| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (2000-09-13) 13 September 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Glasgow, Scotland | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Left back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Queen's Park | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Rangers | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2021 | Rangers | 0 | (0) |
| 2018 | → Edinburgh City (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2019 | → Dumbarton (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2020 | → Orange County SC (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2020 | → Clyde (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Hamilton Academical | 35 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | Dumbarton | 17 | (2) |
| 2024 | Cove Rangers | 8 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | Dumbarton | 25 | (3) |
| 2025– | Queen's Park | 19 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2017 | Republic of Ireland U18 | ||
| 2018 | Republic of Ireland U19 | ||
| 2018–2019 | Scotland U19 | 10 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 12:36, 13 January 2026 (UTC) | |||
Matthew Shiels (born 13 September 2000) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a left back for Queen's Park.
Early and personal life
Shiels was born in Glasgow.[1] His paternal grandparents were from Donegal in Ireland,[2] and he grew supporting Celtic.[3]
Club career
After playing youth football for Rangers, and spending loan spells at Edinburgh City, Dumbarton and Clyde,[4][5][6] as well as in the United States with Orange County SC,[7] Shiels signed for Hamilton Academical in summer 2021.[8][9][10][11][12][13][14]
Shiels left Hamilton in June 2023[15] and re-joined Dumbarton in August 2023[16] scoring his first goal for the club in a 4–0 victory against Bonnyrigg Rose in November 2023,[17] in a game where he also won a penalty and provided an assist.[18] After impressing for the Sons, he left for Scottish League One side Cove Rangers in January 2024 – scoring on his final appearance for the Sons in a 4–1 defeat to Rangers.[19][20] He left Cove after just eight appearances,[21] and returned to Dumbarton on a season long deal in the summer of 2024.[22]
He signed for Queen's Park in June 2025.[23]
International career
Having previously been called up for Scotland at under-17 level, in November 2017 he was called up to the Republic of Ireland under-18 squad,[2][24] making his debut on 9 November.[25]
He also played with the Republic of Ireland under-19s,[26] before later reverting his international allegiance back to Scotland,[27] playing ten games for the Scotland under-19 team.[28]
Playing style
Shiels plays primarily as a left back, but also played as a left winger and striker for Rangers.[29] On signing for Dumbarton in August 2023 he said he preferred playing in a more attacking role.[30]
Career statistics
- As of match played 18 October 2025
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rangers U20 | 2017–18[31] | — | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2019–20[32] | — | — | — | 1[c] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2020–21[33] | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Total | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Edinburgh City (loan) | 2017–18[31] | Scottish League Two | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| Dumbarton (loan) | 2019–20[32] | Scottish League One | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Orange County SC (loan) | 2020[1] | USL Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Clyde (loan) | 2020–21[33] | Scottish League One | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Hamilton Academical | 2021–22[34] | Scottish Championship | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 2022–23[35] | Scottish Championship | 27 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7[d] | 0 | 41 | 3 | |
| Total | 35 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 51 | 3 | ||
| Dumbartom | 2023–24[36] | Scottish League Two | 17 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 22 | 3 |
| Cove Rangers | 2023–24[36] | Scottish League One | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| Dumbartom | 2024–25[37] | Scottish League One | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 3 |
| Queen's Park | 2025–26[38] | Scottish Championship | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Career total | 113 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 16 | 3 | 12 | 0 | 150 | 9 | ||
- ^ Includes Scottish Cup, U.S. Open Cup
- ^ Includes Scottish League Cup
- ^ a b c d Appearance(s) in Scottish Challenge Cup
- ^ Four appearances in Scottish Challenge Cup; Three appearances in Scottish Championship play-offs
Honours
Hamilton Academical
References
- ^ a b c "Scotland – M. Shiels – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com.
- ^ a b McNulty, Chris (6 November 2017). "Rangers man with strong Donegal connections gets Irish call-up – Donegal Daily". www.donegaldaily.com.
