Caolan Boyd-Munce
{{short description|Northern Irish footballer}}
{{use British English|date=August 2019}}
{{use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Caolan Boyd-Munce
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Caolan Stephen Boyd-Munce
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2000|1|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = Belfast, Northern Ireland
| height = 1.83 m
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = St Mirren
| clubnumber = 15
| youthyears1 = 200?–2016 | youthclubs1 = Glentoran
| years1 = 2016 | clubs1 = Glentoran | caps1 = 1 | goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2016–2022 | clubs2 = Birmingham City | caps2 = 7 | goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2018 | clubs3 = → Redditch United (loan) | caps3 = 4 | goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2022–2023 | clubs4 = Middlesbrough | caps4 = 2 | goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2023– | clubs5 = St Mirren | caps5 = 61 | goals5 = 4
| nationalyears1 = | nationalteam1 = Northern Ireland U15 |nationalcaps1 = |nationalgoals1 =
| nationalyears2 = | nationalteam2 = Northern Ireland U16 |nationalcaps2 = |nationalgoals2 =
| nationalyears3 = 2016 | nationalteam3 = Northern Ireland U17 |nationalcaps3 = 3 |nationalgoals3 = 0
| nationalyears4 = 2017 | nationalteam4 = Northern Ireland U19 |nationalcaps4 = 3 |nationalgoals4 = 0
| nationalyears5 = 2019–2022 | nationalteam5 = Northern Ireland U21 |nationalcaps5 = 21 |nationalgoals5 = 0
| nationalyears6 = 2024– | nationalteam6 = Northern Ireland |nationalcaps6 = 2 |nationalgoals6 = 0
| club-update = 11:44, 30 March 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update = 15:30, 29 September 2024 (UTC)
}}
Caolan Stephen Boyd-Munce (born 26 January 2000) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for {{Scottish football updater|StMirren}} club St Mirren and the Northern Ireland national team.
Boyd-Munce made one senior appearance for Glentoran in the NIFL Premiership before moving to England in 2016 to join EFL Championship club Birmingham City. He made nine appearances for Birmingham, all but one during the 2019–20 season, before signing for divisional rivals Middlesbrough in January 2022. Boyd-Munce was released by Middlesbrough in January 2023, and then signed for St Mirren two months later.
In international football, Boyd-Munce has represented Northern Ireland from under-15 up to senior level.{{cite web |url=https://www.worldfootball.net/player_summary/caolan-boyd-munce/4/ |title=Caolan Boyd-Munce: Internationals |website=worldfootball.net |publisher=HeimSpiel Medien |access-date=13 October 2021}}
Early life and career
Boyd-Munce was born in Belfast where he attended De La Salle College.{{cite web |url=https://www.bcfc.com/birmingham-city-u23/players/caolan-boyd-munce/ |title=Caolan Boyd-Munce |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |accessdate=7 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807140837/https://www.bcfc.com/birmingham-city-u23/players/caolan-boyd-munce/ |archive-date=7 August 2019}} He was on the books of Glentoran as a youngster, and made a brief first-team appearance on 30 April 2016 as a 78th-minute substitute in an NIFL Premiership match against Crusaders.{{cite web |url=https://www.glentoran.com/news/glentoran-0-1-crusaders |title=Glentoran 0–1 Crusaders |publisher=Glentoran F.C. |date=1 May 2016 |access-date=7 August 2019}}
Club career
=Birmingham City=
After leaving school Boyd-Munce came to England where he took up a two-year scholarship with Birmingham City F.C.'s Academy in July 2016.{{cite web |url=https://www.bcfc.com/news/archive/an-introduction-to-the-academy-new-boys |title=An introduction to the Academy new boys |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |date=9 July 2016 |access-date=3 September 2022}} Academy coach Steve Spooner described him as a "good technician [who] has a very good engine and displays the capabilities of a real box to box midfield player." He established himself in Birmingham's under-18 team, played for the under-23s, and was a member of the youth team that reached the semifinal of the 2017–18 FA Youth Cup, in which Chelsea beat Birmingham 7–0 on aggregate.{{cite news |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/youth-chelsea-birmingham-city-cup-14493387 |title=How the Birmingham City players rated as Chelsea U18s race into first leg FA Youth Cup semi-final lead |first=Brian |last=Dick |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=5 April 2018 |access-date=7 August 2019}}
