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McCann Profile

Gavin McCann, Bolton Wanderers

Gavin McCann

Born: Blackpool, 10th January 1978

International Honours: England Full

Position: Midfielder

Squad Number: 19

Former Clubs: Everton, Sunderland, Aston Villa, Bolton Wanderers

A fee of around £1 million persuaded Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill to sell combative midfielder Gavin McCann to UEFA Cup contenders Bolton in early June 2007

McCann is originally from the North West area having been born in nearby Blackpool and having began his football education with Premiership rivals Everton a decade ago.

His move to the Reebok Stadium sees him reunite with former Villa team mate Jlloyd Samuel who himself is another new Bolton recruit for the 2007-2008 season.

Signing professionally with Everton in 1995, he was given his debut by the Toffees in the 1997-1998 season as they struggled at the wrong end of the Premiership table but after just eleven games in a midfield which included current Wanderer Gary Speed, he was sold off to Sunderland for £500,000 in November 1998.

His career flourished under the guidance of ex-Wanderers favourite Peter Reid and in his first season at the Stadium of Light he helped the Black Cats to promotion as the 1999 Division 1 champions.

Whilst at Sunderland his team mates included the likes of Allan Johnston, Darren Holloway, Nicky Summerbee, Michael Bridges and Emerson Thome, all of whom like McCann went onto play for Bolton.

In the 1999-2000 season he scored some crucial goals for the Mackems in games against Manchester United, Derby County, Leicester City and Watford as  the side established themselves in the top flight and this lead to him being named as the Sunderland young player of the year.

As he matured as a player he also gained a reputation as being a player who collected his fair share of bookings and this is part of his game that although useful when needed, it can have its downsides.

In 2001 he won his only England cap to date when appearing as a substitute in a match against Spain and in the 2002-2003 season he was part of the Sunderland team which made a disappointing exit from the top flight.

Along with team mate Thomas Sorensen, McCann signed for Aston Villa for £2,250,000 in July 2003 to become David O'Leary's first signings since taking over the Villa hot seat.

In his first season at Villa Park he helped the team to the League Cup Semi Finals before they lost out to Bolton on a 5-4 aggregate scoreline in January 2004, with McCann being sent off in the second leg for slapping former team mate Emerson Thome.

He played alongside Lee Hendrie, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Steven Davis in the following season but injury disrupted his season somewhat and he didn't play as many games as he would have liked.

In the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons he remained a regular in the Villa starting eleven as the club transferred from the O'Leary era to the O'Neill era but the emergence of youngster Craig Gardner forced him out of the side and he was allowed to move back North.

Next season will see the robust midfielder compete on the UEFA Cup stage for the first time in his career and Wanderers are sure to need players like him who will stand up and be counted.

BOLTON RECORD:

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