Career
Early career
Shields started his career with Gairdoch United boys club Shields made his debut in 1996 in Union of European Football Associations Champions League tie against Ajax. He went on to make only a handful of appearances for the Glasgow club before a £200,000 move to Dunfermline Athletic.
England and Scotland
After 86 consecutive appearances for the "Pars" he swapped west Fife for south London in a £600,000 move to Alan Curbishley"s Charlton Athletic.
After an impressive start at The Valley, Shields ran into some injury problems which eventually ruined his Charlton career. After a brief spell on loan at Walsall, Jim Jefferies brought him back home to Scotland at SPL side Kilmarnock.
He quickly established himself in the Rugby Park side becoming captain in season 2002-2003. This alerted his former employers Dunfermline Athletic who swooped to take him back during the January 2004 transfer window.
Dunfermline played in the Scottish Cup final that season but Shields was cup-tied after playing in an earlier round for Kilmarnock.
Injury again wrecked most of the 2004-2005 season. United States
On 26 May 2009, Shields was poised to join Carolina RailHawks in the United States of America. Carolina RailHawks announced on 16 July 2009 that they had signed Shields. Shields is now assistant coach with the RailHawks.