{{cite web |url=https://www.bcfc.com/news/archive/report-chelsea-under-18s-4-blues-under-18s-0 |title=Report: Chelsea Under-18s 4 Blues Under-18s 0 |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |date=10 April 2018 |access-date=3 September 2022}} He was not offered professional terms after his two years, instead accepting a third scholarship year.{{cite web |url=https://www.bcfc.com/news/archive/professional-deals-for-young-blues |title=Professional deals for young Blues |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |date=17 May 2018 |access-date=3 September 2022}}
In August 2018, Boyd-Munce spent a month on loan to Redditch United. He played four matches in the Southern League Premier Division South and, according to senior development coach Richard Beale, found it an eye-opening experience. Boyd-Munce went on to become a regular for Birmingham's development squad team the 2018–19 season, making 21 appearances as they finished as runners-up in the Professional Development League northern section and lost out to Leeds United on penalties for the overall title.{{cite web |url=https://www.bcfc.com/news/archive/report-leeds-united-under-23s-0-blues-under-23s-0-leeds-win-4-2-on-penalties |title=Report: Leeds United Under-23s 0 Blues Under-23s 0 – Leeds win 4–2 on penalties |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |date=6 May 2019 |access-date=3 September 2022}} He was offered a two-year deal in March 2019,{{cite web |url=https://www.bcfc.com/news/archive/deals-for-blues-scholars |title=Deals for Blues scholars |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |date=20 March 2019 |access-date=3 September 2022}} and signed it in June.{{cite news |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/northern-ireland-teenager-caolan-boyd-16391132 |title=Northern Ireland teenager Caolan Boyd-Munce signs pro contract with Birmingham City |first=Gareth |last=Fullerton |website=Belfast Live |date=6 June 2019 |access-date=7 August 2019}}
Boyd-Munce made his competitive debut for Birmingham on 6 August 2019 in the EFL Cup first round. Manager Pep Clotet fielded an inexperienced team for the visit to Portsmouth, and Boyd-Munce came into the 3–0 defeat as a second-half substitute, replacing Jude Bellingham after 81 minutes.{{cite news |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-player-ratings-jude-16711571 |title=Birmingham City player ratings: Jude Bellingham shines bright despite defeat |first=Joseph |last=Chapman |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=6 August 2019 |access-date=6 August 2019}} He made his first appearance in the Championship on 7 February 2020, as a very late substitute in a 3–1 win away to Bristol City, and made a further five, all from the bench, in the last few matches of the 2019–20 season. In November 2020, new head coach Aitor Karanka gave Boyd-Munce a difficult first league start, playing out of position at left wing-back directly marking AFC Bournemouth's in-form winger David Brooks.{{cite news |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/hogan-kieftenbeld-masterclass-birmingham-city-19242487 |title=Hogan, Kieftenbeld and a masterclass as Birmingham City are swept aside |first=Brian |last=Dick |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=8 November 2020 |access-date=4 June 2021}} Later that month, he injured an ankle and did not return to first-team training until the end of the following March.{{cite news |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-transfer-plans-explained-20281518 |title=Birmingham City's transfer window explained as Swansea worry over key injury blow |first=Brian |last=Dick |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=30 March 2021 |access-date=4 June 2021}} Although he regained sufficient fitness to help Birmingham's U23 team beat Sheffield United U23 in the national final of the 2020–21 Professional Development League,{{cite news |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/birmingham-city-manchester-simmonds-20665534 |title=Blues U23s vs Sheff Utd U23s player ratings: Man City trainee sparkles as George blunts Blades |first=Brian |last=Dick |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=24 May 2021 |access-date=24 May 2021}} he had no matchday involvement with the first team in what remained of the season.
