# Josh Sheehan

Joshua Luke Sheehan (born 30 March 1995) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League One club Bolton Wanderers and the Wales national team.

## Club career
### Swansea City

Sheehan joined Swansea City academy at the age of 10. On 2 November 2012, he signed a professional contract with the club until the summer of 2015. In April 2014, Sheehan signed a new contract at Swansea until the summer of 2016. Sheehan was included in Swansea's 2014–15 pre-season tour of the United States, and later made his professional debut for the club against Rotherham United in the League Cup.
On 17 February 2015, Sheehan signed for Yeovil Town on a month's emergency loan which was later extended until the end of the season. Sheehan made 13 appearances for the Glovers as they were relegated to League Two.
Upon returning to Swansea, Sheehan captained the Under-21 team to the 2014–15 Professional U21 Development League 2 title. Sheehan subsequently signed a new contract with Swansea.
Sheehan rejoined Yeovil on loan in September 2015, returning to Swansea in January 2016.
On 8 August 2016, Sheehan joined Newport County on loan until 21 January 2017. He made his debut for Newport on 24 September 2016 in a League Two match versus Cambridge United as a second-half substitute. He scored his first goal for Newport County on 29 October 2016 in a 3–1 League Two win against Accrington Stanley. On 24 January 2017, the loan was extended to the end of the 2016–17 season but he returned to Swansea on 9 March 2017 after being ruled out for the remainder of the season through injury.

### Newport County

On 5 January 2018, Sheehan returned to Newport County on a permanent 18-month deal. He was part of the team that reached the League Two play-off final at Wembley Stadium on 25 May 2019. Newport lost to Tranmere Rovers 1–0 after a goal in the 119th minute. He signed a two-year contract extension with Newport in May 2019. In July 2020 Sheehan was selected as Newport County's Player of the Year for the 2019–20 season. Sheehan played for Newport in the League Two play-off final at Wembley Stadium on 31 May 2021 which Newport lost to Morecambe, 1–0 after a 107th-minute penalty. Sheehan was named in the League Two PFA Team of the year for the 2020–21 season. Sheehan declined a contract extension at Newport at the end of the 2020–21 season.

### Bolton Wanderers

At the conclusion of his contract at Newport, Sheehan joined League One club Bolton Wanderers on a two-year deal on 7 June 2021. His competitive debut came on 7 August 2021, when he scored a 20-yard free kick in a 3–3 draw against Milton Keynes Dons. On 20 November 2021, Bolton confirmed that Sheehan had been ruled out for the remainder of the 2021–22 season with a knee ligament injury.
On 2 April 2023, he started in the 2023 EFL Trophy final which Bolton won 4–0 against Plymouth Argyle. Following defeat in the play-offs, he was offered a new contract at the end of the 2022–23 season which he signed on 5 June, extending his stay for two years.

## International career

In September 2014, Sheehan was called up to the Wales under-21 squad for matches against Finland under-21 and Lithuania under-21. Sheehan made his Wales under-21 debut in a 2–2 draw against Finland.
On 5 November 2020, Sheehan received his first call-up to the Wales senior squad for matches during November against the US, Finland and Republic of Ireland.
He won his first senior cap on 12 November 2020 as a half time substitute in the 0–0 friendly match against the USA.
On 5 June 2024, it was announced that Sheehan would captain the Wales senior squad for the first time in their friendly against Gibraltar. He captained Wales to a 0–0 draw on 6 June 2024.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 5 October 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | FA Cup | FA Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Swansea City | 2014–15 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Swansea City | 2015–16 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Swansea City | 2016–17 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Swansea City | 2017–18 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 |
| Swansea City | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Yeovil Town (loan) | 2014–15 | League One | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Yeovil Town (loan) | 2015–16 | League Two | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 2 |
| Yeovil Town (loan) | Total | Total | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 2 |
| Newport County (loan) | 2016–17 | League Two | 20 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 7 |
| Newport County | 2017–18 | League Two | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| Newport County | 2018–19 | League Two | 33 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 46 | 1 |
| Newport County | 2019–20 | League Two | 33 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 42 | 2 |
| Newport County | 2020–21 | League Two | 43 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 53 | 3 |
| Newport County | Total | Total | 122 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 154 | 8 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2021–22 | League One | 15 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 4 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2022–23 | League One | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 34 | 2 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2023–24 | League One | 43 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 51 | 4 |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2024–25 | League One | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Bolton Wanderers | Total | Total | 91 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 116 | 11 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 259 | 24 | 21 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 31 | 2 | 325 | 28 |
* ↑ Appearance in Football League Trophy
* 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
* ↑ Four appearances in EFL Trophy, three appearances in League Two play-offs
* ↑ Three appearances in League Two play-offs
* ↑ Eight appearances in EFL Trophy, two appearances in League One play-offs
* ↑ Three appearances in EFL Trophy, one appearance in League One play-offs

### International

    As of match played 11 October 2023
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Wales | 2020 | 1 | 0 |
| Wales | 2021 | 2 | 0 |
| Wales | 2023 | 2 | 0 |
| Wales | 2024 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 6 | 0 |

## Honours

Bolton Wanderers
* EFL Trophy: 2022–23
Individual
* Newport County Player of the Year: 2019–20
* PFA Team of the Year: 2020–21 League Two, 2023–24 League One
* EFL League One Team of the Season: 2023–24
* Bolton Wanderers Player of the Year: 2023–24