Shay McCartan

42

D.O.B.

18 May 1994

Birthplace

Newry, Northern Ireland

Height

5 ft 10 in

Position

Strker

Signed

May 2010

Former Clubs

Glenavon and Banbridge Town.

International

Northern Ireland U19

Pen Pic

19 year old striker, Shay McCartan was one of six of our young guns to be offered new terms in April 2013

However a month later Burnley made the following short announcement:

'Burnley Football Club can confirm that striker Shay McCartan, 19, has been released at the end of the 2012/13 season.

The club would like to thank Shay for his efforts and wish him well in his future career.'

Something had clearly happened and with the club making no further comment it is unlikely we will ever know the real reason for his sudden departure.

McCartan joined the Clarets for the start of the 2010/11 season on a two year scholarship. Highly rated he came to prominence in his second year helping the youth team reach the semi-final of the FA Youth Cup in 2011/12. He scored a number of goals during the competition including those against West Brom and Fulham. Sadly for the Clarets they were knocked out by the local enemy Blackburn Rovers in the semi-final but McCartan had impressed enough to earn a one year professional contract for the start of the 2012-13 season. He made just one appearance for the first team at Doncaster as a late substitute during 2011-12. McCartan also made the bench for the league clash against Middlesbrough at the Riverside this season before going out on loan to Hyde for the last few months of the season. It is understood he has now returned to his native Northern Ireland.