LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 31: Aiden McGeady of Sunderland celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 1-0 during the Checkatrade Trophy Final between Sunderland AFC and Portsmouth FC at Wembley Stadium on March 31, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I have loved many wingers at Sunderland AFC. I used to play on the right wing at school and beyond. As I got older, and knew that I couldn’t manage the turn of speed that any good winger needs, I still couldn’t help myself hugging the touchline. So a good winger has always caught my eye. I don’t have to think very hard – Stan Cummins (my favourite), Leighton James, Chris Waddle, Dennis Tueart, Billy Hughes, Nicky Summerbee, Magic Johnston, Jack Clarke, Patrick Roberts and many more. Then there’s Aiden McGeady. Of all the wingers I’ve mentioned, and the more I missed out that didn’t roll off my tongue – there was none as amazing as Mr McGeady.
Born on 4 April 1986 in Rutherglen, Scotland, of Irish/Scottish descent, he arrived at the Stadium of Light, after an already illustrious career, in 2017. He made 141 appearances for the Black Cats, scoring 40 goals, before eventually leaving us in 2022 for Hibs. He played 93 times for the Republic of Ireland, from 2004 to 2017.
McGeady started his career with Celtic in 2004, at the age of 18, making 200 appearances, winning four league titles and three cup trophies. After an early knee injury that derailed his appearances, he got back to full fitness, and played a valuable part in Celtic’s championship-winning teams and their adventures in the Champions League. He ended the 2008-09 season as their star player. The 2009-10 season saw Celtic trophyless for the first time since 2003, and Aiden moved abroad to Spartak Moscow. This provided him with more European competition experience, helping to get them into the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League by scoring a late goal against FC Basel.
The end of 2013 saw the start, I think, of McGeady’s ‘unhappy’ period. He was disciplined at Moscow for ignoring team orders, and by the start of 2014 had joined Everton with a four-and-a-half-year contract. He was actually on Everton’s books from 2014 to 2017, but only made 43 appearances. Despite showing glimpses of the magic he was capable of, a knee injury had flared up again, and he was loaned out to Sheffield Wednesday in 2016, making 13 appearances, and then to Preston North End, making 34 showings. He scored eight goals at Deepdale, and was named their player of the year.
We landed the talented winger in July 2017, which reunited him with his former PNE boss, Simon Grayson. At least that’s one thing we should be grateful to Mr Grayson for. By this time of course, we were in our ‘depressing period’ in League One. It perhaps showed that McGeady needed to be appreciated and loved, more than what level of football he was playing. To land a player of his talent at that time, was an encouraging sign for SAFC. At the end of 2018-19, he made the Team of the Year, and was voted Supporters’ Player of the Year. He signed a one-year extended contract – but in 2019, the Parkinson effect took hold! One of my most disliked of Sunderland managers fell out with McGeady, and told him he had no future at the club. I had no time for Parkinson’s mundane and lifeless team press conferences – this certainly didn’t endear him to me!
Aiden wasn’t sent to Coventry – but to Charlton Athletic, on loan until the end of the season. But when Lee Johnson took over the helm at the SoL, he brought McGeady back into the fold, and he made his first Sunderland appearance in over a year in December 2020. Following the 2020-2021 season, he was named in the Team of the Season. Following promotion through the play-offs at the end of the 2021-22 season, he was released after five years at the club. He spent a season at both Hibs and then Ayr United, before bringing his career to a close. He had made 570 appearances in total, scoring 106 goals.
That’s the bare bones and stats of the man. But to watch him play, was an absolute joy. When we were down and out and needing ‘just something – anything’ to get us out of that god-forsaken League One – Aiden McGeady was always a hope and a shining light, and a straw to clutch at.
I remember the Checkatrade Trophy final at Wembley in 2019. McGeady had been injured with a fractured toe, but with the help of injections, he came on and with his quick feet and wizardry got a late equaliser. It wasn’t enough to help Jack Ross’s team to win the trophy, but an exciting memory. When I think about Aiden McGeady, I think about the crowd all standing up as soon as he received the ball on the touchline – expectant – hopeful – not wanting to miss a little piece of magic. How did he do that? What did he do there!? His free kicks were something we could do with to this day. I remember being behind a beautiful strike away at Bristol Rovers.
His career wasn’t going anywhere, but we brought him back, gave him some love, and got a few more top years out of him. What a pity we couldn’t have seen him in his younger days. I am full of admiration for the guy. Players are human beings, and need to be handled as individuals, not as a commodity – I’m glad I got to see him play. He was magic, and for me was a building block of what was to come and what is happening now.
Saturday night and I like the way you move, Aiden McGeady!
