Preston North End Born in
Preston, Lancashire, Lonergan grew up supporting
Preston North End. Lonergan joined
Blackburn Rovers' academy after they spotted him at a young age and beat off competition from
Manchester United and
Everton. After attending St. Cecilia's RC Technology College (now St. Cecilia's RC High School), Lonergan progressed through the
Youth Training Scheme and was offered a professional terms by Preston North End in the 2000–01 season. Lonergan then made his Preston debut managed by
David Moyes as a 16-year-old in a
League Cup tie away at
Coventry City. However, Lonergan made an impression on his debut despite conceding four goals, as Preston North End lost 4–1. Despite this, Lonergan went on to win the Young Player of the Year for the 2000–01 season. With his progress being closely monitored by the goalkeeping coach, Peter Williams, he was sent out on loan to
Darlington on 21 December 2002. After making his debut against
Macclesfield Town on 21 December 2002 However, Lonergan's loan spell at Darlington ended after a week after picking up an injury. After recovering from an injury, Preston then sent him out on loan to rivals
Blackpool. With
David Moyes leaving to join
Everton and
Craig Brown entering the managerial fray at
Deepdale, Lonergan remained optimistic about his future at the club; indeed, he was promoted to the first-team squad for the final stage of the
2002–03 season as an understudy to
Scotland international
Jonathan Gould. With Gould out injured for a period of the
following season, Lonergan snapped up his goalkeeping gloves and stood between the sticks for the first time in the league against
West Brom, two years after his debut. Gould fell out of favour soon after, and Lonergan remained as the first choice until the end of that season. But this was short–lived when Lonergan lost his first team place after breaking his hand, resulting in him being out for six weeks and missing out for the rest of the season. After returning to training in the pre–season, Lonergan returned to the first team as first choice goalkeeper and on 2 October 2004 he scored a goal from his own penalty area in the 39th minute against
Leicester City to equalise. His long kick bounced over Leicester goalkeeper
Kevin Pressman after defender
Matt Heath had let the ball bounce. The game ended in a 1–1 draw. He remained at Deepdale for the
2004–05 season under the watchful eye of new manager
Billy Davies, and played a part in 65% of the season before he ruptured his cruciate ligaments before a game against
Ipswich Town, due to Lonergan's injury,
Carlo Nash was signed as a replacement by
Billy Davies from
Middlesbrough to shore up the goalkeeping crisis. It wasn't the first time Lonergan suffered an injury: he broke his hand during training. After a long spell out injured with the injury it took Lonergan over two years to gain back his place. Nash kept his place for the
2005–06 term and kept a club record of over 30 clean sheets. Lonergan himself was injured in training early in 2005, and returned to training in early–September. As a result, Lonergan only returned to action with a loan spell to get himself match fit in late 2005 at
Wycombe Wanderers. Lonergan made his Wycombe Wanderers debut on 7 October 2005, where he kept a clean sheet, in a 1–0 win over
Grimsby Town and kept another clean sheet on his second appearance on 15 October 2005, in a 0–0 draw against
Rushden & Diamonds. However, he returned to his parent club after injuring himself in training once again, due to a screw holding his
ligament in place snapping. After returning to his parent club, Lonergan undergone surgery for the second time and was sidelined for eight months. On 2 November 2006, Lonergan joined
Swindon Town on a one-month loan contract to gain first-team football. He made his Swindon Town debut on 4 November 2006, in a 2–1 loss against
Hereford United and was praised after the match. He returned early, however, after he wasn't given the football he desired under new Swindon Manager
Paul Sturrock who had just replaced
Dennis Wise. After signing a three–year contract, keeping him until 2011, Lonergan returned to the Preston bench until January 2007, when Nash's unprofessional attitude meant a recall to the first team for Lonergan in an
FA Cup Fourth round tie at
Crystal Palace in which he impressed with a clean sheet in a 2–0 victory for Preston. Lonergan then made an impressive save in the local derby, in a 2–0 win over
Burnley on 19 March 2007. Longeran went on to established himself as a first choice goalkeeper in the 2006–07 season and made thirteen appearances for the club. In the 2007–08 season, Lonergan appeared as a substitute for the first three matches at the start of the season after
Wayne Henderson became a first choice goalkeeper. Lonergan regained his first choice back following Henderson's injury and made his first appearance of the season, in a 2–1 loss against
Coventry City on 1 September 2007. From that moment on, Lonergan made 43 appearances in the 2007–08 season and helped the club finish 15th in the Championship. In the 2008–09 season, Lonergan continued to regain his first-choice goalkeeper status and played all 46 league matches throughout the season. Lonergan also helped the club finish sixth place in the league, qualifying for the Championship play–offs, but were unsuccessful. For his performance, Lonergan won Preston's 2008/09 player of the year award. He had a fine season during the 2009–10 season, and won Preston's player of the year award. During the last few games of the season Preston managed to overcome an inferior goal difference to playoff rivals
