the following day, as a half-time substitute in a 1–1 draw away to Bolton Wanderers, and according to McCarthyperhaps in response to fans reportedly "underwhelmed" by the arrival of a fringe player from a struggling sidewas "a mile above anyone else in terms of getting it and passing it." Facing strong competition for places in central midfield, his first-team appearances became infrequentfive starts and five as substituteand he was not offered a new deal. Aberdeen Gleeson signed a two-year contract with Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen in June 2018. His contract was cancelled in January 2020. Non-league football Having played no competitive football since 2019, Gleeson signed a one-year contract with National League club Solihull Moors in August 2020. He made 21 league appearances before leaving the club when his contract expired at the end of the season. Gleeson signed for Hemel Hempstead Town of the National League South ahead of the 2021–22 season. After recovering from injury, he made his debut on 21 August in a 3–0 home defeat to Braintree Town. He left the club at the end of September after making six appearances. He reappeared at Hitchin Town of the Southern League Premier Division Central in November. International career Gleeson was capped at under-15 and under-16 level, before making his debut for the Republic of Ireland under-17 team in 2004. His Football Association of Ireland (FAI) profile described his performance in the first qualifying round of the 2005 UEFA European Under-17 Championship as outstanding. Ireland finished second in their group, so progressed to the elite round. Gleeson scored as his team beat Northern Ireland 2–1, but defeats to Serbia and Montenegro and England meant they failed to reach the tournament proper. He first appeared for the under-19s at the age of 17 years 6 monthsa year younger than most of his teammatesagainst Scotland in a friendly tournament at La Manga in February 2006. After a couple of appearances at under-18 level, Gleeson was included in the squad for that year's European Under-19 Championship elite qualification round. He started one match and played as a substitute in the other two; Ireland lost all three. He was vice-captain of the under-19 team as they reached the same stage of the 2007 competition, but withdrew from the qualifiers because of club commitments with Wolves in the Championship play-offs. Gleeson was the youngest of eleven uncapped players included by Steve Staunton in