Kevin Foley

Wolverhampton Wanderers

On 14 August 2007, Foley joined Championship club Wolverhampton Wanderers on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee, before making his club debut the following day in a League Cup tie against Bradford. He scored his first league goal for the club on 22 September 2007 against Norwich City at Molineux. He ended his first season for Wolves as a regular member of their starting XI, featuring in a total of 49 games, scoring one goal. as well as a new four-year contract with the club that would keep him at Wolves until at least summer 2013.

Foley made his Premier League debut in the team's opening fixture against West Ham on 15 August 2009. During the 0–2 defeat though he sustained a medial knee ligament injury that kept him out for four months, meaning it was not until December 2009 that he got a sustained run in the team. When he did play it was mostly at right-midfield and central-midfield in a 4–5–1 formation, with players such as Ronald Zubar and Richard Stearman by now favoured in Foley's preferred right-back position.

During the 2010–11 season, Foley scored his only Premier League goals, when he netted in consecutive home games, against Bolton then Sunderland, respectively. He made a career-best of 33 top flight appearances, scoring two goals during the campaign as the team narrowly avoided relegation.

He began the following season but soon had to undergo surgery to treat a long-running ankle problem. Having returned to fitness in January 2012, he was part of the Wolves squad that suffered relegation under Terry Connor.

After a second successive relegation, Foley was rarely used as new manager Kenny Jackett sought to rebuild a new team. In February 2014, Foley agreed a one-month loan with Championship club Blackpool, for whom he made five appearances but was not offered the chance to remain until the end of the season. In November 2014, having not featured for Wolves in the meantime, Foley was again loaned out to Blackpool in a deal that ran until January 2015.

On 12 January 2015, the remainder of Foley's contract with Wolves was cancelled by mutual agreement. In total he made 213 appearances for the club, scoring six goals.

In November 2015, after a two-week trial with Shrewsbury Town, Foley began training with Reading with the view to a short-term contract. Foley left Reading without earning a contract.

Ipswich Town After starting a game for Ipswich Town's U21s in January 2016, Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy recalled Foley impressing him for the Hatters against his Wolves team: "He played against us for Luton at Wolves and at the time had some good wide players, Matt Jarvis and Michael Kightly, and he saw them all off. I signed him on the back of that and he was different class for me. He's a great bloke, he'd fit in fabulously with the lads, if he's all right, if he's fully fit, but he looks it. He's trained with us and he looks the part at the moment, so hopefully he'll get through the game today. He was out playing in Denmark [with FC Copenhagen], he hurt his shoulder and he had to have an operation in the summer. That doesn't bother me too much. If it was his legs it might be bothering me, but it was his shoulder. He's a gentleman, he's a lovely fella, he'd fit in perfectly with the rest of the lads. I hope he proves that he's worth it."

On 22 January 2016, Foley signed for Championship club Ipswich Town on a contract until the end of the 2015–16 season, following the departure of full-back Jonathan Parr.

Charlton Athletic and Coventry City On 5 August 2016, Foley signed for Charlton Athletic on a five-month contract. He made his debut on the opening day of 2016–17 in a 2–0 defeat away to Bury. A day later, he signed for League One club Coventry City on a contract until the end of 2016–17, with a view to a one-year extension. He made his debut in a 1–0 defeat away to Chesterfield on 14 January. Foley was cup-tied for Coventry's win in the 2017 EFL Trophy Final. Foley finished the season with 12 appearances for Coventry,

Billericay Town On 2 August 2017, Foley signed for Isthmian League Premier Division club Billericay Town. He made his debut 10 days later, starting in Billericay's 1–0 home defeat to Kingstonian on the opening day of 2017–18. He was restricted to 21 appearances due to injury, with 15 of those appearances coming in the league, as Billericay won the Isthmian League Premier Division title and promotion to the National League South. He was released by Billericay at the end of the season.

International career Born and raised in England, Foley qualified to play for Ireland as his parents are from County Kerry. He made his debut for Republic of Ireland's under-21 team in May 2004 against Scotland. In 2005, he was named as the FAI Under-21 Player of the Year.

On 29 May 2009, Foley made his senior debut for Ireland against Nigeria in an international friendly. On 26 March 2011, he made his first competitive start for Ireland against Macedonia at right-back playing the full 90 minutes. He played two full games during Ireland's success at the 2011 Nations Cup.

Having been part of the team that achieved Ireland's first qualification for a major tournament since 2002, Foley was initially named in Giovanni Trapattoni's 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2012. However, he suffered problems with a hamstring during pre-tournament preparations and then did not make the final list. Foley said he "felt betrayed" by Trapattoni's decision to exclude him on the morning of the squad submission. His replacement, Paul McShane, did not play a game at the tournament. Foley has not yet returned.

Coaching career Tampa Bay Rowdies In 2020, Foley joined former Wolves teammate Neill Collins' staff with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the USL Championship, the American second division. Foley left his position with the Rowdies following the 2021 season.

Forest Green Rovers In January 2022, Foley joined former Wolves teammate Rob Edwards' staff with Forest Green Rovers in League Two, the English fourth tier. However, this position was unofficial as stated by the manager on 3 February 2022 in an interview with Gloucestershire Live. Foley left his position with Forest Green at the same time Edwards left in May 2022.

Brackley Town In September 2022, Foley joined Roger Johnson's staff with Brackley Town Football Club in the National League North, the English sixth tier.

Luton Town In July 2023, Foley joined Luton Town as a coach focusing on helping young players transition to the first team. He was later promoted to the role of first team coach following the appointment of manager Jack Wilshere.

Career statistics Club

International

Honours Luton Town Football League One: 2004–05

Wolverhampton Wanderers Football League Championship: 2008–09 Football League One: 2013–14

Copenhagen Danish Cup: 2014–15

Billericay Town Isthmian League Premier Division: 2017–18 Essex Senior Cup: 2017–18

Republic of Ireland Nations Cup: 2011

Individual Luton Town Young Player of the Season: 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04 FAI Under-21 Player of the Year: 2005 Wolverhampton Wanderers Player of the Season: 2008–09