Eddie McCallion
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Edward McCallion | ||
| Date of birth | 25 January 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Derry, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | ||
| Playing position | Right back | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Bangor | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1995–1997 | Foyle Harps | ||
| 1997–1998 | Blackburn Rovers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1998–2012 | Derry City | 315 | (3) |
| 2012-2014 | Glenavon | 13 | (0) |
| 2014-Present | Bangor | (0) | |
| National team | |||
| 1998 | Northern Ireland U21 | 1 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Edward McCallion (born January 25, 1979), commonly known as Eddie McCallion, is an association football defender from Derry, Northern Ireland. McCallion currently plays for Bangor F.C. in the NIFL Championship One, from Glenavon after spending 12 years at Derry City.
Career
Blackburn Rovers
Having played with local Derry and District League club, Foyle Harps Y.F.C., as a youth from 1995, McCallion was spotted by Blackburn Rovers in 1997 and moved to the English club that same year. Spending just a year at Ewood Park, he never managed to break into the first-team whilst there.
Derry City
McCallion signed for his home town club from Blackburn Rovers in 1998 and made his debut away to Cork City on 6 September 1998. He is the first choice right-back and has also performed at centre-back when required.
Dropped from the side for Damian Brennan at the start of the 2005 season, he fought his way back into the team and by the end of the season he was the first choice right-back, helping his club to a second-place finish in the league. He scored an important goal against Kildare County in the FAI Cup that same season and his overlapping runs offered Derry City FC another attacking option.
McCallion often deputised in the role of captain when Peter Hutton was absent. McCallion had captained the side on 13 occasions by the end of the 2006 season - one of the most notable of these being Derry City's UEFA Cup First Round 0-0 draw against Paris Saint-Germain at the Brandywell Stadium on 14 September 2006.
McCallion made 52 appearances in all competitions during the 2006 season, the most of any City player that season, and, once again, helped the club finish as runners-up in the league for a second season running, consolidating his position as a firm fan-favourite.
Due to his years of service and refusal to let managers move him on, Eddie has acquired hero like status with the Brandywell faithful and is viewed by many fans as the one player who embodies the club values more than any other.
The defender is one of the few brothers to have played in a winning FAI Cup side, as he appeared with brother Tommy in the 2002 final team.
After 14 years, Eddie made his final appearance for Derry against former longtime manager Stephen Kenny's Shamrock Rovers. He came on as a stoppage time substitute to thunderous applause from the Brandywell faithful. He will join Glenavon on a two-year contract.
Glenavon
McCallion signed for Glenavon on a 2-year deal in July 2012.[1]
Northern Ireland
McCallion played for Northern Ireland at schoolboy, youth and under-21 level.[2]
Honours
Derry City
Glenavon