In June 2021, reassured as to his future by manager Lee Bowyer and director of football Craig Gardner, Boyd-Munce signed a two-year contract to remain with Birmingham City.{{cite web |url=https://www.bcfc.com/news/archive/midfield-pair-sign-new-contracts |title=Midfield pair sign new contracts |publisher=Birmingham City F.C. |date=17 June 2021 |access-date=3 September 2022}} However, he had no further involvement with the first-team matchday squad, and Bowyer suggested he was likely to be leaving.{{cite news |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/birmingham-city-transfers-mcgree-munce-22495040 |title='It's done' – Lee Bowyer delivers the transfer news Birmingham City fans have been fearing |first=Brian |last=Dick |newspaper=Birmingham Mail |date=17 December 2021 |access-date=7 January 2022}}
=Middlesbrough=
On 7 January 2022, Boyd-Munce signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with another Championship club, Middlesbrough, for an undisclosed fee.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59912229 |title=Caolan Boyd-Munce: Middlesbrough sign Birmingham City midfielder |website=BBC Sport |date=7 January 2022 |access-date=7 January 2022}} He started the next day's FA Cup third-round tie away to League Two club Mansfield Town, scored his side's second goal after 14 minutes of a 3–2 victory and, according to the TeessideLive reporter, made a positive contribution both in and out of possession in the hour he spent on the pitch.{{cite news |url=https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/middlesbrough-just-make-through-fa-22686861 |title=Middlesbrough just about make it through in the FA Cup – Take aways from Mansfield |first=Craig |last=Johns |website=TeessideLive |date=8 January 2022 |access-date=8 January 2022}} He made only two Championship appearances over the next 12 months, both as a substitute, and his contract was terminated by mutual consent at the end of the January 2023 transfer window.{{cite news |url=https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/caolan-boyd-munce-leaves-middlesbrough-26133107 |title=Caolan Boyd-Munce leaves Middlesbrough by mutual consent after struggling for game time |first=Craig |last=Johns |website=TeessideLive |date=1 February 2023 |access-date=12 February 2023}}
=St Mirren=
Boyd-Munce signed a short-term contract with Scottish Premiership club St Mirren in March 2023.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/64969972 |title=St Mirren sign Northern Ireland under-21 international Caolan Boyd-Munce |website=BBC Sport |date=15 March 2023 |accessdate=15 March 2023}} On 31 May 2023, Boyd-Munce signed a one-year contract extension with St Mirren{{cite web| url=https://www.stmirren.com/all-news/4975-caolan-boyd-munce-agrees-extension| title=Caolan Boyd-Munce agrees extension| work=St Mirren FC| date=31 May 2023| access-date=21 February 2025}} and on 5 April 2024 the contract was extended until the summer of 2025 after he met the terms of an appearance-based clause.{{cite web| url=https://www.stmirren.com/all-news/5371-caolan-boyd-munce-contract-extended-until-summer-2025#:~:text=St%20Mirren%20Football%20Club%20is,his%20contract%20until%20summer%202025.| title=Caolan Boyd-Munce contract extended until summer 2025| work=St Mirren FC| date=5 April 2024| access-date=21 February 2025}}
International career
Boyd-Munce has represented Northern Ireland at under-15,{{cite web |url=https://www.glentoran.com/news/more-international-recognition-academy |title=More international recognition for Academy |publisher=Glentoran F.C. |date=18 August 2014 |access-date=7 August 2019}} under-16, in the squad for the 2014–15 Victory Shield,{{cite web |url=http://nifootball.blogspot.com/2014/04/northern-ireland-in-victory-shield-2001.html |title=Northern Ireland in the Victory Shield (2001–2020) |website=Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats |access-date=7 August 2019}} under-17, playing in qualifiers for the 2017 European U17 Championships, under-19, playing in qualifiers for the following year's European U19 Championships, and most recently at under-21 level.{{cite web |url=https://www.irishfa.com/news/2019/march/shayne-lavery-scores-87th-minute-winner-in-sixth-consecutive-under-21-victory |title=Ian Baraclough's Under-21s hit late winner to stun Mexico U22s in Spain |publisher=Irish Football Association |date=25 March 2019 |access-date=7 August 2019}}
Boyd-Munce was called up to the senior Northern Ireland squad in March 2022.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60768878 |title=Caolan Boyd-Munce: Middlesbrough player earns first NI senior call-up after Matty Kennedy is ruled out |website=BBC Sport |date=16 March 2022 |access-date=16 March 2022}}
Boyd-Munce made his debut for the senior squad on 8 June 2024 in a friendly against Spain at Estadi Mallorca Son Moix. He started the game and was substituted at half-time as Spain won 5–1.{{cite web|publisher=ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/701680/|title=Spain v Northern Ireland game report|date=8 June 2024}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 29 March 2025}}
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{WorldFootball.net|caolan-boyd-munce}}
{{St Mirren F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boyd-Munce, Caolan}}
Category:Association footballers from Belfast
Category:Men's association footballers from Northern Ireland
Category:Northern Ireland men's youth international footballers
Category:Northern Ireland men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Northern Ireland men's international footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Glentoran F.C. players
Category:Birmingham City F.C. players
Category:Redditch United F.C. players
Category:Middlesbrough F.C. players
Category:St Mirren F.C. players
Category:NIFL Premiership players
Category:Southern Football League players
Category:English Football League players