James McKeown

James McKeown

McKeown playing for Grimsby Town in 2011
Personal information
Full name	James Karl McKeown
Date of birth	24 July 1989
Place of birth	Birmingham, England
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[1]
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team	Grimsby Town
Number	1
Youth career
2004–2005	Walsall
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2005–2007	Walsall	0	(0)
2007–2011	Peterborough United	6	(0)
2007	→ Kettering Town (loan)	2	(0)
2007	→ Worcester City (loan)	1	(0)
2010–2011	→ Boston United (loan)	17	(0)
2011	RKSV Leonidas	0	(0)
2011–	Grimsby Town	215	(0)
National team
2007–2008	Republic of Ireland U19	?	(?)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 March 2016 (UTC). † Appearances (goals)

James Karl McKeown (born 24 July 1989) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for National League club Grimsby Town.

He has previously played for Walsall, Peterborough United, Kettering Town, Worcester City, Boston United and RKSV Leonidas.

McKeown has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-19 level.

Club career

Walsall

McKeown started his career with the Walsall youth system in 2004.^[2] He was promoted to the first team squad in 2005, but failed to make a first team appearances before his departure in 2007.

Peterborough United

McKeown was signed by Peterborough United. He joined Conference North team Kettering Town on loan in August 2007^[3] and made just one game on loan for Worcester City in October,^[4] in a 0–5 defeat against Hucknall Town, after being brought in on a month's loan as cover for Danny McDonnell.^[5]

On 9 February 2008 Mckeown made his first appearance for Peterborough United in League Two, coming on as a 76th-minute substitute for the injured Joe Lewis who was stretchered off following a nasty aerial collision.^[6] Mckeown signed a two-and-a-half year contract extension on 16 March 2009.^[7] The following season in League One he made one appearance on 2 May 2009 where he came off the bench in the 77th minute as Joe Lewis made way in the 2–2 draw with Swindon Town.^[8] During his time at Peterborough United he gained back to back promotions with the posh although McKeown was to make just four appearances in the Championship.^{[9][10][11][12]} His last appearance for the Posh was in the final game of the season though despite a 0–1 defeat against Blackpool he was named man of the match.Of special note during the game his best save was leaping spectacularly to keep out DJ Campbell's sharp overhead kick at close range though he saw the same player spring from the ground to head in the rebound.^[13]

Mckeown joined Boston United in August 2010 on loan until January 2011.^[14][15] He played a key role in Boston's excellent start to the season with 10 successive league clean sheets^[16] and had a total of 14 clean sheets in 18 games. On New Year's Day he played his last game and received a fantastic reception and farewell from the Boston United supporters. However, despite his remarkable record of clean sheets and fantastic form whilst on loan at Boston Peterborough United came to an agreement with James that he should seek pastures new.^[17] McKeown spent a week at Lincoln City on trial^[18] and a one-off appearance for Boston United in the FA Trophy due to their keeper Dan Haystead being cup tied,^[19] he then signed for Dutch Rotterdam based semi-professional side RKSV Leonidas.

Grimsby Town

On Friday 23 June 2011 Grimsby Town announced they were in discussions to sign McKeown,^[20] following the club's announcement to bring in a second choice keeper to challenge number one Kenny Arthur after Town had heavily relied upon Goalkeeping Coach Steve Croudson in the previous season.^[21]

On 2 July 2011 he signed a one-year contract with Town.^[22] McKeown was initially brought to the club as a back up keeper to challenge Kenny Arthur, but following an impressive pre-season he became the club's first choice keeper. He made his league debut for Grimsby Town on 13 August 2011 in the 0–2 defeat against Fleetwood.^[23] A week later he saved what became a crucial penalty against Newport taken by Craig McAllister to earn his side a 0–0 draw.^[24][25] During the 2011–12 campaign McKeown picked up 3 yellow cards, each for time wasting.^[26][27][28] McKeown was also ever-present during the 2011–12 season helping Grimsby Town produce 18 clean sheets in 55 games.^[29] On 24 April 2012 McKeown picked up four awards for Player of the Year at the club's annual presentation.^[30] On 30 April 2012 McKeown agreed to a new two-year contract with the club.^[31][32]

McKeown retained the Supporters Player of the Season award when he scooped the prize again once more for his part during the 2013-14 season.^[33]

On 16 August 2014, McKeown saved a crucial last-minute penalty, the game finishing 1–1, preventing Dover winning the game.^[34] He played in all the league games of the 2014–15 season as Paul Hurst's "Mariners" came 3rd in the Conference, and secured a play-off spot.^[35] He also played in the 2015 Conference Premier play-off Final against Bristol Rovers at Wembley on 17 May 2015; following a 1–1 draw after extra time, Grimsby lost 5–3 in a penalty shoot-out.^[36]

McKeown picked up the Reusch Goalkeeper of the Year 2014–15 award on the 20 May 2015, at The Non-League Paper's National Game Awards in association with The NLFA, for keeping 23 clean sheets himself.^[37]

International career

Mckeown has been capped at under 19s with the Republic of Ireland U19^[38] and was selected in the 2009-2010 squad for the European championships for the Republic of Ireland U21^[39] on the substitute bench in November 2009 against Georgia^[40] and Armenia.^[41]

Career statistics

As of match played on 17 May 2015.^[42][43]

