---
title: "Transfer Flashback: Shane Long"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/transfer-flashback-shane-long/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Caleb Sage"
section: "Features"
published: "2019-05-02T18:55:48Z"
modified: "2019-05-02T18:55:48Z"
---

# Transfer Flashback: Shane Long

**The 2014 summer transfer window was a busy one for Southampton, with Shane Long being just one player to sign for the club.**

Arriving from Hull City, the 32-year-old was brought in to strengthen the Saints’ forward line, and that delighted both supporters and Ronald Koeman.

https://twitter.com/BenStanners/status/499930381991550976

https://twitter.com/GeorgeDiaper1/status/499930217365139456

> [@SouthamptonFC](https://twitter.com/SouthamptonFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@HullCity](https://twitter.com/HullCity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@Shanelong009](https://twitter.com/Shanelong009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Welcome! Great player! [#SaintShane](https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaintShane?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
>
> — Mike (@MikeJulier) [August 14, 2014](https://twitter.com/MikeJulier/status/499934740708069376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> [@SouthamptonFC](https://twitter.com/SouthamptonFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@HullCity](https://twitter.com/HullCity?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@Shanelong009](https://twitter.com/Shanelong009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) so so happy i go to alot of Southampton games and Shane is one of my fav Irish players.
>
> — Valerie Mcevoy Baker (@valbaker1) [August 14, 2014](https://twitter.com/valbaker1/status/499931059954655233?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> [@SouthamptonFC](https://twitter.com/SouthamptonFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Welcome [@Shanelong009](https://twitter.com/Shanelong009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) The missing piece of the [#saintsfc](https://twitter.com/hashtag/saintsfc?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) jigsaw. Just another CB to complete the full picture
>
> — Andy Grace (@wurzel62) [August 14, 2014](https://twitter.com/wurzel62/status/499931041134813184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> [@SouthamptonFC](https://twitter.com/SouthamptonFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@Shanelong009](https://twitter.com/Shanelong009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) so much for the club being in "meltdown" great signing !!
>
> — Derek Lowe (@scotsaintsfan) [August 14, 2014](https://twitter.com/scotsaintsfan/status/499938065771933696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> [@SouthamptonFC](https://twitter.com/SouthamptonFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [@Shanelong009](https://twitter.com/Shanelong009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) welcome Shane! ! Bang us a hat full of goals in!!!!!
>
> — L Robinson (@Leytonrob) [August 14, 2014](https://twitter.com/Leytonrob/status/499964168301465601?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

https://twitter.com/kurcu01/status/499930023718289408

https://twitter.com/adereynolds/status/499933688755679232

“Shane is a very good player. As a striker, he’s different to Graziano Pelle, which is something we needed,” Koeman told Southampton’s [official club website](https://southamptonfc.com/news/2014-08-14/announcement-saints-land-shane-long) when speaking about his new signing.

“He brings a lot of experience to our squad because he’s already played at Premier League level for a few years. He knows what we need at this level, and he can show that to our younger players as well.”

Years later, though, and Long has still not really been able to make the impact that was expected.

While he is certainly playing well currently under Ralph Hasenhuttl, his numbers over the last couple of seasons do not make for good reading.

In the last campaign, he only managed to score two goals in the Premier League, while the one prior things were hardly any better either.

The Republic of Ireland international, however, did fare much better in the 2015/16 season where he was able to find the back of the net on 10 occasions in English football’s top flight.

But other than that, Long’s spell at St. Mary’s has been a pretty underwhelming one.

***Southampton fans, what were your thoughts when Long initially signed? Join the discussion by commenting below.***