# Andy Lonergan
**Andy Lonergan** (Andrew Michael Lonergan, born 1983 in Preston) is an English former professional goalkeeper whose 25-year playing career included, most notably an 11-year spell at his hometown club Preston North End and a season as backup goalkeeper in Liverpool's 2019-20 Premier League title-winning squad[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/andy-lonergan/profil/spieler/14044) • [2](https://www.playerhistory.com/en/player/4327-andy-lonergan) • [3](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/23184/andy-lonergan). Standing 1.93 m tall and left-footed, he retired in August 2025 and moved into coaching, becoming Wigan Athletic's goalkeeper coach and then, in 2026, goalkeeping coach of Liverpool FC Women[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/andy-lonergan/profil/spieler/14044) • [4](https://wolvescompletehistory.co.uk/lonergan-andy/) • [5](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/liverpool-bring-back-former-keeper-151500309.html).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name, born | Andrew Michael Lonergan, 1983, Preston, England; 1.93 m, left-footed[1](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/andy-lonergan/profil/spieler/14044) |
| Longest spell | Preston North End, 2000-2011, 232 appearances[9](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45047212) |
| Clubs | 15 senior squads, including Leeds United, Bolton Wanderers, Fulham, Wolves, Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Everton, and Wigan Athletic[6](https://fbref.com/en/stathead/player_comparison.cgi?comp_type=by_type&dom_lg=1&player_id1=165cf989&player_id2=c444465e&player_id3=1e9bde92&player_id4=8778c910&player_id5=1840e36d&player_id6=7956236f&request=1&show_form=1&sum=0) |
| Honours | Premier League (2019-20), UEFA Super Cup (2019), and FIFA Club World Cup (2019 Qatar) with Liverpool[3](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/23184/andy-lonergan) |
| Career league record | 352 domestic league appearances, 31,319 minutes, 73.8 save percentage, 81 clean sheets[6](https://fbref.com/en/stathead/player_comparison.cgi?comp_type=by_type&dom_lg=1&player_id1=165cf989&player_id2=c444465e&player_id3=1e9bde92&player_id4=8778c910&player_id5=1840e36d&player_id6=7956236f&request=1&show_form=1&sum=0) |
| Distinction | Scored for Preston from a goal-kick against Leicester in October 2004; Preston Player of the Year in consecutive seasons between 2008 and 2010[7](https://www.wba.co.uk/news/andy-lonergan-profile) |
| Post-playing roles | Wigan Athletic goalkeeper coach (July 2024 to August 2025); Liverpool FC Women's goalkeeping coach from 2026[4](https://wolvescompletehistory.co.uk/lonergan-andy/) • [5](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/liverpool-bring-back-former-keeper-151500309.html) |
## Preston North End, 2000-2011
Lonergan rose through Preston's academy and broke into the first team in 2000. Called up during an injury crisis, he made his debut at Coventry City in a 2000-01 League Cup tie at 16 years old, making him the club's youngest debutant for nearly 40 years; despite conceding four goals, his display was described as virtually faultless[8](https://www.11v11.com/players/andy-lonergan-7943/). His league debut followed in a 3-2 win against Watford in April 2001[8](https://www.11v11.com/players/andy-lonergan-7943/).
He established himself as Preston's first-choice goalkeeper after loan stints at [Darlington](https://www.edgepedia.org/darlington), Blackpool, Wycombe Wanderers, and Swindon Town, and over 11 years at [Deepdale](https://www.edgepedia.org/deepdale) made 232 appearances for the club[7](https://www.wba.co.uk/news/andy-lonergan-profile) • [9](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45047212). He won Preston's Player of the Year award in consecutive seasons between 2008 and 2010[7](https://www.wba.co.uk/news/andy-lonergan-profile). His most unusual contribution came in October 2004 at [Leicester](https://www.edgepedia.org/leicester), where the home goalkeeper Kevin Pressman slipped trying to gather Lonergan's long-range goal-kick and the ball ended up in the net for an open-play goal[7](https://www.wba.co.uk/news/andy-lonergan-profile) • [10](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/aug/16/journeyman-andy-lonergan-liverpool-goal).
## Journeys through the Football League, 2011-2019
After leaving Preston in July 2011, Lonergan moved between clubs in search of regular football: Leeds United (2011-2012), Bolton Wanderers (2012-2015), Fulham (2015-2016), Wolverhampton Wanderers (2016-2017), a second spell at Leeds (2017-2018), and [Middlesbrough](https://www.edgepedia.org/middlesbrough) (2018-2019)[2](https://www.playerhistory.com/en/player/4327-andy-lonergan) • [8](https://www.11v11.com/players/andy-lonergan-7943/). A Guardian profile in August 2019 counted 401 senior appearances for 10 different clubs since his 2000 debut, and described him as a solid Championship-level goalkeeper whose main weakness was cautious distribution[10](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/aug/16/journeyman-andy-lonergan-liverpool-goal).
In February 2019 he went on an emergency loan to Rochdale, and his last league appearance to date came on 23 March 2019, playing 90 minutes in a 3-1 victory over Scunthorpe United[11](https://theanalyst.com/players/5324/andy-lonergan).
