SOME IRISH football fans may be unaware that there is more than one 36-year-old Sligo Rovers graduate named Seamus who established himself as an exciting young full-back in the League of Ireland before making over 300 appearances for the one club in England.
The comparisons between Seamus Coleman and Seamus Conneely do not end there — the duo are essentially one-club men in senior football in England aside from short loan spells with Blackpool and Alfreton Town respectively.
Today, however, Conneely is set to make his first appearance at the ground where Coleman has played on numerous occasions — Anfield.
And the Accrington Stanley stalwart may not have reached the same heights in professional football as the Everton legend, but the two were once peers.
The pair were picked together in Ireland U21 squads a couple of times and Conneely has “bumped into” his namesake on occasion over the years.
Coleman also gave Conneely a signed Everton jersey for his testimonial season last year, which his Toffees-supporting uncle bought in an auction.
“I know he’s very much an Irishman, a Donegal man, and his home means a lot to him, which is very similar to my background and my story,” says Conneely, who was born in London but moved to Connemara at the age of 10 and came through the ranks at Mervue and Galway United.
Unlike Coleman, whose impact in England was relatively swift, Conneely’s development took longer.
He initially joined Sheffield United after making 85 appearances with Galway.
It didn’t work out at the Blades. But after a successful spell at Sligo Rovers, where his honours included the 2012 Premier Division title and 2013 FAI Cup, he was reunited at Accrington Stanley with John Coleman, who he initially worked under at the Showgrounds.
To say the move has gone well would be an understatement. This month is the 10th anniversary of Conneely joining Accrington and he has been club captain for most of that time.
One major change from his League of Ireland days is that he transitioned from a full-back to a defensive midfielder.
He lost some pace in his early 20s and began to feel at home in the middle of the park.
He considers reading the game and knowing where to position himself to pick up second balls among his primary assets.
And now that he is well into his 30s, Conneely has had to adapt his game substantially.
He has started to get forward less and hold his position in recent years.
But while the veteran no longer possesses the energy of his younger days, his football IQ is as strong as ever.
“I used to play just by myself as a pivot with two midfielders in front of me and then over the years, I found it easier when there’s another man beside me and on the same line, just to cover the ground,” he explains.
“So I’m able to position myself in certain areas where I don’t have to do as much running and as much high-speed running, but I’m in an area where I can affect the game because I know my reading of the game is very good.”
Accrington Stanley manager John Doolan is hoping his side can pull off an upset against Liverpool. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
In training too, as an experienced player, he is granted leeway by manager John Doolan.
“If I say I need to do something, he won’t question it. He would understand that I know my body the best.”
Today is technically not Conneely’s first visit to Anfield. Despite being a boyhood Newcastle fan, he went to a game where the Reds played Man City a few years ago and on a tour of the ground with his two boys on a separate occasion.
Inevitably due to his age, Conneely has not been played as often “as I would like to” this season, though he has still managed 18 appearances in all competitions.
The upcoming match will be the most high-profile he has been involved in during his long career, though there have been other games — promotion run-ins or relegation playoffs — where “the result has mattered more to me personally”.
Even though it is likely to be an understrength Liverpool, an Accrington win would certainly represent one of the greatest shocks in FA Cup history.
“I think we’d have to play exceptionally well,” he says. “They’d have to have an off day, and we would need a lot of luck.”
With 5,000 travelling fans expected to sell out the away end, Conneely is hopeful his team can at least deliver a strong performance.
“I’d like to think we could give our fans something to cheer about and send them home proud to be an Accy fan, proud to have been there on that day when Accrington played against Liverpool because it was a decent game.
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“And hopefully, I’ll get on the pitch, and be able to say for the rest of my life that I played at Anfield.”
In League Two, it has been a difficult season for Accrington, as illustrated by their current position of 19th — five points above the relegation zone.
A miserable December saw them take one point from five games, but they have picked up two wins on the trot since then.
The Liverpool fixture represents a nice distraction from the pressures of an inconsistent campaign.
“The older I get, the more I understand the significance of how important it is that Accrington Stanley remain in the Football League,” says Conneely.
“If we were to fall out, we wouldn’t be able to throw a lot of money at it, as you’ve seen, maybe in past seasons with Wrexham or Chesterfield teams to make sure they get promoted.
“Our owner would not allow us to do that. He likes to run the club responsibly. He likes to run it without running it at a loss.
“So if we were to fall out of the league, it would be difficult to get back. I understand the importance, and I have been very aware of my responsibility as captain to ensure the players know how important it is to remain in the league.”
So as enjoyable as this afternoon might prove, Conneely has no hesitation in acknowledging that survival matters more.
It has been a difficult first half of the season with Accrington near the relegation zone in League Two. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
On one level, they have already won by being drawn with the Premier League giants.
Conneely reckons the game will be worth around “half a million,” which is big money for a team of Accrington’s stature.
“We’ll be in profit for the year just from this one game. And hopefully, the chairman and the board can reinvest that money into the facilities around the ground, which they’ve been doing over the last few years and into the squad as well, in particular, because, we’ve got to make sure we improve our form in the second half of the season.”
