Niall Canavan
{{short description|Irish footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Niall Canavan
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Niall David Stephen Canavan{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/image/201920/general-news/efl-squad-numbering-06.09.2019.pdf |title=Notification of shirt numbers: Bradford City |publisher=English Football League |page=54 |access-date=25 October 2019}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|04|11|df=y}}
| birth_place = Bramley, Leeds, England{{cite book|editor1-first=Glenda|editor1-last=Rollin|editor2-first=Jack|editor2-last=Rollin|title=Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013|year=2012|publisher=Headline|location=London|isbn=978-0-7553-6356-8|page=524|edition=43rd}}
| height = {{height|ft=6|in=4}}
| position = Defender
| currentclub = Barrow
| clubnumber = 6
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Bradford City
| youthyears2 = 2004–2009
| youthclubs2 = Scunthorpe United
| years1 = 2009–2016
| clubs1 = Scunthorpe United
| caps1 = 154
| goals1 = 15
| years2 = 2011
| clubs2 = → Shrewsbury Town (loan)
| caps2 = 3
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2016
| clubs3 = → Rochdale (loan)
| caps3 = 11
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2016–2018
| clubs4 = Rochdale
| caps4 = 28
| goals4 = 2
| years5 = 2018–2021
| clubs5 = Plymouth Argyle
| caps5 = 78
| goals5 = 5
| years6 = 2021–2022
| clubs6 = Bradford City
| caps6 = 33
| goals6 = 1
| years7 = 2022–
| clubs7 = Barrow
| caps7 = 138
| goals7 = 5
| nationalyears1 = 2011–2012
| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland U21
| nationalcaps1 = 7
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| club-update = 00:14, 3 May 2025 (UTC)
| ntupdate = 23:00, 31 January 2022 (UTC)
}}
Niall David Stephen Canavan (born 11 April 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a defender for {{English football updater|Barrow}} club Barrow. Born in England, he has represented the Republic of Ireland at youth level.
Career
Born in Bramley, West Yorkshire, Canavan played with the Academy of Bradford City until he was 12.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/19004801.bantams-pay-undisclosed-fee-plymouth-defender-canavan/|title=BREAKING: Bradford City sign Plymouth centre half Canavan|website=Bradford Telegraph and Argus|date=12 January 2021 }}
Canavan signed his first professional contract in April 2009 for Scunthorpe United.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/scunthorpe_utd/8002450.stm|title=Iron youth quartet offered deals |date=16 April 2009|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=2009-09-22}} He made his first team debut on 22 August 2009 in a 4–0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday, replacing Robert Jones on 28 minutes. Three days later he scored his first goal, in a 2–1 League Cup win at Swansea City.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/8205360.stm|title=Swansea 1 – 2 Scunthorpe|date=25 August 2009|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=2009-09-22}} He attended St. Mary's Menston. He is a first team regular playing in both League and Cup matches. He has most notably played against Manchester United and Manchester City twice.
Canavan missed just one match in Scunthorpe's promotion winning season in 2013–14 and formed a defensive partnership with David Mirfin. As a consequence of this successful season, Canavan signed a new 2-year contract on 29 May 2014.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27623434|title=Niall Canavan signs new contract|date=29 May 2014|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=2014-05-30}}
On 15 February 2016, Canavan joined Rochdale on an emergency loan,{{cite news|url=http://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/article/rochdale-rochdale-afc-dale-niall-canavan-loan-scunthorpe-united-2956815.aspx|title=Niall Canavan Joins Rochdale On Loan|date=15 February 2016|publisher=Rochdale A.F.C|access-date=2016-02-15}} and at the end of the season he joined the club on a two-year contract.{{cite news|url=http://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/article/canavan-agrees-two-year-deal-3130195.aspx?|title=Canavan Agrees Two Year Deal|date=31 May 2016|publisher=Rochdale A.F.C|access-date=2016-05-31}}
He was released by Rochdale at the end of the 2017–18 season,{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44127801|title=Joe Thompson among four players offered new Rochdale deals|date=15 May 2018|access-date=15 May 2018|publisher=BBC Sport}} after which he joined Plymouth Argyle on a free transfer.{{cite web|url=https://www.pafc.co.uk/news/2018/june/canavan-at-the-park|title=Canavan at the Park|date=8 June 2018|access-date=8 June 2018|publisher=PAFC}}
He re-joined Bradford City in January 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk/news/2021/january/experienced-canavan-becomes-third-january-recruit/|title=EXPERIENCED CANAVAN BECOMES THIRD JANUARY RECRUIT|website=www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk}}
He moved from Bradford to fellow League Two side Barrow in January 2022.{{Cite news|title=Barrow sign Bradford defender Canavan|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/60208597|access-date=2022-01-31}}
International career
Although born in Leeds, Canavan carries an Irish passport and was called up by the FAI to the U21 squad in March 2011.{{Cite web |url=http://www.scunthorpe-united.co.uk/page/News/0,,10442~2322053,00.html |url-status=dead |title=Scunthorpe United | News | Latest News | Latest News | NIALL SET FOR NATIONAL DUTY |access-date=22 March 2011 |archive-date=26 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110326052843/http://www.scunthorpe-united.co.uk/page/News/0,,10442~2322053,00.html }} In March 2011 he made his debut appearance for the Irish national Under-21 team.{{Cite news | title= Late goals shade it for Portugal U21s | url= http://www.fai.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=101644:late-goals-shade-it-for-portugal-u21s&catid=3:under-21&Itemid=11 | publisher= The Football Association of Ireland | date= 26 March 2011 | access-date= 27 March 2011}}
Personal life
In September 2019, it was revealed that Canavan had, earlier in the year, been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.{{cite news|first=Rick |last=Cowdery |url=https://www.pafc.co.uk/news/2019/september/nialls-health-part-one/ |title=Niall's Health: Part One |date=18 September 2019|access-date=23 September 2019|publisher=PAFC}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{Updated|2 December 2023}}
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
- [http://www.soccerscene.ie/ss_gen/player.php?id=115&level=ss21 Republic of Ireland profile] at Soccer Scene
{{Barrow A.F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Canavan, Niall}}
Category:Sportspeople from the City of Leeds
Category:Footballers from West Yorkshire
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Republic of Ireland men's association footballers
Category:Republic of Ireland men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Scunthorpe United F.C. players
Category:Shrewsbury Town F.C. players
Category:Rochdale A.F.C. players
Category:Plymouth Argyle F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:People educated at St. Mary's Catholic High School, Menston
Category:People with type 1 diabetes
Category:Bradford City A.F.C. players
Category:Barrow A.F.C. players