Cardiff City by beating them 6–0, with Lonergan also saving a penalty from
Ross McCormack in the same game which in the end proved vital on goal difference for the final table result to overtake Cardiff and reach the playoffs. Lonergan played a big part in helping Preston reach the playoff Semi-finals during the 2009–10 season but lost over two legs to
Sheffield United. During the summer Premier League club
West Bromwich Albion had three separate bids rejected for Lonergan, with Preston manager
Darren Ferguson claiming he valued Lonergan at £20 million and that he didn't want to sell him. Lonergan was the goalkeeper for Preston during the 2010–11 season as they were relegated to League One making 29 league starts. In September 2010, Lonergan was charged for making obscene gestures to fierce-rivals
Burnley's supporters during Preston's 4–3 loss. Lonergan was fined for the incident and warned of his future conduct. In the same month Lonergan also played in one of the games of the season in Preston's 6–4 win against
Leeds United, with Preston coming back to win the game after being 4–1 down. He was linked with moves to
Manchester City and
Wigan Athletic in the January transfer window. Lonergan claimed in January that he was the most overworked goalkeeper in the Championship. However, during the last quarter of the season under new manager
Phil Brown, Lonergan was displaced by Everton loan goalkeeper
Iain Turner. Lonergan also spent time training with
Everton as part of the loan deal for Turner. Lonergan was linked with a loan move to
Blackpool during February on an emergency loan due to injuries to
Paul Rachubka and
Richard Kingson. Lonergan's last appearance for Preston came in Preston's 2–1 loss against
Leeds United on 8 March 2011. After relegation from the Championship Lonergan was linked with moves to
Cardiff City, and
Everton. Manager, Phil Brown revealed he needed to sell Lonergan to re-sign loan goalkeeper Iain Turner due to lack of funds. On 4 July 2011, Lonergan was linked with a move to join Leeds United in order to replace
Kasper Schmeichel and
Shane Higgs who had both left the club.
Everton also entered the race to sign Lonergan. Preston North End manager
Phil Brown confirmed in early July 2011 that Andy Lonergan was set to sign for Leeds United, live on
Talksport.
Sky Sports reported 25 July that Lonergan was set to sign for
Leeds United, after the move was originally put on hold for both parties as Leeds became interested in signing
David Stockdale and Lonergan was interesting Premier League club
Everton. Lonergan's daughter was also in hospital at this time delaying the move further. In total Lonergan made 231 appearances during his career at
Preston North End. He competed with fellow new goalkeeper signing
Paul Rachubka for the number one spot left vacant by the departed
Kasper Schmeichel. Lonergan was given the number 1 shirt for the forthcoming season. On the opening day of the season, Lonergan made his debut for Leeds in the 3–1 defeat against
Southampton. Lonergan received the man of the match award in Leeds' 1–0 loss against
Middlesbrough on 14 August. Lonergan started his fourth game of the season against
Hull City at
Elland Road where he put in another good performance making saves to deny Hull City as Leeds United won 4–1. After some good performances for Leeds in his first couple of months at the club, Lonergan revealed that the move to Leeds had worked out "brilliantly" for him. Lonergan made some crucial saves for Leeds to help earn them a 3–2 victory against
Crystal Palace on 10 September. Lonergan saved a penalty from
Nicky Maynard on 17 September against
Bristol City to help Leeds earn a 2–1 victory. Lonergan got his first clean sheet of the season against
Portsmouth on 1 October, with Lonergan again making some crucial saves. After keeping a consecutive clean sheet, Lonergan was substituted in the second half against
Doncaster Rovers after fracturing his finger and replaced by
Paul Rachubka on 14 October. Lonergan missed the game against
Coventry City with the finger injury on 18 October and was replaced by understudy
Paul Rachubka. After the game manager
Simon Grayson revealed Lonergan had surgery on the finger and would be ruled out for a minimum of six weeks. After returning from injury, Lonergan was on Leeds' bench against Watford on 10 December, due to the impressive form of loanee
Alex McCarthy. With McCarthy ineligible against his parent club Reading on 17 December, Lonergan came back into Leeds starting line-up. Leeds lost the game 1–0, with Lonergan feeling he was culpable for the goal conceded. Lonergan was revealed as Leeds' new
captain on 20 January, replacing the departing captain
Jonny Howson, with
Patrick Kisnorbo out until the end of the season. Lonergan was replaced as Captain by
Robert Snodgrass, who was appointed the new Leeds United captain by new Leeds manager
Neil Warnock in his first game in charge against Portsmouth on 25 February. After a string of clean sheets, Lonergan conceded seven goals in a 3–7 loss against
Nottingham Forest. Lonergan saved a penalty against Millwall's
Darius Henderson in the following game to earn Leeds a crucial 1–0 victory. After the season finished, Leeds signed
Q.P.R. goalkeeper
Paddy Kenny to be the new number one at the club. On 12 July, Leeds confirmed that they had rejected a bid for Lonergan from an unnamed club as they deemed the offer 'not acceptable'. With Lonergan losing his first team place,
Bolton Wanderers manager
Owen Coyle confirmed his interest in signing Lonergan.
