Ciaran Donnelly

Ciaran Donnelly (born 2 April 1984) is an English former professional footballer. He is now the Academy Director at Blackpool. He has played for England at Under-16, Under-18 and Under-19 levels. Early life Born in Blackpool, Lancashire, Donnelly attended Claremont Primary School and Warbreck Hill High School in North Shore, Blackpool. He joined the Centre of Excellence at his hometown club, where he stayed until he was fourteen years old, when he joined the Academy at Premier League club Blackburn Rovers. Club career Donnelly started out in the youth team and then as a trainee at Blackburn Rovers in 2002. After being an ever-present in the club's reserve team in the 2003–04 season, on 25 March 2004 he was sent on loan to Blackpool who were then in League One. He played nine league matches before the loan spell ran out on 9 May. However, he did not make any first-team appearances for Blackburn Rovers and he signed for his hometown club on a free transfer on 16 March 2005 initially until the end of the season, with an option for a further year. On 2 September 2005, Donelly scored the winning goal as Blackpool beat Doncaster Rovers 1–0 at Belle Vue in League One.