Profile
Season stats
Full career & schedule →Domestic-league season · Burton Albion.
Performance data · by competition
| Competition | Apps | G | A | Min | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 League One | 31 | 1 | 1 | 1451 | 6.68 |
 UEFA U21 Championship - Qualificationat Northern Ireland U21 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 661 | — |
 EFL Trophy | 2 | 0 | 0 | 171 | 6.25 |
 FA Cup | 2 | 1 | 0 | 87 | 7.25 |
Scout report
J. McKiernan is a 24-year-old defensive midfielder at Burton Albion, rated 42.1 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 178th of 481 on scout potential in the League One. An emerging talent, he has been a rotation option this season (44.3% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.95 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on McKiernan.
Judged on this season alone, McKiernan graded 19 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 44th of 63 of the 63 defensive midfielders in the League One, on 1 goal, 2 assists and 2.946 defensive actions per 90.
Year-on-year, that's broadly in line with last season (Season 21 → 19). Over the 3 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2023/24.
On long-term talent our Rating reads 42, 31st of 63 of the 63 defensive midfielders in the League One. At 24 McKiernan is in his prime years, and a market index of 9.4 reflects that trajectory.
Below his 2023/24 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.
Output in context · Burton Albion finished 17th of 24 · a lower-table side
2.95 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 6 clean sheets across 36 appearances. Doing that for a lower-table side (17th of 24) is harder than the bare numbers suggest: a back line under more pressure has to defend more often and protects fewer leads, so the volume — and any clean sheets — carry real weight. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 2 assists — a useful bonus from the back.
Watch points
- Game time. Only 44.3% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
- Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.
Outlook
With a Rating of 42.1, McKiernan carries the 31st-highest potential of the defensive midfielders in the League One of 63, and he is posting that for a lower-table side (Burton Albion finished 17th of 24) — individual numbers are harder to earn on a struggling team, so his underlying level likely sits a touch above the ranking. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.95 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Approaching peak years; value is still building (price multiplier 2×) with the best seasons likely ahead.
Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.
Transfer news
No transfer news found for this player.
