Pierce Sweeney

Pierce Liam Sweeney (born 11 September 1994) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League One side Exeter City.

Pierce Sweeney
Personal information
Full name Pierce Liam Sweeney[1]
Date of birth (1994-09-11) 11 September 1994
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Exeter City
Number 26
Youth career
2006–2012 Belvedere
2012 Bray Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012 Bray Wanderers 12 (0)
2012–2016 Reading 0 (0)
2016–2021 Exeter City 186 (17)
2021– Exeter City 79 (2)
International career‡
2010–2011 Republic of Ireland U17 2 (0)
2011–2013 Republic of Ireland U19 6 (0)
2013 Republic of Ireland U21 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:15, 1 April 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:00, 1 August 2016 (UTC)

Career

Schoolboy Football

Sweeney began his career at Ardmore Rovers in his hometown of Bray, before moving on to the under-13 level with Belvedere.[3]

Bray Wanderers

In 2012, Sweeney joined League of Ireland Premier Division side Bray Wanderers. He made 12 appearances for the Seagulls during the 2012 season.

Reading

On 6 July 2012, Sweeney signed with then-Premier League side Reading. Although he was a member of Reading's Under 21 2013-14 Premier League Cup-winning side, on 9 May 2016, Sweeney was released by Reading without having made a first-team appearance for the club.[4]

Exeter City

On 22 July 2016, Sweeney signed with Exeter City as the 1931 Fund fan-funded player after a successful trial.[5] He scored two goals and an assist in Exeter's 5–1 defeat of Notts County on 8 September 2018,[6] and had already scored two additional goals before the end of September 2018.

Swindon Town

On 11 June 2021, Sweeney signed a two-year deal with Swindon Town to begin on 1 July 2021,[7] after rejecting an offer from Exeter City.[8] His contract was terminated by mutual consent on 2 July 2021, with Sweeney stating that 'due to family circumstances at this current moment I am unable to fulfil relocating to be part of the team'.[9]

Exeter City return

Following his abrupt departure from Swindon Town, Sweeney returned to Exeter City on 8 July 2021.[10][11] He was vice-captain as Exeter City secured a return to League One for the first time since 2012. In June 2022, Sweeney signed a new two-year deal with the club.[12]

On 14th January 2023, in his first match as club captain following the departure of Matt Jay, Sweeney made his 300th appearance for Exeter City in all competitions.[13]

International career

Sweeney has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-U17, under-U19, and under-U21 levels.[14]

Career statistics
As of match played 1 April 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season Division League National Cup League Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bray Wanderers 2012[14] LOI Premier Division 12000001[lower-alpha 1]0130
Reading 2012–13[15] Premier League 000000—00
2013–14[16] Championship 000000—00
2014–15[17] 000000—00
2015–16[18] 000000—00
Total 000000—00
Exeter City 2016–17[19] EFL League Two 29010205[lower-alpha 2]0370
2017–18[20] 40841104[lower-alpha 3]0499
2018–19[21] 43410101[lower-alpha 4]0464
2019–20[22] 36240117[lower-alpha 5]0483
2020–21[23] 38320002[lower-alpha 4]0423
2021–22[24] 43020103[lower-alpha 4]0490
2022–23[25] EFL League One 36220202[lower-alpha 4]0422
Total 265191618124031321
Career total 277191618125032621
  1. Appearance in Setanta Sports Cup
  2. Three appearances in EFL Trophy, two appearances in EFL League Two play-offs
  3. One appearance in EFL Trophy, three appearances in EFL League Two play-offs
  4. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
  5. Four appearances in EFL Trophy, three appearances in EFL League Two play-offs

Honours

Club
Reading

Exeter City

Individual

References
  1. "Notification of shirt numbers: Exeter City" (PDF). English Football League. p. 26. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  2. "Pierce Sweeney - Defender - First Team - Exeter City". Exeter City F.C. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  3. "Pierce Sweeney Interview (Ireland U19 Player Of The Year)". Belvedere Football Club. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  4. "Ex-Bray Wanderers Player Pierce Sweeney Released By Reading". League of Ireland. 9 May 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  5. "Exeter City: Defender Pierce Sweeney signs permanent deal". BBC Sport. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  6. "Exeter City: Harry Kewell sent off in first league game in charge of Notts Country". BBC Sport. 8 September 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  7. Leighfield, Jonathan (11 June 2021). "Swindon Town sign defender Pierce Sweeney on two-year deal". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  8. Clark, Daniel (11 June 2021). "Pierce Sweeney signs for Swindon Town after turning down Exeter City contract extension". Devon Live. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  9. "Pierce Sweeney: Defender leaves Swindon Town less than a month after joining the club". BBC Sport. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  10. "✍️ Welcome back, Pierce Sweeney". www.exetercityfc.co.uk. 8 July 2021.
  11. "Defender Sweeney rejoins Exeter City" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  12. "✍️ Pierce Sweeney pens new deal". www.exetercityfc.co.uk. 28 June 2022. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
  13. "Pierce Sweeney will be Exeter City's new captain".
  14. "P. Sweeney Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  15. "Games played by Pierce Sweeney in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  16. "Games played by Pierce Sweeney in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  17. "Games played by Pierce Sweeney in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  18. "Games played by Pierce Sweeney in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  19. "Games played by Pierce Sweeney in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  20. "Games played by Pierce Sweeney in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  21. "Games played by Pierce Sweeney in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  22. "Games played by Pierce Sweeney in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 December 2019.
  23. "Games played by Pierce Sweeney in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  24. "Games played by Pierce Sweeney in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  25. "Games played by Pierce Sweeney in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  26. "Port Vale end Exeter's League two title hopes". BBC Sport. 7 May 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2023.


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