Premier League stars are often perceived as ‘living in a bubble’ but you get the sense that it is not the case with Conneely and co at Accrington.
It is a small club — the Crown Ground has a capacity of 5,450 — and players meeting fans in the bar after the game is not an uncommon sight.
“I feel a responsibility as a captain as well because the fan base is small, but they’re very loyal, and it’s the same people week in, week out.
“So then you get to know them, and they get to know you, and when they see you off the pitch after a game or in and around the town, they’ll stop and chat.
“It’s probably something you don’t get at a bigger club, there’s a bit more distance, between the fans and the players.
“We’re seen as a community club, a lot of the time we mingle, which is very special, especially when you have good times.”
From a personal perspective, Conneely has another reason to try to ensure his career ends on a high.
“My seven-year-old has really got into football, and he’s taken a keen interest in all types of football, but particularly Accrington Stanley and he gets upset when we lose — that has affected me more than I ever thought it would do.
“I’ll be playing a game sometimes, and we might be losing, and my mind will drift to him watching the game, either in the stands, or following at home, and I know that he’ll be upset because he’s only seven and his emotions are all over the place, and that does bother me.
“I feel an extra responsibility to try and win games, as if the responsibility wasn’t heavy enough, so that’s something I’ve had to learn to deal with and to carry as best I can.”
Seamus Conneely pictured during his Galway United days. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Meanwhile, Conneely has already started to prepare for life after football — he is currently doing his coaching badges.
Whatever happens next, he admits to exceeding his expectations compared to when he originally moved to the club on an 18-month contract in January 2015, with the highlight being winning the title and gaining promotion to League One in 2018 while sharing a pitch with several past and future Premier League stars.
“I would say that you have to believe in yourself. I don’t want that to come across as a cliché. But that’s exactly what I didn’t do when I went to Sheffield United. I didn’t believe in myself. I didn’t have the confidence. But once I came to Accrington, I did have the belief and confidence because I knew the manager wanted me.
“The manager had brought me from Sligo to Accrington, which was a big thing for me. So if you can have that inner belief, that inner steel, exactly what Seamus Coleman had when he came over, you can make it, and you have to trust in yourself, believe in yourself, and that is the main thing to get you going.
“I think I was always on a slow incline from 16-18, I was slowly getting better. But nothing that might catch the eye, whereas I think some lads might peak when they’re 17 or 18, and then they’re on a slow decline after that.
“I always felt like I was the opposite, and that’s why I was able to maintain certain levels and have a career — nothing spectacular, but just a long career where some boys might peak and have a fantastic season or two, and then it drops and declines from that. So I always felt like I was a little bit different to most players in that regard.”
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One of Irish football's unsung heroes set for Anfield test
SOME IRISH football fans may be unaware that there is more than one 36-year-old Sligo Rovers graduate named Seamus who established himself as an exciting young full-back in the League of Ireland before making over 300 appearances for the one club in England.
The comparisons between Seamus Coleman and Seamus Conneely do not end there — the duo are essentially one-club men in senior football in England aside from short loan spells with Blackpool and Alfreton Town respectively.
Today, however, Conneely is set to make his first appearance at the ground where Coleman has played on numerous occasions — Anfield.
And the Accrington Stanley stalwart may not have reached the same heights in professional football as the Everton legend, but the two were once peers.
The pair were picked together in Ireland U21 squads a couple of times and Conneely has “bumped into” his namesake on occasion over the years.
Coleman also gave Conneely a signed Everton jersey for his testimonial season last year, which his Toffees-supporting uncle bought in an auction.
“I know he’s very much an Irishman, a Donegal man, and his home means a lot to him, which is very similar to my background and my story,” says Conneely, who was born in London but moved to Connemara at the age of 10 and came through the ranks at Mervue and Galway United.
Unlike Coleman, whose impact in England was relatively swift, Conneely’s development took longer.
He initially joined Sheffield United after making 85 appearances with Galway.
It didn’t work out at the Blades. But after a successful spell at Sligo Rovers, where his honours included the 2012 Premier Division title and 2013 FAI Cup, he was reunited at Accrington Stanley with John Coleman, who he initially worked under at the Showgrounds.
To say the move has gone well would be an understatement. This month is the 10th anniversary of Conneely joining Accrington and he has been club captain for most of that time.
One major change from his League of Ireland days is that he transitioned from a full-back to a defensive midfielder.
He lost some pace in his early 20s and began to feel at home in the middle of the park.
He considers reading the game and knowing where to position himself to pick up second balls among his primary assets.
And now that he is well into his 30s, Conneely has had to adapt his game substantially.
He has started to get forward less and hold his position in recent years.
But while the veteran no longer possesses the energy of his younger days, his football IQ is as strong as ever.
“I used to play just by myself as a pivot with two midfielders in front of me and then over the years, I found it easier when there’s another man beside me and on the same line, just to cover the ground,” he explains.
“So I’m able to position myself in certain areas where I don’t have to do as much running and as much high-speed running, but I’m in an area where I can affect the game because I know my reading of the game is very good.”
In training too, as an experienced player, he is granted leeway by manager John Doolan.
