# James McCarthy (footballer)
**James McCarthy** (James Patrick McCarthy, born 1990) is a Scottish-born professional footballer from Glasgow who plays as a central midfielder and represents the [Republic of Ireland](https://www.edgepedia.org/republic-of-ireland) internationally, for whom he has won 43 caps without scoring[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/james-mccarthy-230070/) • [2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-mccarthy/profil/spieler/45333). He has played for Hamilton Academical, Wigan Athletic, Everton, Crystal Palace, and Celtic, winning the [FA Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fa-cup) with Wigan in 2013 and three Scottish Premierships with Celtic, and he has been without a club since 1 August 2024 after leaving Celtic[2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-mccarthy/profil/spieler/45333) • [3](https://www.fotmob.com/players/101192/james-mccarthy).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1990, Glasgow, Scotland; Irish nationality, 1.80 m, 72 kg[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/james-mccarthy-230070/) |
| Position | Central midfield (also defensive and attacking midfield), right-footed[2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-mccarthy/profil/spieler/45333) |
| Senior clubs | Hamilton Academical, Wigan Athletic, Everton, Crystal Palace, Celtic[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/james-mccarthy-230070/) |
| Club appearances | 133 for Wigan (8 goals), 133 for Everton (6 goals), 52 for Crystal Palace, 27 for Celtic[3](https://www.fotmob.com/players/101192/james-mccarthy) |
| Major honors | FA Cup 2012/13 with Wigan; 3 Scottish Premierships and 2 Scottish Cups with Celtic[3](https://www.fotmob.com/players/101192/james-mccarthy) |
| Record fee | £13 million move from Wigan to Everton in September 2013, a record for a Scottish-born player[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/james-mccarthy-230070/) |
| Ireland | 43 caps, 0 goals, senior career January 2010 to November 2020[3](https://www.fotmob.com/players/101192/james-mccarthy) |
## Early career at Hamilton Academical
McCarthy began in Celtic's youth system, playing for the club at Under-17s level at the Barrowfield training center and the Science Park in Glasgow's Maryhill area[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/). He moved to Hamilton Academical's youth set-up in 2005 and graduated to the first team the following year[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/) • [2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-mccarthy/profil/spieler/45333).
Between 2006 and 2009 he made over 100 appearances for Hamilton at New Douglas Park, where he caught the attention of Wigan Athletic, then managed by Roberto Martinez[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/). The Portuguese database zerozero.pt records his Hamilton career as 110 appearances with 15 goals across the 2006/07 to 2008/09 seasons[5](https://www.zerozero.pt/jogador/james-mccarthy/67408/equipas).
Born and raised in Glasgow, McCarthy was invited to play for Ireland at age 16 through his Irish grandfather, and he accepted[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/).
## Wigan Athletic (2009–2013)
McCarthy joined Wigan Athletic in July 2009 on a four-year contract that was extended to June 2016 in August 2011[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/james-mccarthy-230070/). [Sky Sports](https://www.edgepedia.org/sky-sports) lists the fee paid to Hamilton as £2.0 million on 21 July 2009[6](https://www.skysports.com/james-mccarthy), while a report in The National at the time described the transfer as costing an initial £1.2 million[7](https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/mccarthy-ready-for-life-at-the-top-1.483140).
His introduction to Premier League football was severe: his first two appearances in August 2009 came in a 5-0 league defeat by Manchester United and a 4-1 League Cup loss at [Blackpool](https://www.edgepedia.org/blackpool), and Martinez kept the 18-year-old out of the side until an FA Cup tie against Hull City in January 2010, in which McCarthy scored in a 4-1 win[7](https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/mccarthy-ready-for-life-at-the-top-1.483140). Martinez said of him, "Nothing fazes him. James is a true ambassador and you don't get many players like him," and predicted at signing that McCarthy would be a "big star in world football"[7](https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/mccarthy-ready-for-life-at-the-top-1.483140).
McCarthy became a Premier League regular, making 38 top-flight appearances in the 2012/13 season[8](https://www.premierleague.com/players/3979/player/overview). That season he helped Wigan win the FA Cup, beating Manchester City 1-0 in the final, though the club was relegated from the Premier League at the end of 2012/13[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/). Across five seasons he made 133 appearances for Wigan and scored 8 goals[3](https://www.fotmob.com/players/101192/james-mccarthy).
## Everton (2013–2019)
In September 2013 McCarthy joined Everton on a five-year contract for a reported fee of £13 million, a record for a Scottish-born player[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/james-mccarthy-230070/). The transfer reunited him with Martinez, who had left Wigan to succeed [David Moyes](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-moyes) at [Goodison Park](https://www.edgepedia.org/goodison-park)[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/). At the time of the move, aged 22, he already had more than 100 Premier League appearances and an FA Cup winner's medal[9](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/13/james-mccarthy-confident-everton).
