Kevin Long (footballer)

Kevin Finbarr Long (born 18 August 1990) is an Irish professional footballer who plays for EFL Championship club Birmingham City and the Republic of Ireland national team. He plays mainly as a centre-back but can also fill in at full-back. Long began his career with Cork City before joining Burnley in 2010 as a 19-year-old. He never established himself as a regular in the Burnley side, and spent several spells out on loan, before leaving the club in 2023 to sign for Birmingham City, initially on a short-term deal.

Kevin Long
Personal information
Full name Kevin Finbarr Long[1]
Date of birth (1990-08-18) 18 August 1990[2]
Place of birth Cork, Ireland
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Birmingham City
Number 26
Youth career
2007–2009 Cork City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2010 Cork City 16 (1)
2010–2023 Burnley 69 (1)
2010–2011 → Accrington Stanley (loan) 15 (0)
2011–2012 → Accrington Stanley (loan) 24 (4)
2012 → Rochdale (loan) 16 (0)
2012 → Portsmouth (loan) 5 (0)
2015–2016 → Barnsley (loan) 11 (2)
2016 → Milton Keynes Dons (loan) 2 (0)
2023– Birmingham City 30 (1)
International career‡
2017– Republic of Ireland 17 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 09:35, 26 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 09:35, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Cork City

Long came through the Cork City youth structure, before signing on professional terms in January 2008. He played for the Cork City teams that won the FAI Youth Cup, the Munster Youth Cup and FAI Futsal Cup[3] in 2009. Shortly after, the centre half made his senior City debut away to St Patricks Athletic coming on as a second-half substitute.[4] Long then made his first senior start on 19 July 2009 in a home friendly against Ipswich Town, partnering Dan Murray in defence.[5]

It was reported that Long travelled over to Preston North End for a trial, but whilst there, there was interest from League 1 sides Leeds United and Charlton Athletic and Premier League side Burnley.

Burnley

On 26 November 2009, it was announced that Burnley had fought off competition from both Everton and Celtic to get the youngster's signature, and that he was to fly in to meet up with the squad, however he would not be able to sign a full contract until the January transfer window opens.[6] A six figure deal was agreed which would keep Long at Burnley until June 2013.[7] On 25 January 2010, it was confirmed that Long had signed for Burnley.

Loan to Accrington Stanley

On 15 October 2010, Long joined EFL League Two side Accrington Stanley on a month-long loan deal.[8] He has since had the loan extended till early 2011 after some excellent performances in the heart of the defence. He made his debut for the club in the 2–3 defeat to Rotherham United, but was sent off after 17 minutes for a foul on Adam Le Fondre. He returned to Burnley on 18 January 2011 after cracking a bone in his foot during a match against Cheltenham Town with a 2–1 win.[9]

On 31 January 2011 it was confirmed that long had returned on loan at Stanley for the remainder of the season.[10] He returned to Burnley on 23 May at the end of his loan spell having made 17 appearances.

On 5 August 2011, it was confirmed he had re-joined Stanley on a six-month loan deal. Like his first spell on loan at Accrington Stanley, Long maintained his first team status and scored his first goal of his career in a 2–2 draw against Plymouth Argyle on 8 October 2011. Long would score against Bristol Rovers, Torquay United and Macclesfield Town. He re-joined Burnley on 5 January, having made 26 appearances.

Loan to Rochdale

On 27 January 2012, Long joined Rochdale of EFL League One on an initial one-month emergency loan, where he linked up with former Accrington manager John Coleman.[11] After playing four matches with two clean sheets during a run of two wins and a draw, Long extended his loan spell at Rochdale until the end of April.[12] Long continued to play in the first team for the club, but the club was relegated.

Loan to Portsmouth

On 18 August 2012, Long joined EFL League One side Portsmouth on a one-month emergency loan.[13] He made his debut in the same day, starting in a 1–1 draw against Bournemouth.[14] In his third appearance for the club in a 4–2 loss, Long received a red card after a second bookable offence. After missing one match, Long made his return in a 3–0 win over Crawley Town on 9 September 2012 and made his last appearance in a 2–1 loss against Walsall 8 days later. The match against Walsall proved to be his last match as he suffered a back injury and his loan spell was not renewed.[15]

Return to Burnley

He scored his first goal for Burnley in a 4–3 FA Cup defeat at Southampton on 4 January 2014.[16] On 1 January 2015, Long made his Premier League debut with Burnley in a 3–3 draw away to Newcastle United. He replaced the injured Jason Shackell in the 17th minute, but 20 minutes later was replaced by Steven Reid after suffering an injury of his own, becoming the third Burnley player to be taken off injured in the match at St James' Park.[17]

Loan to Barnsley

In November 2015, after regaining full fitness following his cruciate knee injury, he joined League One side Barnsley on a one-month loan deal.[18] He scored a late winner against Oldham Athletic on his debut to help his side to a 2–1 win.[19] However, in his second game he was sent off against Peterborough United.[20] He went on to help Barnsley reach the EFL Trophy final after he successfully converted a penalty in the semi-final penalty shootout which was his last touch of a ball for Barnsley as he returned to Burnley the following day.

