Steve Finnan
Encyclopedia
Stephen John "Steve" Finnan (born 24 April 1976 in Limerick
, Ireland
) is a retired Irish international
footballer who played as a right back. He is the only player to have played in the World Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, all four levels of the English league football and the Football Conference
.
, England at a young age. He began his career playing in Wimbledon
's youth system
, but he joined non-League
club Welling United
in 1993 after being released at the age of 16. Finnan turned professional when he signed with Birmingham City
in 1995, who paid a fee
of £100,000 to Welling United to acquire his services. He scored his first professional goal against Watford
.
and scoring his first goal a month later in a 4–2 victory over Bristol Rovers. He appeared in all of Notts game for the remainder of the season, helping the team finish fourth in the Second Division
and qualify for the promotion
play-offs. In the first leg of the semi-finals held at the Alexandria Stadium
he scored against Crewe Alexandra
, with the match ending 2–2. The return leg at home saw Notts win 1–0, winning 3–2 on aggregate. In the Final of the play-offs against Bradford City
at Wembley Stadium, Notts County lost 2–0. He returned to Birmingham following the conclusion of the loan deal.
During the following season, 1996–97, Notts County signed Finnan for a fee £300,000 on 30 October 1996. He played his first match as a permanent player for Notts County after being introduced as a substitute against Shrewsbury Town
. The season was not a successful one for Finnan as Notts County finished 24th in the table and were relegated to the Third Division
.
In the 1997–98 season, his first full season at the club, Finnan established himself as a key member of the team and was an ever present, appearing in 51 matches, helping the club win the Third Division title with record points and time. The other notable record Finnan established with Notts County during this season was a streak of 10 consecutive victories; a club record and one which still stands today.
manager Kevin Keegan
paid £600,000 for his services in November 1998. He made his Fulham debut against Chesterfield
on 21 November 1998 and scored his first goal for Fulham against Blackpool
on 20 March 1999. While at Fulham, he also became a favourite among the fans. His first season with the club was a success, with Fulham winning the Second Division championship and being promoted to the First Division
.
Finnan finished ninth with Fulham the following season under new manager Paul Bracewell
, despite promising early season form and an unbeaten run lasting over two months. Bracewell was replaced with Jean Tigana
in May 2000, and under him in the 2000–01
season, Fulham won the First Division championship, winning promotion to the Premier League, with Finnan appearing in all but one of the league matches.
In his debut season in the Premier League, he helped Fulham qualify for the UEFA Intertoto Cup
, was voted into the 2001–02
Professional Footballers' Association
team of the year and was also voted as the Fulham player of the year. Fulham then went on to win the Intertoto Cup, giving Finnan his first taste of European football. Next season saw Jean Tigana replaced by Chris Coleman
, Finnan's fourth manager in five seasons. By April 2003 with few games to go, Fulham were close to the relegation zone but picked up 10 points out of a possible 15 to stay in the top-flight, finishing in 14th position.
In the summer of 2003 Finnan found himself courted by many of England's top clubs, and eventually Fulham agreed to sell Finnan to Liverpool for a fee of £3.5m.
, he established himself as the first-choice right back and a firm fan favourite. The season was a highly successful one for Finnan. He scored his first and only goal for Liverpool, against West Bromwich Albion, played in the League Cup final, and was in the starting eleven as Liverpool won the Champions League Final
, though a thigh injury meant he was substituted at half time. Finnan's goal against WBA meant that he had scored in each of the five highest divisions of English football, a record he shares with Jimmy Willis
.
In the 2005–06
season, Liverpool broke their record for number of points in a premier league season, finishing on 82 points with Finnan being ever present. At the end of the season he picked up another medal with Liverpool, winning the FA Cup.
Finnan played for Liverpool as first choice right back for the 2006–07
season despite heavy competition from newly arrived team-mate Álvaro Arbeloa. He started in the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final
and was subbed off after 88 minutes, Liverpool went on to lose the game 2–1. In July 2007, Finnan agreed a new two-year contract to remain with Liverpool.
