James Keatings

James Keatings
Personal information
Date of birth20 January 1992
Place of birthGlasgow, Scotland
Height1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing positionStriker
Club information
Current team
Heart of Midlothian
Number19
Youth career
2008–2010Celtic
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2010–2013Celtic0(0)
2012→ St. Johnstone (loan)4(0)
2012→ Hamilton Academical (loan)8(2)
2013–2014Hamilton Academical30(13)
2014–Heart of Midlothian28(11)
National team‡
2007–2008Scotland U166(4)
2008Scotland U176(1)
2009–2010Scotland U196(4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20 April 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 3 February 2012

James Keatings (born 20 January 1992) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for Scottish Championship club Heart of Midlothian, as a forward. He previously played for Celtic, Hamilton Academical and St. Johnstone on loan. Keatings has also represented Scotland at under-16, under-17 and under-19 level.

Club career

Celtic

A member of Celtic's under-19 team Keatings was promoted to the first team on 10 November 2010, being named as a substitute for their game against Heart of Midlothian (Hearts).[1] He made one more appearance on the bench[2] before suffering a cruciate knee injury in April,[3] despite the knee injury he still finished the under 19's top scorer with 25 goals.[4] In June 2011, he was rewarded with a new three-year contract extending his stay until 2014.[3]

After a long rehabilitation[5] and with his involvement being limited to one appearance on the bench[6] and being a member of the club's development squad, Keatings was sent out on loan to St. Johnstone.[7] After ten years with Celtic Keatings was released by the club in 2013.[8]

St. Johnstone (loan)

On 30 January 2012, Keatings joined fellow Scottish Premier League club St. Johnstone on loan until the end of the season.[9] He made his debut on 5 February as a substitute against Hearts in the Scottish Cup,[10] with his Scottish Premier League debut coming on 25 February against Dunfermline Athletic.[11] In all he made 5 appearances for the club.[12]

Hamilton Academical

On 24 August 2012, Keatings joined First Division club Hamilton Academical on a loan deal.[13] The next day, Keatings made his debut for the club coming on as a substitute in the second half, in a 1–0 loss against Cowdenbeath. Then, on 22 September 2012, Keatings came on as a substitute in the second half and scored twice, to make a come-back draw in a 3–3 draw against Dumbarton.[14] By the January transfer window, Keatings loan spell with Hamilton has been terminated after his loan spell has been cancelled.[15]

After being released by Celtic ahead of the new 2013–14 season,[16] Keatings went to Australia to have trials at Brisbane Roar[17] and Newcastle Jets.[18] Despite an offer in Australia[8] he signed for Hamilton on a permanent deal in July 2013, signing a one-year contract having impressed the club during pre-season training once again.[19] Upon his move to Hamilton, Keatings said that he hoped joining the club would help him to get his career back on track.[20]

Keatings made a perfect start for the club when he scored twice in the in the first round of Scottish League Cup, as they beat Stirling Albion 3–0.[21] In the league, he scored three goals in two games against Raith Rovers[22] and Dumbarton.[23] He continued his positive start when he scored twice in a 2–0 win over Livingston on 5 October 2013, ending his goal-scoring drought of six matches.[24] However, Keatings sustained a calf injury during a match against Raith Rovers and was sidelined for two weeks.[25] He made his return, in a 3–0 loss to Dundee on 23 November 2013. Keatings would score another three goals in two games against Cowdenbeath[26] and Dumbarton, which put his goal tally to ten.[27] After the match, Keatings believes the title race in the Scottish Premiership will go all the way in the remaining fifteen matches.[28] Though scoring, Keatings began making assist for players to score by ensuring the club keep on aiming for the promotion to Scottish Premiership. Keatings scored his fifteenth goal of the season in all competitions, in a match against Raith Rovers on 25 March 2014. He says after the match: "I hadn’t scored in three games and managed to put a header in the corner. The position I’m playing in means I haven’t had many chances like that, it’s probably the only one that has dropped to me in the box, and I’m delighted. Hopefully I get more and achieve my target."[29]

Despite initially indicating he would sign a new contract with the club following their promotion to the Scottish Premiership,[30] Keatings rejected the clubs offer.[31] In all he made 35 appearances, scoring 15 times over the course of the season.[32]

Heart of Midlothian

On 13 June 2014, it was announced Keatings had signed a two-year contract with recently relegated Scottish Championship side Heart of Midlothian.[33] After joining Hearts, Keatings said joining Hearts made him "over the moon to have the opportunity to sign for a big club like this after leaving Hamilton."[34] In his first league start for Hearts he scored a hat-trick in a 4–0 victory over Raith Rovers at Stark's Park.[35] Keatings scored a fantastic goal against Queens at home during a 4–1 victory,[36] this was Keatings fifth league goal of the season.

