Kyle Lafferty

Sion Lafferty signed a three-year contract with Swiss Super League club FC Sion on 30 June 2012, linking up with former Rangers player and Sion player-coach Gennaro Gattuso. He was unable to play in the league match against Grasshoppers on 15 July because the Scottish Football Association refused to provide clearance for the transfer, having received an objection from Rangers' owner Charles Green. On 20 July, Lafferty received provisional international clearance from FIFA which allowed him to play while arbitration over his move from Rangers continued. On 22 July 2012, Lafferty made his debut for Sion, coming on as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Servette. He scored his first goal a week later in a 3–0 win over Luzern.

Palermo On 26 June 2013, Lafferty joined Serie B club Palermo on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. He said "Palermo tried to sign me in January but unfortunately we couldn't close the deal. Now I can't wait to get started. When I was younger I watched a lot of Italian football and I know there's a very passionate fanbase here at Palermo."

He scored 11 goals in 34 matches to help the club ascend to Serie A as champions in his only season, and won the Fans Player of the Season award. However, club president Maurizio Zamparini called him an "out-of-control womaniser" and claimed that this lifestyle resulted in him being sold.

Norwich City On 27 June 2014, Lafferty signed a three-year contract with Norwich City of the Football League Championship with an option for an extra year. The transfer fee was undisclosed and the transfer would be effective from 1 July. He said "Norwich is a team that wants to get promoted back to the Premier League at the first opportunity, so I'm excited to come here and start playing football for a team like this." He was given squad number 9.

Lafferty made his debut for the team on 10 August, as they began the season with a 1–0 defeat away to Wolverhampton Wanderers, replacing Steven Whittaker for the last 14 minutes of the game. Six days later he made his first start in his first game at Carrow Road, lasting 67 minutes of a 3–0 win over Watford before being replaced by Elliott Bennett. In 20 games18 of those in the leaguehe only scored once, in a 3–2 home win against Cardiff City on 17 January 2015. He scored two goals in 14 league games for the Turkish side. However, Lafferty remained with Norwich until 24 March 2016, when he joined Championship club Birmingham City on loan until the end of the season.

He returned from international duty with a groin injury, but was fit to start Birmingham's match against Brighton & Hove Albion on 5 April. He opened the scoring after 16 minutes with a tap-in following a goalkeeping error, but Brighton went on to win 2–1. He made five more league appearances, without scoring, in what remained of the season.

Hearts On 28 June 2017, Lafferty joined Heart of Midlothian in the Scottish Premiership on a two-year deal. He made his debut on 18 July in the group stage of the Scottish League Cup, scoring the only goal away to Elgin City. Two days later, he added two more goals in a 3–0 win over East Fife at Tynecastle, and on 25 July he made it four goals in three games with one in a 2–1 loss at Peterhead; Hearts did not reach the knockout stage.

In the league season, Lafferty scored 12 times as Hearts finished 6th; this made him the Premiership's fourth highest scorer. One of these was on 17 December 2017 in a 4–0 win over defending champions Celtic, ending their 69-match unbeaten run in domestic matches. Thirteen days later, he was sent off at the end of a goalless draw at Aberdeen for a challenge on Graeme Shinnie.

Return to Rangers On 22 August 2018, Lafferty returned to Rangers for a second spell on a two-year deal. On his return to Rangers, Lafferty scored two goals in his league debut against Motherwell, a dramatic 3–3 draw. Lafferty left Rangers after having his contract terminated by mutual consent on 24 July 2019.

Sarpsborg 08 On 27 August 2019, Lafferty signed for Norwegian Eliteserien club Sarpsborg 08 on a contract until the end of the 2019 season.

Sunderland Lafferty signed a short-term contract with Sunderland on 10 January 2020. He scored twice from 11 League One appearances before leaving the club when his contract expired.

Reggina In July 2020, Lafferty moved to Italy to sign for Reggina. He scored once in nine Serie B matches and played twice in the Coppa Italia before being released by mutual consent in January 2021.

Kilmarnock Lafferty returned to Scottish football in February 2021, signing a short-term contract with Kilmarnock. He had an immediate impact with Kilmarnock, scoring 12 goals in the space of eight games. This included a hat-trick in a 3–0 win against Dundee United on 21 April that lifted the club out of the relegation places. Lafferty left Kilmarnock at the end of his contract, having scored 13 goals in as many appearances for the club.