The following season, Liverpool's success continued as they finished third in the League and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. Finnan took his total appearances for Liverpool past the 200 mark and also made it into the top 100 capped Liverpool players of all time. Finnan featured in 35 games, but lost his starting place, manager Rafa Benítez often preferring Arbeloa to start. In the summer of 2008, after the arrival of fullback Philipp Degen
at the club from Borussia Dortmund
, Finnan was linked with a move away from Anfield
. He was offered by Liverpool as a makeweight in a deal to sign Gareth Barry
from Aston Villa; the player accepted the move but the clubs were unable to agree a fee. He made a guest appearance in Jamie Carragher
's testimonial match in September 2010.
for an undisclosed fee. Injuries limited his first team appearances, and rumours of a return to the Premier League in the January 2009 transfer window with Arsenal
or Tottenham Hotspur
were dismissed by Espanyol's sports director Paco Herrera and by coach Mané
, who considered him an important member of the team. By mid-January, Espanyol were "surprised" that a move to Hull City
did not proceed, apparently for medical reasons. In July 2009, Espanyol and Finnan agreed to mutually terminate the remainder of his contract.
on 31 July 2009. He made his debut for the club on 3 October in a 1–0 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers
at Molineux
, and played regularly in the second half of the season, but with the club in administration and relegated to the Championship, he was not offered a new deal. His last appearance for the club was the 2010 FA Cup Final
against Chelsea
.
Under-21 international, Finnan stepped up to the senior side in 2000 against Greece
. He cemented his place in the Irish starting XI during the 2002 World Cup qualification matches, supplying the cross for Jason McAteer
to score the only goal in a crucial 1–0 home win against the Netherlands
in September 2001.
Finnan appeared in all three of Ireland's group E games in the 2002 FIFA World Cup against Cameroon
, Germany and Saudi Arabia
. Ireland progressed to the second round of the tournament for only the third time in their history where they faced Spain. The match ended 1–1 in extra time and went to penalties. Finnan took a penalty and scored, but Ireland eventually lost 3–2.
Injury disrupted Finnan's participation in the unsuccessful attempt to reach the Euro 2004 finals. He was a regular choice in the 2006 World Cup qualification games but Ireland failed to qualify for the finals.
He was again a regular selection in the 2008 Euro qualification games but Ireland did not qualify for the finals. He then announced his retirement from international football on 22 January 2008 after making 50 appearances for the Republic of Ireland
. Tempted by the prospect of working with the newly appointed Ireland manager Giovanni Trappatoni, Finnan came out of retirement in August 2008 to be included in the squad to face Norway
in an international friendly.
|2000||5||1
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|2001||7||0
|-
|2002||9||0
|-
|2003||4||0
|-
|2004||9||0
|-
|2005||4||0
|-
|2006||5||0
|-
|2007||7||1
|-
|2008||3||0
|-
!Total||53||2
|}
Fulham
Liverpool
Portsmouth
Limerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
) is a retired Irish international
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
footballer who played as a right back. He is the only player to have played in the World Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup, all four levels of the English league football and the Football Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
.
Early career
Finnan was born in the Janesboro area of Limerick City, and moved to ChelmsfordChelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
, England at a young age. He began his career playing in Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
's youth system
Youth system
Youth system is a sporting terminology used to refer to a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show enough promise, and to fill up squads numbers in some teams...
, but he joined non-League
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
club Welling United
Welling United F.C.
Welling United Football Club are an English football club, based in Welling in the London Borough of Bexley. They currently play in the Conference South. The 2010–11 season was not a good one for them as the club had financial problems, nearly going bankrupt but lots of supporters chipped in and...
in 1993 after being released at the age of 16. Finnan turned professional when he signed with Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
in 1995, who paid a fee
Fee
A fee is the price one pays as remuneration for services. Fees usually allow for overhead, wages, costs, and markup.Traditionally, professionals in Great Britain received a fee in contradistinction to a payment, salary, or wage, and would often use guineas rather than pounds as units of account...
of £100,000 to Welling United to acquire his services. He scored his first professional goal against Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
.