His Everton contract was extended to June 2020 in August 2015[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/james-mccarthy-230070/). Injury overshadowed parts of his six years at the club, including a broken leg sustained against West Ham in 2019, but he recorded 133 appearances in all competitions, 6 goals, and 10 assists[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/). His playing time declined sharply in the later seasons: he made 7 Premier League appearances in 2016/17, 3 in 2017/18, and a single substitute appearance in 2018/19[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/james-mccarthy-230070/).
## Crystal Palace (2019–2021)
[Roy Hodgson](https://www.edgepedia.org/roy-hodgson) signed McCarthy for Crystal Palace in the summer of 2019 on a two-year deal, with the transfer fee undisclosed[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/) • [6](https://www.skysports.com/james-mccarthy). He made 52 appearances for Palace and helped the club to 14th-place Premier League finishes in two successive seasons[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/) • [3](https://www.fotmob.com/players/101192/james-mccarthy). His first season was his most active, with 16 Premier League starts and 17 substitute appearances[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/james-mccarthy-230070/).
## Celtic (2021–2024)
In the summer of 2021 McCarthy's career came full circle when he signed for Celtic, the boyhood club he had supported and left as a junior, on a four-year deal on 3 August 2021[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/). He debuted in a 3-2 home win over Hearts on 15 August 2021[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/).
His three seasons in Glasgow brought team success but little playing time: 27 appearances without a goal[3](https://www.fotmob.com/players/101192/james-mccarthy). He was part of squads that won three Scottish Premierships (2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24) and two Scottish Cups (2022/23 and 2023/24)[3](https://www.fotmob.com/players/101192/james-mccarthy), and Celtic's own profile adds two [Scottish League Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/scottish-league-cup) wins in 2021/22 and 2022/23[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/). He left the club on 1 August 2024 and has since been without a club[2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-mccarthy/profil/spieler/45333).
## International career with Ireland
McCarthy's eligibility for Ireland came through his Irish grandfather, and he accepted the invitation to play for Ireland at 16[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/). His first senior call-up came three years later, in March 2010, under the Republic of Ireland manager [Giovanni Trapattoni](https://www.edgepedia.org/giovanni-trapattoni)[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/).
His senior international career ran from January 2010 to November 2020 and produced 43 caps without a goal; he also made 2 appearances for Ireland's under-21 side[3](https://www.fotmob.com/players/101192/james-mccarthy). Transfermarkt records the same senior total of 43 caps and 0 goals[2](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-mccarthy/profil/spieler/45333).
## By the numbers
McCarthy's club career divides into two distinct phases. At Wigan and Everton he was a Premier League mainstay, recording an identical 133 appearances for each club, and his 38-appearance 2012/13 season at Wigan was his busiest top-flight campaign[3](https://www.fotmob.com/players/101192/james-mccarthy) • [8](https://www.premierleague.com/players/3979/player/overview). From 2016 onward, injuries restricted him: his final three Everton seasons produced 11 Premier League appearances combined, and his two Crystal Palace seasons and three Celtic seasons added 26 more[1](https://www.11v11.com/players/james-mccarthy-230070/) • [3](https://www.fotmob.com/players/101192/james-mccarthy). The honors balance reflects the same split, an FA Cup won as a central player at Wigan and squad-level league and cup medals during limited minutes at Celtic[4](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/) • [3](https://www.fotmob.com/players/101192/james-mccarthy).
## References
1. [James McCarthy Football Player Statistics, 11v11.com](https://www.11v11.com/players/james-mccarthy-230070/)
2. [James McCarthy player profile, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-mccarthy/profil/spieler/45333)
3. [James McCarthy stats, career and market value, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/players/101192/james-mccarthy)
4. [James McCarthy, Celtic FC Player Profile](https://www.celticfc.com/players/james-mccarthy/)
5. [James McCarthy histórico equipas, zerozero.pt](https://www.zerozero.pt/jogador/james-mccarthy/67408/equipas)
6. [James McCarthy, Republic of Ireland player profile, Sky Sports Football](https://www.skysports.com/james-mccarthy)
7. [McCarthy ready for life at the top, The National](https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/mccarthy-ready-for-life-at-the-top-1.483140)
8. [James McCarthy Midfielder, Profile & Stats, Premier League](https://www.premierleague.com/players/3979/player/overview)
9. [James McCarthy is confident of proving his worth at Everton, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/sep/13/james-mccarthy-confident-everton)
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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) › Republic of Ireland footballers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; 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