With the new season upon us quite a number of Northern Ireland players are starting the campaign with new clubs after a hectic summer of transfer activity.
The most high-profile moves during the close season were without doubt that of Michael McGovern and Oliver Norwood, two of Northern Ireland’s star performers in France this summer.
McGovern, who was outstanding against the Germans in Paris, made the journey South from Scotland to join Championship outfit Norwich City, now managed by his former boss at Hamilton Alex Neil, on a three-year deal.
Meanwhile 25 year-old Norwood has made the switch to Brighton & Hove Albion from fellow Championship side Reading on a deal that will keep him at the Amex Stadium until the summer of 2019.
Highly-rated central defender Ben Hall, a Northern Ireland under-19 international, will be a team-mate of Norwood’s at the South-Coast club following his move to Brighton from Motherwell.
Striker Billy McKay, who just missed out on a place at the Euro’s this summer, has been snapped up on a season-long loan by Michael O’Neill’s former assistant manager Stephen Robinson who is now in charge at Oldham Athletic.
Robinson was also believed to be interested in taking veteran defender Aaron Hughes to the League One side but the 36 year-old opted to link up with Indian Super League team Kerala Blasters.
The Northern Ireland Football League has also been a hive of activity with quite a few senior international players making the move back ‘home’.
Glenavon boss Gary Hamilton pulled off quite a coup when he persuaded the mercurial Paddy McCourt to sign for the Lurgan Blues after leaving Luton Town.
Midfielder’s Sammy Clingan and Josh Carson, and goalkeeper Roy Carroll, are also gracing local football after Linfield manager David Healy secured all three players on one-year deals, while 6ft 9’ goalkeeper Jason Mooney has signed for North Belfast club Cliftonville.
Full List of Transfers Involving Northern Ireland Players:
Roy Carroll – Notts County to Linfield
Josh Carson – York City to Linfield
Dion Charles – AFC Fylde to Fleetwood Town
Luke Conlan – Burnley to Morecambe
Josh Doherty – Watford to Leyton Orient
Michael Duffy – Celtic to Dundee (loan)
Stephen Fallon – Swansea City to Linfield
James Gray – Wrexham to Southport
Ben Hall – Motherwell to Brighton & Hove Albion
Lee Hodson – MK Dons to Rangers
Aaron Hughes – Melbourne City to Kerala Blasters
Jeff Hughes – Cambridge United to Tranmere Rovers
Ryan Johnson – Stevenage to St Albans City (loan)
Bret Long – Motherwell to Dundee United
Caolan McAleer – Airdrie to Greenock Morton
Matthew McClure – Dagenham & Redbridge to Aldershot Town
Paddy McCourt – Luton Town to Glenavon
Jamie McDonagh – Sheffield United to Greenock Morton
Ryan McGivern – Port Vale to Shrewsbury Town
Michael McGovern – Hamilton Academicals to Norwich City
Adam McGurk – Portsmouth to Cambridge United
Billy McKay – Wigan Athletic to Oldham Athletic (loan)
Jason Mooney – Accrington Stanley to Cliftonville
Oliver Norwood - Reading to Brighton & Hove Albion
Michael O’Connor – Port Vale to Notts County
Paul Paton – Dundee United to St Johnstone
Chris Paul - Tottenham Hotspur to QPR
Conor Quigley – Swansea City to Dundee
Josh Robinson – Crusaders to York City
Matthew Smyth – Stevenage to Dundee
Josh Stachini – Sheffield Wednesday to Motherwell
Robbie Weir – Burton Albion to Leyton Orient