“If I say I need to do something, he won’t question it. He would understand that I know my body the best.”
Today is technically not Conneely’s first visit to Anfield. Despite being a boyhood Newcastle fan, he went to a game where the Reds played Man City a few years ago and on a tour of the ground with his two boys on a separate occasion.
Inevitably due to his age, Conneely has not been played as often “as I would like to” this season, though he has still managed 18 appearances in all competitions.
The upcoming match will be the most high-profile he has been involved in during his long career, though there have been other games — promotion run-ins or relegation playoffs — where “the result has mattered more to me personally”.
Even though it is likely to be an understrength Liverpool, an Accrington win would certainly represent one of the greatest shocks in FA Cup history.
“I think we’d have to play exceptionally well,” he says. “They’d have to have an off day, and we would need a lot of luck.”
With 5,000 travelling fans expected to sell out the away end, Conneely is hopeful his team can at least deliver a strong performance.
“I’d like to think we could give our fans something to cheer about and send them home proud to be an Accy fan, proud to have been there on that day when Accrington played against Liverpool because it was a decent game.
“And hopefully, I’ll get on the pitch, and be able to say for the rest of my life that I played at Anfield.”
In League Two, it has been a difficult season for Accrington, as illustrated by their current position of 19th — five points above the relegation zone.
A miserable December saw them take one point from five games, but they have picked up two wins on the trot since then.
The Liverpool fixture represents a nice distraction from the pressures of an inconsistent campaign.
“The older I get, the more I understand the significance of how important it is that Accrington Stanley remain in the Football League,” says Conneely.
“If we were to fall out, we wouldn’t be able to throw a lot of money at it, as you’ve seen, maybe in past seasons with Wrexham or Chesterfield teams to make sure they get promoted.
“Our owner would not allow us to do that. He likes to run the club responsibly. He likes to run it without running it at a loss.
“So if we were to fall out of the league, it would be difficult to get back. I understand the importance, and I have been very aware of my responsibility as captain to ensure the players know how important it is to remain in the league.”
So as enjoyable as this afternoon might prove, Conneely has no hesitation in acknowledging that survival matters more.
On one level, they have already won by being drawn with the Premier League giants.
Conneely reckons the game will be worth around “half a million,” which is big money for a team of Accrington’s stature.
“We’ll be in profit for the year just from this one game. And hopefully, the chairman and the board can reinvest that money into the facilities around the ground, which they’ve been doing over the last few years and into the squad as well, in particular, because, we’ve got to make sure we improve our form in the second half of the season.”
Premier League stars are often perceived as ‘living in a bubble’ but you get the sense that it is not the case with Conneely and co at Accrington.
It is a small club — the Crown Ground has a capacity of 5,450 — and players meeting fans in the bar after the game is not an uncommon sight.
“I feel a responsibility as a captain as well because the fan base is small, but they’re very loyal, and it’s the same people week in, week out.
“So then you get to know them, and they get to know you, and when they see you off the pitch after a game or in and around the town, they’ll stop and chat.
“It’s probably something you don’t get at a bigger club, there’s a bit more distance, between the fans and the players.
“We’re seen as a community club, a lot of the time we mingle, which is very special, especially when you have good times.”
From a personal perspective, Conneely has another reason to try to ensure his career ends on a high.
“My seven-year-old has really got into football, and he’s taken a keen interest in all types of football, but particularly Accrington Stanley and he gets upset when we lose — that has affected me more than I ever thought it would do.
“I’ll be playing a game sometimes, and we might be losing, and my mind will drift to him watching the game, either in the stands, or following at home, and I know that he’ll be upset because he’s only seven and his emotions are all over the place, and that does bother me.
“I feel an extra responsibility to try and win games, as if the responsibility wasn’t heavy enough, so that’s something I’ve had to learn to deal with and to carry as best I can.”
Meanwhile, Conneely has already started to prepare for life after football — he is currently doing his coaching badges.
Whatever happens next, he admits to exceeding his expectations compared to when he originally moved to the club on an 18-month contract in January 2015, with the highlight being winning the title and gaining promotion to League One in 2018 while sharing a pitch with several past and future Premier League stars.
“I would say that you have to believe in yourself. I don’t want that to come across as a cliché. But that’s exactly what I didn’t do when I went to Sheffield United. I didn’t believe in myself. I didn’t have the confidence. But once I came to Accrington, I did have the belief and confidence because I knew the manager wanted me.
“The manager had brought me from Sligo to Accrington, which was a big thing for me. So if you can have that inner belief, that inner steel, exactly what Seamus Coleman had when he came over, you can make it, and you have to trust in yourself, believe in yourself, and that is the main thing to get you going.
“I think I was always on a slow incline from 16-18, I was slowly getting better. But nothing that might catch the eye, whereas I think some lads might peak when they’re 17 or 18, and then they’re on a slow decline after that.
“I always felt like I was the opposite, and that’s why I was able to maintain certain levels and have a career — nothing spectacular, but just a long career where some boys might peak and have a fantastic season or two, and then it drops and declines from that. So I always felt like I was a little bit different to most players in that regard.”
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