Paul Cairney (born 29 August 1987) is a Scottish footballer, who plays as a midfielder.

Paul Cairney
Personal information
Date of birth (1987-08-29) 29 August 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
2003–2005 St Mirren
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2008 Queen's Park 56 (8)
2008–2012 Partick Thistle 96 (18)
2008–2009Queen's Park (loan) 33 (8)
2012–2014 Hibernian 47 (3)
2014–2015 Kilmarnock 16 (0)
2015–2016 Stranraer 35 (0)
2016–2017 Ayr United 30 (5)
2017–2018 Peterhead 34 (1)
2020–2021 Albion Rovers 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:57, 8 September 2022 (UTC)

Cairney has previously played for Queen's Park, Partick Thistle, Hibernian, Kilmarnock, Stranraer, Ayr United, Peterhead and Albion Rovers.

Career

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Born in Glasgow, Cairney was registered with St Mirren as a youth player, but was released by the club aged 17.[1] He then signed for amateur club Queen's Park and made his first senior appearance in December 2005. He began to play more frequently for the Spiders in the 2006–07 season and helped the club win promotion to the Second Division.

Cairney signed a three-year deal with Partick Thistle in 2008, but was loaned back to Queen's Park for six months.[2] This loan was subsequently extended in January to the end of the 2008–09 season.[3]

Cairney made his debut for Thistle in a Scottish Challenge Cup tie against Airdrie United, coming on as a substitute.[4] His full and home debut came against Berwick Rangers in the Scottish League Cup.[5] Cairney scored 12 goals for Thistle during the 2011–12 season,[6] including a hat-trick in a 3–0 win against Dundee.[7] He was nominated for player of the year in the 2011–12 Scottish First Division.[8]

Cairney signed a two-year contract with Hibernian in July 2012.[6] He scored his first goal for the club on 1 September, in a 2–2 draw against Celtic.[9] Cairney struggled to consistently hold a place in the Hibernian first team due to injuries. He was released by the club at the end of the 2013–14 season.[10]

Cairney signed a two-year contract with Kilmarnock in June 2014.[11] After being released by Kilmarnock, Cairney signed for Scottish League One side Stranraer in July 2015,[12] and after one season with the club, signed for recently promoted Ayr United.[13] Cairney signed for Peterhead in July 2017.[14] He left Peterhead after one season.

After two years out of football, Cairney signed for Albion Rovers in July 2020.[15]

Career statistics

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As of 29 May 2016[16][17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup League Cup Other Total
Division App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Queen's Park 2005–06 Third Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2006–07 20 1 0 0 0 0 4[18] 1 24 2
2007–08 Second Division 35 7 2 0 2 0 2 0 41 7
Total 56 8 2 0 2 0 6 1 66 9
Partick Thistle 2008–09 First Division 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2009–10 32 7 1 0 2 0 3 1 38 8
2010–11 29 0 4 1 2 0 2 1 37 2
2011–12 35 11 3 3 1 1 1 0 40 15
Total 96 18 8 4 5 1 6 2 115 25
Queen's Park (loan) 2008–09 Second Division 33 8 3 2 1 0 2 0 39 10
Hibernian 2012–13 Premier League 29 2 3 0 1 0 0 0 33 2
2013–14 Premiership 18 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 20 1
Total 47 3 4 0 1 0 1 0 53 3
Kilmarnock 2014–15 Premiership 16 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 0
Stranraer 2015–16 League One 35 0 2 0 1 0 5 1 43 1
Ayr United 2016–17 Championship 30 5 4 1 5 0 3 0 42 6
Peterhead 2017–18 League Two 34 1 0 0 4 1 0 0 38 2
Career total 318 43 23 7 19 2 22 4 382 55

References

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  1. ^ McDermott, Scott (18 August 2012). "Here wee go: Paul Cairney vows to wreak revenge on club who axed him for being too small". Daily Record. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  2. ^ "Cairney makes switch to Firhill". BBC Sport. 11 July 2008.
  3. ^ "Paul Cairney extends loan spell with Queen's Park". PTFC.co.uk. 16 January 2009.
  4. ^ "AIRDRIE UNITED 0 PARTICK THISTLE 1". Partick Thistle F.C. 25 July 2009. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  5. ^ "PARTICK THISTLE 5 BERWICK RANGERS 1". Partick Thistle F.C. 1 August 2009. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  6. ^ a b "Hibernian sign former Partick midfielder Paul Cairney". BBC Sport. 2 July 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  7. ^ "Dundee 0–3 Partick Thistle". BBC Sport. 21 April 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  8. ^ "IRN-BRU SFL End of Season Awards 2011/12". scottishfootballleague.com. Scottish Football League. 25 May 2012. Archived from the original on 12 May 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  9. ^ Lamont, Alasdair (1 September 2012). "Celtic 2–2 Hibernian". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 September 2012.
  10. ^ "Out of Contract Players". Hibernianfc.co.uk. Hibernian FC. 26 May 2014. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 26 May 2014.
  11. ^ "New Signing: Paul Cairney". Kilmarnock F.C. 30 June 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  12. ^ "Two new signings". stranraerfc.org. 16 July 2015. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  13. ^ "United sign Cairney". ayrunitedfc.co.uk. 27 May 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2016.
  14. ^ "Peterhead land Cairney". SPFL. 14 July 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
  15. ^ Pirie, Mark (29 July 2020). "Ex-Hibs star feared being stuck on the Scottish football blacklist forever before Albion Rovers move". Daily Record. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  16. ^ Paul Cairney at Soccerbase
  17. ^ Paul Cairney at Soccerway. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  18. ^ Includes one appearance and one goal in Scottish Football League play-offs not recorded on Soccerbase. "Queen's Park 4–2 East Fife". BBC Sport. 9 May 2007. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
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