Matthew Cassidy

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Matthew Cassidy

| image =

| fullname = Matthew Stephen Cassidy{{cite web|title=Profile|url=http://www.futbol-talentos.es/Matthew_Stephen_Cassidy-3_7-64223-3.html|publisher=Fussball Talente|accessdate=30 October 2012}}

| height =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1988|10|2}}

| birth_place = Blackpool, England

| currentclub = A.F.C. Blackpool

| clubnumber =

| position = Midfielder

| youthyears1 = 2004–2005

| youthclubs1 = Bolton Wanderers

| years1 = 2005–2008 | clubs1 = Bolton Wanderers | caps1 = 1 | goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2009–2010 | clubs2 = Enosis Neon Paralimni | caps2 = 32 | goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2010–2011 | clubs3 = AEL Limassol | caps3 = 1 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2011–2012 | clubs4 = Othellos | caps4 = 24 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2012–2013 | clubs5 = Hyde United | caps5 = 18 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2017– | clubs6 = A.F.C. Blackpool | caps6 = 0 | goals6 = 0

| club-update = 17:31, 22 April 2013 (UTC)

| nationalyears1 = 2003–2004

| nationalyears2 = 2004–2005

| nationalyears3 = 2005–2007

| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland U17

| nationalteam2 = Republic of Ireland U18

| nationalteam3 = Republic of Ireland U19

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalcaps2 = 3

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalcaps3 = 6

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| ntupdate = 6 August 2008

}}

Matthew Stephen Cassidy (born 2 October 1988) is a footballer who plays for A.F.C. Blackpool as a midfielder.

Club career

=Early career=

Born in Blackpool,{{cite web|title=Football Squads – Hyde|url=http://www.footballsquads.co.uk/eng/2012-2013/confprem/hyde.htm|publisher=Football Squads|accessdate=30 October 2012}} he started his career playing for Bolton Wanderers Youth and Reserve sides from the 2005–06 to the 2007–08 season and was named Academy Player of the Year in 2007.He also played for the Liverpool Dream Team of the late 90s

In the summer of 2007 he made his first team debut for Bolton in a defeat to Hibernian.{{cite web|title=Hibernian 3–0 Bolton Wanderers|url=http://www.burndenaces.co.uk/2007/07/25/hibernian-3-0-bolton-wanderers.html|work=Burnden Aces|accessdate=8 October 2012}}

=Leaving for Cyprus=

After leaving Bolton in the summer of 2008, he was offered contracts at a number of English clubs including Doncaster Rovers and Luton Town, but Cassidy turned down these offers to accept a contract at Cypriot First Division club Enosis Neon Paralimni. after being impressed with the set up there.{{cite web | url=http://www.mannyroad.co.uk/?p=140 | title=Whatever Happened to the Bolton Wanderers Academy? | publisher=Manny Road | accessdate=8 October 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304003914/http://www.mannyroad.co.uk/?p=140 | archive-date=4 March 2016 | url-status=dead }} in the Cypriot First Division with Enosis Neon Paralimni. He was Ireland's first ever footballing export to Cyprus.{{cite web | url=http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/irish-cypriot-thinks-trap-has-the-edge-1499243.html | title=Irish 'Cypriot' thinks Trap has the edge | publisher=The Herald | accessdate=8 October 2012}}{{cite web | url=http://www.uefa.com/footballeurope/news/kind=2/newsid=791444.html?cid=rssfeed&att=index | title=Cassidy relishing Cypriot chance | publisher=UEFA | access-date=8 October 2012}}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

He made his debut for the Cypriot club on 29 August 2009, in his side's 3–0 defeat to Apollon Limassol, coming on as a second-half substitute.{{cite web|title=Enosis 0 – 3 Apollon|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2009/08/29/cyprus/1-division/enosis-neon-paralimni/apollon-limassol/802229/|publisher=Soccerway|accessdate=30 October 2012}} On 6 December 2009, he made his first start for the club in a 2–0 win over APEP.{{cite web|title=Enosis 2 – 0 APEP|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2009/12/06/cyprus/1-division/enosis-neon-paralimni/apep-pitsilia/802306/|publisher=Soccerway|accessdate=30 October 2012}} After one year with Enosi Neon Paralimniou he left the club having made a total of 17 appearances scoring no goals.{{cite web|title=Matthew Cassidy|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/matthew-cassidy/23327/|publisher=Soccerway|accessdate=30 October 2012}} After leaving Enosis, Cassidy moved to one of the biggest clubs of the island of Cyprus, AEL Limassol. Cassidy signed a five-year contract with the club on 9 June 2010. He made his debut, coming on as a 70th-minute substitute in their 2–1 defeat to AEK Larnaca.{{cite web|title=AEL 1 – 2 AEK Larnaca|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2010/11/07/cyprus/1-division/ael-limassol/aek-larnaca/955332/|publisher=Soccerway|accessdate=30 October 2012}} But after just the one appearance, he left the club for Othellos, serving just one year with of his five-year contract.{{cite web | url=http://www.footballconference.co.uk/news/details.php?news_id=7689 | title=Three New Tigers | publisher=Football Conference | accessdate=8 October 2012 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102124535/http://www.footballconference.co.uk/news/details.php?news_id=7689 | archivedate=2 January 2014 | df=dmy-all }}

=Return to England=

On 10 August 2012, he returned to England and signed for Conference National newcomers Hyde. He made his debut for the club in their 2–1 home defeat to Luton Town on 17 August 2012.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19205080 | title=Hyde 1–2 Luton Town | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=8 October 2012}} He left before the end of the season.

In July 2017 Cassidy signed for A.F.C. Blackpool.

International career

He has represented the Republic of Ireland at U17, U18 and U19 youth levels. In 2006 and 2007, Cassidy played in multiple games during Ireland's qualification tournament for the 2006 UEFA under-19 Championships.{{cite web | url=http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2549 | title=Ireland under-19s | publisher=FAI | accessdate=11 August 2012}}