Loan to Milton Keynes Dons

On 24 March 2016, Long joined fellow Championship side Milton Keynes Dons on loan for the remainder of the 2015–16 season.[21]

Birmingham City

In January 2023, Long signed for Championship club Birmingham City until the end of the season.[22] Lack of match fitness marred his early appearances – he had not played first-team football for eight months prior to joining[23] – but head coach John Eustace continued to select him,[24][25] and he started 20 of a possible 23 matches.[26] Long was one of six senior professionals included on Birmingham's list of players to be released,[27] but signed a new one-year contract with the club on 25 June 2023.[28]

International career

In May 2017, he received his first call-up to the Republic of Ireland senior side in a 37-man squad for a training camp in Fota Island.[29] He made the cut for the final squad for the friendlies against Mexico in New Jersey and Uruguay in Dublin.[30] He made his debut on 1 June in the 3–1 defeat to Mexico at the MetLife Stadium, replacing John Egan as a second-half substitute.[31]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 25 October 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Cork City 2008[32] LOI Premier Division 0000000000
2009[32] LOI Premier Division 161001000171
Total 161001000171
Burnley 2009–10[33] Premier League 00———00
2010–11[34] Championship 00—00—00
2011–12[35] Championship 0000——00
2012–13[36] Championship 1400000—140
2013–14[37] Championship 701130—111
2014–15[38] Premier League 100010—20
2015–16[39] Championship 000000—00
2016–17[40] Premier League 300010—40
2017–18[41] Premier League 1611020—191
2018–19[42] Premier League 6020113[lower-alpha 1]0121
2019–20[43] Premier League 802010—110
2020–21[44] Premier League 802120—121
2021–22[45] Premier League 600000—60
2022–23[26] Championship 00—00—00
Total 6918211130914
Accrington Stanley (loan) 2010–11[34] League Two 15020——170
2011–12[35] League Two 24400101[lower-alpha 2]0264
Total 394201010434
Rochdale (loan) 2011–12[35] League One 160———160
Portsmouth (loan) 2012–13[36] League One 50——1[lower-alpha 2]060
Barnsley (loan) 2015–16[39] League One 112——2[lower-alpha 2]0132
Milton Keynes Dons (loan) 2015–16[39] Championship 20———20
Birmingham City 2022–23[26] Championship 1713100—202
2023–24[46] Championship 1300020—150
Totals 3013120—352
Career totals 18891331517022313
  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy

International
As of match played 18 November 2020[31]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Republic of Ireland 201740
201870
201921
202040
Total171

International goals
As of matches played 18 November 2020. Republic of Ireland score listed first, score column indicates score after each Long goal.
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 10 September 2019Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland12 Bulgaria2–13–1Friendly

References
  1. "Updated squads for 2017/18 Premier League confirmed". Premier League. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2018.
  2. "Kevin Long". Premier League. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  3. "Cork City claim Futsal trophy". Football Association of Ireland. 5 June 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
  4. "Cork City Beat St Pats". Retrieved 21 July 2009.
  5. "Cork City Beat Ipswich Town". Retrieved 21 July 2009.
  6. "Burnley Close To Long DEal". Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2009.
  7. "Deal agreed for Cork defender Long". Archived from the original on 28 November 2009. Retrieved 26 November 2009.
  8. "Stanley secure deal for Long". Sky Sports. 15 October 2010. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  9. "Long's Stanley spell cut short". Sky Sports. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  10. "Long heads Back To Stanley". 31 January 2011. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  11. "Coleman makes his first addition". Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
  12. "Long extends Spotland stay". Sky Sports. 24 February 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  13. "Long Joins Pompey on Loan". Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  14. "Portsmouth 1–1 Bournemouth". Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  15. "Crocked Long set to make way for Pompey striker recruit". Portsmouth News. 17 September 2012. Archived from the original on 19 September 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  16. "Southampton 4–3 Burnley". BBC Sport. 4 January 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  17. Oliver, Pete (1 January 2015). "Newcastle 3–3 Burnley". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  18. "Kevin Long Joins Reds From Burnley". Barnsley F.C. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  19. "Oldham 1–2 Barnsley". BBC Sport. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  20. "Peterborough 3–2 Barnsley". BBC Sport. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  21. "Defender Long joins Dons on loan".
  22. "Blues sign Kevin Long!". Birmingham City F.C. 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  23. Dick, Brian (14 January 2023). "Birmingham City player ratings vs Bristol City: Deeney defiant but Blues swept away". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  24. Dick, Brian (15 February 2023). "John Eustace explains Kevin Long absence as Birmingham City fail to spark against Cardiff". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  25. Haffenden, Charlie (15 March 2023). "Championship team of the week dominated by Birmingham City, Middlesbrough, Stoke City & Norwich City – gallery". Birmingham World. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  26. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  27. "Blues Men's: Retained and released list". Birmingham City F.C. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  28. "Kevin Long returns to Blues!". Birmingham City F.C. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  29. "Burnley defender Kevin Long earns first Republic of Ireland call-up". Lancashire Telegraph. 15 May 2017. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  30. "Alan Browne and Kevin Long in line for Ireland debuts as 19 players travel to the US". The 42. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
  31. "Kevin Finbarr Long". eu-football.info. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  32. "Player profile: Kevin Long". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  33. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  34. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  35. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  36. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  37. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  38. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  39. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  40. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  41. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  42. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  43. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  44. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  45. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
  46. "Games played by Kevin Long in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
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