Harry McKirdy retires at 29 after spells with Swindon, Hibernian and Crawley

Harry McKirdy has retired from professional football at the age of 29, bringing an end to a career that included spells with Swindon Town, Hibernian and Crawley Town. BBC Sport reported the announcement on Monday, after the forward shared his decision on Instagram. Crawley had released him at the end of last season.

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In the message reported by the BBC, McKirdy said his time in full-time football had lasted 14 years. He acknowledged that he had not expected to stop playing so young, but described himself as happy with his life and the people around him. His announcement presented the decision without regret, rather than setting out plans for another club.

McKirdy's route into senior football began in the youth systems of Stoke City and Aston Villa. He made his senior debut while on loan at Stevenage in September 2016, appearing as a substitute against Exeter City. Further temporary moves took him to Crewe Alexandra and Newport County before his departure from Villa in 2019. Carlisle United and Port Vale followed before he signed for Swindon in August 2021.

His first Swindon season brought both goals and individual recognition. He finished the 2021-22 campaign with 24 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions, earning a place in the EFL League Two team of the season and Swindon's player of the season award. That campaign included four goals against Northampton Town in a 5-2 victory and a goal against Manchester City in the FA Cup.

A move to Hibernian in September 2022 took him into the Scottish Premiership, but he did not score in 33 appearances for the club. He underwent heart surgery during that period and later returned to Swindon on loan in February 2024. A short spell at Bromley followed in 2025, where he scored twice in nine league appearances.

Crawley became his final professional club when he joined in June 2025. According to BBC Sport, he scored eight goals in 33 appearances during his last season there. His retirement closes a senior playing career that began a decade earlier and took him through English league football and Scotland's top division.