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Kettering Town (loan)	2007–08	Conference South	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
	Total		2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Worcester City (loan)	2007–08[5]	Conference South	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	Total		1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Peterborough United	2007–08[44]	League Two	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	2008–09[45]	League One	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	0
	2009–10[46]	Championship	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
	Total		6	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	7	0
Boston United (loan)	2010–11[47]	Conference North	17	0	0	0	0	0	2[lower-alpha 1]	0	19	0
	Total		17	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	19	0
Grimsby Town	2011–12[48]	Conference Premier	46	0	5	0	0	0	4[lower-alpha 1]	0	55	0
	2012–13[49]	Conference Premier	43	0	1	0	0	0	9[lower-alpha 2]	0	53	0
	2013–14[50]	Conference Premier	45	0	5	0	0	0	8[lower-alpha 3]	0	58	0
	2014–15[51]	Conference Premier	46	0	2	0	0	0	6[lower-alpha 4]	0	54	0
	2015–16[52]	Conference Premier	44	0	4	0	0	0	0[lower-alpha 1]	0	0	0
	Total		180	0	13	0	0	0	27	0	220	0
Career total			206	0	13	0	1	0	29	0	249	0

1. Appearance(s) in FA Trophy
2. Two appearances in the Play-Offs, seven appearances in the FA Trophy
3. Two appearances in the Play-Offs, six appearances in the FA Trophy
4. Three appearances in the Play-Offs, three appearances in the FA Trophy

Honours

Club

Peterborough United

• 2008–09: League One runner-up (promotion to The Championship)
• 2007–08: League Two runner-up (promotion to League One)

Grimsby Town

• Lincolnshire Senior Cup: 2011–12, 2012–13
• FA Trophy Runners-up: 2012-13
• Supporters Player of the Season: 2012–13, 2013–14^[33]
• Conference Premier Team of the Year: 2012-13

Individual

• Reusch Goalkeeper of the Year 2014–15^[37]

References

1. "Player Profile". Grimsby Town F.C. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
2. "Career History". UpThePosh!. Retrieved 17 February 2012.
3. "Kettering bring in two more". Confguide. 14 August 2007. Retrieved 15 August 2007.
4. "Posh keeper loaned to Worcester". BBC Sport. 23 October 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
5. "McKeown returns to Peterborough". Worcester News. 7 November 2007. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
6. "Peterborough 0–0 Wrexham". BBC Sport. 9 February 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
7. "McKeown Signs Contract Extension". Peterborough United Football Club. 16 March 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
8. "Match Report: Peterborough 2–2 Swindon Town". Peterborough United Football Club. 2 May 2009. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
9. "Peterborough 1–2 Nottingham Forest". BBC Sport. 3 October 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
10. "Peterborough 4–4 Cardiff". BBC Sport. 28 December 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
11. "Barnsley 2 - 2 Peterborough". BBC Sport. 5 April 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
12. "Peterborough 0 - 1 Blackpool". BBC Sport. 24 April 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
13. "Blackpool's odyssey leads to a play-off place from beating Peterborough". The Guardian. 26 April 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
14. "Boston United sign Peterborough keeper James McKeown". BBC Sport. 13 August 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
15. "Duo leave on loan". Yahoo! Sport. 12 August 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
16. "McKeown is proving a big star at Boston". Peterborough Telegraph. 13 November 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
17. "McKeown Leaves Posh". Peterborough United. 2 January 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
18. "McKeown set to play for Lincoln City Reserves". Lincolnshire Telegraph. 12 January 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
19. "McKeown heads to Holland following spells with Imps and Pilgrims". Lincolnshire Telegraph. 17 January 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
20. "Grimsby Town: Disley in talks over move to Blundell Park". Grimsby Telegraph. 23 June 2011. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
21. "Grimsby Town: McKeown will provide number one competition - Scott". Grimsby Telegraph. 12 June 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
22. "Keeper Signs". Grimsby Town Football Club. 4 July 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
23. "Grimsby Town: Stopper McKeown keen to step it up a gear". Grimsby Telegraph. 15 August 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
24. "Grimsby Town: No spot of bother for penalty star McKeown". Grimsby Telegraph. 22 August 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
25. "Newport County 0-0 Grimsby Town". BBC Sport. 20 August 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
26. "Kettering 1 - 2 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 26 November 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
27. "Lincoln 1 - 2 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 26 December 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
28. "Alfreton 2 - 5 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 7 January 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
29. "Grimsby Town: 'Bosses had faith in me' - McKeown". Grimsby Telegraph. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
30. "Grimsby Town: 'To win approval from supporters means so much' - McKeown". Grimsby Telegraph. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
31. "Grimsby Town duo agree new contracts". BBC Sport. 3 May 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
32. "Grimsby Town: McKeown agrees two-year deal". Grimsby Telegraph. 30 April 2012. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
33. "Grimsby Town keeper James McKeown targets more silverware after scooping Player of the Year awards". Grimsby Telegraph. 24 April 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
34. "Grimsby 1–1 Dover". BBC Sport. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
35. "Grimsby 3–1 Aldershot". BBC Sport. 25 April 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
36. "Bristol Rovers 1–1 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 17 May 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
37. "National Game Awards – Reusch Goalkeeper of the Year: James McKeown". The Non-League Paper. 27 May 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2015.
38. "McKeown Called Up By Ireland". Peterborough United Football Club. 17 October 2007. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
39. "McKeown Selected In Under 21 Squad". Peterborough United Football Club. 24 August 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
40. "Under-21s held by Georgia". Football Association of Ireland. 14 November 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
41. "U21s fall to defeat in Armenia". Football Association of Ireland. 17 November 2009. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
42. James McKeown career statistics at Soccerbase
43. James McKeown profile at Soccerway
44. "Games played by James McKeown in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
45. "Games played by James McKeown in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
46. "Games played by James McKeown in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
47. "Games played by James McKeown in 2010/2011". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
48. "Games played by James McKeown in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
49. "Games played by James McKeown in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
50. "Games played by James McKeown in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
51. "Games played by James McKeown in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
52. "Games played by James McKeown in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 July 2012.

External links

• James McKeown career statistics at Soccerbase
• James McKeown profile at Soccerway