Notts County
Finnan made a loan switch to Notts County in March 1996, making his debut in a 2–1 victory over WalsallWalsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
and scoring his first goal a month later in a 4–2 victory over Bristol Rovers. He appeared in all of Notts game for the remainder of the season, helping the team finish fourth in the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
and qualify for the promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
play-offs. In the first leg of the semi-finals held at the Alexandria Stadium
Alexandria Stadium
Alexandria Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Alexandria, Egypt. It is currently used mostly for football matches, and was used for the 2006 African Cup of Nations. The stadium is the oldest stadium in Egypt and Africa, being built in 1929...
he scored against Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
, with the match ending 2–2. The return leg at home saw Notts win 1–0, winning 3–2 on aggregate. In the Final of the play-offs against Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
at Wembley Stadium, Notts County lost 2–0. He returned to Birmingham following the conclusion of the loan deal.
During the following season, 1996–97, Notts County signed Finnan for a fee £300,000 on 30 October 1996. He played his first match as a permanent player for Notts County after being introduced as a substitute against Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
. The season was not a successful one for Finnan as Notts County finished 24th in the table and were relegated to the Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
.
In the 1997–98 season, his first full season at the club, Finnan established himself as a key member of the team and was an ever present, appearing in 51 matches, helping the club win the Third Division title with record points and time. The other notable record Finnan established with Notts County during this season was a streak of 10 consecutive victories; a club record and one which still stands today.
Fulham
After strong showings for Notts County in the 1997–98 season, FulhamFulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
manager Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
paid £600,000 for his services in November 1998. He made his Fulham debut against Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
on 21 November 1998 and scored his first goal for Fulham against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
on 20 March 1999. While at Fulham, he also became a favourite among the fans. His first season with the club was a success, with Fulham winning the Second Division championship and being promoted to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
.
Finnan finished ninth with Fulham the following season under new manager Paul Bracewell
Paul Bracewell
Paul Bracewell , in Heswall, Merseyside), but was brought up in Newport, Shropshire, is an English former international footballer who played as a midfielder, although his career was hampered by injuries as the years went by.-Career:...
, despite promising early season form and an unbeaten run lasting over two months. Bracewell was replaced with Jean Tigana
Jean Tigana
Jean Amadou Tigana is a manager and former French international footballer, having played in midfield and managed professional football extensively throughout France, including 52 appearances and 1 goal for the France national football team during the 1980s.-Playing career:Tigana started his...
in May 2000, and under him in the 2000–01
2000-01 in English football
The 2000–01 season was the 121st season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Manchester United secured their 3rd Premiership title in succession and their 7th title in just nine seasons...
season, Fulham won the First Division championship, winning promotion to the Premier League, with Finnan appearing in all but one of the league matches.
In his debut season in the Premier League, he helped Fulham qualify for the UEFA Intertoto Cup
UEFA Intertoto Cup
The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
, was voted into the 2001–02
2001-02 in English football
The 2001-02 season was the 122nd season of competitive football in England.-Arsenal cruise to title glory:In what had earlier been one of the most closely fought Premiership title races for years, Arsenal won the championship by seven points. Their crown was won in the penultimate game of the...
Professional Footballers' Association
Professional Footballers' Association
The Professional Footballers' Association is the trade union for professional footballers in England and Wales. The world's oldest professional sport trade union, it has 4,000 members....
team of the year and was also voted as the Fulham player of the year. Fulham then went on to win the Intertoto Cup, giving Finnan his first taste of European football. Next season saw Jean Tigana replaced by Chris Coleman
Chris Coleman (footballer)
Christopher "Chris" Coleman is a Welsh football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of Greek Side Larissa....
, Finnan's fourth manager in five seasons. By April 2003 with few games to go, Fulham were close to the relegation zone but picked up 10 points out of a possible 15 to stay in the top-flight, finishing in 14th position.
