Maybury: Alan Paul (Alan)

1995-1999 (Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)

Utility Player

Born: Dublin, Republic of Ireland: 08-08-1978

Debut: v Aston Villa (a): 03-02-1996

5’11” 11st 7lb (2004)

Maybury attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School, Dublin and started playing with St Kevin’s Boys Club. After captaining the Irish national team at Under-Fifteen and Under-Sixteen level, Maybury was taken to Elland Road in the summer of 1995. He was a surprise choice, as a seventeen-year-old first-year trainee in midfield for the EPL game at Aston Villa when Leeds were decimated by injuries and suspension. He did not make the best of starts at Leeds, suffering from homesickness and breaking an arm. Maybury was part of the same Leeds United Youth team which produced other full internationals Harry Kewell, Stephen McPhail, Matthew Jones, Jonathan Woodgate and Paul Robinson. A bright future was predicted for him as he was an integral part of the team that lifted the FA Youth Cup in 1996-97, and many, including Maybury, were in the Leeds Reserve team that took out the Pontin’s League crown the following season, 1997-98. He occasionally deputised for fellow Irish International Gary Kelly in the right-back berth but predominantly he spent his time in the Reserves in a variety of positions and also in the Juniors. Nevertheless, he had progressed through the Irish teams with five appearances for the Under-Eighteen team, two games against Iceland in Dublin on 7th May 1996 and Reykjavik a week later followed by three more games in Dublin against Denmark on 22nd October 1996, Poland four days later and Norway on 20th May 1997 and was Captain on at least two occasions. On 10th October 1997 he played his first game for the Under-Twenty-One team at United Park, Drogheda in a 0-2 defeat by Romania in an UEFA tie. He was next called up for the Irish "B" team against Northern Ireland on 11th February 1998 at Tolka Park as the Ulstermen prevailed 0-1. This was followed by his first full International appearance on 25th March 1998 in Olomouc, where he played the first half before being replaced by Robbie Keane as Ireland was beaten 1-2 by the Czech Republic. He picked up two more Under-Twenty-One Caps on 18th May, at Finn Park, Donegal in a 3-0 win over Scotland and five days later he started at Mildbush, Castlebar before giving way to Alan Murphy, after sixty-three minutes. His fourth Under-Twenty-One Cap came almost a year later, on 27th April 1999 in Birr Town, Offaly in a 0-3 loss to Sweden. He then picked up his second full cap in the Omagh Charity Fund at Lansdowne Road when Northern Ireland again won by the only goal. Four more Under-Twenty-One caps followed to bring his total to eight, with a 0-1 loss to Scotland in Elgin on 31st May 1999 followed two days later by a 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland in Scotland in which he was a half-time substitute for David Worrell of Dundee United and then two UEFA European Group Eight games in a 0-2 defeat by Yugoslavia on 31st August 1999 in Dublin and a 3-1 win in Ta'Qali against Malta a week later. But, at club level, in an attempt to gain experience of regular first-team action, Maybury spent spells on loan at Dunfermline Athletic, Reading in March 1999, where he had eight appearances, and Crewe Alexandra in October 2000, where he played six games. However, after being overlooked for two seasons and, with Leeds strong in the positions he aspired to, he took the chance to play an outstanding game against Lazio in the European Cup when both teams gave second string players a chance as the teams for the next round had been decided. He was the subject of a terrible tackle right on the final whistle and had to be carried off, but fortunately it was not as serious as first thought. In August 2001, Scottish club Hearts came in with a £150,000 offer and Maybury felt it was a chance too good to refuse. Maybury made his Hearts debut in a convincing 3-0 victory over St Johnstone on 13th October 2001, and quickly impressed with his determination, consistency and versatility, becoming an integral part of the team that would record successive third place finishes in the SPL in 2002/03 and 2003/04. Although by preference a right-back, he would often deputise at left-back when required, and occasionally in right midfield. He was recalled to the Irish squad for the game with Scotland at Hampden Park on 12th February 2003, but had to be content with his role as an unused substitute in a 2-0 win. His