# Michael Forbes (footballer)
**Michael Forbes** (born 2004) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a center-back for [Scottish Premiership](https://www.edgepedia.org/scottish-premiership) club Dundee United and has represented [Northern Ireland](https://www.edgepedia.org/northern-ireland) at senior, under-21, and under-19 level.[1](https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=136053) • [2](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1186459/michael-forbes) He developed at West Ham United without making a first-team league appearance, built his senior career through [English Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/english-football-league) loans, and moved to Dundee United on a free transfer in 2026.[3](https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/football/michael-forbes-joins-new-club-after-cobblers-loan-spell-8745030)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2004, Ardboe, Northern Ireland; 188 cm, 76 kg, left-footed[1](https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=136053) • [4](https://fafifa.com/player/michael-forbes) |
| Position | Centre-back, who can also operate as a left-back[5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cgrxrkek2r7o) |
| Youth career | Joined West Ham United in 2020 at 16 after a trial; captained the club throughout the youth ranks[6](https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/5535913/michael-forbes-dundee-united-west-ham-rice/) |
| Senior clubs | West Ham (2022–2026, 0 league appearances); loans at Bristol Rovers, Colchester United, and Northampton Town; Dundee United from July 2026 (free)[1](https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=136053) • [3](https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/football/michael-forbes-joins-new-club-after-cobblers-loan-spell-8745030) |
| International | One senior Northern Ireland cap (as a substitute against Finland in 2023); 13 Northern Ireland U21 appearances with 1 goal[7](https://www.aol.com/articles/clicks-going-really-good-team-075136000.html) • [8](https://theanalyst.com/players/5567/michael-forbes/national/career) |
| 2026/27 season | Played every minute of Dundee United's first seven Premiership matches (630 minutes), scoring once[9](https://theanalyst.com/players/5567/michael-forbes) |
## Early life and West Ham
Forbes grew up in Ardboe, a small town in rural Northern Ireland, and was already considered a promising prospect in [Gaelic Athletic Association](https://www.edgepedia.org/gaelic-athletic-association) sports before moving to England.[1](https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=136053) • [6](https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/5535913/michael-forbes-dundee-united-west-ham-rice/) After a successful trial he joined West Ham United in 2020 as a 16-year-old, a move he described as a sharp adjustment from the countryside to London.[6](https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/5535913/michael-forbes-dundee-united-west-ham-rice/)
**Apprenticeship under Moyes.** He captained West Ham through the youth ranks and stepped up to train with the first team, making the matchday squad for a 3-0 Conference League win over FCSB in November 2022.[6](https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/5535913/michael-forbes-dundee-united-west-ham-rice/) He has credited the environment under manager [David Moyes](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-moyes) and players including [Declan Rice](https://www.edgepedia.org/declan-rice), Kurt Zouma, Lucas Paquetá, and [Mark Noble](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-noble) with his development, saying of Rice that "you could just see he was on a different level".[6](https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/5535913/michael-forbes-dundee-united-west-ham-rice/) He was part of the West Ham squad that won the 2022/23 UEFA Europa Conference League.[2](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1186459/michael-forbes) He never made a league appearance for West Ham's first team.[1](https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=136053)
## Loans in the English Football League
Forbes gained senior experience through three consecutive season-long or half-season loans, two of which were cut short by the same injury.
