Members News: Sky Blue Jim Is 37 Today (Just Like Gary)! Many Happy Returns!

CCFC’s Jim O’Brien 2015-16

We have another Sky Blue Birthday to celebrate today, not just the same birth date but exactly the same birth date and year to Gary Deegan to whom we sent Birthday wishes on this site earlier today!

Most current Sky Blues fans will remember central midfielder Jim O’Brien who spent a couple of productive seasons with the Sky Blues between 2014-16. He is also celebrating his 37th  Birthday today!

Though born in Alexandria, Scotland on 28th September 1987 and playing his early professional years North of the border Jim gained caps at U19 and U21 level between 2005-08 for the Republic of Ireland.

Jim O’Brien in the Sky Blue

Starting out with Celtic in 2005 Jim only wore their first team shirt once (plus some loan appearances with Dunfermline Athletic and Dundee) before moving to Motherwell in 2008 where he began to make his name.

Four goals in 64 appearances there persuaded Barnsley (then under the stewardship of Sky Blues current ‘gaffer’ Mark Robins) to bring him south in May 2010 four years prior to him joining the Sky Blues. Jim scored seven times in 123 appearances for the Tykes.

Jim with CCFPA’s Billy Bell in the Ricoh

Jim joined CCFC in July 2014 having rejected a renewed contract from the Tykes and made his Sky Blues debut in the season’s opener in a 2-3 defeat to Bradford City. He got his first undisputed Sky Blue goal in a 2-2 draw at the Ricoh with Peterborough United. By the time he left Coventry for Shrewsbury Town in June 2016 after two seasons with us Jim had clocked up 77 Sky Blues appearances and netted eight times. He also had a loan spell at Scunthorpe United in February 2016.

Jim’s next port of call was back in Scotland with Ross County (after a loan period) and then he was back in England with a short term contract with Bradford City in September 2018 but he played no first team games there. Jim remained at next club Notts County (where from January 2019, then only relatively recently relegated from the Football League to the National League, until two seasons ago when they thankfully returned (at last).

Jim O’Brien (Notts County) 2022

The Magpies and Jim had been helped in the past  by other ex Sky Blues (all now fellow CCFPA members) Dion Kelly-Evans, Ben Turner and former CCFC ‘skipper’ Michael Doyle to get back where they belong! Jim was the last of the quartet to remain with the Nottingham club and knocking up 166 appearances netting 17 times! He left them at the end of 2923-24 season after acting briefly as their caretaker manager in January 2024.

Jim is currently (from July 2025) U18 manager for Yorkshire side Sheffield United, Championship rivals to CCFC.

Football commitments allowing we hope to welcome Jim back again to the CBS Arena sometime soon for a Sky Blue game and/or CCFPA function. 

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.