Anorthosis Famagusta Lafferty then signed a season-long deal with Cypriot club Anorthosis Famagusta. Lafferty agreed to mutually terminate his contract in December 2021.

Kilmarnock return On 21 January 2022, Lafferty returned to Kilmarnock, signing a deal until the end of the season. This contract was subsequently extended until the summer of 2023.

Linfield On 8 February 2023, Lafferty signed a short-term deal with NIFL Premiership club Linfield until the end of the season. He would leave at the end of the season following a disappointing end to the season.

Johnstone Burgh On 12 July 2023, Lafferty joined Scottish seventh tier club Johnstone Burgh on a two-year deal, joining ex-Rangers and Norwich City teammate Graham Dorrans at the club. After scoring twice on his debut, he suffered a serious knee injury in his second match, keeping him out of action until 2024.

On 1 June 2025, Lafferty scored the winning penalty against Tranent which won Burgh their first Scottish Junior Cup since 1968.

International career In early 2006, Lafferty represented Northern Ireland under-19s at the Milk Cup. He impressed during the tournament, scoring in his first game against Paraguay, but Northern Ireland lost the match 3–1. Later in 2006, he received his first senior Northern Ireland call-up on a post-season trip to the United States to play friendly games against Romania and Uruguay. Lafferty scored his first Northern Ireland goal in an away friendly against Finland the following year. He featured predominantly as the second striker alongside David Healy during Northern Ireland's Euro 2008 qualification group, and he scored his first competitive international goal in a 4–1 victory over group minnows Liechtenstein. He then secured a 1–1 draw away to Sweden, scoring Northern Ireland's equaliser in the second half.

On 26 March 2008, he scored twice in an international match for the first time, in a friendly against Georgia which Northern Ireland won 4–1.

Lafferty scored in all of Northern Ireland's first three matches in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying, against Hungary, the Faroe Islands and Greece, the first time that the nation won the first three matches of any qualification campaign. He added a brace on 29 March 2015 in a 2–1 home win over Finland.

On 4 September, Lafferty scored once for Northern Ireland in a 3–1 win against the Faroe Islands. The result put Northern Ireland at the top of Group F and on the brink of qualifying for their first European Championship. In the following game, against Hungary three days later, he scored a stoppage-time equaliser in a 1–1 draw to keep Northern Ireland top of their group. Lafferty ended the qualifying phase with seven goals, which made him Northern Ireland's top scorer as the team qualified as group winners. On 27 May 2016, Lafferty marked his 50th international appearance with a goal in a 3–0 win over Belarus in a friendly at Windsor Park, Belfast.

After Lafferty withdrew from the Northern Ireland squad for two UEFA Nations League matches in October 2018, the Irish Football Association invoked a FIFA rule to prevent him from playing for Rangers in their next league game.

Personal life Lafferty was the victim of multiple counts of vandalism while at Rangers.

He married former Miss Scotland Nicola Mimnagh at St Margaret's Roman Catholic Church, in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, in June 2012. The couple had a son, born in 2011. They later divorced. Lafferty married model and former Miss Scotland contestant Vanessa Chung at Gleneagles Hotel in May 2016. The couple had their first born daughter in 2018 and another daughter in 2020.

In August 2016, Lafferty accepted a misconduct charge from the Football Association in relation to football betting, and was fined £23,000.

In September 2022, Kilmarnock launched an investigation after video evidence emerged of Lafferty apparently making a sectarian remark in a nightclub. He subsequently withdrew from the Northern Ireland squad preparing for two international matches.

Career statistics Club statistics + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals

2005–06 Championship

2007–08 Championship

Darlington (loan) 2005–06 League Two

2008–09 Scottish Premier League

2009–10 Scottish Premier League

2010–11 Scottish Premier League

2011–12 Scottish Premier League

Sion 2012–13 Swiss Super League

Palermo 2013–14 Championship

2015–16 Championship

Çaykur Rizespor (loan) 2014–15 Championship

2017–18 Scottish Premiership

2018–19 Scottish Premiership

Rangers 2018–19 Scottish Premiership

Sarpsborg 08 2019 Eliteserien

Sunderland 2019–20 League One

Reggina 2020–21 Scottish Premiership

Anorthosis Famagusta 2021–22 Scottish Cup: 2008–09

Johnstone Burgh Scottish Junior Cup: 2024–25