- ^ "Dumbarton's Matty Shiels set for Cove Rangers switch after Scottish Cup goal – Daily Record". www.dailyrecord.co.uk. 22 January 2024. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ Matthew Shiels at Soccerbase
- ^ "Matthew Shiels Joins Clyde On Loan". www.rangers.co.uk.
- ^ McNulty, Chris (September 2020). "Rangers player with Donegal links goes out on loan – Donegal Daily". www.donegaldaily.com.
- ^ "Rangers Players Head to Orange County SC, Francis Jacobs to Play with Rangers U-16". Orange & Black SoccerCast. 3 February 2020.
- ^ "Shiels signs pre-contract with Accies". 14 May 2021.
- ^ Thomson, Paul (17 September 2021). "Former Rangers kid Matthew Shiels raring to go at Hamilton after injury hell". Daily Record.
- ^ McGilvray, Andy (18 December 2021). "Leaving Rangers for Accies is already benefiting defender Matthew Shiels". Daily Record.
- ^ Pirie, Mark (25 June 2021). "Rangers academy graduate on first team pathway frustration". GlasgowLive.
- ^ "Rangers exit 'the best thing for my career' says Matthew Shiels as he prepares for Hamilton spell". 3 June 2021.
- ^ "Rangers youngster Matthew Shiels released by Ibrox side and pens deal at Premiership club". HeraldScotland. 14 May 2021.
- ^ "Rangers youngster Matthew Shiels released by Ibrox side and pens deal at Premiership club". Glasgow Times. 14 May 2021.
- ^ "Departure of several players – Hamilton Accies". 15 June 2023.
- ^ Crawford, Jack (4 August 2023). "MATTHEW SHIELS SIGNS FOR DUMBARTON". Dumbarton Football Club. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ^ Clarke, Fraser (10 November 2023). "Dumbarton's Matty Shiels says confidence is key to sparkling recent showings". Daily Record. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
- ^ "Dumbarton 4–0 Bonnyrigg Rose – Red hot Sons prove too strong for Rose – Daily Record". www.dailyrecord.co.uk. 6 November 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2024.
- ^ Crawford, Jack (23 January 2024). "Duo depart Dumbarton". Dumbarton Football Club. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Clarke, Fraser (22 January 2024). "Dumbarton's Matty Shiels set for Cove Rangers switch after Scottish Cup goal". Daily Record. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- ^ Gordon, Richard (29 May 2024). "Squad Update". Cove Rangers FC. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ Crawford, Jack (31 May 2024). "MATTY SHIELS IS BACK AT THE ROCK". Dumbarton Football Club. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
- ^ "Matthew Shiels is a Spider". 17 June 2025.
- ^ McDougall, Mark (6 November 2017). "Rangers striker Matthew Shiels handed shock Republic of Ireland call-up". Daily Record.
- ^ McNulty, Chris (10 November 2017). "Rangers striker Shiels makes Irish debut in Spain thanks to… – Donegal Daily". www.donegaldaily.com.
- ^ "Coveted Rangers starlet Matthew Shiels enjoys debut victory with Tom Mohan's Ireland | Derry Journal". 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Why Scottish-Irish footballing relations have been at a low ebb for 20 years". independent. 11 June 2022.
- ^ "Matthew Shiels | Scotland | Scottish FA". www.scottishfa.co.uk.
- ^ Thomson, Paul (18 September 2021). "Rangers had me as striker and left winger, I can be Accies' utility man – Shiels". Daily Record.
- ^ Clarke, Fraser (9 August 2023). "Returning Son Matty Shiels says title ambitions convinced him on Dumbarton move". Daily Record. Retrieved 9 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Games played by Matthew Shiels in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
- ^ a b "Games played by Matthew Shiels in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
- ^ a b "Games played by Matthew Shiels in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
- ^ "Games played by Matthew Shiels in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
- ^ "Games played by Matthew Shiels in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
- ^ a b "Games played by Matthew Shiels in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
- ^ "Games played by Matthew Shiels in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
- ^ "Games played by Matthew Shiels in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
- ^ Raith Rovers 0–1 Hamilton Academical, Andrew Petrie, BBC Sport, 26 March 2023
