Seanan Clucas on Playing in the EFL, NIFL memories and League Cup success

You are currently at Carrick Rangers having joined the club in the summer. How are you enjoying your time at the club so far?

 

“I have really enjoyed it so far. At this stage of my career, I am combining playing with working for Team FeePay as a Regional Manager for the Midlands and Ireland which is a role that I am really enjoying too.

 

“I am 32 now but I still feel fit to continue playing for a number of years. I used to think that I wanted to play until the age of 40 but have a young son now which has changed my priorities so I am not sure that I will play on for that long, however, I do not plan to stop anytime soon.

 

“Hopefully, I can continue to contribute positively to Carrick for the next couple of years as I have another two years on my contract here.”

 

You began your football journey in Dungannon before making the move across the water to join Preston North End. Reflecting on your time there, what are your standout memories of playing for such a historic and well-regarded club in English football?

 

“Yeah, it was massive. When I went to the Championship, Jamie Hoyland and Dean Ramsdale were my youth team managers. It was a big change, obviously, moving away from home at 16. I said it in a previous interview, I think I was lucky because I never really got homesick. There were eight lads from Northern Ireland, so it was almost like a home away from home, which really helped me settle in. I just loved my time there.

 

“Like I said, it was a big change, but I was a big Liverpool fan. When I first went through the door, I remember walking past some of the first-team players. Neil Mellor was standing there, and I always just remember him, you know, the Mellor “lovely cushion header, Gerrard!” goal. I was just a bit taken aback to see these stars up close and personal. It was brilliant. I really, really enjoyed my time at Preston.”

 

You had a loan spell at Burton Albion while at Preston, how do you reflect on that?

 

“Yeah, Burton was during my first year in the Championship. My ACL had just healed, so I went on loan to Burton. My agent sorted the move, but I think I was only there for about a month. I was living out of a suitcase in a hotel, down there on my own.

 

“If you’ve ever been to Burton, it’s not the best of places. I was going to training, then back to the hotel, and it was horrible. I didn’t enjoy it. Living out of a suitcase was tough, mate. I was really isolated and on my own. I didn’t know anybody, and it wasn’t like I was going back to digs with a couple of lads. So, no, the Burton loan didn’t really work out the way I envisioned it.”

 

After leaving Preston, you joined Bristol Rovers, what was your time there like?

 

“Mark McGhee was keen to bring me to Bristol Rovers and it felt like a good move at that time. I think there was even a time when Stoke were interested in me. 

 

“They were about to place a bid of a couple of hundred grand. Tony Pulis was there, and it was when the Premier League Under-23 system was starting. My agent didn’t tell me about Stoke at the time, though. I’d just done my ACL, and he didn’t tell me until years later. It was a shock when I found out.

 

“At Bristol, I played some really good football. I ended up coming back after my ACL, but unfortunately, we got relegated. The club had to make cuts to the budget. I was in my last year, and they decided to stick with Ollie Clarke and Tom Lockyer. Ollie’s now at Swindon, and Tom’s done really well at Luton.

 

“Their decision was probably right for the club, but for me, it was difficult. Finding a club was tough after that. People always say it’s difficult for players from here when they’re in England. It’s not like you’ve got a place to call home. In League Two, you’re not on big money, so it’s hard to sort yourself out.”

 

You went to Linfield after that, and it was a bit of a rocky period for you, mentally, in terms of football. When you went back home, was that something you wanted to do, or were you still determined to stay in England?

 

“I didn’t really want to go back home. But at that stage, where else do you go? I thought if I went to Linfield, maybe I could play there and then find my way back to England. It was a time of uncertainty, though. It was tough being back home.”

 

After Linfield and then Derry, you returned to Dungannon. But before that, you went to Australia for a period. What was your thought process around that?

 

“I just wasn’t enjoying being back home. I was used to being in bigger cities—living in Preston, being close to Manchester and Liverpool. Then I came back home, and it was just different.

 

“I ended up going to Australia to clear my head. I had trials lined up, and I even signed with a team in Adelaide. I just wanted to travel and do the things you can’t do as a footballer—like going on mates’ holidays or experiencing university life.

 

“But after about 11 and a half months, I realized I needed structure and routine. I was going from place to place, and one morning I just woke up and thought, “I need to refocus.” Then Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree called me and said he wanted me to come back to Dungannon. Credit to them—they paid for my flights home and looked after me.”

 

What was it like playing for Dungannon’s first team and working with Rod?

 

“He’s the best manager that I have ever worked under—not just as a coach, but as a manager. He’s approachable, direct, and knows when to lose his temper. He gets players playing for him, which is massive.

 

“Rod’s honest, and he knows when to kick you or put his arm around you. Dungannon doesn’t have the biggest budget—probably the smallest in the league—but he always punches above his weight.”

 

Dungannon Swifts are not a team that are expected to win major trophies. What was the atmosphere like when you did?

 

“It was amazing. It was huge for the club and for the town. Dungannon doesn’t have a massive support base, but the loyal fans who come every week—it meant the world to them. It was definitely one of the proudest moments of my career.”

 

Finally, Seanan, you represented Northern Ireland at various levels. How proud were you of that?

 

“It was always nice to be called up and represent your country. From the Under-17s through to the Under-21s, it was like the cherry on top. For me, though, club football was always the priority.

 

“During my team with the Northern Ireland youth teams I worked with Stephen Robinson who is now at St Mirren. He was brilliant. He always looked after me, especially when I was recovering from my ACL. He’s a great coach and a hard worker. I’m delighted to see him doing well at St Mirren.”

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Featured image: Carrick Rangers Football Club