Ireland youth international O'Neill set to swap Bray Wanderers for Bristol City

Billy O'Neill will follow in the footsteps of former Cork City winger Cathal O'Sullivan and ex-St Pat's striker Mason Melia, who have recently taken their talents to Preston North End and Spurs, respectively.

Billy O'Neill of Bray Wanderer. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile

Bray Wanderers teenager Billy O'Neill has signed a pre-contract agreement to join Championship outfit Bristol City for an undisclosed fee.

Republic of Ireland youth international O'Neill will remain with Bray until June, when he will link up with the English second-tier side's under-21 side.

The 18-year-old became Bray Wanderers’ youngest-ever player at the age of 15 years and 222 days old when he made his competitive first-team debut in October 2023 against Finn Harps. 

O'Neill subsequently became the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the League of Ireland since 1937, when be netted in Bray's 5-1 home win over Kerry last year.

O'Neill will follow in the footsteps of former Cork City winger Cathal O'Sullivan and ex-St Pat's striker Mason Melia, who have recently taken their talents to Preston North End and Spurs, respectively.

“I'm delighted to have signed for Bristol City as the next step in my career," O'Neill said. "I can't wait to get going and see what the future holds. I want to thank everyone at Bray Wanderers, the coaches, players and fans, for their support and for everything they've done for me throughout my time at the club."

Bray manager Paul Heffernan added: “We are delighted for Billy and his family. It’s a fantastic opportunity for him to join a great club in Bristol City and continue his development. 

"He’s been a massively important player for us in the first team for the last 12 months and has shown that he has not only the talent but the right mindset and mentality to succeed in professional football. We wish nothing but success for Billy in this exciting new chapter in his career.”