Austin McCann (born 21 January 1980) is a Scottish former footballer who played as a defender. During his career, McCann played in the
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League (SPL) was the top level league competition for professional football clubs in Scotland. The league was founded in 1998, when it broke away from the Scottish Football League (SFL). It was abolished in 2013, when t ...
Scottish
Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
*Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland
*Scottish English
*Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...
and
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national id ...
football leagues.
Career
Scotland
McCann started his career with Wolves Boys Club in Glasgow and then became an apprentice with
Scottish League First Division
The Scottish Football League First Division was the second tier in the Scottish football league system between 1975 and 2013.
History
The First Division was introduced in 1975–76 to replace the old Scottish Football League Division Two, as ...
Airdrieonians
Airdrieonians Football Club is a Scottish professional football team in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, who are members of the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) and play in Scottish League One. They were formed in 2002 as Airdrie Unite ...
in 1997. Primarily considered a left fullback, he has on occasion played as a wingback or even in left midfield. He spent 3 successful seasons with Airdrie, playing 97 times and scoring 9 goals while gaining a reputation as an exciting young talent. His form attracted the attention of
Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
side Heart of Midlothian, who were seeking a replacement for the recently sold
Gary Naysmith
Gary Andrew Naysmith (born 16 November 1978) is a Scottish football coach and former player, who is currently the manager of Scottish League Two side Stenhousemuir.
Naysmith, who played as a left-back or left-winger, started his senior car ...
, and he moved to the
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
club in February 2001.
McCann struggled to maintain a regular place in the Hearts' side during his three seasons at Tynecastle, as firstly the veteran
Stephane Mahé Stephane may refer to:
* Stéphane, a French given name
* Stephane (Ancient Greece)
A stephane (''ancient Greek'' στέφανος, from ''στέφω'' (stéphō, “I encircle”), '' Lat.'' Stephanus = wreath, decorative wreath worn on the head ...
, then latterly converted right back
Alan Maybury
Alan Paul Maybury (born 8 August 1978) is an Irish professional football coach and former player, who currently manages Scottish League One club Edinburgh.
Maybury was a defender, who could play in either full-back position. He played for ...
, were preferred in the left back berth by manager
Craig Levein
Craig William Levein (born 22 October 1964) is a Scottish professional football manager and former player. He is currently a full-time advisor to the board of directors at Highland Football League club Brechin City.
During his playing career ...
. Consequently, Austin appeared a mere 39 times for Hearts. However, his only competitive goal for the side was a memorable final minute 30-yard strike against
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
*Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Foo ...
in 2002–03, which secured a 2–1 home win against a side which reached the
UEFA Cup
A cup is an open-top used to hold hot or cold liquids for pouring or drinking; while mainly used for drinking, it also can be used to store solids for pouring (e.g., sugar, flour, grains, salt). Cups may be made of glass, metal, china, cla ...
Final that season.
England
McCann left Hearts in April 2004 in search of more regular first team football, initially signing a short-term deal with
Clyde Clyde may refer to:
People
* Clyde (given name)
* Clyde (surname)
Places
For townships see also Clyde Township
Australia
* Clyde, New South Wales
* Clyde, Victoria
* Clyde River, New South Wales
Canada
* Clyde, Alberta
* Clyde, Ontario, a to ...
before agreeing to join Steve Evans' growing Scottish contingent at
Boston United
Boston United Football Club is a semi-professional association football club based in Boston, Lincolnshire, England. The club participates in the National League North, at the sixth tier of the English football league system. The club is know ...
in the summer. McCann played 88 games in two seasons for the Pilgrims, scoring 1 goal against
Cambridge United
Cambridge United Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Cambridge, England. They compete in EFL League one , the 3rd tier of the English football league system. The club is based at the Abbey Stadium on N ...
, before joining
Notts County
Notts County Football Club is a professional association football club based in Nottingham, England. The team participate in the National League, the fifth tier of the English football league system. Founded on the 25 November 1862, it is the ...
when his contract at
York Street
York is a cathedral city with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many hist ...
expired in the summer of 2006.
Return to Scotland
In February 2008, McCann signed a pre-contract deal with
Scottish First Division
The Scottish Football League First Division was the second tier in the Scottish football league system between 1975 and 2013.
History
The First Division was introduced in 1975–76 to replace the old Scottish Football League Division Two, as ...
side
Dunfermline Athletic
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club is a Scottish Association football, football club based in the city of Dunfermline, Fife. Founded in 1885, the club currently play in Scottish League One after being relegated from the 2021–22 Scottish Champ ...
. He moved to the First Division side on the 19 May 2008. He was appointed club captain, and in 2011, he won the first division championship. He scored his first and only goal for the club in a 1–0 win at Hibernian on 5 November 2011. He was released by the club after his contract expired at the end of the 2011/12 season.
McCann signed for
Ayr United
Ayr United Football Club are a football club in Ayr, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Championship, the second tier of the Scottish Professional Football League. Formed in 1910 by the merger of Ayr Parkhouse and Ayr F.C., their nickname i ...
during the 2012 summer transfer window.
On 1 June 2013 he signed a contract with his hometown club
Clydebank
Clydebank ( gd, Bruach Chluaidh) is a town in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. Situated on the north bank of the River Clyde, it borders the village of Old Kilpatrick (with Bowling and Milton beyond) to the west, and the Yoker and Drumchapel areas ...
, where he played for two seasons before retiring from football.
Honours
;Airdrieonians
*
Scottish Challenge Cup
The Scottish Professional Football League Challenge Cup,2000–01
;Dunfermline Athletic
*
Scottish First Division
The Scottish Football League First Division was the second tier in the Scottish football league system between 1975 and 2013.
History
The First Division was introduced in 1975–76 to replace the old Scottish Football League Division Two, as ...
:
2010–11
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...