Bolton Wanderers , for
Bolton Wanderers against
Chelsea in 2014 On 17 July 2012, Bolton Wanderers confirmed the signing of Lonergan on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee. Upon joining the club, Lonergan spoke about the challenge he was expecting to face at Bolton Wanderers. His debut came on 28 August 2012 in a 2–1 defeat against
Crawley Town in the
League Cup second round. However, Lonergan found himself competing with
Ádám Bogdán over the first choice goalkeeper spot. On 19 October 2012, Lonergan suffered a knee injury, which he sustained in training and was sidelined for two months. Lonergan's first experience in front of the
Reebok Stadium crowd was the 2–2 draw between Wanderers and
Sunderland in which he was named Man of the Match for Wanderers following appreciation of his contribution following saves from
Steven Fletcher on 5 January 2013 and played against them in the FA Cup third round replay on 15 January 2013, where he kept a clean sheet, in a 2–0 win to send them through to the next round. Lonergan's first league game for Bolton came on 5 March 2013, as Bolton beat local rivals
Blackburn Rovers by a single goal. Lonergan made four more appearances and kept two more clean sheets before Bogdán returned from injury and went on to make eleven appearances in all competitions. In the 2013–14 season, Lonergan continued to compete the first choice goalkeeper status with Bogdán, but was given an opportunity to make his first appearance of the season on 26 October 2013, in a 1–1 draw against Ipswich Town following Bogdán's injury. After the match, Lonergan said he was happy to make his first appearance of the season. From that moment on, Lonergan had become a first choice goalkeeper for the club from October to February. He soon became at fault when he conceded five goals, in a 5–3 loss against
Leicester City on 29 December 2013 and was even at fault further when he conceded ten goals in three matches against
Reading,
Queens Park Rangers and Ipswich Town. Despite being reassured by manager
Dougie Freedman that he would remain the first choice goalkeeper, Lonergan lost his first choice goalkeeper status to Bogdán and was on the substitute bench for the rest of the season until returning in goal, in a 2–2 draw against
Birmingham City, which helped them survive relegation. Lonergan went on to finish the 2013–14 season, making twenty–three appearances in all competition. In the 2014–15 season, Lonergan made his first appearance of the season, but conceded three goals, in a 3–0 loss against
Watford in the opening game of the season. By the August, the club had rotate both Lonergan and Bogdán over the first choice goalkeeper role before Lonergan won the role and was the first choice goalkeeper for most of the season, due to Bogdán's injury. On 25 October 2014, Lonergan provided an assist for
Craig Davies to score the third goal of the game, in a 3–1 win over
Brentford. Throughout December saw Lonergan making an impression, as he kept three clean sheets and won the Bolton Wanderers Player of the Month award for December. Lonergan remained the first choice goalkeeper until he suffered a concussion after in the 65th minute and was substituted as a result, in a 4–1 loss against
Nottingham Forest on 21 February 2015 and said the concussion he sustained could have ended his career. Despite being cleared from a serious injury after a scan, Lonergan lost his first choice goalkeeper status role following the arrival of
Ben Amos and spent the rest of the season on the substitute bench. Lonergan finished the 2014–15 season, making thirty–two appearances in all competitions. On 10 June 2015, it was announced that Lonergan would leave the club upon the expiry of his contract. During the match at Bolton Wanderers, Lonergan earned a cult status among Bolton Wanderers supporters and while playing, the supporters would chant for him to the tune of Simon and Garfunkel's Mrs Robinson: "And here's to you Andy Lonergan, Bolton loves you more than you will know..."
