Stephen Gleeson

Stephen Michael Gleeson (born 3 August 1988) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for National League club Solihull Moors.

Gleeson played youth football in his native Dublin before coming to England at the age of 15 to join Wolverhampton Wanderers. He rarely played first-team football for them, but spent time on loan to lower-league clubs Stockport County (three separate spells), Hereford United and Milton Keynes Dons, before signing a three-year contract with the latter club in 2009. After five years, during which time he made more than 200 appearances in all competitions, he moved on to Birmingham City.

At international level, Gleeson was capped twice for the Republic of Ireland in 2007, and was not capped again for nearly ten years. He also represented his country at under-age levels, and made 16 appearances for the under-21 team.

Gleeson was born in Dublin, an only child, and raised in Crumlin, in the south of the city. As a youngster he admired Roy Keane, and tried to model his game on that of Steven Gerrard. He played for nearby Lourdes Celtic before moving on to Cherry Orchard. In the 2002–03 season, he scored a winning goal against a title rival to win the 14 Premier League, and scored with an "excellent volley" as Cherry Orchard won the SFAI under-15 Evans Cup the following year. He was recommended to Wolverhampton Wanderers by their Irish scout, Willie Byrne, came to England as a 15-year-old for a trial, and joined their academy.

He made his reserve-team debut on 24 August 2004 as a late substitute in their first home fixture of the season – three weeks after his 16th birthday – and by October 2004, he was starting. He helped Wolves' youth team reach the semifinal of that season's FA Youth Cup, but was sent off in extra time in the second leg, and Wolves lost on penalties to Southampton. He continued to appear regularly for the reserves. In 2005–06, he scored 4 goals from 16 reserve-team appearances, and at the beginning of May 2006, he signed his first professional contract, of three years. Describing him as a playmaker with "good pace gets forward, with an eye for goal", academy manager Chris Evans said that Gleeson had trained with the first team "from time to time" and had impressed manager Glenn Hoddle.