## Liverpool and the 2019-20 title season
Liverpool signed Lonergan in August 2019 as short-term cover after first-choice goalkeeper [Alisson Becker](https://www.edgepedia.org/alisson-becker) was injured in the 4-1 win over Norwich[10](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/aug/16/journeyman-andy-lonergan-liverpool-goal). The connection began earlier that summer: first-team goalkeeping coach John Achterberg brought the 35-year-old on the club's United States tour as a training goalkeeper because the department was short of numbers, with Alisson on holiday after the Copa America, Kamil Grabara out on loan, and Caoimhin Kelleher and Vitezslav Jaros injured[12](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/356612-john-achterberg-andy-lonergan-usa-tour).
He stayed at Anfield for the 2019-20 season, providing training-ground support to Alisson, Adrián, and Kelleher, and was presented with a league winner's medal when Liverpool secured their first Premier League title[7](https://www.wba.co.uk/news/andy-lonergan-profile) • [13](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/386885-andy-lonergan-liverpool-standards-interview). He also collected winner's medals from the 2019 [UEFA Super Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-super-cup) and the 2019 [FIFA Club World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-club-world-cup) in Qatar[3](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/23184/andy-lonergan) • [4](https://wolvescompletehistory.co.uk/lonergan-andy/). In an interview with the club, he described the standards at Liverpool as "ridiculous" and said the daily requirement to prove his level kept him motivated after 20 years in the game[13](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/386885-andy-lonergan-liverpool-standards-interview).
## Later playing career and coaching
After Liverpool, Lonergan signed for Stoke City in December 2020, making one appearance against [Tottenham](https://www.edgepedia.org/tottenham), and moved to West Bromwich Albion in January 2021 on a short-term deal under [Sam Allardyce](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-allardyce), which made West Brom the 14th club of his career[7](https://www.wba.co.uk/news/andy-lonergan-profile). In August 2021 he signed for Everton on a one-year deal, which was prolonged in July 2022 until June 2023 and then prolonged again in July 2023 through June 2024, but he never featured in a league match for the club[8](https://www.11v11.com/players/andy-lonergan-7943/) • [11](https://theanalyst.com/players/5324/andy-lonergan).
He signed for Wigan Athletic in July 2024, made no League One appearances in 2024-25, retired in August 2025, and served as Wigan's goalkeeper coach from July 2024 to August 2025[4](https://wolvescompletehistory.co.uk/lonergan-andy/) • [11](https://theanalyst.com/players/5324/andy-lonergan). In March 2026, Liverpool brought him back as goalkeeping coach of Liverpool FC Women, his first full-time coaching role after a 25-year playing career[5](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/liverpool-bring-back-former-keeper-151500309.html).
## International career
Lonergan was previously capped by the [Republic of Ireland](https://www.edgepedia.org/republic-of-ireland) in an Under-16 friendly through family eligibility, then made two appearances for England Under-17s in 2000-01, and later represented England at Under-20 level[8](https://www.11v11.com/players/andy-lonergan-7943/) • [12](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/356612-john-achterberg-andy-lonergan-usa-tour). He never played for a senior national team.
## References
1. [Andy Lonergan - Player profile, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/andy-lonergan/profil/spieler/14044)
2. [Andy Lonergan, PlayerHistory](https://www.playerhistory.com/en/player/4327-andy-lonergan)
3. [Andy Lonergan - stats, career and market value, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/23184/andy-lonergan)
4. [Lonergan, Andy - Wolves Complete History](https://wolvescompletehistory.co.uk/lonergan-andy/)
5. [Liverpool bring back former keeper Lonergan in new capacity, Yahoo Sports](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/liverpool-bring-back-former-keeper-151500309.html)
6. [Player Comparison: Andy Lonergan career, FBref](https://fbref.com/en/stathead/player_comparison.cgi?comp_type=by_type&dom_lg=1&player_id1=165cf989&player_id2=c444465e&player_id3=1e9bde92&player_id4=8778c910&player_id5=1840e36d&player_id6=7956236f&request=1&show_form=1&sum=0)
7. [Andy Lonergan in profile, West Bromwich Albion FC](https://www.wba.co.uk/news/andy-lonergan-profile)
8. [Andy Lonergan Football Player Statistics, 11v11.com](https://www.11v11.com/players/andy-lonergan-7943/)
9. [Andy Lonergan: Middlesbrough sign former Preston and Leeds goalkeeper, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45047212)
10. [Journeyman Andy Lonergan could get big chance in Liverpool's goal, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/aug/16/journeyman-andy-lonergan-liverpool-goal)
11. [Andy Lonergan, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/5324/andy-lonergan)
12. [John Achterberg explains Andy Lonergan decision, Liverpool FC](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/356612-john-achterberg-andy-lonergan-usa-tour)
13. ['The standards at Liverpool are ridiculous - I love it here', Liverpool FC](https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/386885-andy-lonergan-liverpool-standards-interview)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of the British Isles (modern era) › English footballers 2005–2014*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license