Having first graced the football pitch on 26 July 1996, Shaun Rooney now gazes upon it with the wisdom of 28 years under his belt. Hailing from Scotland, the stalwart defender primarily operates as a right back for St Mirren. Standing 6ft 3in tall (or 1.91m, for those of the metric persuasion), he carries a commanding presence on the field, underpinned by a solid 81kg (or 12st 10lb) physique. Within the ranks of St Mirren, he proudly dons the number 19 jersey.
Rooney's journey to his current position was marked by a series of transfers—some further afield than others. It all began in July 2013 when Rooney joined Queen's Park in the Scottish Championship. Starting slowly, he made eight appearances during the 2013-2014 season. The following season his contribution ramped up; Rooney made 24 appearances and netted four influential goals.
Then, in August 2015, Rooney made the move from Queen's Park to join Dunfermline Athletic—no drastic change in scenery, given Dunfermline also dwelled within the Scottish Championship. Rooney's stay was short, however; he made ten appearances and scored one goal during the 2015-2016 season.
July 2016 required Rooney to adjust his compass southward as he transferred from Dunfermline Athletic to York City in England's National League for an undisclosed fee. Rooney's England stint lasted a season during which he made 30 appearances and scored a goal.
By July 2017, the pull of home proved too strong, and Rooney transferred from York City to Queen of the South in Scotland's League One. He made a moderate contribution that season, stepping onto the field for 16 First Division matches.
Following a year, Rooney found himself on the move again, this time to Inverness CT—another Scottish League One team. Then in July 2020, an opportunity arose at Premiership level with St Johnstone. During the 2020-2021 season, Rooney made 27 appearances and scored two goals. His form continued into the 2021-2022 season where he made 23 appearances, albeit with only a single goal to his name.
Come July 2022, the travels of Rooney resumed, this time to Fleetwood Town in England's League Two, and once again for an undisclosed fee. Reveling in the challenge, Rooney made 28 appearances and impressively scored six goals in the 2022-2023 season.
Rooney's journey came full circle in July 2024 when he transferred from Fleetwood Town back to Scotland to ply his trade with St Mirren in the Premiership. In the current 2024-2025 season, he's made six appearances so far. Additionally, he's also shown his prowess in broader competitions, with one start in the League Cup 2024-2025 and one goal in three starts in the Conference League Qualifiers 2024-2025, both for St Mirren.
In Rooney's varied career, we find a player that has proven he can adjust, grow, and score goals across multiple leagues and clubs, evidencing his skilful contribution to the beautiful game.
