Shay Given is set to play his first competitive game of the season this weekend after joining Championship side Middlesbrough on a month long loan than may yet turn into something longer term.
The 37-year-old Irishman hadn’t featured at Aston Villa since last January when Paul Lambert’s side lost 2-1 in the cup to Millwall and only two of his nine appearances over the course of that campaign came in the league. But the Irish man proved reluctant to walk away from a lucrative long-term contract with attempts to strike a deal coming to nothing.
The opportunity to play at Middlesbrough arises after that club’s first-choice goalkeeper, Jason Steele, received a three-match ban after being sent off against Leeds United. Newly appointed Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka has turned to Given for his experience and he is expected to start against Bolton on Saturday.
Region's biggest trio
As Given was heading back to England's northeast to become the first player in more than 35 years to play for all three of the region's biggest clubs, full
back Enda Stevens was also on the move. The 23-year-old joined Doncaster Rovers also on a month-long loan.
The former Shamrock Rovers defender has also been marginalised by Lambert since making his last first-team appearance at Villa Park in January, although he has seen some action this season having previously had a spell at Notts County where he played four times.
Paddy Madden will be hoping to rediscover his scoring touch at that club having joined on loan from Yeovil.
County fans will be desperately hoping the Dubliner can reproduce his remarkable run of goals for Yeovil where he finished as the division’s top scorer in May with 24 in all competitions despite having only signed on loan from Carlisle in October.
Meanwhile goalkeeper Aaron McCarey has moved on loan from Wolves, where he recently signed a new 2½ year deal, to York City. The 21 year-old was a part of Ireland’s senior squad for the friendly against Spain in New York.
Brothers Michael and Will Keane have both gone out on loan from Manchester United with the pair joining Derby and Wigan respectively. Both have been capped at under-21 level by England but Michael had previously represented Ireland and both retain the option of declaring for the Republic due to their Dublin born father.
Sean O’Driscoll has been sacked by Bristol City.
