Darren Cann
Encyclopedia
Darren John Cann is an English
former professional football central defender and is currently men's soccer coach at St. Thomas University
in New Brunswick
.
Cann was born in Torquay
. He joined Torquay United
as an apprentice, making his debut v Burnley in the 1986–87 season whilst still an apprentice as Torquay, managed by Stuart Morgan
struggled to retain their place in the Football League. He turned professional in June 1987, but was released at the end of the following season having made 12 league appearances, scoring one goal. In 1987 Cann was selected to represent the FA Colts 11. While with Torquay, he also had a spell on loan with Weymouth
.
In July 1988 he joined Barnstaple Town
and embarked on a successful career in semi-professional football. He later played for Clevedon Town
, joining Gloucester City in the 1994-95 season. He played 13 times for Gloucester and was sent off in his final game, away to Atherstone United, before joining Elmore
. In the summer of 1995 he left Elmore to join Taunton Town
's successful Western League
side, winning a Championship medal in his first season. He played one Conference game for Bath City
in December 1996, before leaving Taunton for Minehead Town
in the summer of 1998.
He helped Minehead to promotion and the Western League First Division title before returning to Taunton Town
in the 1999 close-season, also playing for Tiverton Town
, Dartmouth A.F.C.
and Newton Abbot in the Devon County Football League
, when available and had also played for Penzance
. The following two seasons saw Taunton retain the Western League title, giving Cann his third winner's medal. During his playing career Cann was selected to play for Devon County FA 18 times.
He emigrated to his wife's hometown in New Brunswick
, Canada
at the end of the 2000–01 season, one of his final games for Taunton being the 2–1 FA Vase
Final win over Berkhamsted Town
on 6 May 2001 at Villa Park
. This was especially apt for Cann as the tournament was sponsored by Carlsberg, for who he worked as a lorry driver.
On arriving in Canada he coached with the Fredericton and District Soccer Association at several soccer camps, building on his previous experience as a tournament coordinator for the Riviera International Cup held in Torbay
.
On 18 July 2001, Cann was appointed as head coach to the University of New Brunswick
men's soccer team, but left in 2003 when the job was turned into a position requiring a university degree
. In October 2003, Cann was appointed as men's soccer coach at St Thomas University, also in New Brunswick
. Cann received the ACAA Coach of the year for the season 2008/09.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former professional football central defender and is currently men's soccer coach at St. Thomas University
St. Thomas University (New Brunswick)
St. Thomas University is jointly a public and Roman Catholic liberal arts university located in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. It offers degrees exclusively at the undergraduate level for approximately 3,000 students in the liberal arts, humanities, journalism, education, and social work....
in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
.
Cann was born in Torquay
Torquay
Torquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
. He joined Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
as an apprentice, making his debut v Burnley in the 1986–87 season whilst still an apprentice as Torquay, managed by Stuart Morgan
Stuart Morgan
Stuart Edward Morgan is a Welsh former professional footballer and football manager. A central defender, he made 222 appearances in the Football League playing for Torquay United, Reading, Colchester United and A.F.C. Bournemouth...
struggled to retain their place in the Football League. He turned professional in June 1987, but was released at the end of the following season having made 12 league appearances, scoring one goal. In 1987 Cann was selected to represent the FA Colts 11. While with Torquay, he also had a spell on loan with Weymouth
Weymouth F.C.
Weymouth F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who currently play in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:Weymouth Football Club were founded in 1890 and played their first game on 24 September of that year...
.
In July 1988 he joined Barnstaple Town
Barnstaple Town F.C.
Barnstaple Town F.C. is a football club that play in Barnstaple, Devon, England. They are currently members of the Western League, a league covering south western England....
and embarked on a successful career in semi-professional football. He later played for Clevedon Town
Clevedon Town F.C.
Clevedon Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Clevedon, North Somerset. They currently play in the Southern League Division One South & West.-History:...
, joining Gloucester City in the 1994-95 season. He played 13 times for Gloucester and was sent off in his final game, away to Atherstone United, before joining Elmore
Elmore F.C.
