Lafferty goes back across the sea to Ireland
Full back Danny Lafferty was released at the end of last season by Sheffield United although he’d spent the second half of the season playing in League One for Peterborough United during a loan spell.
Now 30, he joined Burnley from Derry City in January 2012, making his debut for us at Cardiff in a 0-0 draw later that season. He played a further four times that season and in June made his Northern Ireland debut in a 6-0 friendly defeat against the Netherlands in Amsterdam, a game that saw Michael Duff make his 24th and final appearance for his country.
The following season proved to be his best for Burnley; he played in just over half of the games, but with Ben Mee initially preferred at left-back and then with the signing of Stephen Ward, his chances became limited and he went out on loan to Rotherham, Oldham (twice) and Sheffield United before making the last of those moves permanent in January 2017.
He was a regular in the Blades’ side that won promotion from League One in the 2016/17 season, making a total of 37 league appearances (all starts) during his loan and afterwards, but once they’d gone into the Championship he struggled for game time with Enda Stevens having come in from Portsmouth. One start and seven sub appearances followed in 2017/18 with just one substitute appearance last season before his move to Peterborough for whom he played 18 league games, becoming a regular in their side and retaining his place even with a change of manager.
When Sheffield United released him in the summer it was thought he’d join Peterborough permanently but nothing came of it and he’s since been on the lookout for a new club, that was until today when Shamrock Rovers confirmed they had signed him, the very club where his Sheffield United replacement Stevens started his career.
Shamrock boss Stephen Bradley said: “Danny had a few offers. He’s been talking to a few clubs in England but he and his wife decided that they wanted to move home. He’s a very good footballer, a very attacking player and a good age for us. He ticks a lot of boxes that we want. It’s a very good signing for us.”
He added: “If you look at his career he’s played at a really high level throughout. He has massive experience at club and international level. He’s had two promotions to the Premier League with two different clubs and I think that speaks for itself in terms of the quality he has and the level he’s played at.
“When you sit down and speak to him and you see he still has that hunger and desire to go and be successful, that was important for us as well.”
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