Shaun Maloney

Celtic

After joining Celtic as a trainee in 1999, Maloney made his first team debut on 29 April 2001 against Rangers at Ibrox Stadium, in a 3–0 win for Celtic. He spent the next few years trying to break into the first team, spending most of his time as a substitute. Despite not playing regularly, Maloney acquired a reputation for being a free kick specialist. Maloney did appear several times for Celtic during their run to the UEFA Cup final in 2003, and scored in a 3–1 win over VfB Stuttgart at Parkhead in the Round of 16. In February 2004, Maloney picked up a cruciate ligament injury. He returned from the injury late in season 2004–05, starting only one game in that season. Maloney hit top form for Celtic in the 2005–06 season, after being moved from a striking position to the left of midfield by manager Gordon Strachan. His displays received praise from players, fans and the media throughout the year, and in recognition of his excellent season he was awarded both the SPFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards, the first time a player has won both plaudits in the same season. He also won Celtic Fans' Player of the Year, and Players Player of the Year in a season which saw him score 16 goals and contribute 28 assists from midfield. With his contract expiring at the end of the 2006–07 season, Celtic moved to offer Maloney a new deal. However, contract negotiations continued for months, constantly breaking down due to differences between the two…

Celtic appointed Maloney to a coaching role with their under-20 development squad in August 2017. Maloney was added to the coaching staff of the Belgium national team in September 2018. Later that month, he left Celtic to take the position with Belgium on a full-time basis. Maloney worked for Belgium during the delayed UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, in which they lost to, eventual winners, Italy in the quarter-finals.

Hibernian

Maloney was appointed manager of Scottish club Hibernian in December 2021. They won his first two matches as manager, but a run of one win in 13 league games meant that they dropped into the bottom half of the 2021–22 Scottish Premiership when it split after 33 games. Maloney was sacked by Hibs on 19 April 2022, a few days after they had been beaten 2–1 in a Scottish Cup semi-final by Edinburgh derby rivals Hearts. During May 2022 Dundee entered discussions with Maloney with a view to him becoming their manager, but they failed to reach an agreement.

Wigan Athletic

Maloney returned to Wigan Athletic on 28 January 2023 as manager. On 2 March 2025, having managed to keep the club in the third tier despite an eight-point deduction, Maloney was sacked following a 2–1 home defeat to Reading. This left the club sitting in fifteenth position, just six points above the relegation zone.

Celtic coach

Maloney returned to Celtic in June 2025 as their player pathway manager. After first team manager Brendan Rodgers left the club in…

Club

International

Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Maloney goal.

Managerial record

As of 1 March 2025

Maloney was born to an English father and Scottish mother in Miri, a coastal city in north-eastern Sarawak, Malaysia, on 24 January 1983. He spent his infancy in Malaysia while his father, a helicopter pilot and armed forces veteran, worked there as a flying instructor. The family returned to Britain when Maloney was five years old, after his father accepted a job in Aberdeen, Scotland. In a 2014 interview, Maloney said: "Although I am Scottish and play for Scotland, Malaysia will always be a special part of me." Maloney was educated at St Joseph's Primary School and Cults Academy in Aberdeen. Aged 10, he had joined his first football club, Kincorth Boys' Club. At 12, he moved to Culter Boys' Club then at 14, to Albion Boys' Club. It was revealed in 2013, that as a youngster Maloney had played tennis regularly against future World Number 1, Andy Murray.