Cian Thomas Bolger (born 12 March 1992) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Larne.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Cian Thomas Bolger[1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 12 March 1992||
Place of birth | Celbridge, Ireland | ||
Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[3] | ||
Position(s) | Centre back | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Larne | ||
Number | 18 | ||
Youth career | |||
2004-2008 | Celbridge Town | ||
2008–2010 | Leicester City | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2010–2013 | Leicester City | 0 | (0) |
2011 | → Bristol Rovers (loan) | 6 | (0) |
2011–2012 | → Bristol Rovers (loan) | 39 | (2) |
2012–2013 | → Bristol Rovers (loan) | 4 | (0) |
2013–2014 | Bolton Wanderers | 0 | (0) |
2013 | → Colchester United (loan) | 4 | (0) |
2014 | → Southend United (loan) | 1 | (0) |
2014–2016 | Southend United | 45 | (1) |
2016 | → Bury (loan) | 9 | (0) |
2016–2019 | Fleetwood Town | 85 | (9) |
2019–2020 | Lincoln City | 45 | (1) |
2020–2021 | Northampton Town | 26 | (1) |
2021– | Larne | 90 | (2) |
International career | |||
2010 | Republic of Ireland U19 | 2 | (0) |
2013 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 2 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 June 2024 |
Club career
editLeicester City
editSon of Declan who played for Dublin county football team[4] Bolger was born in Celbridge, County Kildare, Ireland,[5] and was Leicester City's academy Player of the Year in 2009.[6]
Loans to Bristol Rovers
editHe made his debut in the Football League while on loan at Bristol Rovers, when he came on as a 78th-minute substitute for Carl Regan in a 6–1 defeat to Walsall on 29 January 2011.[7] Bolger was sent off for the first time in his senior career on 8 February 2011, after a second yellow card for a poor challenge on Rochdale player Chris O'Grady.[8] On 11 July, Bolger returned to Bristol Rovers on a 6-month loan deal.[9] On 24 September 2011, Bolger scored the first professional goal of his career.
On 31 August 2012, Bolger was loaned to Bristol Rovers for a third time, until 1 January 2013. On 8 September 2012 he sustained a cruciate ligament injury in a 2–2 draw against Aldershot Town, which prevented him from playing for over 3 months.[10] He made his comeback on Boxing Day, coincidentally in another 2–2 draw against Aldershot, playing the full 90 minutes.
Bolton Wanderers
editOn 31 January 2013, Bolger signed for Bolton Wanderers.[11][12] On 28 March, he scored the winner for Bolton Wanderers Reserves in a 3–2 win over Stoke City Reserves. He is a former captain of the Bolton Development squad but didn't make any appearances for the first team squad during his time at Bolton.
Colchester United (loan)
editIn October 2013 Bolger signed a one-month loan deal with Colchester United[13] and made 4 league appearances.
Southend United (loan)
editOn 21 February 2014, Bolger joined League Two side Southend United on a 28-day loan,[14] but his loan spell was cut short after just one appearance due to an ankle injury on 24 February 2014.[15]
Southend United
editOn 5 August 2014 Bolger signed a two-year permanent deal with Southend United.
On 14 April 2015, Bolger scored his first goal for Southend United in the 45th minute against Newport County with a towering header. Bolger scored Southend's final penalty in the shoot-out in the play-off final on 23 May 2015, Southend were promoted winning 7–6.
