Ryan Hegarty

{{short description|Scottish footballer (born 1979)}}

{{Use Scottish English|date=July 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Ryan Hegarty

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| fullname = Ryan Hegarty

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|6|3|df=y}}

| birth_place = Edinburgh, Scotland

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1992–1995

| youthclubs1 = Dundee United

| youthyears2 =

| youthclubs2 =

| years1 = 1995–1997

| clubs1 = Dunfermline Athletic

| caps1 = 9

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 1997–1998

| clubs2 = Livingston

| caps2 = 3

| goals2 = 0

| manageryears1 =

| managerclubs1 =

| manageryears2 =

| managerclubs2 =

}}

Ryan Hegarty (born 3 June 1976) is a Scottish former footballer who played as a midfielder for Dunfermline Athletic and Livingston.{{NeilBrownPlayers|player7/ryanhegarty}}

Career

=Playing career=

Hegarty was a product of the Dundee United youth academy. He played for the Arabs in several friendly games, but left the club in 1995 without making a competitive appearance.{{ cite web|url=https://www.arabarchive.co.uk/matchdetails.php?id=5191| title=Queen's Park 0 - 6 Dundee United - Tuesday, August 8th, 1995|website=Arab Archive }}

Following his departure from Tannadice Park, Hegarty signed for Dunfermline Athletic, where his father Kevin had played in the 1970s and 80s.{{ cite web|url=https://parsdatabase.co.uk/Personnel/Players/Players_E-H.htm| title=Pars Players (E - H)|website=Pars Database }} He made 9 appearances for the Pars and scored once.{{ cite web|url=https://dafc.co.uk/story.php?t=1996:_Dunfermline_4_Clydebank_3&ID=11824| title=1996: Dunfermline 4 Clydebank 3|website=Dunfermline Athletic FC}}

In 1997, Hegarty was on the move again and signed for Livingston. Injury was to delay his first appearance for the club. After four months on the sidelines, he came on as a substitute to make his debut for Livi in a 2–0 defeat against Clyde.{{ cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/LIVINGSTON+v+CLYDE.-a060989467| title=LIVINGSTON v CLYDE|date=20 December 1997|newspaper=Daily Record |via=TheFreeLibrary}} His injury problems proved to be a hurdle he could not overcome and was forced to retire at the age of 22 after a specialist examination revealed a stress fracture of the spine.{{ cite web|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Ryan%27s+career+ended+at+22.-a060555758| title=Ryan's career ended at 22|newspaper=Daily Record|via=TheFreeLibrary|date=3 September 1998}}

Personal life

Ryan is the son of former Dunfermline Athletic player Kevin Hegarty{{NeilBrownPlayers|player3/kevinhegarty|Kevin Hegarty}} and the nephew of former Dundee United player and manager Paul Hegarty.{{ cite web|url=https://dafc.co.uk/story.php?t=Season_1995-1996&ID=12984| title=SEASON 1995-1996|website=Dunfermline Athletic FC}}

References

{{reflist}}