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Jonathan Douglas
JonathanDouglasIps.jpg
Douglas playing for Ipswich Town in 2015
Personal information
Full name Jonathan Michael Douglas
Date of birth (1981-11-22) 22 November 1981 (age 43)
Place of birth Monaghan, Ireland
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Lisnaskea Rovers
Monaghan United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2006 Blackburn Rovers 16 (1)
2002–2003 Chesterfield (loan) 7 (1)
2003–2004 Blackpool (loan) 16 (3)
2004–2005 Gillingham (loan) 10 (0)
2005–2006 Leeds United (loan) 40 (5)
2006–2009 Leeds United 104 (5)
2009–2011 Swindon Town 84 (1)
2011–2015 Brentford 169 (17)
2015–2017 Ipswich Town 59 (3)
2020– Richmond & Kew 21 (1)
Total 505 (36)
International career
1998 Republic of Ireland U16 1 (0)
2004–2007 Republic of Ireland 8 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Republic of Ireland
UEFA European Under-16 Championship
Winner 1998 Scotland
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:27, 11 October 2020 (UTC)

Jonathan Michael Douglas (born 22 November 1981) is an Irish former professional footballer. He played as a midfielder and also represented the Republic of Ireland on the international stage.

Club Career Highlights

Jonathan Douglas started his football journey in his home country of Ireland. He became a well-known midfielder, playing for several clubs throughout his career.

Starting with Blackburn Rovers

Born in Monaghan, Jonathan first joined Blackburn Rovers. He made his first team debut in a League Cup match on 31 October 2000. A serious knee injury in 2001 slowed his progress for many months. He managed to return to play in early 2002.

In March 2003, Jonathan was loaned to Chesterfield for six weeks. He played seven matches there and scored one goal. His next loan move was to Blackpool for three months. He made a big impact, playing in 16 league games and scoring three goals.

Even though he was a strong central midfielder, he sometimes played as a left midfielder. This unexpected role helped him get noticed. The manager of Blackburn Rovers, Graeme Souness, brought Jonathan back to help his team. Blackburn was struggling in the Premier League at the time.

Jonathan helped Blackburn stay in the Premier League. He scored his first goal for Blackburn, a fantastic shot, in a 4–3 win against Fulham. Blackburn Rovers then gave him a new three-year contract.

However, a new manager, Mark Hughes, took over. Jonathan then moved on loan to Gillingham in the Championship. He played regularly for Gillingham, showing his strong work ethic.

Time at Leeds United

Jonathan Douglas
Douglas playing for Leeds United in 2005

On 19 August 2005, Jonathan joined Leeds United on a loan deal for the season. He quickly became a regular player, appearing in over 40 matches. He scored five goals as Leeds reached the Championship playoff final. However, they lost the final 3–0 to Watford.

His strong performances led Leeds to sign him permanently on 31 August 2006. He signed a three-year deal with the club. Jonathan continued to play regularly for Leeds. His only goal that season came in a 2–1 win against Coventry City.

After Leeds' captain left, Jonathan was made captain by manager Dennis Wise. He had already captained the team many times when other players were injured. Jonathan had to miss the end of the season due to too many yellow cards.

Despite this, he played regularly in the 2007–08 season. On 28 October 2007, Leeds beat Millwall 4–2, with Jonathan scoring two goals. A serious leg injury later that season kept him out for a long time. This injury affected Leeds' performance.

He returned to the team on 22 March 2008, helping Leeds win 2–0 against Walsall. Leeds reached the playoff final again but lost 1–0 to Doncaster Rovers. Jonathan scored in Leeds' 4–0 win against Crystal Palace in the League Cup. He also scored in a 5–2 league win against Crewe Alexandra.

Jonathan played in a different position, right back, as Leeds reached the playoffs once more. However, they were knocked out by Millwall. On 22 May 2009, Jonathan was released from Leeds United.

Moving to Swindon Town

On 10 July 2009, Jonathan signed for Swindon Town. In October 2009, he received a red card in a match against Millwall. Swindon tried to appeal the decision, but it was rejected. This meant Jonathan was banned for four matches.

Jonathan was part of the Swindon team that reached the League One playoffs. They won their semi-final against Charlton Athletic on penalties. But they lost 1–0 to Millwall in the final at Wembley.

Jonathan was named the club's Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year for the 2009–10 season. He scored his only goal for the club with a great shot from 25 yards out. However, Swindon was relegated to League Two in the 2010–11 season.

Success at Brentford

Jonathan Douglas, Brentford FC, January 2013
Douglas playing for Brentford in 2013

Jonathan joined Brentford on 29 June 2011. He was named a deputy captain for the 2011–12 season.

He was voted Brentford's Supporters' 'Player of the Year' for 2011–12. He played almost every minute of Brentford's League One season, scoring two goals and helping with four others.

In the 2012–13 season, Jonathan played 52 games. Brentford missed out on promotion after a dramatic final game against Doncaster Rovers. He scored his first goal of the season in a 1–1 draw against Walsall. He also scored against Tranmere, Doncaster, and Carlisle United.

Jonathan was a very important player in the 2013–14 season. He helped the club get promoted to The Championship. He also helped them reach The Championship playoffs in the 2014–15 season. Brentford missed out on promotion to the Premier League after losing to Middlesbrough.

Final Club: Ipswich Town

On 4 August 2015, Jonathan joined Ipswich Town on a two-year deal. He scored his first goal for Ipswich against Rotherham in a 5–2 win. He also scored against Wolves and a special overhead kick goal against QPR on Boxing Day 2015. He left the club in the summer of 2017.

International Career

Jonathan Douglas played for the Republic of Ireland at different age levels. He earned his first senior international cap against Poland on 28 April 2004.

He made his first competitive appearance for Ireland in a European Championship Qualifier. This was against the Czech Republic on 11 October 2006. He was a regular choice in Steve Staunton's Republic of Ireland squad.

Honours and Awards

Jonathan Douglas achieved several successes during his football career.

Brentford

Republic of Ireland U16

  • UEFA European Under-16 Championships: 1998 (He won a major European tournament with his national youth team)

Individual Awards

  • Swindon Town Supporters' Player of the Year: 2009–10 (Fans voted him the best player)
  • Brentford Supporters' Player of the Year: 2011–12 (Fans voted him the best player again)

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