Harrogate Town#14

Conor McAleny

Forward / England

Biography

Conor Michael McAleny (born 12 August 1992) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Harrogate Town. He is a product of the Everton academy.

McAleny joined Everton as an 11-year-old and made his debut for the club's youth team in a 1-0 Premier Academy League win over Tottenham Hotspur on 25 August 2007, replacing Lewis Codling after 65 minutes. McAleny became a full-time member of the club's academy in 2008, at age 17. He made regular appearances for the youth team during the 2008–09 season and received his first call up to the reserve team for a Premier Reserve League North match against local rivals Liverpool on 17 February 2009. McAleny remained on the bench for the 1-1 draw. McAleny broke into the reserve team during the 2009/10 season, making his debut in a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United on 6 October 2009, replacing Jose Baxter after 61 minutes. McAleny's form for the youth and reserve teams saw him awarded his first call into the first team squad for a dead rubber Europa League group match versus BATE Borisov on 17 December 2009. Awarded the number 40 shirt, McAleny was named on the bench in a youthful squad, but did not make an appearance in the 1-0 defeat. McAleny finished the 2009/10 season with 26 appearances and 12 goals for the youth team.

McAleny received his first call up for a Premier League match versus Aston Villa on 2 April 2011. Awarded the number 31 shirt, he remained on the bench for the 2-2 draw and was included in the squad again for a 3-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the following game. McAleny made his first-team debut as a second-half substitute for Phil Neville in a 1-0 league defeat away to Arsenal on 10 December 2011, nearly scoring with a volley. He made his first home appearance in the following game, coming on for Louis Saha in a 1–1 draw against Norwich City. McAleny's final call into the first team squad of the 2011/12 season came in a 2-0 FA Cup third round victory over Tamworth at Goodison Park on 6 January 2012. McAleny signed a new two-year contract in the summer of 2012. No longer eligible for the youth team, McAleny played exclusively for the reserve team during the 2012/13 season, though ankle and ligament injuries hindered his progress. After spending much of the first half of the 2013/14 season out with a broken leg, McAleny received his first call into the first team squad in over two years, when he was named as a substitute for an FA Cup fourth round tie versus Stevenage on 25 January 2014. He remained on the bench for the 4-0 victory. He also returned to reserve team action, scoring three goals in two games in March. Having come to the end of his contract, McAleny was offered a new deal at the end of the 2013–14 season. On 1 July, it was announced that McAleny had signed a new three-year contract, after being assured he was part of manager Roberto Martínez's plans.

McAleny represented Knowsley in the 2005 Merseyside Youth Games, participating in the 80-metre sprint, shot put and triple jump. He attended Knowsley Hey High School in Huyton.