Corey James John O'Keeffe (born 5 June 1998) is a professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
who plays as a
full back or
midfielder
In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...
for club
Barnsley
Barnsley () is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. It is the main settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley and the fourth largest settlement in South Yorkshire. The town's population was 71,422 in 2021, while the wider boroug ...
.
O'Keeffe began his career with
Birmingham City
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. The team compete in the ...
, made his senior debut in 2016, and spent time
on loan at
Solihull Moors
Solihull Moors Football Club is a professional association football club based in Solihull, England. The club currently competes in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league system, after achieving promotion from the Na ...
of the
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
in 2018 and at
League Two club
Macclesfield Town in 2019–20. He was released by Birmingham in 2020 and signed for
Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England. The team competes in , the third level of the English football league system.
The club was formed in 1897 as Mans ...
. After a season in which he played little, he joined another League Two club,
Rochdale
Rochdale ( ) is a town in Greater Manchester, England, and the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale. In the United Kingdom 2021 Census, 2021 Census, the town had a population of 111,261, compared to 223,773 for the wid ...
, initially
on loan and then on a short-term contract, where he was a first-team regular. He signed for Forest Green Rovers, newly promoted to
League One, in June 2022, but after they were relegated, returned to League One with Barnsley in July 2023.
O'Keeffe was born in England and represented the Republic of Ireland at levels from
under-16 to
under-19.
Club career
Early life and career
O'Keeffe was born in
Birmingham
Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...
,
[ where he attended Stirchley Primary School and Baverstock School in the Druids Heath area. He was noticed by representatives of ]Birmingham City
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. The team compete in the ...
when playing for Cadbury Athletic, and joined their Academy in 2008.[ He took up a scholarship with the club in July 2014.] Interviewed later that year, he assessed his strengths as attacking and heading, and felt he needed to improve his weaker foot. O'Keeffe signed his first professional contract, of two years, in May 2016, and was an unused substitute for the Birmingham reserve team that lost the 2016 Birmingham Senior Cup
The Birmingham Senior Cup is a regional Association football, football competition for Birmingham County FA club teams, organised by the Birmingham County Football Association. It began in 1876 and is the oldest County Football Association, count ...
final to National League North
The National League North, officially known as Vanarama National League North for sponsorship reasons, is a professional Association football league in England. National League North is the second division of the National League (English footb ...
champions Solihull Moors
Solihull Moors Football Club is a professional association football club based in Solihull, England. The club currently competes in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league system, after achieving promotion from the Na ...
.
First-team football with Birmingham City and on loan
After impressing both for Birmingham's under-23 side and when training with the first team, O'Keeffe was given squad number
In team sports, the number, often referred to as the uniform number, squad number, jersey number, shirt number, sweater number, or similar (with such naming differences varying by sport and region) is the number worn on a player's uniform, to id ...
30 in December 2016. He made his senior debut in the Championship
In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.
Championship systems
Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship.
Title match system
In this sys ...
visit to Newcastle United
Newcastle United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Since th ...
on 10 December, as a 74th-minute substitute in a 4–0 defeat. That was his only first-team appearance in 2016–17.[
O'Keeffe signed a new three-year contract in August 2017. Having made no first-team appearances in 2017–18, he joined ]National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
club Solihull Moors
Solihull Moors Football Club is a professional association football club based in Solihull, England. The club currently competes in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league system, after achieving promotion from the Na ...
on loan
In finance, a loan is the tender of money by one party to another with an agreement to pay it back. The recipient, or borrower, incurs a debt and is usually required to pay interest for the use of the money.
The document evidencing the deb ...
until 17 February 2018. He went straight into the starting eleven for the following day's match, playing the whole of a 2–2 draw at home to Sutton United
Sutton United Football Club is a professional association football club from Sutton, South London, England. The team competes in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league system.
Sutton started out playing in junior, ...
, but was not a regular selection, and was recalled in December having made only eight starts in National League matches.[
An unused substitute in Birmingham's ]EFL Cup
The English Football League Cup, often referred to as the League Cup and currently known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual Single-elimination tournament, knockout competition in men's domestic football in England.
Orga ...
defeat on 6 August 2019, O'Keeffe joined League Two club Macclesfield Town three days later on loan for the rest of the season. He was a first-team regular throughout his stay, and had made 36 appearances in all competitions by the time the League Two season was first suspended and then ended early because of the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
.[ He was released by Birmingham when his contract expired at the end of June 2020.
]
Mansfield Town
O'Keeffe signed a two-year contract with League Two club Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England. The team competes in , the third level of the English football league system.
The club was formed in 1897 as Mans ...
on 13 August 2020. He was in the starting eleven for their opening fixture, an EFL Cup tie away to Preston North End
Preston North End Football Club, commonly referred to as Preston, North End or PNE, is a professional association football club in Preston, Lancashire, England. They currently play in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English footbal ...
on 29 August, and played the whole of the 4–0 defeat. Playing at wing-back, he was voted man of the match
In team sport, a player of the match award (also known as man of the match or woman of the match) is often given to the most outstanding player in a particular match. This can be a player from either team, although the player is generally chose ...
in the first league match, a goalless draw with Tranmere Rovers
Tranmere Rovers Football Club are a professional association football club based in Birkenhead, Merseyside, England. The team competes in , the fourth level of the English football league system.
