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===Early career===
===Early career===
He started his professional career as a trainee with [[Arsenal F.C.]] before signing for Aston Villa in April 2000 for a fee of £250,000.Fahey failed to settle as a youngster in the UK and was subsequently released by Aston Villa at the age of 20.He also spent a year on loan at St. Patrick's Athletic during his spell at Villa.
He started his professional career as a trainee with [[Arsenal F.C.]] before signing for Aston Villa F.C in April 2000 for a fee of £250,000.Fahey failed to settle as a youngster in the UK and was subsequently released by Aston Villa at the age of 20.He also spent a year on loan at St. Patrick's Athletic during his spell at Villa.


He played for the national team up to the under 20 World Cup in the U.A.E where he came on as a substitute in the second round and turned the game around against the Columbians reducing a 2 goal deficit only to lose on the golden goal.
He played for the national team up to the under 20 World Cup in the U.A.E where he came on as a substitute in the second round and turned the game around against the Columbians reducing a 2 goal deficit only to lose on the golden goal.

Revision as of 11:37, 19 August 2009

Keith Fahey
Personal information
Height 5 ft 10.5 in (1.79 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Birmingham City
Number 18

Keith Fahey (born 15 January 1983 in Dublin) is an Irish football player who plays for English Premier League club Birmingham City.

Club career

Early career

He started his professional career as a trainee with Arsenal F.C. before signing for Aston Villa F.C in April 2000 for a fee of £250,000.Fahey failed to settle as a youngster in the UK and was subsequently released by Aston Villa at the age of 20.He also spent a year on loan at St. Patrick's Athletic during his spell at Villa.

He played for the national team up to the under 20 World Cup in the U.A.E where he came on as a substitute in the second round and turned the game around against the Columbians reducing a 2 goal deficit only to lose on the golden goal.

Return to Ireland

Having failed to make a breakthrough in the Premiership, Fahey returned home initially to play non League football for Bluebell United before quickly being snapped up by St Pats in 2003. He immediately impressed fans and commentators with his skillful midfield play and he was the driving force for St Pats as they reached the FAI Cup final (with Fahey scoring a memorable free kick goal in extra time of the semi final replay). However the final turned out to be very disappointing for both Fahey and St Pats as he was sent off in the first half as the Saints lost 2-0 to Longford Town.

He continued to impress during two disappointing seasons for St Pats in 2004 and 2005 before surprisingly moving to Drogheda United in exchange for Alan Reilly and €32,000 in July 2005. As Drogheda were becoming a major force in Irish football, Fahey played a major role in midfield and was highly instrumental in Drogheda capturing the Setanta Cup in early 2006. In July 2006, there was apparently a major falling out with manager Paul Doolin, leaving the way clear for Fahey to return to St. Pats.

He has represented the Republic of Ireland at every age level up to 2003, when he represented the national team at the FIFA World Youth Championships.

Impressed highly in Pats' UEFA Cup run in 2008 and was regarded as "the best player on the pitch" in the home tie against Hertha Berlin. The match finished 0-0 but Pats' were the better team and should have won the match[citation needed] but the 2-0 loss at the Olympiastadion was enough to send Pats' out of the Uefa Cup First Round.

Fahey won the PFAI Player of the Year award for the 2008 season.[1]

Birmingham City

On 2 December 2008, Fahey signed a pre-contract agreement with Birmingham City to the effect that he would join Birmingham when the transfer window opened in January 2009.[2][3] The Irish season having finished, Fahey joined up with Birmingham in mid-December for training, though manager Alex McLeish suggested supporters should not "expect him to walk straight into the team" when he became eligible in January.[4]

Fahey made his Birmingham debut on 17 January 2009, coming on as a late substitute in a 1–1 draw against Cardiff City.[5] He scored his first goal for the club, variously described as "a delicate lob" or looking "suspiciously like an attempted cross", to clinch a 2–0 home victory against Nottingham Forest on 14 February.[6][7] His second goal gave the Blues a 1–0 home win over Southampton some weeks later.[8] Fahey retained his place in the side for the rest of the season (keeping loan signings Scott Sinclair and Hameur Bouazza out of the starting eleven), and was a key player for Birmingham in their successful bid for promotion, scoring a goal and making a goal in a vital 2-1 win at Reading on the last day of the campaign.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Fahey named PFAI Player of the Year". RTÉ. 17 November 2008. Retrieved 28 November 2008.
  2. ^ "Fahey signs Birmingham contract". BBC. 2 December 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
  3. ^ "Fahey puts pen to paper". Birmingham City F.C. 2 December 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2008.
  4. ^ "Fahey Trains With New Team Mates". Birmingham City F.C. 19 December 2008. Retrieved 24 December 2008.
  5. ^ "Lee Bowyer debut is a delight says Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish". Birmingham Mail. 19 January 2009. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
  6. ^ "Birmingham 2-0 Nottm Forest". BBC Sport. 14 February 2009. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
  7. ^ Rae, Richard (15 February 2009). "Birmingham City buoyed". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 15 February 2009.
  8. ^ Instone, David (8 March 2009). "Fahey aids rebirth of Blues". The Independent. Retrieved 25 April 2009.
  9. ^ Walker, Andy (26 April 2009). "Surprise package Keith Fahey delighted with his first season at Blues". Sunday Mercury. Birmingham. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
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