Scott McKenna

Scott Fraser McKenna (born 12 November 1996) is a Scottish professional footballer, who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Nottingham Forest and the Scotland national team.

Scott McKenna
Personal information
Full name Scott Fraser McKenna[1]
Date of birth (1996-11-12) 12 November 1996
Place of birth Kirriemuir, Scotland
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.89 m)[2]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Nottingham Forest
Number 26
Youth career
2008–2014 Aberdeen
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2020 Aberdeen 91 (5)
2015 → Ayr United (loan) 12 (0)
2016 → Alloa Athletic (loan) 4 (0)
2016–2017 → Ayr United (loan) 11 (1)
2020– Nottingham Forest 93 (3)
International career‡
2013–2015 Scotland U19[3] 14 (0)
2017 Scotland U21 5 (0)
2018– Scotland 27 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 September 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 September 2022

Club career

Aberdeen

McKenna began his career in the Aberdeen academy and was initially a left back before moving to the centre. The Daily Record called him "one of the most promising defenders in the country".[4]

McKenna made his professional debut for Aberdeen as a substitute against St Johnstone on 6 February 2016.[5] His first start came against Heart of Midlothian on 16 May 2016.[6][7] On 22 May 2016, he signed a new two-year contract with Aberdeen,[4] In November 2016, McKenna moved on loan to Scottish Championship side Ayr United for 28 days, his second time on loan with the club.[8] His loan was subsequently extended until the end of the season.[9]

In October 2017, McKenna extended his Aberdeen contract until 2021. The club rejected a bid from Hull City to buy him in January 2018.[10] In January 2018, McKenna scored from more than 35 yards in Aberdeen's 3–1 win against Kilmarnock. He claimed in an interview after the match that Kilmarnock skipper Kris Boyd urged him to "shoot" so he obliged.[11] On 7 March 2018, McKenna signed a new contract extension until 2023.[12]

Aberdeen rejected an offer of £3.5 million for McKenna from Celtic in August 2018.[13] Later in August, Aberdeen rejected a larger offer from Aston Villa.[14] During the summer 2019 transfer window, Aberdeen rejected offers from Queens Park Rangers and Nottingham Forest for McKenna after he handed in a transfer request.[15]

In December 2019 Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack confirmed the club had received no offers or approaches from other clubs for McKenna or teammate Sam Cosgrove.[16] McKenna suffered a torn hamstring during a Scottish Cup tie at St Mirren on 29 February 2020.[17]

In August 2020 he was one of eight Aberdeen players who received a suspended three-match ban from the Scottish FA after they breached restrictions relating to the COVID-19 pandemic by visiting a bar earlier in the month.[18] Aberdeen entered transfer negotiations with Nottingham Forest regarding McKenna in September 2020, which meant that he was left out of the Aberdeen team for a match with Motherwell.[19]

Nottingham Forest

On 23 September 2020, McKenna moved to EFL Championship side Nottingham Forest for an undisclosed fee.[20] The fee was confirmed by Aberdeen as a "club-record fee"[21] reported as a £3 million fee that could rise to £6 million.[22] He made his Forest debut on 25 September 2020 in a 1–0 defeat to Huddersfield Town.[23] He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 win over Coventry City on 4 November 2020.[24] He was voted as Forest's Player of the Season for the 2021–22 campaign,[25] during which they won promotion to the Premier League.[26] McKenna missed significant parts of the 2022–23 season due to hamstring and collarbone injuries.[26]

International career

McKenna captained the Scotland under-19s in a 2–2 draw with the Czech Republic in 2014.[27] McKenna made his first appearance for the Scotland under-21s in September 2017.[28]

McKenna was selected for the full national squad in March 2018,[29] and made his full international debut in a 1–0 defeat against Costa Rica on 23 March.[30] In his fourth game for Scotland, a 1–0 defeat to Mexico on 2 June 2018, McKenna was made team captain.[31] On 11 October 2018, McKenna came on a second-half substitute in a 2–1 defeat against Israel, marking his competitive debut for Scotland.[32]

Personal life

A pupil at Webster's High School in Kirriemuir,[33] McKenna supported Celtic as a boy.[34] He is distantly related to the late Alan Gilzean, who was a cousin of McKenna's maternal grandmother.[34] His father Ian played semi-professionally in the Scottish Football League for Forfar Athletic and Montrose in the 1990s.[34][35]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 18 August 2023[36]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Aberdeen 2014–15[37] Scottish Premiership 0000000000
2015–16[38] Scottish Premiership 3000000030
2016–17[39] Scottish Premiership 0000100010
2017–18[40] Scottish Premiership 302400000342
2018–19[41]Scottish Premiership 30240302[lower-alpha 1]0392
2019–20[42] Scottish Premiership 24140106[lower-alpha 1]0351
2020–21[43] Scottish Premiership 4000002[lower-alpha 1]060
Total 915120501001185
Aberdeen U20 2017–18[40] SPFL Development League –––1[lower-alpha 2]010
Ayr United (loan) 2014–15[37] Scottish League One 120000000120
Alloa Athletic (loan) 2015–16[38] Scottish Championship 4000000040
Ayr United (loan) 2016–17[39] Scottish Championship 11120001[lower-alpha 3]0141
Nottingham Forest 2020–21[44] Championship 2411000—251
2021–22[45] Championship 45230003[lower-alpha 4]0512
2022–23[46] Premier League 2001030—240
2023–24[47] Premier League 200000—20
Total 9135030301023
Career total 2099190801502519
  1. Appearance(s) in the Europa League
  2. Appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup in which age-restricted sides from the Scottish Premiership clubs compete against senior clubs
  3. Appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup
  4. Appearances in Championship play-offs

