Riley McGree
Riley Patrick McGree (born 2 November 1998) is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Birmingham City, on loan from Major League Soccer expansion franchise Charlotte FC.
 McGree with Melbourne City in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Riley Patrick McGree | ||
| Date of birth | 2 November 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Gawler, South Australia, Australia | ||
| Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team |
Birmingham City (on loan from Charlotte FC) | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2011 | Gawler Eagles | ||
| 2013 | FFSA NTC | ||
| 2014–2016 | Adelaide United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2016 | Adelaide United NPL | 27 | (1) |
| 2016–2017 | Adelaide United | 17 | (1) |
| 2017–2019 | Club Brugge | 0 | (0) |
| 2018 | → Newcastle Jets (loan) | 12 | (5) |
| 2018–2019 | → Melbourne City (loan) | 27 | (7) |
| 2019–2020 | Adelaide United | 23 | (10) |
| 2020– | Charlotte FC | 0 | (0) |
| 2020– | → Birmingham City (loan) | 8 | (1) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2013 | Australia U-17 | 2 | (3) |
| 2017– | Australia U-23 | 9 | (3) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:08, 2 January 2021 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 7 September 2019 | |||
Born in Gawler, South Australia, McGree played youth football for Gawler, the FFSA NTC and Adelaide United before starting his professional career with Adelaide United in 2016.
McGree was first called up to the Australian national team in 2017, having previously played for Australia under-17 in 2013.
In June 2018, Melbourne City signed Riley McGree on a one-year loan deal for the next A-League season.[1][2]
Early life
McGree was born and raised in Gawler, South Australia, to the north of Adelaide.[3] He joined Gawler as a four-year-old after the town's Australian rules football club was full, and remained with the Eagles for eight years.[3][4]
Club career
Adelaide United
McGree made his debut for Adelaide United in the A-League on 19 March 2016 in a draw with Western Sydney Wanderers.[5] He made his first start for the club in a 2016 FFA Cup loss to Redlands United on 3 August 2016, having been called up from the club's youth squad.[6] Two weeks later, McGree signed a one-year senior contract with Adelaide.[7] McGree scored his first goal for the Reds in his second A-League start, on 29 January 2017, with a shot from the edge of the area in a draw with Wellington Phoenix.[8]
Club Brugge
After impressing at Adelaide United, including being called up for the Australian national team, McGree left the national Australian league in July 2017 to join Belgian club Club Brugge.[9]
Loan to Newcastle Jets
On 19 December 2017, it was announced that McGree would be joining the Newcastle Jets on a short term loan deal for the remainder of the 2017–18 A-League season, as an injury replacement for Jake Adelson. The transfer would be officially be lodged in January, with him expected to join the squad in late January, due to his international commitments in 2018 AFC U-23 Championship.[10]
In that season's A-League semi-finals, McGree became the subject of international attention after scoring with a scorpion kick,[11][12] and which received a nomination for the FIFA Puskas Award for the most beautiful goal in the world that year.[13]
At the end of the season McGree returned to Club Brugge,[14] though Newcastle Jets looked to sign him on loan once more.[15]
Loan to Melbourne City
A few weeks after the announcement that McGree returned to Club Brugge, he returned to the A-League, joining Melbourne City on a season-long loan.[16]
Return to Adelaide United
On 5 July 2019, it was announced that McGree would return to Adelaide United for an undisclosed fee for the next three seasons.[17] McGree starred for Adelaide United in his season back for Adelaide United scoring 10 goals in the league and 3 goals in the cup, including one in the FFA Cup final against Melbourne City. He capped off his season by winning the Aurelio Vidmar Club Champion award for the best and fairest player at Adelaide United, and winning the clubs golden boot award.
