NEW POSH MANAGER: The career (so far) of Grant McCann

Grant McCann today (May 16) became the 32nd full-time managerial appointment by Peterborough United in the club's Football League era.
Grant McCann celebrates his Posh goal in the League One play-off final ain against Huddersfield at Old Trafford.Grant McCann celebrates his Posh goal in the League One play-off final ain against Huddersfield at Old Trafford.
Grant McCann celebrates his Posh goal in the League One play-off final ain against Huddersfield at Old Trafford.

The 36 year-old succeeds Graham Westley. He’s the eighth managerial appointment made by current chairman Darragh MacAnthony since he took control of the club in September, 2006.

Here are some facts about the new man in the ABAX Stadium hot-seat.

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1) Grant Samuel McCann was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland on April 5, 1980. He is 36 years old.

Grant McCann in action for Cheltenham against Swansea in August, 2006Grant McCann in action for Cheltenham against Swansea in August, 2006
Grant McCann in action for Cheltenham against Swansea in August, 2006

2) McCann played for the Lisburn Distillery youth team before crossing the water to join the fabled West Ham United Academy at the age of 16 in 1996.

3) McCann’s professional debut was in a Scottish Division One game in August 1999 for Livingston in a 2-2 draw with Morton. West Ham had sent him to Scotland on loan.

4) McCann represented Notts County and Cheltenam as a loan player in the 2000-01 season. He scored his first professional goal for Cheltenham in a 3-1 win over Brighton in a Division Three match in February, 2001.

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5) McCann finally made his West Ham debut in the final game of the 2000-01 Premier League season as a last-minute substitute in a 2-1 defeat at Middlesbrough.

Grant McCann celebrates one his four goals for Northern Ireland.Grant McCann celebrates one his four goals for Northern Ireland.
Grant McCann celebrates one his four goals for Northern Ireland.

6) McCann made just four senior appearances for West Ham (at Anfield against Liverpool, at home to Leeds and away to Blackburn) all as a substitute. His final appearance at Blackburn in October, 2001 was a personal disaster as the Hammers lost 7-1 in front of the live TV cameras and McCann was credited with an own goal.

7) McCann made his international debut for Northern Ireland in a 1-0 win in Malta in a World Cup qualifying game. He came on in the 80th minute

8) McCann moved from West Ham to Cheltenham for £50,000 in January, 2003 after another loan spell at the club. It was a club record fee at the time for Cheltenham. McCann experienced relegation from, and promotion to, League One in his four years at the club.

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9) After a loan spell with the club, McCann moved to Barnsley for £100,000 in January, 2007, but he played just 43 times in total for the Tykes in 14 months before he was on the move again.

Grant McCann in action for Cheltenham against Swansea in August, 2006Grant McCann in action for Cheltenham against Swansea in August, 2006
Grant McCann in action for Cheltenham against Swansea in August, 2006

10) McCann scored his first goal for Northern Ireland in a 4-1 European Championship qualifying win in Liechtenstein in March, 2007.

11) McCann signed for Scunthorpe for an undisclosed fee in January, 2008. McCann was part of a team relegated from the Championship in 2007-08, but he helped them return through the play-offs the following season. Posh were also promoted from League One that season.

12) McCann scored a brilliant goal for Scunthorpe at Wembley in a 3-2 Football League Trophy Final defeat at the hands of Luton in 2009.

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13) After 113 appearances for Scunthorpe, McCann was persuaded to move to Posh in May 2010 by manager Gary Johnson. He made a scoring Posh debut in a 3-0 home win ovcer Bristol Rovers in the opening match of the 2010-11 League One season.

Grant McCann celebrates one his four goals for Northern Ireland.Grant McCann celebrates one his four goals for Northern Ireland.
Grant McCann celebrates one his four goals for Northern Ireland.

13) McCann went on to play 49 matches in his first full season, scoring 13 goals, including one in both legs of the League One play-off semi-final win over arch rivals MK Dons and one in the final, a 3-0 success over Huddersfield at Old Trafford. McCann had created the all-important opening goal for Tommy Rowe in the final 12 minutes from time before scoring direct from a trademark free kick.

15) McCann made 48 appearances and scored eight goals as Posh finished the 2011-12 Championship season in 18th place.

16) McCann made his 39th and final Northern Ireland appearance in a 6-0 frineldy defeat in Holland. He scored for goals for his country.

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17) McCann scored eight goals in 43 appearances as Posh were relegated from the Championship at the end of the 2012-13 season following an agonising last-game defeat at Crystal Palace.

18) McCann scored six goals in 47 appearances as Posh missed out on an immediate return to the Championship by losing a League One play-off semi-final against Leyton Orient.

19) Amid reports of a fall-out with manager Darren Ferguson, McCann was allowed to leave Posh and join Belfast-based Linfield, the club he had supported as a boy, in January, 2015. He made a scoring debut, but made just one appearance before returning to Posh as a coach when Ferguson was sacked.

20) McCann had made his final Posh appearance in a 2-1 home defeat by Scunthorpe on November, 2014. It was his 185th Posh appearance. The last of his 35 Posh goals arrived in a 3-0 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy win at Newport in December 2013.

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21) McCann was appointed assistant manager to Dave Robertson last summer. When Robertson was sacked in September, McCann took charge of two games (a 5-1 win at Oldham and a 1-1 draw at home to Walsall) as caretaker-manager before Graham Westley was apppinted manager.

22) When Westley was sacked last month, McCann again took charge as a caretaker-manager leading the team to a 4-3 win at Shrewsbury and a 5-1 win at home to Blackpool.

23) McCann is married to Kelly and they have three sons, Bayley, Jesse and Frankie. Bayley and Jesse are already star players with the Posh Academy.

MCCANN STATS

(Player)

Club Apps Goals

West Ham 4 0

Livingston 5 0

Notts Co 3 0

Cheltenham 222 45

Barnsley 44 4

Scunthorpe 123 20

POSH 185 35

Linfield 1 1

TOTALS 577 105

(Manager)

Club W D L F A

Posh 4 3 1 0 15 6