In the summer of 2003 Finnan found himself courted by many of England's top clubs, and eventually Fulham agreed to sell Finnan to Liverpool for a fee of £3.5m.
Liverpool
Finnan made his Liverpool debut against Chelsea on 17 August 2003. His first season was disrupted by injury, but in 2004–052004-05 in English football
The 2004–05 season was the 125th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*2004–05 was the first season to feature the rebranded Football League. The First Division, Second Division and Third Division were renamed the Football League Championship, Football League One and Football League...
, he established himself as the first-choice right back and a firm fan favourite. The season was a highly successful one for Finnan. He scored his first and only goal for Liverpool, against West Bromwich Albion, played in the League Cup final, and was in the starting eleven as Liverpool won the Champions League Final
2005 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2005 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League, Europe's primary club football competition. The showpiece event was contested between Liverpool of England and Milan of Italy at the Atatürk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey on 25 May 2005...
, though a thigh injury meant he was substituted at half time. Finnan's goal against WBA meant that he had scored in each of the five highest divisions of English football, a record he shares with Jimmy Willis
Jimmy Willis
James Anthony "Jimmy" Willis is an English former footballer, who played for Halifax Town, Stockport County, Darlington, Leicester City and Bradford City. During his career he scored goals in all of the top five divisions of the English football league system...
.
In the 2005–06
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
season, Liverpool broke their record for number of points in a premier league season, finishing on 82 points with Finnan being ever present. At the end of the season he picked up another medal with Liverpool, winning the FA Cup.
Finnan played for Liverpool as first choice right back for the 2006–07
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
season despite heavy competition from newly arrived team-mate Álvaro Arbeloa. He started in the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final
2007 UEFA Champions League Final
The 2007 UEFA Champions League Final was an association football match between A.C. Milan of Italy and Liverpool F.C. of England on 23 May 2007 at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece. The showpiece event was the final match of the 2006–07 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the UEFA...
and was subbed off after 88 minutes, Liverpool went on to lose the game 2–1. In July 2007, Finnan agreed a new two-year contract to remain with Liverpool.
The following season, Liverpool's success continued as they finished third in the League and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. Finnan took his total appearances for Liverpool past the 200 mark and also made it into the top 100 capped Liverpool players of all time. Finnan featured in 35 games, but lost his starting place, manager Rafa Benítez often preferring Arbeloa to start. In the summer of 2008, after the arrival of fullback Philipp Degen
Philipp Degen
Philipp Degen is a Swiss footballer. Degen is usually a right back but can also play at left back or on the right wing...
at the club from Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
, Finnan was linked with a move away from Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
. He was offered by Liverpool as a makeweight in a deal to sign Gareth Barry
Gareth Barry
Gareth Barry is an English footballer who plays for Manchester City and the England national football team.Barry moved to Aston Villa from Brighton & Hove Albion as a youngster, and spent 12 years at the club. He captained Aston Villa, and, at the end of his career with the club, lay eighth in...
from Aston Villa; the player accepted the move but the clubs were unable to agree a fee. He made a guest appearance in Jamie Carragher
Jamie Carragher
James Lee Duncan "Jamie" Carragher is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League side Liverpool...
's testimonial match in September 2010.
Espanyol
On transfer deadline day, 1 September 2008, Finnan signed a two-year deal with La Liga club EspanyolRCD Espanyol
Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009...
for an undisclosed fee. Injuries limited his first team appearances, and rumours of a return to the Premier League in the January 2009 transfer window with Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
or Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
were dismissed by Espanyol's sports director Paco Herrera and by coach Mané
José Manuel Esnal
José Manuel Esnal Pardo , aka Mané, is a Spanish football manager.His career was mostly associated to Lleida and Alavés, coaching the latter in five La Liga seasons and taking it to the 2001 UEFA Cup Final.-Early years / Lleida:Mané started coaching in his late 20's, his first job being with his...
