page_title: Liam Lawrence
section_title: International career
hierarchical_section_title: Liam Lawrence / International career
caption_attribution_description: English: Liam Lawrence for Ireland
context_page_description: Liam Lawrence is a former professional footballer who played as a winger or central midfielder.
  Lawrence started his career at his local club Mansfield Town, after impressing at the Field Mill he signed for Sunderland in June 2005. He joined Stoke City, on loan in 2006, and made his move permanent in January 2007. He became a key player for Stoke, and helped the club to promotion to the Premier League in 2008, earning himself Player of the Year award. In September 2010, he signed for Portsmouth on loan, and signed permanently in the January transfer window. With Portsmouth in financial difficulties he spent time out on loan at Cardiff City and joined Greek side PAOK in the summer of 2012. He then returned to England for a brief spell at Barnsley in 2014 before joining Shrewsbury Town, captaining the side to promotion to League One in his only full season before a free transfer to Bristol Rovers.
  Although born in England, Lawrence made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in 2009, and earned 15 caps in a two-year spell.
context_section_description: Lawrence is an Irish citizen through his Kerry-born grandfather. On 16 February 2006, Lawrence received his first international call-up, for the Republic of Ireland in their friendly game against Sweden on 3 March, but spent the entire match as an unused substitute. On 18 May 2009, Lawrence was named in the Irish squad for a friendly with Nigeria and subsequently made his debut in that match ten days later. Following this, Lawrence was named in the starting eleven for Ireland's friendly against South Africa on 8 September and scored the only goal of the game, a free kick in the 37th minute for his first international goal. Lawrence made his competitive international debut in Ireland's penultimate 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Italy in Croke Park on 10 October, and provided an assist for his Stoke City teammate Glenn Whelan to open the scoring in the match, which ended 2–2. He also made a start against France in the first-leg of Ireland's crucial 2010 FIFA World Cup play-off on 14 November, which France won 1–0, with Nicolas Anelka netting the only goal. He has not played for Ireland since 29 May 2011.
caption: Lawrence playing for Republic of Ireland against Algeria in a 2010 friendly
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