Charlotte FC
On 5 October 2020, McGree was sold to Major League Soccer expansion franchise Charlotte FC for an undisclosed fee, and was immediately loaned to English Championship club Birmingham City for the season.[18][19] He made his Birmingham City debut on 17 October, as a substitute in a 1–0 defeat at home to Sheffield Wednesday.[20] Two weeks later, he scored his first goal two minutes into his first start, away to Preston North End, when he reacted quickest to a loose ball after Lukas Jutkiewicz's mis-hit shot; the match ended 2–1 to Birmingham.[21]
International career
McGree was called up to the Australia under-17 team in August 2013 for the 2013 AFF U-16 Youth Championship in Myanmar.[22] He scored a hat-trick in the side's group stage win over Brunei.[23]
In March 2017, McGree was called up to the Australian team for the first time, for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Iraq and UAE.[24]
In November 2019 he was one of four players suspended by the Australia national under-23 soccer team due to "unprofessional conduct".[25] The four players allegedly mistreated a woman after an intimate encounter. As a result, McGree is forbidden to play in the upcoming 2020 AFC U-23 Championship, but is free to be selected for their World Cup team if Australia qualify.[26]
Career statistics
- As of match played 2 January 2021[27]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Adelaide United | 2015–16 | A-League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016–17 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5[lower-alpha 1] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 2 | ||
| Total | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 2 | ||
| Club Brugge | 2017–18 | Belgian First Division A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Newcastle Jets (loan) | 2017–18 | A-League | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 5 |
| Melbourne City (loan) | 2018–19 | A-League | 27 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 8 |
| Adelaide United | 2019–20 | A-League | 23 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 13 |
| Birmingham City | 2020–21 | EFL Championship | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 87 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 29 | ||
- Appearances in the Asian Champions League
Honours
Individual
- Adelaide United Player of the Year: 2019–20
References
- "Riley McGree joins Melbourne City on loan from Club Brugge". ESPNFC.com. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- "Melbourne City sign McGree on loan | The World Game". The World Game. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
- Migliaccio, Val (27 January 2017). "Teenager Riley McGree's tough love paying off for Adelaide United". The Advertiser. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- Migliaccio, Val (17 March 2017). "Socceroo Riley McGree is finally ridding Gawler Eagles of stigma". The Advertiser. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- "Western Sydney Wanderers vs. Adelaide United 0 – 0". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- "Reds bundled out of FFA Cup". Adelaide United FC. 4 August 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- "Reds promote teen duo". FourFourTwo. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- Migliaccio, Valentino (29 January 2017). "Adelaide United once again fail to make most of home ground advantage". News.com.au. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- Migliaccio, Val (4 July 2017). "Club Brugge sign teenage A-Leauge sensation Riley McGree from the Reds". The Advertiser.
- Barnsley, Warren (20 December 2017). "Riley McGree to return to A-League in 2018 on loan from Club Brugge with Newcastle Jets". news.com.au.
- "#puskasaward RILEY MCGREE GOAL – VOTE NOW!". YouTube. FIFATV. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
- Riley McGree scores goal of the season as scorpion kick puts Newcastle Jets into A-League grand final, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 28 April 2018
- World Reaction: Riley McGree’s scorpion goal puts A-League on the map! Fox Sports Australia, 28 April 2018
- "Squad Check: Every Hyundai A-League in, out, squad". Football Federation Australia. 4 June 2018.
- Somerford, Ben (7 June 2018). "Newcastle Jets remain hopeful of new McGree deal". FourFourTwo.
- Gardiner, James (20 June 2018). "Scorpion king Riley McGree swaps Newcastle Jets for Melbourne City". The Newcastle Herald.
- "Reds pay up to bring McGree home". InDaily. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
- "Reds agree McGree transfer with MLS outfit". Adelaide United. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- "McGree joins Blues". Birmingham City F.C. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- "Birmingham City 0–1 Sheffield Wednesday". BBC Sport. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
- "Preston North End 1–2 Birmingham City". BBC Sport. 31 October 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
- "Vidmar selects his Joeys". Football Federation Australia. 16 August 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- "Joeys thump Brunei". Football Federation Australia. 27 August 2013. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- "Socceroos name teenager Riley McGree for World Cup qualifiers against Iraq and UAE". ABC News. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- "Four Australia Under-23 players banned after complaint from woman". 19 November 2019 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
- "Robbie Slater slams FFA over four Olyroos banned; Four Olyroos banned over group sex incident, Riley McGree, Socceroos, news, football,". Fox Sports. 20 November 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2019.
- Riley McGree at Soccerway. Retrieved 2 January 2021.