Gary Richard Deegan (born 28 September 1987) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for League of Ireland Premier Division club Drogheda United.
Beginning his career in his native Ireland, he played in the Scottish Premiership for Hibernian and various clubs in all three divisions of the English Football League.
He made one competitive appearance for their first team, as a second-half substitute in a UEFA Intertoto Cup game against FK Vetra of Lithuania at Tolka Park on 24 June 2006, a match Shelbourne comfortably won 4–0.
[3] Deegan immediately broke into Longford's starting XI, making 35 league and cup appearances over the course of the season while scoring 3 goals.
Deegan made himself a regular in the Bohs' starting XI and his tremendous form was rewarded when he was named the Soccer Writers Association of Ireland (SWAI) Player of the Month for September.
[5] The good times continued as a 2–1 win over Drogheda United secured the league title for Bohemians and a winners medal for Deegan.
However, he returned for the final games of the season and picked up his second League of Ireland winners medal as Bohs pipped deadly rivals Shamrock Rovers to the title by four points.
He helped the club improve its form in the early part of the 2012–13 season, but Deegan then suffered a broken jaw when he was the victim of an unprovoked attack in Edinburgh city centre.
[24] He made his début for the club against AFC Wimbledon and throughout the 2014–15 season established himself as a favourite among the fans due to the commitment and passion that he displayed on the pitch as well as his iconic beard.
[29] Deegan signed a two-year contract at League Two side Cambridge United on 1 June 2017, following his departure from Shrewsbury Town the previous day.
[35] He featured in 32 of the club's 36 league games throughout the season, playing 2,787 minutes in total, and was nominated for the SSE Airtricity Player of the Month award in May.
[39] He received a straight red card for a late challenge in the Louth Derby against Dundalk on 29 April, a game which Drogheda would go on to narrowly lose 3-2.