International
As of 12 October 2023[3]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Scotland 201880
201960
202040
202160
202251
202310
Total301
List of international goals scored by Scott McKenna
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
18 June 2022Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland Armenia2–02–02022–23 UEFA Nations League B

Honours

Nottingham Forest

Individual

See also

References
  1. "Scottish Football Association: List of Suspensions: Issue No. 15: Thursday 18 October 2018" (PDF). Scottish Football Association. 18 October 2018. p. 2. Retrieved 3 January 2020.
  2. "Scott McKenna". Nottingham Forest F.C. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  3. Scott McKenna at the Scottish Football Association
  4. Mcallion, Kevin (22 March 2016). "Aberdeen tie down starlets Danny Rogers and Scott McKenna". Daily Record. Glasgow: Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  5. "Young Dons' Debuts - Season 2015/16". www.afc.co.uk. Aberdeen F.C. 1 June 2016. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  6. Davie, Scott (12 May 2016). "Aberdeen 0–1 Heart of Midlothian". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  7. "What Aberdeen 0–1 Hearts told us about each side's summer recruitment". The Scotsman. Edinburgh: Johnston Press. 12 May 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  8. Wilson, Mike (11 November 2016). "Ayr United sign Aberdeen defender Scott McKenna on loan". Daily Record. Glasgow: Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  9. "McKenna extends stay at Ayr". www.afc.co.uk. Aberdeen F.C. 20 January 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  10. "Aberdeen turn down Hull City's offer for Scott McKenna". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 January 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  11. "Scott McKenna-Kilmarnock Reaction". redtv.afc.co.uk. Aberdeen F.C. 27 January 2018. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  12. "Aberdeen: Scott McKenna extends Pittodrie contract 'to kick on'". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
  13. McLaughlin, Chris (22 August 2018). "Scott McKenna: Aberdeen reject Celtic bid of around £3.5m". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  14. McLauchlin, Brian (31 August 2018). "Scott McKenna: Aberdeen turn down Aston Villa bid for defender". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  15. Sutherland, Jonathan (5 August 2019). "Aberdeen: Scott McKenna hands in transfer request". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  16. Couse, Stephen (16 December 2019). "Aberdeen: No offers for Sam Cosgrove & Scott McKenna, says chairman". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  17. Smith, Tyrone (3 March 2020). "Scott McKenna: Aberdeen and Scotland defender likely to miss rest of season". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  18. "Celtic's Boli Bolingoli gets three-game ban; 'Aberdeen eight' receive three-match suspended ban". BBC Sport. BBC. 28 August 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  19. "Scott McKenna: Nottingham Forest poised to sign Aberdeen defender". BBC Sport. BBC. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  20. "McKenna moves to The Reds". www.nottinghamforest.co.uk. Nottingham Forest F.C. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  21. "Scott McKenna departs the Dons". www.afc.co.uk. Aberdeen F.C. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  22. "Scott McKenna: Nottingham Forest sign Aberdeen and Scotland defender". BBC Sport. BBC. 23 September 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  23. "Huddersfield beat Forest for first win". BBC Sport. BBC. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  24. "Nottingham Forest 2-1 Coventry". BBC Sport. BBC. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  25. Club, Nottingham Forest Football. "McKenna wins UK Meds Player of the Season". Nottingham Forest Football Club. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  26. "Nottingham Forest: Scott McKenna to miss remainder of Premier League season". BBC Sport. 24 April 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  27. "Scott McKenna captains the Scotland U19s". afc.co.uk. Aberdeen F.C. 2 September 2014. Archived from the original on 30 May 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
  28. "Motherwell 0-1 Aberdeen: Scott McKenna praised for big part in win". BBC Sport. BBC. 24 September 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  29. "Six new faces in Alex McLeish's Scotland squad for March friendlies". BBC Sport. BBC. 12 March 2018. Retrieved 12 March 2018.
  30. Dowden, Martin (23 March 2018). "Scotland 0–1 Costa Rica". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  31. Lamont, Alasdair (3 June 2018). "Mexico 1–0 Scotland: Captaincy caps fairytale season - Scott McKenna". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  32. Lamont, Alasdair (11 October 2018). "Israel 2-1 Scotland: Ten-man Scotland embarrassed by Israel". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 14 October 2018.
  33. Scotland players' old schools send good luck messages, Henry Hepburn, TES (magazine), 11 June 2021
  34. Pattullo, Alan (15 February 2020). "Interview: Aberdeen's Scott McKenna on his sudden rise to the Scotland captaincy, why he wants to leave Pittodrie and why Aston Villa's move for him fell through". The Scotsman. Edinburgh: JPIMedia. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  35. Ian McKenna, Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Players Transfer Database
  36. S. McKenna, Soccerway
  37. "Games played by Scott McKenna in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  38. "Games played by Scott McKenna in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  39. "Games played by Scott McKenna in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  40. "Games played by Scott McKenna in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  41. "Games played by Scott McKenna in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  42. "Games played by Scott McKenna in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 July 2019.
  43. "Games played by Scott McKenna in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  44. "Games played by Scott McKenna in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  45. "Games played by Scott McKenna in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
  46. "Games played by Scott McKenna in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  47. "Games played by Scott McKenna in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  48. "Forest return to Premier League after 23-year wait". 29 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  49. "McKenna Wins UK Meds Player of the Year". Nottingham Forest F.C. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
  • Profile at the Nottingham Forest F.C. website
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