Club career Keith Fahey

1 club career

1.1 career
1.2 return ireland
1.3 birmingham city
1.4 return st. patrick s athletic
1.5 shamrock rovers
1.6 return bluebell united

club career
early career

fahey started professional career trainee arsenal before signing aston villa in april 2000 fee of £250,000. played villa s youth , reserve teams, never made first-team appearance.

return ireland

having failed settle in england, fahey returned home in 2003. played few games in non-league football bluebell united, before six-week trial @ st patrick s athletic led contract. made league of ireland debut , had goal disallowed @ waterford united on 21 april.

he contributed st pats s victory in league of ireland cup , scored stunning free kick in time of semi-final replay against bohemians reach fai cup final. final turned out disappointing both team , player, sent off two-footed lunge on longford town s sean prunty after 77 minutes saints lost 2–0.

he joined drogheda united in exchange alan reilly , cash adjustment in july 2005. involved in mark leech s golden goal won setanta cup drogheda in april 2006, few months later released, following disagreement manager paul doolin, , returned st pats.

rtÉ reported danger man fahey quieter usual pats lost 2–0 hertha bsc in first round of 2008–09 uefa cup, held @ olympiastadion; however, in second leg, despite pats excellent performance failing overturn deficit, rtÉ feature picked out keith fahey s control of game, dictating every pat s attack delicate incisive right foot of his. fahey stood head , shoulders above many highly decorated full internationals in hertha team, showing full range of passing deep , close range, , showing poise , guile on ball not expect league of ireland player amongst such illustrious company.

his performances st pats in 2008, in scored 11 goals in competitions, earned fahey pfai player of year award. won monday night soccer s 2008 goal of season. after pats beaten bohemians in fai cup, fahey declared wished move english club further career.

birmingham city

on 2 december 2008, fahey signed pre-contract agreement football league championship side birmingham city join club when transfer window opened in january 2009. irish season having finished, fahey joined birmingham in mid-december training, though manager alex mcleish suggested supporters should not expect him walk straight team when became eligible in january.

fahey celebrating birmingham s promotion premier league in may 2009

fahey made birmingham debut on 17 january 2009, coming on late substitute in 1–1 draw against cardiff city. scored first goal club, delicate lob player admitted meant cross, clinch 2–0 home victory against nottingham forest on 14 february. second goal gave blues 1–0 home win on southampton weeks later. fahey retained place in side rest of season (keeping loan signings scott sinclair , hameur bouazza out of starting eleven), , key player birmingham in successful bid promotion premier league, scoring goal , making goal in vital 2–1 win @ reading on last day of campaign.

fahey made premier league debut in opening game of 2009–10 season @ old trafford, in 1–0 defeat against manchester united. made 34 appearances in first premier league season (18 of started), failed score season, birmingham finished in ninth place, highest ever position in premier league. in july 2010, fahey s contract extended 2013, in recognition of having proved [mcleish] s premier league player . part of starting eleven birmingham won 2011 league cup, defeating favourites arsenal 2–1 @ wembley stadium. however, season prove less successful both player , club, fahey making 24 appearances in league (although did score first premier league goal), , birmingham finishing 18th, , being relegated on last day of season, following 2–1 defeat tottenham hotspur.

following relegation premier league @ end of 2010–11 season, barry ferguson , lee bowyer left club, giving fahey chance establish himself in preferred central position. after recovering hernia surgery in 2011–12 season, partnered jonathan spector in solid midfield supporting 2 attacking wide players. later in season, played defensive support role alongside more attacking jordon mutch, , manager chris hughton suggested enjoying playing in central role , s enjoying development s had there season . when suffered groin problem caused him miss last few weeks of season, hughton called real blow us ... because s player has been in form . scored 4 goals during season, including venomous left-foot drive 20 yards @ barnsley , goal couldn t have hit ... sweeter first time, or more power @ home crystal palace earned him club s goal of season award.

fahey returned team in mid-september, , made 7 appearances, 4 of starts. in november, returned home ireland on indefinite compassionate leave personal , family reasons. after 2 months away, fahey took part in pre-season training shamrock rovers, ahead of full fitness assessment preceded return training birmingham in mid-february. however, fahey ruled out rest of season in april recurrence of hip problem, having played twice since return compassionate leave. @ end of season, fahey announced leaving birmingham club had decided not take option extend contract.

return st. patrick s athletic

after few months out of game, fahey trained sheffield united in october 2013. following this, returned ireland, rejoined old club st patrick s athletic on 23 december 2013. commenting on move richmond park, said both fans , club have been great me, , stability of club behind scenes made me want come , play football in inchicore again. made third debut club in 2–1 victory on dundalk on 17 february 2014 in leinster senior cup match, scoring free kick. on 2 march 2014, fahey scored goal st. patrick s athletic became first team win fai president s cup, defeating sligo rovers in process. goal drew praise republic of ireland manager martin o neill , sligo rovers alan keane, stated wonder goal won it, great strike. no keeper in world have saved that.

fahey started first day of season in 1–1 away draw against cork city. fahey started famous 1–1 draw away legia warsaw in second qualifying round of uefa champions league, sublime through ball found ian bermingham assisted christy fagan slotted home make 1–0 inchicore side. started return leg in tallaght, pats lost 5–0. fahey scored first goal of season against ucd in 3–2 win. overall fahey made 26 league appearances scoring 2 goals throughout season.

shamrock rovers

on 11 november 2014, fahey switched shamrock rovers. announced retirement in august 2015 having failed recover knee surgery. last ever game of professional football turned out 2–1 fai cup loss old club st patrick s athletic @ richmond park substituted off knee injury.

return bluebell united

in 2017, fahey returned senior football , linked former club bluebell united in leinster senior division.