, who considered him an important member of the team. By mid-January, Espanyol were "surprised" that a move to Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
did not proceed, apparently for medical reasons. In July 2009, Espanyol and Finnan agreed to mutually terminate the remainder of his contract.
Portsmouth
Finnan signed a one-year contract with Premier League side PortsmouthPortsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
on 31 July 2009. He made his debut for the club on 3 October in a 1–0 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
at Molineux
Molineux stadium
Molineux Stadium is a Premier League football stadium situated in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, England. It has been the home ground of Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club since 1889, and has a long and illustrious history as the first 'new build' stadium in Football League history, one of the...
, and played regularly in the second half of the season, but with the club in administration and relegated to the Championship, he was not offered a new deal. His last appearance for the club was the 2010 FA Cup Final
2010 FA Cup Final
The 2010 FA Cup Final was the 129th final of the FA Cup, the world's oldest domestic football cup competition. The match took place on 15 May 2010, at Wembley Stadium, London...
against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
.
International career
A Republic of IrelandRepublic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
Under-21 international, Finnan stepped up to the senior side in 2000 against Greece
Greece national football team
The Greece national football team represents Greece in association football and is controlled by the Hellenic Football Federation, the governing body for football in Greece. Greece's home ground is Karaiskakis Stadium in Piraeus and their head coach is Fernando Santos...
. He cemented his place in the Irish starting XI during the 2002 World Cup qualification matches, supplying the cross for Jason McAteer
Jason McAteer
Jason Wynne McAteer is a retired Irish footballer, who represented the Republic of Ireland at international level. He announced his retirement from professional football on 12 June 2007,...
to score the only goal in a crucial 1–0 home win against the Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
in September 2001.
Finnan appeared in all three of Ireland's group E games in the 2002 FIFA World Cup against Cameroon
Cameroon national football team
The Cameroon national football team, nicknamed Les Lions Indomptables , is controlled by the Fédération Camerounaise de Football and is Africa's most successful side in FIFA world cup; having qualified for the FIFA World Cup six times – in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010– more than any...
, Germany and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia national football team
Saudi Arabia national football team is the national team of Saudi Arabia and is controlled by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation...
. Ireland progressed to the second round of the tournament for only the third time in their history where they faced Spain. The match ended 1–1 in extra time and went to penalties. Finnan took a penalty and scored, but Ireland eventually lost 3–2.
Injury disrupted Finnan's participation in the unsuccessful attempt to reach the Euro 2004 finals. He was a regular choice in the 2006 World Cup qualification games but Ireland failed to qualify for the finals.
He was again a regular selection in the 2008 Euro qualification games but Ireland did not qualify for the finals. He then announced his retirement from international football on 22 January 2008 after making 50 appearances for the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
. Tempted by the prospect of working with the newly appointed Ireland manager Giovanni Trappatoni, Finnan came out of retirement in August 2008 to be included in the squad to face Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
in an international friendly.
Club
- Correct as of 21:07, 5 January 2011.
