Luke O'Neill (footballer)
English association football player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Luke Marcus O'Neill (born 20 August 1991) is an English professional footballer who plays as a right back for Isthmian League Premier Division club Canvey Island. He graduated from the Leicester City youth academy. He has represented England at under-17 level.
|
O'Neill playing for York City in 2013 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Luke Marcus O'Neill[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 20 August 1991[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Slough, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[3] | ||
| Position | Right back[4] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Canvey Island | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2008 | Leicester City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2011 | Leicester City | 1 | (0) |
| 2010 | → Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2011 | → Kettering Town (loan) | 19 | (2) |
| 2011–2012 | Mansfield Town | 43 | (3) |
| 2012–2015 | Burnley | 1 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | → York City (loan) | 15 | (1) |
| 2014 | → Southend United (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2014 | → Scunthorpe United (loan) | 13 | (0) |
| 2015 | → Leyton Orient (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2015 | → Southend United (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2015–2017 | Southend United | 31 | (1) |
| 2017–2019 | Gillingham | 76 | (4) |
| 2019–2021 | AFC Wimbledon | 58 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Kettering Town | 6 | (0) |
| 2022 | Stevenage | 12 | (0) |
| 2022–2025 | Ebbsfleet United | 97 | (11) |
| 2025 | Welling United | 11 | (0) |
| 2026– | Canvey Island | 1 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2007–2008 | England U17 | 9 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:52, 16 January 2026 (UTC) | |||
Career
Leicester City
Born in Slough, Berkshire,[5] O'Neill came through the youth academy at Leicester City and was part of the side that won the Premier Academy League in the 2006–07 season.[citation needed] He was named as a substitute for the first time in a League Cup win over Stockport County on 12 August 2008, however he was unused on that occasion.[6]
On 29 August 2008, just a few days after his 17th birthday, O'Neill signed a three-year professional contract, tying him to Leicester until the summer of 2011.[7] He then made his first-team debut for Leicester on 2 September 2008 against Hartlepool United in a 3–0 Football League Trophy win.[8]
O'Neill's next first-team involvement for Leicester came almost a year later when he was named as an unused substitute in their opening day fixture against Swansea City.[9] He made his first appearance of 2009–10 three days later, playing the full 90 minutes as Leicester beat Macclesfield Town 2–0 in the League Cup.[10] On 26 December 2009, O'Neill made his league debut for Leicester, coming on as a half-time substitute against Sheffield United, replacing the injured Jack Hobbs.[11]
Tranmere Rovers
On 18 February 2010, O'Neill joined League One club Tranmere Rovers on a one-month loan.[12]
Kettering Town
On 31 January 2011, he joined Conference Premier club Kettering Town on a one-month loan.[13]
Mansfield Town
On 30 June 2011, O'Neill signed for Conference Premier club Mansfield Town on a one-year contract.[14] He made his debut on 13 August 2011 in a 1–1 draw with Bath City, he then later scored his first goal for the club in a 5–0 win over Newport County.[citation needed] O'Neill helped Mansfield to a play-off semi-final where they lost 2–1 on aggregate to York City.[citation needed] His performances throughout 2011–12 attracted Championship clubs Burnley, Cardiff City and Ipswich Town. Burnley had a bid rejected by the Conference club, but manager Paul Cox admitted O'Neill could leave if the offer is right.[15]
Burnley
On 15 June 2012, O'Neill signed for Championship club Burnley for an undisclosed fee.[16]
York City
He joined League Two club York City on 4 October 2013 on a 28-day emergency loan.[17] His debut came the following day in a 3–0 away defeat to Torquay United, before scoring his first goal for York in a 2–2 draw away to Chesterfield with a 30-yard shot into the bottom right corner.[18][19] On 31 October 2013, O'Neill's loan was extended until 4 January 2014, after making six appearances and scoring one goal for York.[20] He was recalled by Burnley a day early on 3 January 2014 to be part of the squad for their FA Cup match against Southampton.[21] He had made 16 appearances and scored one goal for York.[18]
Southend United
On 17 January 2014, O'Neill joined League Two club Southend United on a 30-day emergency loan.[22]
Scunthorpe United
He joined Scunthorpe United on 18 August 2014 on a three-month loan,[23] making his debut a day later in a 2–0 home defeat to Fleetwood Town.[24]
