Marc Wilson

Early career

Wilson was born in Aghagallon near Lisburn and started out playing association football with Lisburn Youth and Gaelic football with St Paul's Lurgan High School and St Mary's Aghagallon GAA. Whilst playing GAA Wilson scored a goal in the 2001 McDevitt Cup Final. Wilson decided to concentrate on his football with Lisburn Youth and earned a place in Manchester United's centre of excellence. He spent four years in Manchester before joining Portsmouth in 2004 at the age of 16.

Portsmouth

In his early years at Portsmouth, he played regularly for the reserve team and was loaned out to other clubs on four occasions. In March 2006 he made his League One debut with Yeovil Town in a 2–0 win away to Walsall. In 2007, he spent two separate spells at AFC Bournemouth, making 26 league appearances and scoring three goals. In November 2007 he also had a brief loan spell at Luton Town which was cut short when the club went into administration. On 7 July 2008, Marc Wilson signed a new three-year contract at Portsmouth. He made his Pompey debut coming on as a substitute for Richard Hughes in a 4–0 League Cup 3rd round loss to Chelsea on 24 September 2008. Wilson excelled playing at right-back on his first start for Portsmouth in a 3–0 UEFA Cup victory over Heerenveen. On Boxing Day 2008, Wilson started his first Premier League match in the 4–1 loss at home to West Ham. On 5 August 2009, it was revealed that Wilson had been involved in an alleged bust-up with…

Wilson was involved in an ongoing dispute between the Irish Football Association (who represent the Northern Ireland national team) and the Football Association of Ireland (who represent the Ireland national team) over international eligibility. He has been quoted as saying: "I think everybody has their own personal reasons for wanting to play for the Republic or the North. I grew up supporting the Republic so it was a comfortable decision for me."

Northern Ireland

Wilson played for Northern Ireland at under-15 level before switching allegiances to the Republic.

Republic of Ireland

Wilson later represented the Republic of Ireland at various youth levels including under-18, under-19 and under-21. Wilson received his first call up for the international side for a friendly against Brazil in March 2010, but did not feature in the game. He earned his first cap for the Republic as a second-half substitute in the 2011 Nations Cup against Wales in February 2011. In January 2012 new Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill offered Wilson a chance to switch allegiances again but Wilson rejected his offer. On 16 October 2012, he scored his first international goal in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in a 4–1 away win against the Faroe Islands with an impressive 25-yard shot with his right foot. He continued at left back throughout the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign but Ireland failed to qualify. In Martin O'Neill's first game as Irish manager against…

Club

International

International goals

Ireland score listed first, score column indicates score after each Wilson goal.

Stoke City

FA Cup runner-up: 2010–11 Republic of Ireland

Nations Cup: 2011 Individual

Stoke City Coaching Staff's Player of the Year: 2011–12