Shane Long

Shane Patrick Long (born 22 January 1987) is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a striker. Long began his football career at Cork City. He later moved to Reading where, among other achievements, he scored three goals in ten substitute appearances during his team's Championship-winning 2005–06 campaign, guided his team into the fourth round of the FA Cup by defeating Liverpool in a third round replay match in 2010, and later won a player of the season award. He signed for Premier League side West Bromwich Albion in 2011 for a fee of £6 million, and joined Hull City in January 2014, then Southampton in August 2014. On 23 April 2019, he scored the fastest goal in Premier League history. He had a loan spell with Bournemouth, and returned to Reading in July 2022 before retiring a year later. Long made his senior debut for the Republic of Ireland in 2007, earning 88 international caps and scoring 17 goals over a 14-year career with the national team.