George McCartney

George McCartney is a footballer from Northern Ireland, born in Belfast in 1981. He graduated from the academy of Sunderland and was promoted to the first team. His debut came in 2000 in the League Cup match against Luton Town. In 2004/05 Sunderland won the Football League Championship and McCartney was named Sunderland Player of the Season. In 2005/06 he picked up an injury, missed part of the season and left the side in the summer of 2006. All in all McCartney appeared in 157 matches for Sunderland.

In August 2006 he penned a four-year deal with West Ham United for £600,000 and Clive Clarke moved in the opposite direction. He made his debut on 24 October 2006 in the League Cup match against Chesterfield, ended in a 1-2 loss. In 2006/07 season McCartney featured in 25 games and during the following season he made 38 league appearances.

He returned to Sunderland in September 2008, penning a five-year deal. There he began to play as a regular but in March 2010 he picked up an injury and lost his place, in the pre-season he was again sustained an injury. In September 2010 he was loaned to Leeds United and played there until the end of the season.

In August 2011 McCartney was loaned to West Ham United and on July 2012 his stay was made permanent as he penned a two-year deal.

He made 23 appearances for the Northern Ireland U21 team and between 2001 and 2011 he represented the senior team.