Leyton Orient
On 26 February 2015, he joined Leyton Orient on loan until the end of 2014–15.[25]
Southend United
O'Neill rejoined Southend United, by this time in League One, on 22 August 2015 on a one-month loan.[26] He had his Burnley contract terminated by mutual consent on 1 September 2015, ahead of a permanent transfer to Southend on a two-year contract.[27] He scored his first goal for Southend in a 3-1 win against Millwall on 17 September 2016.[28]
Gillingham
O'Neill signed for League One club Gillingham on 6 June 2017 on a two-year contract.[29] He was released by Gillingham at the end of the 2018–19 season.[30]
AFC Wimbledon
O'Neill signed for League One club AFC Wimbledon on 4 July 2019 on a contract of undisclosed length.[31] He scored his first goal for Wimbledon in an EFL Cup tie against rivals Milton Keynes Dons on 13 August 2019.[32] O'Neill was released by the club at the end of the 2020–21 season.[33]
Return to Kettering Town
In November 2021, he dropped back into non-League football when he signed for National League North club Kettering Town on a free transfer, having previously spent time on loan there in 2011.[34]
Stevenage
O'Neill signed for League Two club Stevenage on 3 January 2022.[35] He was released at the end of the season.[36]
Ebbsfleet United
On 30 June 2022, O'Neill signed for National League South side Ebbsfleet United, where he would go on to win the 2022–23 league title.[37][38] He departed the club at the end of the 2024–25 season.[39]
Welling United
In June 2025, O'Neill joined Isthmian League Premier Division club Welling United.[40] In October 2025, he was named interim assistant manager to Rod Stringer following the sacking of Lee Martin.[41] He departed the club in December 2025.[42]
Canvey Island
In January 2026, O'Neill joined Isthmian Premier Division club Canvey Island.[43]
Career statistics
- As of match played 10 January 2026
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Leicester City | 2008–09[44] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2009–10[45] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11[46] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 2009–10[45] | League One | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Kettering Town (loan) | 2010–11[47] | Conference Premier | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | |
| Mansfield Town | 2011–12[48] | Conference Premier | 43 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 0 | 48 | 3 | |
| Burnley | 2012–13[49] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |
| 2013–14[18] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15[24] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| York City (loan) | 2013–14[18] | League Two | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| Southend United (loan) | 2013–14[18] | League Two | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Scunthorpe United (loan) | 2014–15[24] | League One | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Leyton Orient (loan) | 2014–15[24] | League One | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Southend United | 2015–16[50] | League One | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| 2016–17[51] | League One | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 21 | 1 | |
| Total | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 1 | ||
| Gillingham | 2017–18[52] | League One | 38 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 1 | 44 | 3 |
| 2018–19[53] | League One | 38 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 46 | 4 | |
| Total | 76 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 90 | 7 | ||
| AFC Wimbledon | 2019–20[54] | League One | 31 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 2 |
| 2020–21[55] | League One | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
| Total | 59 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 64 | 2 | ||
| Stevenage | 2021–22[56] | League Two | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Ebbsfleet United | 2022–23 | National League South | 42 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 45 | 5 | |
| 2023–24 | National League | 33 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[c] | 0 | 34 | 6 | ||
| 2024–25 | National League | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | ||
| Total | 97 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 101 | 11 | ||
| Welling United | 2025–26[57] | Isthmian League Premier Division | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Canvey Island | 2025–26[58] | Isthmian League Premier Division | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 392 | 23 | 16 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 17 | 1 | 432 | 27 | ||
- Appearance(s) in the Football League Trophy
- One appearance in FA Trophy, two in Conference Premier play-offs
- Appearance(s) in Alan Turvey Trophy