- **Bristol Rovers** (July 2024 to January 2025, League Two): a promising start was ended when he sustained a hamstring injury and was recalled by West Ham.[5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cgrxrkek2r7o)
- **Colchester United** (January to May 2025): the loan was arranged for the rest of the season, but the hamstring injury recurred and he again returned to his parent club without league appearances.[10](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ceq9104vrwxo) • [5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cgrxrkek2r7o)
- **Northampton Town** (July 2025 to June 2026, League One): a season-long loan under manager [Kevin Nolan](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-nolan), who had known Forbes from West Ham and called him a player capable of reaching higher levels.[5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cgrxrkek2r7o) Forbes made 26 appearances in all competitions, scored two goals, and provided one assist, but [Northampton](https://www.edgepedia.org/northampton) were relegated from League One.[3](https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/football/michael-forbes-joins-new-club-after-cobblers-loan-spell-8745030) • [9](https://theanalyst.com/players/5567/michael-forbes) • [6](https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/5535913/michael-forbes-dundee-united-west-ham-rice/)
## Dundee United
West Ham released Forbes at the end of the 2025/26 season, and in June 2026 he signed a two-year contract with the option of a further 12 months with Scottish Premiership side Dundee United, moving on a free transfer from 1 July 2026.[3](https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/football/michael-forbes-joins-new-club-after-cobblers-loan-spell-8745030) • [1](https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=136053) Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin, who had beaten off interest from St Johnstone and [EFL League One](https://www.edgepedia.org/efl-league-one) clubs, described him as "an old-fashioned defender in terms of defending the box" with good ability on the ball and, in his estimation, pace that would make him one of the quickest center-halves in the league.[11](https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/5526243/jim-goodwin-dundee-united-michael-forbes-claim/)
**Immediate regular.** Forbes started every one of Dundee United's first seven [Premiership](https://www.edgepedia.org/premiership) matches of 2026/27, playing all 630 minutes, and scored his first goal for the club in a 1-1 home draw with Falkirk on 5 September 2026, heading an equalizer deep in stoppage time (the 93rd minute) from a corner.[9](https://theanalyst.com/players/5567/michael-forbes) • [12](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/13580758/dundee-united-1-1-falkirk-michael-forbes-scores-in-stoppage-time-to-secure-dramatic-point-for-the-terrors) • [2](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1186459/michael-forbes) He wears the number 18 shirt.[9](https://theanalyst.com/players/5567/michael-forbes)
## International career
Forbes has represented Northern Ireland at under-19, under-21, and senior level.[2](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1186459/michael-forbes) His only senior cap came in 2023, when he came on as a substitute against Finland for 5 minutes.[7](https://www.aol.com/articles/clicks-going-really-good-team-075136000.html) • [8](https://theanalyst.com/players/5567/michael-forbes/national/career) At under-21 level he made 13 appearances between 2023 and 2026, scoring once, and captained Northern Ireland at youth level.[8](https://theanalyst.com/players/5567/michael-forbes/national/career) • [11](https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/5526243/jim-goodwin-dundee-united-michael-forbes-claim/)
His form at Dundee United brought a recall by national manager [Michael O'Neill](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-oneill-footballer) for the October 2026 international window, where he was an unused substitute in Nations League fixtures against Hungary and Ukraine; Forbes said the call-up showed the move to Scotland was "a really good platform to progress yourself as a player".[7](https://www.aol.com/articles/clicks-going-really-good-team-075136000.html)
## Playing style
Forbes is a left-footed center-back of 188 cm whose game is built on aerial strength; in 2026/27 he won 45 aerial duels at 66.2 percent, and FotMob's comparison metrics rate his aerial duels won in the 98th percentile among Premiership center-backs.[4](https://fafifa.com/player/michael-forbes) • [2](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1186459/michael-forbes) Goodwin has highlighted his box defending, comfort on the ball, recovery pace, and leadership, noting that Forbes had captained both West Ham and Northern Ireland at youth level.[11](https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/5526243/jim-goodwin-dundee-united-michael-forbes-claim/) His goal record reflects a set-piece threat: all seven of his 2026/27 shots were headers, six from corners or set pieces.[2](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1186459/michael-forbes)
## References
1. [Michael Forbes, Soccerbase](https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=136053)
2. [Michael Forbes, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1186459/michael-forbes)
3. [Michael Forbes joins new club after Cobblers loan spell, Northampton Chronicle & Echo](https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/football/michael-forbes-joins-new-club-after-cobblers-loan-spell-8745030)
4. [Michael Forbes, FAFIFA](https://fafifa.com/player/michael-forbes)
5. [Northampton sign West Ham defender Forbes on loan, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cgrxrkek2r7o)
6. [Dundee United ace Michael Forbes on Declan Rice, David Moyes, The Courier](https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/5535913/michael-forbes-dundee-united-west-ham-rice/)
7. [When it clicks it's going to take a really good team to beat us, BBC Sport via AOL](https://www.aol.com/articles/clicks-going-really-good-team-075136000.html)
8. [Michael Forbes International Career History, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/5567/michael-forbes/national/career)
9. [Michael Forbes, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/5567/michael-forbes)
10. [Colchester sign young West Ham defender on loan, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ceq9104vrwxo)
11. [Jim Goodwin: Michael Forbes claim after Dundee United move, The Courier](https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-united/5526243/jim-goodwin-dundee-united-michael-forbes-claim/)
12. [Dundee United 1-1 Falkirk: Michael Forbes scores in stoppage time, Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/13580758/dundee-united-1-1-falkirk-michael-forbes-scores-in-stoppage-time-to-secure-dramatic-point-for-the-terrors)
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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) › Northern Irish footballers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license