Josh Sheehan
{{short description|Welsh footballer (born 1995)}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Josh Sheehan
| image =
| caption =
| full_name = Joshua Luke Sheehan{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/efl-professional-retain-list--free-transfers---2017-18.pdf |title=Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018 |publisher=English Football League |page=12 |access-date=16 June 2018}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|3|30|df=y}}
| birth_place = Pembrey, Wales
| height =
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Bolton Wanderers
| clubnumber = 8
| youthyears1 = 2005–2014
| youthclubs1 = Swansea City
| years1 = 2014–2018
| clubs1 = Swansea City
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2015
| clubs2 = → Yeovil Town (loan)
| caps2 = 13
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2015–2016
| clubs3 = → Yeovil Town (loan)
| caps3 = 13
| goals3 = 2
| years4 = 2016–2017
| clubs4 = → Newport County (loan)
| caps4 = 20
| goals4 = 5
| years5 = 2018–2021
| clubs5 = Newport County
| caps5 = 122
| goals5 = 8
| years6 = 2021–
| clubs6 = Bolton Wanderers
| caps6 = 103
| goals6 = 9
| nationalyears1 = 2012–2014
| nationalteam1 = Wales U19
| nationalcaps1 = 9
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2014–2016
| nationalteam2 = Wales U21
| nationalcaps2 = 12
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2020–
| nationalteam3 = Wales
| nationalcaps3 = 13
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| club-update = 16:47, 1 February 2025 (UTC)
| ntupdate = 23:38, 6 June 2025 (UTC)
}}
Joshua Luke Sheehan (born 30 March 1995) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for {{English football updater|BoltonWa}} club Bolton Wanderers and the Wales national team.
Club career
=Swansea City=
Sheehan joined Swansea City academy at the age of 10. On 2 November 2012, he signed a professional contract with the club until the summer of 2015.{{cite web|title=Sheehan signs pro Swans contract|url=http://www.swanseacity.com/news/article/js-contract-462901.aspx|publisher=Swansea City A.F.C.|access-date=27 August 2014}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} In April 2014, Sheehan signed a new contract at Swansea until the summer of 2016.{{cite web|title=Josh Sheehan signs new contract with Swansea City|url=http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Josh-Sheehan-signs-new-contract-Swansea-City/story-21013790-detail/story.html|publisher=Swansea City A.F.C.|access-date=7 May 2015}} Sheehan was included in Swansea's 2014–15 pre-season tour of the United States, and later made his professional debut for the club against Rotherham United in the League Cup.{{cite web|title=Youngster Josh Sheehan taking tips from Swansea City star Leon Britton|url=http://www.llanellistar.co.uk/Youngster-Josh-Sheehan-taking-tips-Swansea-City/story-21644515-detail/story.html|publisher=Llanellistar|access-date=27 August 2014}}{{cite news |title=Striker Bafetimbi Gomis scored his first goal for Swansea City as they eased past Rotherham United into the third round of the League Cup.|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28847204|website=BBC Sport |access-date=27 August 2014}}
On 17 February 2015, Sheehan signed for Yeovil Town on a month's emergency loan which was later extended until the end of the season.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31508821 |title=Josh Sheehan and Craig Eastmond sign for Yeovil Town |website=BBC Sport |date=17 February 2015 |access-date=17 February 2015 }} Sheehan made 13 appearances for the Glovers as they were relegated to League Two.
Upon returning to Swansea, Sheehan captained the Under-21 team to the 2014–15 Professional U21 Development League 2 title.{{cite news |url=http://www.swanseacity.com/news/article/llewellyn-delighted-to-end-season-on-a-high-2455759.aspx |title=Llewellyn delighted to end season on a high |publisher=Swansea City A.F.C. |date=13 May 2015 |access-date=13 May 2015 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Sheehan subsequently signed a new contract with Swansea.{{Cite tweet |user=JoshSheehan_ |author=Josh Sheehan Official Twitter|number=616664085388783616 |date=2 July 2015 |title=Very happy to of signed a new contract at Swansea City today!⚽️ looking forward to what the future holds}}
Sheehan rejoined Yeovil on loan in September 2015, returning to Swansea in January 2016.
