Aiden Mcgeady: biography

Aiden McGeady is a Scottish-born, Irish footballer. He is currently playing for Spartak Moscow in the Russian Premier League and is a former Celtic star. He rose to prominence with his hometown club, coming through the club’s academy. McGeady’s playing position is a winger, capable of operating on either flank.

Beginnings

He is the son of former professional footballer, John McGeady, and was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 4th April 1986. Having joined the youth team of Queen’s Park in his early teens, Celtic approached him in 2001. Over the next three years McGeady made impressive progress through the academy and reserve teams of the Celtic.

Career

Aiden made his first team debut in the Scottish Premier League fixture away at Heart of Midlothian on 24 April 2004, a match in which he scored. His precocious talent caught the attention of the Republic of Ireland national team who approached McGeady to represent them, instead of Scotland. He took up the offer and made his debut against Jamaica in July 2004. Aiden has thirty-nine caps to date. Breaking through to become a first XI regular for Celtic in the following season, McGeady featured in the Champions League for the first time against Italian giants, A. C. Milan. The 2005-06 campaign was a frustrating one as he struggled with a knee injury. He started to become the club’s star player, providing quality deliveries and on-the-ball flair. Aiden notched double figures for assists in four successive seasons with the Glasgow giants, his highest return being twenty-four in the 2007-08 season. At Celtic Park he played under four managers, Martin O'Neill, Gordon Strachan, Tony Mowbray and current boss Neil Lennon. This consistent form was picked up on by wealthy Russian club, Spartak Moscow. In August 2010 a bid for Aiden was accepted by Celtic, believed to be in the region of £9.5 million. He signed a four-and-a-half year contract to take him to the Russian capital. Joining Spartak halfway through the RPL campaign, he made six assists in ten league appearances, which helped the club to a fourth placed finish. McGeady is regarded as one of the best wide players in the country.

Achievements

With Celtic he won three SPL titles in a row between 2005 and 2008, as well as two Scottish League Cups (2005-06 and 2008-09) and Scottish FA Cups (2004-05 and 2006-07) apiece. Before his move to Eastern Europe, McGeady also received the 2008 Scottish Professional Footballers Association Player’s Player and Young Player of the Season awards. He is yet to achieve any honours with Spartak Moscow.