Founded in 1884 as Belmont Football Club, they ...
in which he "was a constant threat down the right-hand side of the pitch with his tricky footwork and dangerous deliveries". He started the first seven league matches of the season,[ before having to self-isolate because of contact with a team-mate who tested positive for ]COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
. By the time he returned, Graham Coughlan
Graham Coughlan (born 18 November 1974) is an Irish professional Manager (association football), football manager and former Association football, player who played as a centre back. He is manager of club Boston United F.C., Boston United.
Cou ...
, the manager who signed him, had left; his successor, Nigel Clough
Nigel Howard Clough (born 19 March 1966) is an English professional football manager and former player who is the manager of Mansfield Town. Playing predominantly as a forward, but later in his career used as a midfielder, Clough was capped by ...
, switched to a flat back four, the results improved, and O'Keeffe remained a regular in the matchday squad but did not start another league game.[ His last appearance of the season in any competition was in the FA Cup third round defeat to ]Cheltenham Town
Cheltenham Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in the town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. The team competes in EFL League Two, the fourth level of the English football league system.
Founded in 1887, ...
, in which he played the whole 120 minutes.[
]
Rochdale
O'Keeffe was transfer-listed at the end of the season, and on 3 August 2021, he joined divisional rivals Rochdale
Rochdale ( ) is a town in Greater Manchester, England, and the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale. In the United Kingdom 2021 Census, 2021 Census, the town had a population of 111,261, compared to 223,773 for the wid ...
on loan until January 2022. He made his debut in the starting eleven for the opening-day visit to Harrogate Town, which Rochdale lost 3–2 to a stoppage-time goal, and continued as a regular. O'Keeffe scored his first senior goal on 31 August in the group stage of the 2021–22 EFL Trophy after he was fouled in the penalty area and converted the kick himself; 22 minutes later, he scored his second, this time from open play, as Rochdale went on to beat Liverpool U21 4–0. Four days later, he scored a 78th-minute winner in a 3–2 league victory away to Port Vale.[ O'Keeffe started every match of his loan spell, apart from the fixture against his parent club for which he was ineligible, before returning to Mansfield.][
Clough's opinion was that "if we're not going to play the three centre halves then Corey may well move on", and on 28 January 2022, O'Keeffe did so, returning to Rochdale on a short-term contract until the end of the season. He played in every remaining match, although not always a starter, making 51 appearances over the season in all competitions, scoring five goals and finishing well up the League Two assists table,][ and Rochdale confirmed that they would be offering him a new contract.
]
Forest Green Rovers
On 7 June 2022, O'Keeffe became the first summer signing for Forest Green Rovers
Forest Green Rovers Football Club is a professional association football club based in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, England. The team competes in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league system.
Formed in October 188 ...
, newly promoted to League One as 2021–22 League Two champions. He was a regular in the side, playing 50 matches in all competitions as the team were relegated at the end of the season.
Barnsley
O'Keeffe signed a four-year contract with League One club Barnsley
Barnsley () is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. It is the main settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley and the fourth largest settlement in South Yorkshire. The town's population was 71,422 in 2021, while the wider boroug ...
in July 2023. Despite not being fully fit, he started the opening fixture, at home to Port Vale, because Barnsley were short of players. His interception, run and cross set up the opening goal for Devante Cole in what finished as a 7–0 win, but he went off injured after 33 minutes.
International career
O'Keeffe played six matches for the Republic of Ireland U17 in qualification for the 2015 UEFA Under-17 Championship, scoring once, and started two matches in the tournament proper as his country were eliminated at the group stage.
O'Keeffe played two Ireland under-18 friendlies, against the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
in November 2015 and England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
in March 2016, and played alongside Birmingham teammate Ronan Hale in a 2–2 draw with Germany U18 in May. He appeared in both of Ireland under-19s' friendlies against Austria U19 in September, captaining the side in the second match, and played in two of their three 2017 UEFA Under-19 qualifying-round matches in October. The following March, he played in all three of their elite-round matches; Ireland finished second in their group so failed to qualify.
Career statistics
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:OKeeffe, Corey
1998 births
Living people
Footballers from Birmingham, West Midlands
English men's footballers
Republic of Ireland men's association footballers
Republic of Ireland men's youth international footballers
Men's association football defenders
Men's association football midfielders
Birmingham City F.C. players
Solihull Moors F.C. players
Macclesfield Town F.C. players
Mansfield Town F.C. players
Rochdale A.F.C. players
Forest Green Rovers F.C. players
Barnsley F.C. players
English Football League players
National League (English football) players
21st-century English sportsmen
21st-century Irish sportsmen