On 8 August 2016, Sheehan joined Newport County on loan until 21 January 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/14697347.Swansea_City_youngster_will_get_his_chance_to_shine_with_Newport_County/ |title=Swansea City youngster will get his chance to shine with Newport County |date=22 August 2016}} He made his debut for Newport on 24 September 2016 in a League Two match versus Cambridge United as a second-half substitute.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37394542|title=Newport County 1-2 Cambridge United|accessdate=30 March 2021|website=BBC Sport}} He scored his first goal for Newport County on 29 October 2016 in a 3–1 League Two win against Accrington Stanley.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37737476 Sheehan first Newport goal]. On 24 January 2017, the loan was extended to the end of the 2016–17 season but he returned to Swansea on 9 March 2017 after being ruled out for the remainder of the season through injury.{{cite web|url=http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/football/newportcounty/15145589.Exiles_loanee_Sheehan_returns_to_Liberty_Stadium/ |title=Newport County AFC loanee Josh Sheehan returns to Swansea City AFC |publisher=South Wales Argus |author=David Williams |date=9 March 2017 |access-date=10 March 2017}}
=Newport County=
On 5 January 2018, Sheehan returned to Newport County on a permanent 18-month deal.{{cite web|url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/15811129.exiles-swoop-for-swansea-city-midfielder-in-permanent-deal/|title=Newport County confirm Josh Sheehan signing|website=South Wales Argus}} He was part of the team that reached the League Two play-off final at Wembley Stadium on 25 May 2019. Newport lost to Tranmere Rovers 1–0 after a goal in the 119th minute.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48318580 |title=League Two play-off final: Newport County 0–1 Tranmere Rovers |first=Michael |last=Pearlman |date=25 May 2019 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=6 December 2019}} He signed a two-year contract extension with Newport in May 2019.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48434999|title=Newport County duo sign new two-year contracts|date=30 May 2019|website=BBC Sport}} In July 2020 Sheehan was selected as Newport County's Player of the Year for the 2019–20 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/18563527.playmaker-sheehan-lands-quartet-newport-county-awards/|title=All the winners from Newport County's awards night|website=South Wales Argus|access-date=30 March 2021}} Sheehan played for Newport in the League Two play-off final at Wembley Stadium on 31 May 2021 which Newport lost to Morecambe, 1–0 after a 107th-minute penalty.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57224523 Morecambe beat Newport] Sheehan was named in the League Two PFA Team of the year for the 2020–21 season.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57345692 Sheehan in League 2 Team of the Year] Sheehan declined a contract extension at Newport at the end of the 2020–21 season.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57359142 Newport players]
=Bolton Wanderers=
At the conclusion of his contract at Newport, Sheehan joined League One club Bolton Wanderers on a two-year deal on 7 June 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2021/june/wanderers-land-wales-international-midfielder/|title=Wanderers Land Wales International Midfielder|website=Bolton Wanderers}} His competitive debut came on 7 August 2021, when he scored a 20-yard free kick in a 3–3 draw against Milton Keynes Dons.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58035993 BBC Sport: "Bolton Wanderers 3–3 Milton Keynes Dons"] On 20 November 2021, Bolton confirmed that Sheehan had been ruled out for the remainder of the 2021–22 season with a knee ligament injury.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59362653 Sheehan injury]
On 2 April 2023, he started in the 2023 EFL Trophy final which Bolton won 4–0 against Plymouth Argyle.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65088981 |title=Bolton Wanderers 4–0 Plymouth Argyle |first=Brent |last=Pilnick |website=BBC Sport |date=2 April 2023 |access-date=2 April 2023}} Following defeat in the play-offs, he was offered a new contract at the end of the 2022–23 season{{cite web|url=https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2023/may/wanderers-confirm-retained-list/|title=Wanderers Confirm Retained List|website=www.bwfc.co.uk|date=23 May 2023|accessdate=24 May 2023}} which he signed on 5 June 2023, extending his stay for two years.{{cite web|url=https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2023/june/sheehan-signs-new-deal/|title=Sheehan Signs New Deal|website=www.bwfc.co.uk|date=5 June 2023|access-date=5 June 2023}} In November 2024 Sheehan extended his contract to the end of the 2026-27 season.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cn5w93rw0d4o Sheehan 2027 extension]
International career
In September 2014, Sheehan was called up to the Wales under-21 squad for matches against Finland under-21 and Lithuania under-21.{{cite news|title=Manchester United's Tom Lawrence out of Wales U21 squad|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28937044|access-date=27 August 2014|website=BBC Sport |date=26 August 2014}} Sheehan made his Wales under-21 debut in a 2–2 draw against Finland.{{cite news| title=Finland & Wales Draw 2–2|publisher=FAW| url=http://www.faw.org.uk/news/Finland-and-Wales-Draw-2-2-/97536/| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140906133604/http://www.faw.org.uk/news/Finland-and-Wales-Draw-2-2-/97536/| url-status=usurped| archive-date=6 September 2014| date=5 September 2014}}
On 5 November 2020, Sheehan received his first call-up to the Wales senior squad for matches during November against the US, Finland and Republic of Ireland.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54782141|title=Bale returns for Wales' November games|accessdate=30 March 2021|website=BBC Sport}}
He won his first senior cap on 12 November 2020 as a half time substitute in the 0–0 friendly match against the USA.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54819952|title=Wales and USA play out goalless draw|accessdate=30 March 2021|website=BBC Sport}}
