Aaron Muirhead

{{short description|Scottish footballer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Aaron Muirhead

| image = AaronMuirhead.jpg

| caption = Muirhead with Thistle

| image_size = 225

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|8|30|df=y}}

| birth_place = Dumfries, Scotland

| height = {{height|m=1.91}}

| position = Centre Back

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthclubs1 = Dalbeattie Star

| youthyears2 =

| youthclubs2 = Ayr United

| youthclubs3 = Queen of the South

| years1 = 2008–2012

| clubs1 = Annan Athletic

| caps1 = 92

| goals1 = 9

| years2 = 2012–2014

| clubs2 = Partick Thistle

| caps2 = 55

| goals2 = 7

| years3 = 2015–2019

| clubs3 = Falkirk | caps3 = 110

| goals3 = 10

| years4 = 2019–2022

| clubs4 = Ayr United

| caps4 = 84

| goals4 = 9

| years5 = 2022–2025

| clubs5 = Partick Thistle

| caps5 = 72

| goals5 = 2

| years6 = 2025

| clubs6 = → Arbroath (loan)

| caps6 = 12

| goals6 = 2

| club-update = 17:15, 8 June 2025 (UTC)

}}

Aaron Muirhead (born 30 August 1990) is a Scottish professional association football, twice for Partick Thistle, as well as spells at Falkirk, and Ayr United and a loan spell with Arbroath

Career

Muirhead started his career with Ayr United's youth academy, before signing for Annan Athletic in November 2008, going on to play in 127 matches and scoring 15 goals."[http://ptfc.co.uk/teams/senior/seasons/2012-2013/players/aaron_muirhead Aaron Muirhead] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121117023430/http://ptfc.co.uk/teams/senior/seasons/2012-2013/players/aaron_muirhead |date=17 November 2012 }}", ptfc.co.uk. Retrieved 8 December 2012 Muirhead signed for Partick Thistle in May 2012.Wilson, Fraser (2012) "[http://www.theglaswegian.co.uk/football/partick-thistle-fc/partick-thistle-news/2012/05/16/partick-thistle-signing-aaron-muirhead-following-in-uncle-s-footsteps-with-jags-switch-102692-23861862/ Partick Thistle Signing Aaron Muirhead Following In Uncle's Footsteps With Jags Switch]", The Glaswegian, 16 May 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2012

Muirhead is the nephew of Davie Irons, who also played for the Firhill club.

=Partick Thistle=

Muirhead signed for the Harry Wraggs during the 2012 close season from the Galabankies. In the 2013 Scottish Challenge Cup Final versus his home town club, Queen of the South, Muirhead missed a penalty in the defeat and was sent off for head butting Queens captain, Chris Higgins.{{cite web|title=Queen of the South 1–1 Partick Thistle|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/22043859|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Miller|first=Stevie|date=7 April 2013|accessdate=13 May 2019}} Muirhead received a four match suspension following this incident.{{cite web|title=Aaron Muirhead hit with extended ban after cup final headbutt|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/partick-thistles-aaron-muirhead-received-1824258|work=Daily Record|date=11 April 2013|accessdate=13 May 2019}}

Muirhead scored his first Premiership goal for newly promoted Partick Thistle in a 1–1 home draw with Hearts, scoring an 85th-minute penalty.{{cite web|title=Partick Thistle 1 Hearts 1|url=https://www.skysports.com/football/partick-vs-hearts/295301|publisher=Sky Sports|date=19 August 2013|accessdate=13 May 2019}} Muirhead then scored his second goal of the season with another penalty versus Kilmarnock in another 1–1 home draw.{{cite web|title=Partick Thistle 1 Kilmarnock 1: Jags fail to steal win despite Muirhead penalty|url=https://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/13264155.partick-thistle-1-kilmarnock-1-jags-fail-to-steal-win-despite-muirhead-penalty/|work=Evening Times|date=21 September 2013|accessdate=13 May 2019}} Muirhead scored his third goal of the season, again with a penalty to make it 1–1 in a 4–1 defeat away to Dundee United.{{cite web|title=Dundee United 4–1 Partick Thistle|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/24968827|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Crawford|first=Kenny|date=23 November 2013|accessdate=13 May 2019}} Muirhead also scored a penalty in the Scottish League Cup win versus Cowdenbeath as the Harry Wraggs won 3-1 after extra time.{{cite web|title=Partick Thistle 3–1 Cowdenbeath|url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-fixture/partick-thistle-v-cowdenbeath-27th-august-2013/#match-report|publisher=Partick Thistle F.C.|date=27 August 2013|accessdate=13 May 2019}}

=Falkirk=

After leaving Thistle by mutual consent, Muirhead signed for Falkirk in January 2015 alongside former Thistle team-mate Mark Kerr.{{cite web|title=Falkirk: Mark Kerr and Aaron Muirhead sign for the Bairns|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/30665730|publisher=BBC Sport|date=3 January 2015|accessdate=13 May 2019}} Muirhead departed the club on 23 January 2019, with his contract being terminated by mutual consent.{{cite web|title=AARON MUIRHEAD DEPARTS|url=https://www.falkirkfc.co.uk/2019/01/23/aaron-muirhead-departs/|publisher=Falkirk F.C.|date=23 January 2019|accessdate=13 May 2019}}

