Shay Given, Ireland footballer: Profile, Career, News & Videos

Shay Given is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Widely regarded as one of Ireland's greatest ever players and – in his prime – one of the Premier League's best goalkeepers, he is the second-most capped Republic of Ireland player, with 134 caps (a tally exceeded only by Robbie Keane).

Given began his career at Celtic; however, he never made a first-team appearance and joined Blackburn Rovers on a free transfer in 1994. Whilst on loan from Blackburn, he was part of both the Sunderland team who won the Football League First Division title in 1995–96 and the Swindon Town team who won the Football League Second Division title that same season. He was signed by Newcastle United in 1997 for a fee of £2.5 million, where he was part of the teams who were runners-up in the 1998 and 1999 FA Cup campaigns, and was named in the Premier League Team of the Season for the 2001–02 and 2005–06 seasons. He played in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup with Newcastle, and was involved in the club's title challenge in 2001–02. On 1 February 2009, Given joined Manchester City for £6 million on a four-and-a-half-year contract. On 18 July 2011, he joined Aston Villa for a fee believed to be around £3.5 million, signing a five-year contract. Given joined Stoke City in July 2015, remaining with the club for two seasons before retiring.

Having surpassed the total of 100 caps required for membership, he is part of the FIFA Century Club. Given gained his first international cap in 1996 and played in goal during every match for his country during the 2002 FIFA World Cup campaign, helping them reach the knockout stage. He was later on the pitch in Paris when the Republic of Ireland were knocked out of the play-offs for a spot in the 2010 FIFA World Cup by France before helping his team qualify for UEFA Euro 2012. Given played at UEFA Euro 2012 and was selected in Martin O'Neill's 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2016, but did not appear in any of Ireland's four matches at the tournament. He announced his international retirement in July 2016, having amassed 134 caps for his country and kept 52 clean sheets.