Elmore F.C. are a football club based in Tiverton, Devon, England. They currently play in the Western League Division One.-Club history:The club was founded in 1947 and joined the South Western League in 1974 and played there for four years before gaining admittance to the Western Football League...
. In the summer of 1995 he left Elmore to join Taunton Town
Taunton Town F.C.
Taunton Town Football Club are an English football club based in Taunton, Somerset, England. They compete in the Southern Football League Division One South & West, and play their home matches at their Wordsworth Drive ground which they moved into during the 1953 season...
's successful Western League
Western Football League
The Western Football League is a football league in the south west of England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and parts of South Wales...
side, winning a Championship medal in his first season. He played one Conference game for Bath City
Bath City F.C.
Bath City Football Club are a semi-professional football club based in Bath, Somerset. They play in the Conference National league after gaining promotion from the Conference South via the play-offs in May 2010...
in December 1996, before leaving Taunton for Minehead Town
Minehead Town F.C.
Minehead A.F.C. is an English football club based in Minehead, Somerset. The club are currently members of the Somerset County League Premier Division, and play at the Recreation Ground. The club is affiliated to the Somerset County FA.-History:...
in the summer of 1998.
He helped Minehead to promotion and the Western League First Division title before returning to Taunton Town
Taunton Town F.C.
Taunton Town Football Club are an English football club based in Taunton, Somerset, England. They compete in the Southern Football League Division One South & West, and play their home matches at their Wordsworth Drive ground which they moved into during the 1953 season...
in the 1999 close-season, also playing for Tiverton Town
Tiverton Town F.C.
Tiverton Town Football Club are an English football club based in Tiverton. The club are currently members of the Southern Football League South & West Division and play at Ladysmead.-History:...
, Dartmouth A.F.C.
Dartmouth A.F.C.
Dartmouth Association Football Club is a football club based in Dartmouth, Devon, England, playing in the South West Peninsula League. One of their most famous former players is Ralph Birkett, who left Dartmouth to play for Torquay United and went on to play for the England national football...
and Newton Abbot in the Devon County Football League
Devon County Football League
The Devon County Football League was a football competition based in England. It consisted of 20 clubs and sat at step 7 of the National League System....
, when available and had also played for Penzance
Penzance F.C.
Penzance A.F.C. is a football club based in Penzance, Cornwall in the United Kingdom. They were established in 1888 and were founding members of the South Western League in 1951, and maintained membership of that league until 2007 when they joined the newly formed South West Peninsula League...
. The following two seasons saw Taunton retain the Western League title, giving Cann his third winner's medal. During his playing career Cann was selected to play for Devon County FA 18 times.
He emigrated to his wife's hometown in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
at the end of the 2000–01 season, one of his final games for Taunton being the 2–1 FA Vase
FA Vase
The Football Association Challenge Vase is an annual football competition for teams playing below Step 4 of the English National League System...
Final win over Berkhamsted Town
Berkhamsted Town F.C.
Berkhamsted Town F.C. was a football club from Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. The club was founded in 1919, played in a black & white strip, and was nicknamed the Lilywhites or Berko. The team began the 2008–09 season playing in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, but was dissolved in...
on 6 May 2001 at Villa Park
Villa Park, England
Villa Park is an association football stadium in the district of Witton, Birmingham, England with a seating capacity of 42,786. It has been the home of Aston Villa Football Club since 1897. The team previously played at Aston Park from 1874 to 1876 and Perry Barr from 1876 to 1897...
. This was especially apt for Cann as the tournament was sponsored by Carlsberg, for who he worked as a lorry driver.
On arriving in Canada he coached with the Fredericton and District Soccer Association at several soccer camps, building on his previous experience as a tournament coordinator for the Riviera International Cup held in Torbay
Torbay
Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth. Part of the ceremonial county of Devon, Torbay was made a unitary authority on 1 April 1998...
.
On 18 July 2001, Cann was appointed as head coach to the University of New Brunswick
University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
men's soccer team, but left in 2003 when the job was turned into a position requiring a university degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
. In October 2003, Cann was appointed as men's soccer coach at St Thomas University, also in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. Cann received the ACAA Coach of the year for the season 2008/09.