Paul Shiels (born: 19 April 1980) is a tough tackling central midfielder who has won promotion to the Premier Division with three different clubs. However, he will be best remembered by Dundalk fans as being the player at the centre of Shamrock Rovers’ controversial three-point deduction during the sides’ titanic battle for the First Division title in 2006.
 
Born in Clones, County Monaghan, Shiels began his football career with his home county club, Monaghan United, when playing for their schoolboys team, before progressing to the senior side in 1998 with two appearances in the First Division. Shiels broke into the first-team on a more regular basis over the following two seasons, making 30 appearances, but it was the 00/01 season that the midfielder really shone as he helped Monaghan to promotion, making 24 appearances and netting one goal as United finished second to Dundalk. In the Premier, Shiels lined out in 27 games, however, his efforts were not enough to prevent the Ulster club from relegation. Despite that, Shiels remained with Monaghan for three more seasons, making 86 league appearances and scoring six goals, though with it never came more success.
 
The beginning of the 2005 season saw the end of his 12-year love affair with his local club, as, after over 170 senior appearances, the midfielder departed to join Dermot Keely’s Dublin City. There, Shiels played a key role in the Vikings’ promotion success as he appeared in 34 of their 36 league games, scoring one goal along the way, before playing the full 180 minutes of the playoff victory over Shamrock Rovers. Shiels’ time in the Premier was again to be a short one, however, as Dublin City ceased to trade in July of the following season, with the midfielder transferring to First Division highfliers, Shamrock Rovers, soon after.
 
Then came the aforementioned suspension controversy. After joining Rovers, the Hoops were not informed of a suspension which Shiels was due to serve after being sent-off at the Brandywell while playing for Dublin City a month earlier. Unaware of the ban, Pat Scully handed Shiels his debut when using him as a 75th minute substitute in the 0-0 draw with Dundalk at Tolka Park on 23 July, though, after later losing their appeal against the deduction, Rovers still went on to win the league by a single point from Dundalk, Shiels making 14 appearances (11 starts/3 subs) on the way to title glory.
 
2007 saw a return to the Premier Division for Shiels once again, though this time his playing season was shortened by injury as he didn’t make his first appearance of the year until coming off the bench in the 2-0 win away to Waterford United on 10 August. He made his first start on 14 September when playing 86 minutes of the 4-0 thrashing of Galway United at Tolka, and went on to make ten league appearances in total (7 starts/3 subs) as Rovers finished fifth. Released by Scully along with ten others just days after the season ended at home to Waterford, Shiels soon found a new club when he signed on for Dundalk at the beginning of December.
 
Profile last updated: February 2008