| Club | Season | Domestic League1 | FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
League Cup Football League Cup The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis... |
Europe | Others | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | ||
| Portsmouth Portsmouth F.C. Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from... |
2009–10 | 21 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 |
| Espanyol RCD Espanyol Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team. Espanyol currently play in the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat with seats for 40,500 spectators. It was inaugurated on 2 August 2009... |
2008–09 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Liverpool Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... |
2007–08 | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| 2006–07 | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 0 | |
| 2005–06 | 33 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 0 | |
| 2004–05 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52 | 1 | |
| 2003–04 | 22 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | |
| Liverpool total | 145 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 51 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 217 | 1 | |
| Fulham Fulham F.C. Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season... |
2002–03 | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 0 |
| 2001–02 | 38 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 0 | |
| 2000–01 | 45 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 2 | |
| 1999–00 | 35 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 4 | |
| 1998–99 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 2 | |
| Fulham total | 172 | 7 | 18 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 208 | 8 | |
| Notts County Notts County F.C. Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system... |
1998–99 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| 1997–98 | 44 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 6 | |
| 1996–97 | 23 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | |
| Notts County total | 80 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 6 | |
| Birmingham City Birmingham City F.C. Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the... |
1996–97 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Notts County Notts County F.C. Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system... (loan) |
1995–96 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 20 | 3 |
| Birmingham City Birmingham City F.C. Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the... |
1995–96 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 1 |
| Welling United Welling United F.C. Welling United Football Club are an English football club, based in Welling in the London Borough of Bexley. They currently play in the Conference South. The 2010–11 season was not a good one for them as the club had financial problems, nearly going bankrupt but lots of supporters chipped in and... |
1994–95 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 1 |
| 1993–94 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | |
| Welling United total | 41 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 1 | |
| Total | 493 | 17 | 41 | 2 | 26 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 625 | 20 | |
| 1Includes Premiership, The Football League, La Liga and Football Conference. | |||||||||||||
International
|-|2000||5||1
|-
|2001||7||0
|-
|2002||9||0
|-
|2003||4||0
|-
|2004||9||0
|-
|2005||4||0
|-
|2006||5||0
|-
|2007||7||1
|-
|2008||3||0
|-
!Total||53||2
|}
Career honours
Notts County- Football League Third DivisionFootball League Third DivisionThe Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
- Winner (1): 1997–98
Fulham
- Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
- Winner (1): 1998–99
- Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
- Winner (1): 2000–01
- UEFA Intertoto CupUEFA Intertoto CupThe UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
- Winner (1): 2002
Liverpool
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
- Winner (1): 2006
- FA Community ShieldFA Community ShieldThe Football Association Community Shield is English football's annual match contested between the champions of the previous Premier League season and the holders of the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium. If the Premier League champions also won the FA Cup then the league runners-up provide the opposition...
- Winner (1): 20062006 FA Community ShieldThe 2006 FA Community Shield was a football match played at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 13 August 2006 between the 2005–06 FA Premier League champions Chelsea and 2005–06 FA Cup winners Liverpool. Liverpool won the match 2–1, with goals coming from John Arne Riise and Peter Crouch...
- Winner (1): 2006
- Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
- Runner-up (1): 2005
- FIFA Club World CupFIFA Club World CupThe FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...
- Runner-up (1): 20052005 FIFA Club World Championship FinalThe 2005 FIFA Club World Cup Final was an association football match between São Paulo of Brazil and Liverpool of England on 18 December 2005 at the International Stadium, Yokohama, Japan. It was the final match of the 2005 FIFA Club World Championship, a competition for the winners of the primary...
- Runner-up (1): 2005
- UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Champions LeagueThe UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
- Winner (1): 2004–052005 UEFA Champions League FinalThe 2005 UEFA Champions League Final was the final match of the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League, Europe's primary club football competition. The showpiece event was contested between Liverpool of England and Milan of Italy at the Atatürk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey on 25 May 2005...
- Runner-up (1): 2006–072007 UEFA Champions League FinalThe 2007 UEFA Champions League Final was an association football match between A.C. Milan of Italy and Liverpool F.C. of England on 23 May 2007 at the Olympic Stadium, Athens, Greece. The showpiece event was the final match of the 2006–07 season of Europe's premier cup competition, the UEFA...
- Winner (1): 2004–05
- UEFA Super Cup
- Winner (1): 20052005 UEFA Super CupThe 2005 UEFA Super Cup was an association football match between Liverpool of England and CSKA Moscow of Russia on 26 August 2005 at Stade Louis II, Monaco, the annual UEFA Super Cup contested between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup. Liverpool were appearing in the Super Cup...
- Winner (1): 2005
Portsmouth
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
- Runner-up (1): 2009–102010 FA Cup FinalThe 2010 FA Cup Final was the 129th final of the FA Cup, the world's oldest domestic football cup competition. The match took place on 15 May 2010, at Wembley Stadium, London...
- Runner-up (1): 2009–10