Michael Forbes (footballer)
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Forbes[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 29 April 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Ardboe, Northern Ireland[2] | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[3] | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Northampton Town (on loan from West Ham United) | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2008–2009 | Ardboe | ||
| 2009–2017 | Cookstown Youth | ||
| 2017–2020 | Dungannon Swifts | ||
| 2020–2022 | West Ham United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022– | West Ham United | 0 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | → Bristol Rovers (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2025 | → Colchester United (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2025– | → Northampton Town (loan) | 22 | (2) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019 | Northern Ireland U16 | 4 | (1) |
| 2022 | Northern Ireland U18 | 2 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Northern Ireland U19 | 6 | (0) |
| 2023– | Northern Ireland U21 | 8 | (0) |
| 2023– | Northern Ireland | 1 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 29 April 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 09:59, 29 July 2025 (UTC) | |||
Michael Forbes (born 29 April 2004) is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a centre-back for Northampton Town on loan from Premier League club West Ham United, and the Northern Ireland national team.
Forbes is a youth product of Ardboe, Cookstown Youth, and Dungannon Swifts.[4] He joined the youth academy of West Ham United on 24 July 2020 when he signed a scholarship contract with the club.[5] The following season, he captained the U18s and debuted with the U23s in December 2021.[6] He signed his first professional contract with the club on 31 May 2022.[7] He made his first appearance on the senior West Ham squad for a UEFA Conference League match against FCSB on 3 November 2022.[8]
On 5 July 2024, Forbes joined League One club Bristol Rovers on a season-long loan deal.[9][10] He was recalled on 3 January 2025 to continue rehabilitation from a hamstring injury suffered two weeks prior.[11] On 30 January 2025, he joined League Two side Colchester United on loan for the remainder of the season.[12] During an in-house training match, he once again suffered a hamstring injury requiring surgery, returning to West Ham United in March 2025.[13]
On 25 July 2025, Forbes joined League One side Northampton Town on a season-long loan deal.[14] He made his Northampton debut on 2 August scoring in a 3–1 away defeat to Wigan Athletic.[15]
International career
Forbes is a youth international for Northern Ireland, having played up to the Northern Ireland U21s.[16] After injuries to the senior squad in November 2021, he was called up to train with the senior national team.[17] He debuted with the senior Northern Ireland national team as a late substitute in a 4–0 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying loss to Finland on 17 November 2023.[18]