International career

Keatings has represented Scotland at U16,[37] U17[38] and U19 level.[39]

Career statistics

As of 5 June 2014[40][41]
Club statistics
Club Season League Scottish Cup League Cup Other Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Celtic 2010–11 0000000000
2011–12 0000000000
2012–13 0000000000
Total 0000000000
St. Johnstone (loan) 2011–12 4010000050
Total 4010000050
Hamilton Academical (loan) 2012–13 82002000102
Hamilton Academical 2013–14 30110022303513
Total 38130042404515
Heart of Midlothian 2014–15 28111020103211
Total 28111020103211
Career total 70242062508226

Honours

Hamilton Academical
Heart of Midlothian

References

  1. ↑ "Hearts 2–0 Celtic". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 November 2010. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  2. ↑ "Aberdeen 0 – 3 Celtic". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 February 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Celtic hand teenager James Keatings pro contract". The Scotsman. 9 June 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  4. ↑ "James Keatings Celtic Profile". Celtic F.C. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  5. ↑ "Keatings looks for a break". The Sun. 1 February 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  6. ↑ "Celtic 2 v 1 Dundee Utd". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 January 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  7. ↑ "James Keatings moves to St Johnstone on loan". Celtic F.C. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Keatings more than happy with Accies ahead of Australia". spfl.co.uk. Scottish Professional Football League. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  9. ↑ "Spurs' Kudos Oyenuga and Celtic's James Keatings join St Johnstone". BBC Sport. BBC. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  10. ↑ "Hearts 1- 1 St Johnstone". BBC Sport. BBC. 5 February 2012. Retrieved 5 February 2012.
  11. ↑ "Murray and Callum Davidson combined to help secure a St Johnstone win that means double trouble for Dunfermline's hopes of avoiding relegation.". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 25 February 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  12. ↑ "Games played by James Keatings in 2011/2012". soccerbase.com. Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  13. ↑ "Cowdenbeath versus Accies Preview". accies.co.uk (Hamilton Academical F.C.). 24 August 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  14. ↑ "Billy Reid pleads for patience after Hamilton's late late show against Dumbarton". Daily Record. 23 September 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  15. ↑ "Transfer roundup: No money changes hands in SFL". The Scotsman. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  16. ↑ "5 PLAYERS HAVE LEFT CELTIC FOR FAR THIS SUMMER". Sports Blog. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  17. ↑ "Striker heads for Australia". Video Celts. 18 June 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  18. ↑ "Burns on radar as Jets kick off pre-season". Newcastle Herald. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  19. ↑ "Hamilton Accies Sign Ex-Celtic Striker". Hamilton Advertiser. 18 July 2013.
  20. ↑ "Striker James Keatings Hopes To Fire Hamilton to the Big Time". dailyrecord.co.uk (Hamilton Advertiser). 25 July 2013. Retrieved 27 July 2013.
  21. ↑ "Stirling Albion 0 – 3 Hamilton Academical". BBC Sport. 3 August 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  22. ↑ "Accies pick up winning form from last season". Evening Times. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  23. ↑ "Hamilton 4–1 Dumbarton". BBC Sport. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  24. ↑ "Hamilton Academicals 2 Livingston 0: James Keatings ends his goal drought – and loses his beard against Livingston". Daily Record. 5 October 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  25. ↑ "Blow for Accies as striker James Keatings ruled out for at least two weeks". Daily Record. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  26. ↑ "Hamilton Academical 3–4 Cowdenbeath". BBC Sport. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  27. ↑ "Hamilton Academical 3–3 Dumbarton". BBC Sport. 1 February 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  28. ↑ "Accies striker James Keatings says title race will go all the way". Daily Record. 31 January 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  29. ↑ "Hamilton striker James Keatings praises Jason Scotland's 'magic' for winner against Raith Rovers". Daily Record. 28 March 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  30. ↑ "James Keatings to quit Accies; linked with Hearts". scotsman.com. The Scotsman. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  31. ↑ "James Keatings rejects new contract". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  32. ↑ "Keatings turns down new deal". heraldscotland.com. The Herald. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  33. ↑ "Hearts sign former Hamilton Accies striker James Keatings on two-year deal". dailyrecord.co.uk. Daily Record. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
  34. ↑ "Keatings: I’ve joined one of Scotland’s big guns". Edinburgh Evening News. 14 June 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  35. ↑ http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/latest/raith-rovers-0-4-hearts-keatings-crushes-rovers-1-3519007
  36. ↑ http://www1.skysports.com/football/live/match/315693/report
  37. ↑ "James Keatings – U16 Squad". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  38. ↑ "James Keatings – U17 Squad". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  39. ↑ "James Keatings – U19 Squad". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  40. ↑ "J. KEATINGS Stats". Soccerway. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  41. ↑ "James Keatings Stats". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 February 2012.