Fleetwood Town
editBolger signed for Fleetwood Town on 22 May 2016, and went on to make over 100 appearances for the club.[16] He scored his first goal for Fleetwood in an FA Cup tie against Southport on 15 November 2016.[17]
Lincoln City
editBolger signed for Lincoln City on 17 January 2019.[18]
Northampton Town
editBolger signed a one-year contract at Northampton Town on 21 August 2020 ahead of the 2020–21 campaign.[19]
Larne
editAfter a single season at Northampton, Bolger signed for NIFL Premiership club Larne on 5 July 2021.[20]
Career statistics
edit- As of 9 May 2021
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Leicester City | 2010–11 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
2011–12 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Bristol Rovers (loan) | 2010–11[21] | League One | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Bristol Rovers (loan) | 2011–12[22] | League Two | 38 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 2 |
Bristol Rovers (loan) | 2012–13[23] | League Two | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 5 | 0 |
Bolton Wanderers | 2012–13[23] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Colchester United (loan) | 2013–14[24] | League One | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Southend United (loan) | 2013–14[24] | League Two | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Southend United | 2014–15[25] | League Two | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 26 | 1 |
2015–16[26] | League One | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 0 | |
Total | 45 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 51 | 1 | ||
Bury (loan) | 2015–16[26] | League One | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
Fleetwood Town[27] | 2016–17 | League One | 33 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 43 | 6 |
2017–18 | League One | 41 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 1 | 49 | 6 | |
2018–19 | League One | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 17 | 1 | |
Total | 85 | 9 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 110 | 12 | ||
Lincoln City[28] | 2018–19 | League Two | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
2019–20 | League One | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 0 | |
Total | 45 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 50 | 1 | ||
Northampton Town[28] | 2020–21 | League One | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 1 |
Career total | 263 | 14 | 17 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 307 | 18 |
- ^ a b c Appearance(s) in the Football League Trophy
- ^ Appearances in the League Two play-offs
- ^ Two appearances in the Football League Trophy and one appearance in the League One play-offs
Honours
editSouthend United
Lincoln City
Larne
- NIFL Premiership (2): 2022–23,[31] 2023-24[32]
- County Antrim Shield (3): 2021–22,[33] 2022–23,[34] 2023-24 [35]
- NIFL Charity Shield: 2024 [36]
Individual
- NIFL Premiership Team of the Season (2): 2022–23,[37] 2023-24 [38]
- Fleetwood Town Player of the Year: 2016–17[39]
References
edit- ^ "Professional retain list & free transfers 2012/13" (PDF). The Football League. 18 May 2013. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 August 2014. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
- ^ "Cian Bolger". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
- ^ "Cian Bolger - Defender - First Team Squad - Northampton Town". www.weareimps.com. Lincoln City F.C. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
- ^ https://m.independent.ie/sport/soccer/premier-league/bolger-opens-window-to-his-future/26798402.html
- ^ "Player Details: Cian Bolger". English National Football Archive.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ "Bristol Rovers sign Leicester defender Bolger on loan". BBC Sport. 17 January 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "Walsall 6 – 1 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 29 January 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "Rochdale 3 – 1 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 8 February 2011.
- ^ "Leicester City's Cian Bolger returns to Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 11 July 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ "Bristol Rovers defender Cian Bolger ruled out for three months". BBC Sport. 11 September 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
- ^ "Bolton: Medo Kamara, Cian Bolger & Steve De Ridder sign". BBC Sport. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
- ^ "Bolger deal confirmed". Bolton Wanderers FC. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
- ^ "Colchester United sign Bolton's Cian Bolger". BBC Sport. 24 October 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
- ^ "News: Cian Bolger joins Southend United". Southend United FC. 21 February 2014.
- ^ "Bolton Wanderers: Cian Bolger's Southend United loan ends". BBC Sport. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
- ^ "Cian Bolger: Fleetwood Town sign former Southend United centre-back". BBC Sport. 22 May 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- ^ "Fleetwood 4–1 Southport". BBC Sport. 15 November 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
- ^ "Imps sign Irishman from The Cod Army". weareimps.com. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ^ "Northampton Town Complete the Signing of Cian Bolger". Northampton Town F.C. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
- ^ "Who is Cian Bolger? All you need to know about League One man who has signed for Larne". belfasttelegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ "Games played by Cian Bolger in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
- ^ "Games played by Cian Bolger in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
- ^ a b "Games played by Cian Bolger in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
- ^ a b "Games played by Cian Bolger in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
- ^ "Games played by Cian Bolger in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
- ^ a b "Games played by Cian Bolger in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
- ^ Cian Bolger at Soccerway. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ^ a b "Republic of Ireland - C. Bolger - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
- ^ Shepka, Phil (23 May 2015). "Southend United 1–1 Wycombe Wanderers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
- ^ "League Two: 2018/19: Current table". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
"Lincoln: Squad details: 2018/19". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 May 2019. - ^ "Larne secure historic first Irish League title". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 April 2023.
- ^ "Larne lift title as Carrick secure Euro play-off". BBC.
- ^ "Co Antrim Shield: Impressive Larne see off Linfield in gripping final to retain trophy". BBC Sport. BBC. 11 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ "County Antrim Shield final: Larne complete hat-trick with shootout win after lengthy injury delay". BBC Sport. BBC. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- ^ "County Antrim Shield: Larne beat Glentoran 2-1 to win silverware for fourth consecutive season". BBC Sport. BBC. 23 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ "NIFL Charity Shield: Larne come from behind to win Charity Shield". 5 July 2024.
- ^ "Ni Football Awards Team of the Year".
- ^ "Uhlsport Team of the Year 2023/24".
- ^ "Fan and Sponsor Award Evening a great success". Fleetwood F.C. 25 April 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
External links
edit- Cian Bolger at Soccerbase
- Republic of Ireland profile at Soccer Scene