dependably high-level performances eventually earned him the vice-captain's role and, by the summer of 2004, a recall to the Irish international squad. His third cap came at Lansdowne Road in a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic, quickly followed by a sixty-fourth minute substitute appearance in place of Leeds former-clubmate Ian Harte in Bydgoszcz in a 0-0 draw with Poland on 28th April 2004. Then followed four more caps in nine dayson 27th May 2004 the Republic beat Romania at Lansdowne Road and two days later Maybury started the game at the Valley against Nigeria but was replaced by Clive Clarke of Stoke City at half time in a 0-3 defeat. Then on 2nd June, once more at the Valley the beat Jamaica 1-0, before taking on the Netherlands in Amsterdam three days later and pulling off a huge surprise by winning 1-0. He gained his ninth cap as an eighty-third minute substitute for John O'Shea of Manchester United in a 3-0 win over Cyprus at Lansdowne Road in a World Cup European group qualifier on 4th September 2004. One moment of controversy during Maybury's time in Scotland occurred when it emerged that he had been a childhood Rangers fan. In the sectarian environment of the West of Scotland, for an Irish player to proclaim such allegiance was considered newsworthy. Maybury's motivation for supporting the Teddy Bears was, however, reassuringly simple, the colour of their strip. In 1995 he had had a trial at Ibrox. On 29th March 2005, he played his tenth a final time for the Republic in a 1-0 win over China PR at Lansdowne Road. After one hundred and thirty-two starts and two substitute appearances in which he scored four goals, when Craig Levein left Hearts to manage Leicester, he made signing Maybury one of his priorities. He joined up at the Walkers Stadium in January 2005 for a nominal fee, in a double signing with striker Mark De Vries, both signing three and a half year contracts. Levein was eventually sacked, but Maybury continued to feature heavily in the first team, playing at right back. On 14th August 2006, Leicester were approached by Sunderland regarding Maybury's availability, but nothing eventuated. Maybury was however transfer listed by then manager Martin Allen on 4th June 2007, having been replaced by Bruno N’Gotty and Richard Stearman. He was given permission to train with Hearts on 21st January 2008, in order to maintain his fitness while searching for a new club. Maybury signed for Aberdeen on loan until end of the season on the 31st of January 2008. He made his debut for Aberdeen on 2nd February, in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup against Hamilton Academical. He came onas a substitute in the sixty-ninth minute as Aberdeen went on to win 1-0. He played for Aberdeen against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup.At Pittodrie he started thirteen League games, three Scottish Cup games, and one tie from the bench, and two starts in Europe. He played ninety-seven games for Leicester City and five more as a substitute and scored three goals before being released by them on 23rd May 2008. After a trial at Bristol City against Hereford on 22nd July 2008 he failed to secure a contract for the season and after months of uncertainty, he did not rejoin Aberdeen, who lost patience after he failed to give them an answer on his future. He was still without a club for the season, however, he had trials with Crystal Palace. After a three week trial with Colchester United he signed on a free transfer on 12th December 2008, until the end of the season. He signed a new one year contract on 23rd June 2009. He had started twenty-six League games and made one appearance as a substitute, and started one League Cup tie and one Johnstone's Paint Trophy game while at Colchester, who he left on 20th August 2010 to join Scottish Premier side St Johnstone. He remained at McDiarmid Park for two years, before leaving to join Hibernian on 1st August 2012, after thirty-eight starts in the Scottish League and fourteen games from the bench, three starts and one game from the bench in the Scottish Cup and four starts and one game as a substitute in the Scottish League Cup. At Easter Road he became a player-coach and had made twenty-four starts and three substitute appearances in the Scottish League, as well as four starts in the Scottish Cup before the end of the 2012-13 season. He has yet to make an appearance in the 2013-14 season but is available, when required as he helps to nurture the future stars of the Hibernian Academy.