[27]Premier League0000100010
2023–24[28]Premier League0000000000
Total 0000100000
Port Vale (loan) 2022–23[27]EFL League One201000000201
Dundee (loan) 2023–24[28] Scottish Premiership0000000000
Career total 201001000211

    References
    1. Aaron Donnelly at Soccerway. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
    2. Aaron Donnelly at Soccerbase
    3. Fullerton, Darren (6 September 2022). "Nottingham Forest first-team experience gives NI teen hunger for more". BelfastLive. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
    4. "Aaron Donnelly player stats for team Nottingham Forest U21". tipsscore.com. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
    5. Baggaley, Michael (1 April 2023). "Port Vale defender Aaron Donnelly confirms unlikely Ant & Dec connection". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
    6. Beacom, Steven (24 June 2019). "Four Dungannon Swifts teenagers agree moves to top English teams". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
    7. Fullerton, Darren (10 August 2021). "Northern Ireland U21 defender signs pro deal at Nottingham Forest". BelfastLive.
    8. McMullan, Michael (11 August 2021). "Magherafelt teenager signs first professional soccer contract". Derry Post. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
    9. The Official Matchday Programme of Port Vale FC Season 2022/23 Season - Issue 20 (PDF). 1 April 2023. p. 12. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
    10. "Donnelly pens professional contract". Nottingham Forest Football Club. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
    11. Abbott, Matt (11 August 2021). "Forest hand defender Aaron Donnelly first professional contract". NottinghamshireLive.
    12. Clapson, Sarah (10 June 2022). "Nottingham Forest release three players as retained list announced". NottinghamshireLive.
    13. "Forest progress with routine victory at Grimsby". BBC Sport. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
    14. "Donnelly pens new contract". Nottingham Forest Football Club. 7 December 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
    15. "Donnelly joins Port Vale on loan". Nottingham Forest Football Club. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
    16. "Aaron Donnelly joins the Valiants". www.port-vale.co.uk. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
    17. "Port Vale sign Forest defender Donnelly on loan". BBC Sport. 24 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
    18. "Aaron Donnelly | "Keeping a clean sheet important for me"". www.port-vale.co.uk. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
    19. "Aaron Donnelly | "I was absolutely buzzing when the ball hit the back of the net"". www.port-vale.co.uk. 4 March 2023. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
    20. petermceleny (24 July 2023). "Donnelly signs on". Dundee Football Club - Official Website. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
    21. Clapson, Sarah (10 August 2023). "Nottingham Forest's Aaron Donnelly suffers injury blow as loan halted". NottinghamshireLive. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
    22. Cran, George (12 September 2023). "Dundee loanee Aaron Donnelly ready to return ahead of schedule as date set for Antonio Portales comeback". The Courier. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
    23. "Six Named In Under-21 Squad". NI Football League. 31 May 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
    24. "International Jet Set". Nottingham Forest Football Club. 13 October 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
    25. "Larne striker Bonis among three new NI call-ups". BBC Sport. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
    26. "Aaron Donnelly | "The system here really suits me"". www.port-vale.co.uk. 23 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
    27. "Games played by Aaron Donnelly in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
    28. "Games played by Aaron Donnelly in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
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