Pierce Liam Sweeney (born 11 September 1994) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League One side Exeter City.
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Pierce Liam Sweeney[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1994-09-11) 11 September 1994 (age 28) | ||
Place of birth | Dublin, Ireland | ||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2] | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Club 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 | Swindon Town | 0 | (0) |
2021– | Exeter City | 50 | (1) |
National team‡ | |||
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 22:10, 16 September 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18:00, 1 August 2016 (UTC) |
Sweeney began his career at Ardmore Rovers in his hometown of Bray, before moving on to the under-13 level with Belvedere.[3]
In 2012, Sweeney joined League of Ireland Premier Division side Bray Wanderers. He made 12 appearances for the Seagulls during the 2012 season.
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]
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.
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]
Following his abrupt departure from Swindon, Sweeney returned to Exeter City on 8 July 2021.[10][11] He was vice-captain as Exeter 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]
Sweeney has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-U17, under-U19, and under-U21 levels.[13]
Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
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Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Bray Wanderers | 2012[13] | LOI Premier Division | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 13 | 0 |
Reading | 2012–13[14] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
2013–14[15] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
2014–15[16] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
2015–16[17] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |||
Exeter City | 2016–17[18] | League Two | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | 37 | 0 |
2017–18[19] | League Two | 40 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 49 | 9 | |
2018–19[20] | League Two | 43 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 46 | 4 | |
2019–20[21] | League Two | 36 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7[lower-alpha 5] | 0 | 48 | 3 | |
2020–21[22] | League Two | 38 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[lower-alpha 4] | 0 | 42 | 3 | |
Total | 186 | 17 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 222 | 19 | ||
Career total | 198 | 17 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 235 | 19 |
Exeter City F.C. – current squad | |
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FAI Under 19 International Player of the Year | |
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