Fulham On 19 June 2015, Lonergan returned to the
Championship, signing for
Fulham on a two-year deal with a one-year extension option after his release from Bolton Wanderers. He was allocated the number 24 shirt. Lonergan made his Fulham debut, making his first start, in the opening game of the season, in a 1–1 draw against
Cardiff City. After
Marcus Bettinelli suffered an injury in a game against
Hull City on 20 August 2015 and was stretchered off in the 45th minute, Lonergan came on as a substitute after Marcus Bettinelli collided with
Matt Smith and Fulham went on to lose 2–1. In a 2–1 win over Blackburn Rovers on 13 September 2015, Lonergan was named the Man of the Match following a string of impressive saves. He became the first choice goalkeeper for the club until he suffered a hamstring injury, sustained during a 2–1 loss against Bristol City on 31 October 2015, and was out for six weeks. Lonergan made his first team return on 12 December 2015, in a 2–2 draw against Brentford and despite a draw, he was once again named Man of the Match for his impressive display and again for the third time, in a 1–0 loss against
Sheffield Wednesday on 4 January 2016. Lonergan remained the first choice goalkeeper until Bettinelli returned from injury and he was placed on the substitute bench for the rest of the season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers On 9 June 2016, Lonergan joined
Wolverhampton Wanderers from Fulham on a two-year deal with a one-year extension option. He was allocated the number 21 shirt. He made his first ever appearance for the club on 15 July 2016, coming on as a half-time substitute for
Carl Ikeme in a 2–0 win over
Crewe Alexandra at
Gresty Road, assisting
Joe Mason for the second goal. Lonergan's first competitive appearance for Wolves came on 9 August, in a 2–1
League Cup First Round win over Crawley Town at
Molineux. On 28 January 2017, with Ikeme suspended, Lonergan missed Wanderers' fourth-round
FA Cup tie at
Liverpool due to injury. After the emergence of
Harry Burgoyne and the signings of goalkeepers
Will Norris and
John Ruddy, Lonergan was not allocated a squad number for the 2017/18 season, despite Ikeme being out due to illness. As of September 2023, he is the only player to appear in the Football League for all three clubs with the suffix Wanderers; Wycombe, Bolton and Wolverhampton.
Return to Leeds United In August 2017, after Leeds released
Robert Green, the club re-signed Lonergan on a two-year contract on a free transfer from Wolverhampton Wanderers. He made his second debut for Leeds in a League Cup tie against
Premier League side
Burnley the following month, with Lonergan proving to be the match winner with a penalty save from
James Tarkowski in Leeds'
penalty shoot-out victory after a 2–2 draw. A deal was agreed for him to join
Sunderland on loan in January 2018, but Lonergan decided to stay at Leeds and fight for his place in the team. That July, after being deemed surplus to requirements by new manager
Marcelo Bielsa, Lonergan left Leeds by mutual consent.
Middlesbrough Lonergan signed a one-year contract with Championship club Middlesbrough in August 2018. In February 2019 he joined League One side
Rochdale on an emergency loan, and was released by Middlesbrough at the end of the 2018–19 season.
Liverpool In July 2019 Lonergan joined
Liverpool on their pre-season tour of the US to provide back-up due to a shortage of goalkeepers, starting for Liverpool against
Sevilla at
Fenway Park,
Boston. After an injury to Liverpool's first choice goalkeeper
Alisson Becker, Lonergan signed short-term contract with the club in August 2019. He was an unused substitute as Liverpool won the
2019 UEFA Super Cup and the
FIFA Club World Cup, and was released by Liverpool at the end of the 2019–20 season.
Stoke City In December 2020 Lonergan signed a short-term contract with
Stoke City to act as cover and competition for
Josef Bursik, following injuries to first choice keeper
Adam Davies, recent loan signing
Angus Gunn, and
Niki Mäenpää, who had also recently signed on a short-term deal. He played in a 3–1
EFL Cup quarter final defeat against
Tottenham Hotspur on 23 December 2020.
West Bromwich Albion On 9 January 2021, Lonergan signed a short-term contract with Premier League club
West Bromwich Albion.
Everton On 20 August 2021, Lonergan joined
Premier League side
Everton on a deal until the end of the season. On 11 July 2022, Lonergan signed a new 1-year deal to keep him at the club until 2023. At the end of the 2023 season Lonergan agreed to extend his stay at Everton for a further season. On 17 May 2024, the club said he would be leaving in the summer when his contract expired.
Wigan Athletic In June 2024, Lonergan joined
League One side
Wigan Athletic on a free transfer, signing a player-coach role with the club. On 9 May 2025, Wigan announced the player would be leaving the club in June when his contract expired. ==International career==