=Ayr United=

On 24 January 2019, Muirhead signed for Ayr United on a contract until the end of the 2019–20 season.{{cite web|title=Aaron Muirhead is snapped up by Ayr United|url=https://www.ayradvertiser.com/sport/17382558.aaron-muirhead-is-snapped-up-by-ayr-united/|publisher=Ayr Advertiser|last=McConnell|first=Stewart|date=24 January 2019|accessdate=13 May 2019}}

=Partick Thistle (second spell)=

Muirhead returned to Thistle during the 2022 close season.{{Cite web |url=https://www.ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/aaron-muirhead-signs-pre-contract-agreement-with-the-club/ |title=Aaron Muirhead signs pre-contract agreement with the club |publisher=Partick Thistle FC |website=ptfc.co.uk |date=16 May 2022 |accessdate=30 July 2022}}

Muirhead scored his first goal on his return to Thistle, scoring the equaliser with a curling shot into the top corner in a league cup group stage game against Kilmarnock.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62123408|title=Kilmarnock v Partick Thistle|accessdate=6 August 2023|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}

Muirhead was part of the Thistle squad that made it to the Scottish Premiership play off final, which they eventually lost on penalties to Ross County, meaning Thistle remained in the Scottish Championship. Following this Muirhead signed a one-year extension to his Thistle contract.{{Cite web|url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/aaron-muirhead-signs-contract-extension-until-2024/|title=Aaron Muirhead signs contract extension until 2024|website=Partick Thistle FC|accessdate=6 August 2023}}

Following the conclusion of the 2023–24 season, Muirhead triggered an appearance based contract extension, which added a year to his Thistle deal.https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/aaron-muirhead-triggers-contract-extension/

In February 2025, Muirhead joined Scottish League One side Arbroath on loan until the end of the season.https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/aaron-muirhead-moves-to-arbroath-on-loan/

Career statistics

{{updated|match played 11 May 2019}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

rowspan=2 | Club

! rowspan=2 | Season

! colspan=3 | League

! colspan=2 | Scottish Cup

! colspan=2 | League Cup

! colspan=2 | Other

! colspan=2 | Total

Division

! Apps

! Goals

! Apps

! Goals

! Apps

! Goals

! Apps

! Goals

! Apps

! Goals

rowspan="5"|Annan Athletic

|2008–09{{soccerbase season|50616|2008|accessdate=13 May 2019}}{{cite web|title=Annan Athletic 1–1 Stenhousemuir|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/football/match?gameId=243646|publisher=ESPN|date=7 February 2009|accessdate=13 May 2019}}

|rowspan="4"|Scottish Third Division

|11

0000000110
2009–10{{soccerbase season|51816|2009|accessdate=10 November 2017}}{{soccerway|aaron-muirhead/86243|accessdate=13 May 2019}}{{cite web|title=Cove Rangers 2–1 Annan Athletic|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/8319268.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=24 October 2009|accessdate=13 May 2019}}

|23

010103Appearances in the Scottish Challenge Cup0280
2010–11{{soccerbase season|51816|2010|accessdate=10 November 2017}}{{cite web|title=Preston Athletic 0–0 Annan Athletic|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/football/lineups?gameId=308946|publisher=ESPN|date=23 October 2010|accessdate=13 May 2019}}{{cite web|title=Annan Athletic 5–0 Preston Athletic|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/football/match?gameId=309343|publisher=ESPN|date=30 October 2010|accessdate=13 May 2019}}

|31

241105One appearance and a goal in the Scottish Challenge Cup; four appearances and a goal in the Second Division play-offs2415
2011–12{{soccerbase season|51816|2011|accessdate=10 November 2017}}

|27

7311031349
colspan="2"|Total

!92

9823011311414
rowspan="4"|Partick Thistle

|2012–13{{soccerbase season|51816|2012|accessdate=10 November 2017}}

|Scottish First Division

|30

4202050394
2013–14{{soccerbase season|51816|2013|accessdate=10 November 2017}}

|rowspan="2"|Scottish Premiership

|20

30011colspan="2"|—214
2014–15{{soccerbase season|51816|2014|accessdate=10 November 2017}}

|5

00010colspan="2"|—60
colspan="2"|Total

!55

7204150668
rowspan="6"|Falkirk

|2014–15

|rowspan=5|Scottish Championship

|3

020000050
2015–16{{soccerbase season|51816|2015|accessdate=10 November 2017}}

|31

020316One appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup; Four appearances in the Scottish Premiership play-offs0421
2016–17{{soccerbase season|51816|2016|accessdate=10 November 2017}}

|26

410202Appearances in the Scottish Premiership play-offs0314
2017–18{{soccerbase season|51816|2017|accessdate=10 November 2017}}

|33

5314130437
2018–19{{soccerbase season|51816|2018|accessdate=13 May 2019}}

|17

1103020231
colspan="2"|Total

!110

109112213014413
Ayr United

|2018–19

|Scottish Championship

|9

000002Appearances in the Scottish Premiership play-offs0110
colspan="3"|Career total

!266

2619319331333535

{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

Honours

References