Sean Fallon (footballer)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 31 July 1922 | ||
Place of birth | Sligo, County Sligo, Ireland | ||
Date of death | 18 January 2013 | (aged 90)||
Position(s) |
Full-back | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1946 | Longford Town | ||
1947 | Sligo Distillery | ||
1948–1949 | Sligo Rovers | 17 | (4) |
1949–1950 | Glenavon | 17 | (0) |
1950–1958 | Celtic | 254 | (14) |
International career | |||
1950–1955 | Republic of Ireland[1][2] | 8 | (2) |
1950 |
Irish League XI | 1 | (0) |
Managerial career | |||
1962–1975 | Celtic (Asst. Manager) | ||
1975 | Celtic (Acting Manager) | ||
1980–1981 | Dumbarton | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Irish name | Seán Ó Fallúin | ||
Sport | Gaelic football | ||
Position | Full-Back | ||
Born |
Sligo, Ireland | 31 July 1922||
Died | 18 January 2013 | (aged 90)||
Club(s) | |||
Years | Club | ||
? – ? | Craobh Rua | ||
Inter-county(ies) | |||
Years | County | ||
1946–1948 | Sligo |
Sean Fallon (31 July 1922 – 18 January 2013) was an Irish professional footballer. At his death, he was the oldest surviving person to have played for the Republic of Ireland national football team.[3]
Playing career
Sean Fallon played for Celtic from 1950 to 1958, playing as a full-back and centre forward. He made 254 appearances, scoring 14 goals. He also earned eight international caps with the Republic of Ireland.[4]
Sean Fallon started his football career with St Mary's Juniors and also played
He also played for McArthurs, Sligo Distillery and Longford Town. While at Longford he was capped at centre half for the junior Republic of Ireland national football team. He joined his hometown club in August 1948[6] In August 1949 Fallon signed professional forms for Glenavon F.C.[7]
In March 1950 Fallon joined
Sean Fallon's love affair with Celtic started when the son of the Celtic legend
Within a year he had helped the team win the
Two years later Fallon would also have a cup final goal to celebrate as he scored in the
The later 1950s were a barren period for Celtic, with two major triumphs providing rare moments of joy for the long-suffering support. The first was the
Coaching career
Fallon was forced to retire in 1958 through injury but his influence and importance at the club continued. He became assistant to Jock Stein when Stein took up the post of manager in 1965. It was initially proposed by the Celtic chairman Bob Kelly that Fallon should be manager, and Stein his assistant. However Stein vetoed this suggestion and threatened to take an offered job in England, leading to Kelly offering him the full manager's job.[citation needed]
He was an integral part of Celtic's success under Jock Stein, when he was the manager's right-hand man. His powers of persuasion were often called upon to secure the signatures of promising youngsters who would go on to become important Celtic players, such as David Hay, Danny McGrain, Kenny Dalglish and Packie Bonner. When Jock Stein suffered a near-fatal car crash in 1975, Fallon took over as caretaker manager. He later briefly managed Dumbarton.[4]
Fallon in later years became a director at Dumbarton and then Clyde.[10][11]
Fallon unfurled the league championship flag at Celtic Park on 4 August 2012.[12] He died on 18 January 2013 at the age of 90.[4]
References
- ^ "Sean Fallon". eu-football.info. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
- ^ "Sean Fallon". www.soccerscene.ie. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
- ^ "Nationwide to profile the late Sean Fallon". RTÉ Sport. 22 February 2013. Retrieved 22 February 2013.
Tonight's Nationwide programme is a profile of the late Sligo-born, Sean Fallon, an iconic Glasgow Celtic figure who until his sudden death last month, was the oldest surviving Republic of Ireland international.
- ^ a b c d "Sean Fallon: Tributes paid after Celtic great dies aged 90". BBC Sport. BBC. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
- ^ "Register". Retrieved 17 June 2023 – via The Irish Times.
- ^ "Sligos international heroes honoured by FAI". Irish Independent. 24 November 2012.
- ^ "The Irish Times - Friday, August 12, 1949 - Page 2". The Irish Times.
- ^ www.irishtimes.com
- ^ "Sean Fallon". Irish Independent. 20 January 2013. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ^ "Sean Fallon: Celtic stalwart as player and coach". The Independent. 26 January 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
- ^ "Sean Fallon". Clyde FC. 19 January 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
- ^ Sullivan, Stephen (4 August 2012). "Sean Fallon: a man with an eye to pick out outstanding talent". The Herald. Herald & Times Group. Retrieved 21 October 2012.
External links
- Fallon's memories of Jock Stein
- Memories of Celtic at the Wayback Machine (archived 18 August 2007)