You were most recently at Newry City as first team coach under Barry Gray. How do you reflect on your time at the club?
“Firstly, I am grateful for the opportunity to work at a higher level within the game. Moving into the role of first-team coach was an invaluable experience, even if, ultimately, it was not the right fit for me.
“When Barry was removed from his position, it was almost inevitable that the coaching staff would leave alongside him. Taking on the role was a bit of a risk from the beginning, but at the time, it felt like a step I needed to take.
“This position represented a considerable step up from where I had been, as Crumlin was still developing the kind of structure that Newry already had in place. This experience also clarified for me that my preference would be to manage a team myself. As a manager, you are responsible for making key decisions, while as part of the coaching staff, you are there to support—sometimes even when you may not fully agree with the direction set by the manager. In Barry’s case, there were times when I had different views, yet as part of his team, I could not always express those thoughts freely.
“Overall, my time at Newry was a valuable learning experience that highlighted the differences between managing and coaching and helped me understand the role where I believe I can make the most impact.”
Given your previous role as manager at Crumlin, combined with the insights you have gained as a coach with Newry, do you feel well-prepared to step into your next opportunity—whether that’s as a head coach once more or as part of a coaching team?
“Yes, I have had several offers since leaving Newry, but I am being careful not to rush into anything. It is essential for me to ensure that the next opportunity aligns with my long-term goals. My aspiration is definitely to establish myself as a manager in my own right. At the same time, I recognise that I’m still relatively young, and it is not common to see clubs take a chance on a young manager.
“Most of my managerial experience has been in the amateur leagues, specifically at Crumlin. Looking back now, I realise that while you are in the role, especially in a 24/7 capacity, it is hard to fully appreciate what you are achieving in the moment. But after stepping back post-Newry, I’m genuinely proud of the work I accomplished at Crumlin.
“Newry, in contrast, was an eye-opener—it showed me how quickly things can shift at higher levels. One day, you are there on Saturday evening, and by Sunday afternoon, it is over. That is a tough reality, but it has taught me a lot about resilience and adaptability as I move forward in my career.”
Reflecting on your playing career, you have a wealth of valuable experiences to draw from. I’d love to hear more about your time at Cliftonville, particularly under the management of Tommy Breslin. You had two stints with the club, but what was it like working with him and being part of the success, you achieved together?
“Growing up as a Cliftonville supporter, playing for the club and achieving what we did felt like a dream come true. It was incredible to have the success I did as a player, especially during that unforgettable Champions League game against Celtic—the team I also support. Moments like that are everything I’d hoped for as a Cliftonville fan, and they all came to life during my time with the club.
“We had a truly unique group of players, with a squad culture that was unlike anything I have experienced before. Tommy Breslin was the heart of that culture for me. Before taking the job at Crumlin, I relied heavily on his advice, both personally and professionally, as I considered the move. He genuinely believed it was something I could handle, and much of my own managerial approach is rooted in his style.
“Some people in football talk about maintaining a certain distance from the players, and at times managers have been criticised at times for being ‘too close’ to them. But I always thought, “It never held Tommy back.” He was incredibly successful with that approach. He was a rare and remarkable person, and his absence is felt deeply. Not a day goes by without thinking of him and missing him.”
You have had a rich playing career across the Irish League, working with successful managers like Gary Hamilton at Glenavon, and spending time at clubs like Glentoran, Cliftonville, and Larne. How have your experiences, both at rising clubs and established ones, shaped you?
“Playing for Glenavon felt like the right move after I sensed my time at Cliftonville was coming to an end. We had a successful season, qualifying for European football under Gary Hamilton. Gary’s management style was unique; as a player, he was brilliant, and his approach to managing was not too far off from Tommy’s.
“In the Irish League, no matter who you are, if you say you do not have ambitions to play for Glentoran or Linfield, you are not being entirely honest. They are the two biggest clubs in the country. Growing up, whenever you watched Irish League football, it was always about Glentoran and Linfield. During my playing career, things shifted a bit with Crusaders and Cliftonville competing heavily, but playing for Glentoran was still something I am very proud of. It would have been the same pride if I’d played for Linfield.
“At Glentoran, the club was in a transitional phase, and we had multiple managers. Eddie Patterson, who signed me to Cliftonville, brought me over to Glentoran. Then came Alan Kernaghan, a fantastic player. After that, Gary Haveron, who was similar to me in personality and also young, took over briefly. Finally, Roy Coyle, a legend of the game, came in as an interim manager.
“My time at Glentoran was positive, though we had some tough losses. We fell to Cliftonville in two European playoffs, and I always say that winning those would have been a huge financial boost for the club, allowing us to attract stronger players. We finished fourth or fifth—not as low as eighth or ninth—but for Glentoran, even fourth or fifth is not good enough.”
Finally, Ciaran, with your depth of playing and coaching experience, it’s clear that you are passionate about the game and eager to get back in.
Would you say it is now about carefully finding the right opportunity and being ready to dive in, drawing on everything you have learned over the past 15 to 20 years?
“Yes, I am eager to get back into the game, but I know I cannot be impulsive. Football is everything to me—I live and breathe it. I am constantly talking about it, watching games. I make sure that I keep up to speed with the League of Ireland and football across the NIFL pyramid too.
“Some people say I retired early, but I made my debut at 16 and played 10 to 11 years at the top level. I always knew I wanted to stay involved, and my time at Crumlin gave me a real hunger to become a successful manager in this country, or even at a full-time level. I am ambitious and have set targets to manage at a certain level by a certain age, but I will not jump into a role just for the sake of it—it must be the right fit.
“Across 23 years in first-team football, I have always focused on the group, not on myself. I worked to build a culture where players, despite not being paid, genuinely enjoyed coming to training. The camaraderie in the dressing room reminded me of Cliftonville, and that unity was a huge part of our success.
“I am particularly proud that players from Crumlin have gone on to play in the Irish League. We even reached the fifth round against Larne in the Irish Cup, which brought valuable revenue. And with players like Fiontan O’Boyle moving to Ballymena, Crumlin gained financial benefits. Starting at that level was invaluable, but I also knew I could not stay in one place forever. It was a tough choice to leave, but there comes a time when you have to be driven to move forward and pursue new goals.”
Featured image: Crumlin United
Callum McFadden 