On 5 June 2024, it was announced that Sheehan would captain the Wales senior squad for the first time in their friendly against Gibraltar.{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c511g4pp9vzo|title=Sheehan to captain Wales in Gibraltar friendly|date= 5 June 2024 |accessdate=6 June 2024 |website=BBC Sport}} He captained Wales to a 0–0 draw on 6 June 2024.{{Cite web |last=Pritchard |first=Dafydd |date=6 June 2024 |title=Gibraltar 0-0 Wales: Lacklustre Wales held by minnows Gibraltar. |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/cd11j83n5jjt |access-date=7 June 2024 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 5 October 2024}}
| 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"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="5"|Swansea City
|2014–15{{soccerbase season|70940|2014|access-date=29 August 2019 }} |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16{{soccerbase season|70940|2015|access-date=29 August 2019 }}
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17{{soccerbase season|70940|2016|access-date=29 August 2019 }}
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18{{soccerbase season|70940|2017|access-date=29 August 2019 }}
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | ||
| rowspan="3"|Yeovil Town (loan)
|13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16
|13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1{{efn|Appearance in Football League Trophy}} | 0 | 16 | 2 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0||29 | 2 | ||
| Newport County (loan)
|League Two |20 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1{{efn|name=EFLT|Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 25 | 7 | |
| rowspan="5"|Newport County
|League Two |13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 | |
| 2018–19{{soccerbase season|70940|2018|access-date=29 August 2019 }}
|League Two |33 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7{{efn|Four appearances in EFL Trophy, three appearances in League Two play-offs}} | 0 | 46 | 1 | |
| 2019–20{{soccerbase season|70940|2019|access-date=29 August 2019 }}
|League Two |33 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 42 | 2 | |
| 2020–21{{soccerbase season|70940|2020|access-date=24 December 2020 }}
|League Two |43 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3{{efn|Three appearances in League Two play-offs}} | 0 | 53 | 3 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!122 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 154 | 8 | |
| rowspan="5" |Bolton Wanderers
|2021–22{{soccerbase season|70940|2021|access-date=16 August 2021}} |League One |15 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2{{efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 20 | 4 | |
| 2022–23{{soccerbase season|70940|2022|access-date=3 July 2022}}
|League One |24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10{{efn|Eight appearances in EFL Trophy, two appearances in League One play-offs}} | 0 | 34 | 2 | |
| 2023–24{{soccerbase season|70940|2023|access-date=5 August 2023}}
|League One |43 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4{{Efn|Three appearances in EFL Trophy, one appearance in League One play-offs}} | 2 | 51 | 4 | |
| 2024–25{{soccerbase season|70940|2024|access-date=15 October 2024}}
|League One |9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!91 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 116 | 11 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!259 | 24 | 21 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 31 | 2 | 325 | 28 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
{{updated|match played 6 June 2025}}[https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/josh-sheehan/ World Football: "Josh Sheehan"]
| class=wikitable style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | ||
| National team||Year||Apps||Goals | ||
|---|---|---|
| rowspan="5" |Wales
|2020 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024
|5 |0 | ||
| 2025
|3 |0 | ||
| colspan="2" |Total||13||0 |
Honours
Bolton Wanderers
Individual
- Newport County Player of the Year: 2019–20
- PFA Team of the Year: 2020–21 League Two,[https://www.thepfa.com/news/2021/6/3/pfa-league-two-team-of-the-year The PFA: "PFA League Two Team of the Year"] 2023–24 League One{{cite news |url=https://www.thepfa.com/news/2024/8/20/pfa-league-one-team-of-the-year-2024 |title=PFA League One Team of the Year |website=PFA |date=20 August 2024 |access-date=21 August 2024}}
- EFL League One Team of the Season: 2023–24{{cite news |url=https://www.efl.com/news/2024/april/14/see-who-made-the-efl-team-of-the-season/ |title=See who made the EFL Team of the Season line-ups |website=EFL |date=14 April 2024 |access-date=14 April 2024}}
- Bolton Wanderers Player of the Year: 2023–24[https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/24267595.bolton-wanderers-end-season-awards-big-night-sheehan/ Bolton Wanderers End of Season Awards: Big night for Sheehan]
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|joshua-sheehan/272718}}
- {{Soccerbase|id=70940|name=Josh Sheehan}}
- [https://www.newport-county.co.uk/teams/first-team/midfielder/josh-sheehan/ Newport County profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210424203426/https://www.newport-county.co.uk/teams/first-team/midfielder/josh-sheehan/ |date=24 April 2021 }}
{{Bolton Wanderers F.C. squad}}
{{Navboxes
| title = Awards
| bg = gold
| fg = navy
| list =
{{2020–21 EFL League Two PFA Team of the Year}}
{{2023–24 EFL League One Team of the Season}}
{{2023–24 EFL League One PFA Team of the Year}}
{{Newport County A.F.C. Player of the Year}}
{{Bolton Wanderers F.C. Player of the Year}}
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sheehan, Josh}}
Category:Footballers from Llanelli
Category:Welsh men's footballers
Category:21st-century Welsh sportsmen
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Swansea City A.F.C. players
Category:Newport County A.F.C. players
Category:Yeovil Town F.C. players
Category:Bolton Wanderers F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Wales men's youth international footballers