Gavin McCann
Encyclopedia
Gavin Peter McCann is an English
former footballer who played as a midfielder
. He has one England
cap to his name, playing against Spain
at Villa Park
in 2001.
. He signed for Everton
where he was a product of their academy. In 1998 he moved to Sunderland
where he was a member of the side which won the Division One title and promotion to the Premiership with 105 points in 1999.
He signed for Aston Villa in 2003, where he had numerous injury setbacks. He scored one goal in the 2006–07 season
in a 3–1 home loss to Manchester City
. He was no longer guaranteed first team football, so decided to leave Villa Park, and in June 2007, he signed a five year contract with Bolton Wanderers
.
McCann scored his first goal for Bolton in their 1–0 UEFA Cup group win over Red Star Belgrade
in December 2007 and followed this up with a goal in a 1–1 draw with Sporting Clube de Portugal at the Reebok Stadium
three months later in the knockout stage of the cup. He scored his first league goal for Bolton in a 1–0 victory over Middlesbrough
at the Riverside Stadium
on 19 April 2008.
In November 2008 he received high acclaim from the Bolton manager Gary Megson
who stated that the midfielder was playing some of the best football of his career since moving to the Reebok Stadium.
McCann's contract ran out at the end of June 2010, McCann had picked up a knee inury and Owen Coyle
said that once he recovered from the injury, he would have a chance to earn a new contract. He was not included in Bolton's 25 man squad for the 2010/11 season.
In early 2011, teammate Kevin Davies
confirmed on the social networking site Twitter
that McCann had retired from the game having failed to overcome injury. McCann remains active at Bolton in the backroom at youth level, and is currently studying for his professional coaching badges.
, in a friendly against Spain
at Villa Park
in 2001.
, the first one on the Fylde coast
. The Milligan-McCann Academy is aimed at 8 to 12 year olds and runs at King Edward VII and Queen Mary School
. McCann teamed up with former Blackpool
players, Jamie Milligan
, who has been at Fleetwood Town
since 2004 and John Hills who also signed for Fleetwood Town in August 2008, both of whom were born in Blackpool and grew up with McCann, to create the academy. In October 2008 the academy landed a major sponsorship deal with Northern Care, with coaching sessions continuing at King Edward VII & Queen Mary School each weekend as well as week-long summer courses. The academy has also received a grant to encourage children to play "park football".
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
former footballer who played as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. He has one England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
cap to his name, playing against Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
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...
in 2001.
Club career
McCann played junior football for Y.M.C.A juniors in Lytham St AnnesLytham St Annes
Lytham St Annes is a conurbation in the Fylde district of Lancashire, England. The neighbouring towns of Lytham and St-Anne's-on-the-Sea have grown together and now form a seaside resort...
. He signed for Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
where he was a product of their academy. In 1998 he moved to Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
where he was a member of the side which won the Division One title and promotion to the Premiership with 105 points in 1999.
He signed for Aston Villa in 2003, where he had numerous injury setbacks. He scored one goal in the 2006–07 season
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
in a 3–1 home loss to Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
. He was no longer guaranteed first team football, so decided to leave Villa Park, and in June 2007, he signed a five year contract with Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
.
McCann scored his first goal for Bolton in their 1–0 UEFA Cup group win over Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade
Red Star Belgrade is a football club from Belgrade, Serbia. The club is a part of the Red Star Sports Society.Red Star Belgrade is the most successful Serbian club, with a record of 25 national championships and 23 national cups in both Serbian and ex-Yugoslav competitions...
in December 2007 and followed this up with a goal in a 1–1 draw with Sporting Clube de Portugal at the Reebok Stadium
Reebok Stadium
The Reebok Stadium is the home stadium of English Premier League football club Bolton Wanderers, and is located on the Middlebrook Retail Park in Horwich, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. It is commonly known as 'The Reebok'...
three months later in the knockout stage of the cup. He scored his first league goal for Bolton in a 1–0 victory over Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
at the Riverside Stadium
Riverside Stadium
The Riverside Stadium is a football stadium in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England, which has been the home of Middlesbrough F.C. since it opened in 1995...
on 19 April 2008.
In November 2008 he received high acclaim from the Bolton manager Gary Megson
Gary Megson
Gary John Megson is an English former football player and is currently manager of Sheffield Wednesday.He has previously managed Norwich City, Blackpool, Stockport County, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and Bolton Wanderers...
who stated that the midfielder was playing some of the best football of his career since moving to the Reebok Stadium.
McCann's contract ran out at the end of June 2010, McCann had picked up a knee inury and Owen Coyle
Owen Coyle
Owen Columba Coyle is a Scottish-born Irish international former professional player and professional association football manager . He is currently the manager of Bolton Wanderers....
said that once he recovered from the injury, he would have a chance to earn a new contract. He was not included in Bolton's 25 man squad for the 2010/11 season.
In early 2011, teammate Kevin Davies
Kevin Davies
Kevin Cyril Davies is an English footballer who currently plays for Bolton Wanderers and the England national football team as a striker. He was made Bolton team captain in January 2009....
confirmed on the social networking site Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
that McCann had retired from the game having failed to overcome injury. McCann remains active at Bolton in the backroom at youth level, and is currently studying for his professional coaching badges.
International career
McCann has played once for the England national teamEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, in a friendly against Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
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...
in 2001.
Managing
In February 2008, McCann launched his own football academy in Lytham St AnnesLytham St Annes
Lytham St Annes is a conurbation in the Fylde district of Lancashire, England. The neighbouring towns of Lytham and St-Anne's-on-the-Sea have grown together and now form a seaside resort...
, the first one on the Fylde coast
The Fylde
The Fylde ; Scandinavian: "field") is a coastal plain in western Lancashire, England. It is roughly a 13-mile square-shaped peninsula, bounded by Morecambe Bay to the north, the Ribble estuary to the south, the Irish Sea to the west, and the Bowland hills to the east...
. The Milligan-McCann Academy is aimed at 8 to 12 year olds and runs at King Edward VII and Queen Mary School
King Edward VII and Queen Mary School
King Edward VII and Queen Mary School is an HMC Independent Co-educational school in Lytham St. Annes, Lancashire, England.The Lytham Schools Foundation was established in 1719 after a flood disaster in the town. In 1908, one hundred and eighty-nine years after the Foundation's initial formation,...
. McCann teamed up with former Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
players, Jamie Milligan
Jamie Milligan
Jamie Milligan is an English footballer who plays as a midfielder. He currently plays for Fleetwood Town. He is also a coach at Blackpool's Centre of Excellence.-Early life:...
, who has been at Fleetwood Town
Fleetwood Town F.C.
Fleetwood Town F.C. is an English football club based in Fleetwood, Lancashire. They currently play in the Conference National having been defeated in the Conference National play-off semi-final by AFC Wimbledon in the 2010–11 season.-History:...
since 2004 and John Hills who also signed for Fleetwood Town in August 2008, both of whom were born in Blackpool and grew up with McCann, to create the academy. In October 2008 the academy landed a major sponsorship deal with Northern Care, with coaching sessions continuing at King Edward VII & Queen Mary School each weekend as well as week-long summer courses. The academy has also received a grant to encourage children to play "park football".