Long began his career with Cork City before joining Burnley in 2010 as a 19-year-old. He never established himself as a regular in the Burnley side, and spent several spells out on loan, before leaving the club in 2023 to sign for Birmingham City. He moved on to Toronto FC in February 2024.
With his Cork City contract due to expire in November 2009, Long was linked with English clubs including Charlton Athletic, Millwall, Preston North End, Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.[6][7] On 26 November, Premier League club Burnley confirmed that they had paid a six-figure fee and "beaten off stiff competition from top clubs north and south of the border"[8] – reported as Celtic and Everton[9] – to engage Long on a three-and-a-half-year contract, to begin when the January 2010 transfer window opened.[8]
Loan to Accrington Stanley
On 15 October 2010, Long joined League Two club Accrington Stanley on a month's loan.[10] He made his debut for the club in the 3–2 defeat to Rotherham United, but was sent off after 17 minutes for a foul on Adam Le Fondre.[11] The loan was twice extended[12][13] before he returned to Burnley on 18 January 2011 after cracking a bone in his foot during a match against Cheltenham Town.[14] He rejoined Stanley at the end of January on loan for the remainder of the season.[15] He made 17 appearances.[16]
Long again signed for Stanley on 5 August 2011, this time on loan until the following January.[17] As he did during his first spell on loan, Long maintained his first-team status. He scored the first goal of his English career in a 2–2 draw with Plymouth Argyle on 8 October, and went on to score against Bristol Rovers, Torquay United and Macclesfield Town.[18] He re-joined Burnley on 5 January 2012, having made 26 appearances.[18]
Loan to Rochdale
Long's former manager at Accrington, John Coleman, signed him for League One club Rochdale on 27 January 2012 on loan for a month.[19] After playing four matches with two clean sheets during a run of two wins and a draw, Long extended his loan spell at Rochdale until the end of April.[20] He continued in the first team,[18] but Rochdale were unable to avoid relegation.[citation needed]
Loan to Portsmouth
On 18 August 2012, Long joined EFL League One side Portsmouth on a one-month emergency loan.[21] He made his first appearance the same day, as a member of a team of debutants starting a 1–1 draw against AFC Bournemouth,[22] was sent off for a second bookable offence in his third,[23] and suffered a back injury in his fifth and last that meant his loan was not renewed.[24]
Return to Burnley
Long scored his first goal for Burnley in a 4–3 FA Cup defeat at Southampton on 4 January 2014.[25] He made his Premier League debut a year later, in a 3–3 draw away to Newcastle United on 1 January 2015. He replaced the injured Jason Shackell in the 17th minute, but 20 minutes later was himself replaced, becoming the third Burnley player to be substituted during the match.[26] He had ruptured his cruciate knee ligaments. A few days later, he signed an extended contract with Burnley to run until 2017.[27]
In January 2023, Long signed for Championship club Birmingham City until the end of the season.[33] Lack of match fitness marred his early appearances – he had not played first-team football for eight months prior to joining[34] – but head coach John Eustace continued to select him,[35][36] and he started 20 of a possible 23 matches.[37] Long was one of six senior professionals included on Birmingham's list of players to be released,[38] but signed a new one-year contract with the club on 25 June.[39] He played every minute of Birmingham's Championship season under Eustace's management, demonstrating aerial strength to complement centre-back partner Dion Sanderson's speed and ball skills, but lost his place to Emanuel Aiwu when Wayne Rooney took over as manager in October.[40][41] A calf injury kept him out until January 2024, when Tony Mowbray restored him to the team,[42] and he started four Championship matches before leaving the club for an undisclosed fee on 20 February.[43][44]
In May 2017, he received his first call-up to the Republic of Ireland senior side in a 37-man squad for a training camp in Fota Island.[48] He made the cut for the final squad for the friendlies against Mexico in New Jersey and Uruguay in Dublin,[49] and made his debut on 1 June in the 3–1 defeat to Mexico at the MetLife Stadium, replacing John Egan as a second-half substitute.[50]
Career statistics
Club
As of match played 2 October 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
