Rob Kiernan

At 33 years old, Rob Kiernan has this physical status:

Robert Samuel Kiernan (born 13 January 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for English League One club Southend United. Kiernan has previously played for Watford, Wigan Athletic and Rangers, and has also spent time on loan at Kilmarnock, Yeovil Town, Bradford City, Wycombe Wanderers, Accrington Stanley, Burton Albion, Brentford, Southend United and Birmingham City.

Kiernan, who was born in Hertfordshire, played for the Republic of Ireland at youth levels up to and including under-21.

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Club career

Kiernan was born in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, and started his football career as a youth with Watford. In the summer of 2008, Watford sent two youth teams to the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland. Kiernan was transferred from his natural position of central midfielder to centre-half, benefiting from his height and physical appearance, as well as captained the team. Mark Warburton, his then coach, lauded his results.

Kiernan was called up by the Ireland under 19 team for a four-nation tournament, but he had to leave after tearing his right thigh muscle.

In 2008–09, Kiernan captained Watford's under-18 team, which saw them qualify for the FA Youth Cup quarter-finals. In October 2008, he and fellow second-year scholars Billy Gibson and Ross Jenkins signed "developmental contracts," allowing the students to continue their education without fear of being anxious about the future.

Kiernan was first to attend some first-team training sessions when Brendan Rodgers was appointed Watford chief in November 2008. On January 24, 2009, he was selected in the senior matchday squad for the first time as a 90th-minute replacement for Watford's fourth-round match against Crystal Palace at Vicarage Road, replacing Gavin Hoyte. Despite the fact that he made no more first-team appearances this season, he ended with 17 starts for the Academy and nine for the reserves.

After a hearing in January 2010, Kiernan joined Kilmarnock on loan; boss Jimmy Calderwood wanted him to cover with two defensive players who were injured; Scott Severin, a Watford teammate, joined Kilmarnock on the same day as his colleague Scott Severin, and was given the number 29 shirt. In a 1–0 league victory over Celtic, Kiernan made his debut on the next day as a 73rd-minute substitute. Kiernan appeared in three games for Yeovil Town from 2010 to 2011, and moved to Bradford City on a two-month loan on October 12th. Histon had previously attempted to sign Kiernan on loan.

Kiernan turned down Watford's two-year contract; the "slightly reduced" terms permitted him to leave the club without compensation being payable by his next employer. Kiernan joined Wigan Athletic in March 2012, but the loan term was limited to just three games due to ankle ligament injury. With the help of a month's loan at Burton Albion, also from League Two, in the early part of the season, he returned to action in November 2013 and then moved to League One Brentford on loan until January 2013. He then renewed his loan contract on January 11, 2013; On October 12, 2013, Kiernan signed with Southend United in a three-month loan agreement, but he was recalled on December 29 as cover after Thomas Rogne was hospitalized on Boxing Day. Kiernan scored his first goal for the club against Leicester City and losing in the play-off semi-finals against Queens Park Rangers in May 2014 and signed a three-year contract extension.

However, Kiernan joined Birmingham City in February 2015 on loan until the 2014–15 season, after struggling to play in the following seasons. On Sunday, he made his Brighton & Hove Albion debut, starting the game in central midfield in place of the injured David Davis, who was 78 minutes late in the 4-3 loss. After Jonathan Spector's return from injury, he continued to form a center-half team and then toured with Michael Morrison. Kiernan scored from close range against Wolverhampton Wanderers on April 11; he was credited with his first goal for the club after Jonathan Grounds' shot had already crossed the line and been forced back to play, according to the officials. He missed the last two games of the season due to a hamstring injury.

Kiernan signed a two-year contract with Rangers on June 22, 2015, with the transfer fee estimated to be £200,000. Danny Wilson and his teammates served in central defense together throughout the next season. The pair's results, however, have been chastised for certain aspects of their performances, most notably in the team's 3–2 loss to Hibernian in the 2016 Scottish Cup Final. Kiernan's contract with Rangers ran for another year until 2018. Rangers defeated 2–0 on Sunday, with Kiernan scoring his first goal and only his third goal of his professional career as a result of his career. On December 27, 2016, he was linked with a £2 million transfer to Fulham and the following day, Kiernan was struck by Saints captain Steven Anderson. Kiernan was given a two-match suspension for violent conduct by the Scottish Football Association, but he denied the charge, which was ultimately dismissed by a disciplinary tribunal on January 12th.

Kiernan returned to English football in 2017 after signing a three-year deal with Southend United on August 3rd for an undisclosed fee. Kiernan was released by Southend on January 31, 2020, the first day of the game.

Kiernan joined USA club Orange County SC on February 7, 2020.

International career

Kiernan has captained the Republic of Ireland's national football team at age-group levels. He qualified to play for Ireland because his father was born in Co. Wexford.

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