Sean Flynn (footballer)

Sean Michael Flynn (born 13 March 1968) is an English football coach and former professional player who played as a midfielder.

Sean Flynn
Personal information
Full name Sean Michael Flynn[1]
Date of birth (1968-03-13) 13 March 1968 (age 56)[1]
Place of birth Birmingham, England[1]
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1988–1991

Halesowen Town

Apps 188 Goals 44
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1991–1995 Coventry City 97 (9)
1995–1997 Derby County 59 (3)
1997Stoke City (loan) 5 (0)
1997–2000 West Bromwich Albion 109 (7)
2000–2002 Tranmere Rovers 66 (6)
2002–2003 Kidderminster Harriers 51 (2)
2003–2004 Evesham United
2004–2005 Redditch United
2005 Evesham United
2005–2008 Redditch United
2008–2009 Bodmin Town
2009 Mullion
2009–2011 Falmouth Town
2011–2012 Penzance
2012 Falmouth Town
Total 387 (27)
Managerial career
2009–2018 Mullion
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Flynn played in the Premier League for Coventry City and Derby County, and in the Football League for Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion and Tranmere Rovers and Kidderminster Harriers. He then moved into non-league football with clubs including Evesham United, Redditch United, Bodmin Town and Falmouth Town.

He was briefly player/manager of Mullion as well as holding various coaching roles at other clubs he has played for in recent years.

Playing career

edit

Coventry City

edit

Flynn signed for Coventry City from non-league Halesowen Town in December 1991 and made his debut in August of the following year as a second-half substitute for David Smith in a 2–1 Premier League victory over Middlesbrough at Highfield Road, eventually going on to record 105 games and 10 goals for the Sky Blues over the next 5 years. In August 1995, after being told by then-Coventry manager Ron Atkinson, that he was no longer required at the club.

Derby County

edit

Flynn dropped a division to Division One to become one of Jim Smith's first signings at Derby County for a fee of £250,000.[3] Flynn's time at Derby proved to be successful as he was part of the side which finished runner-up to Sunderland in the 1995–96 Division One table and earn promotion to the FA Premier League for the first time. Flynn started the Premier League campaign in the Derby first team, scoring an 80th-minute winner at Blackburn Rovers in Derby's 5th game of the season to earn them their maiden win of a season which saw the Rams eventually finish 12th, but eventually found himself pushed to the fringes of the Derby squad, and joined Stoke City on loan in March 1997 where he made five appearances. After 65 games and 3 goals for Derby.

Later career

edit

Flynn made the switch to his boyhood club West Bromwich Albion for a fee of £260,000 in August 1997.

As a West Bromwich Albion fan, one of the highlights of his career was when he captained the team. He played 122 games and scored 8 goals for the Baggies. In July 2000, Flynn moved on a free transfer to Tranmere Rovers[4] and spent two years there playing 82 games and scoring 11 goals in all competitions. Flynn signed for Kidderminster Harriers in August 2002 on a free transfer and made 57 appearances scoring two goals before leaving in the September 2003.

Non League

edit

Flynn played 436 games and scored 34 goals in his years as a pro footballer. He joined Evesham United in 2003, staying until 2004 when he moved to Redditch United. He had moved back to Evesham and then back again to Redditch by 2005 and eventually stayed with Redditch until 2008.

As well as running his business he joined Bodmin Town in 2008 where he went on to win a league and cup domestic treble, as well as player of the year, managers player of the year and supporters player of the year. In 2009, he joined Mullion as player/manager but left shortly afterward to team up with former Bodmin manager Alan Carey at Falmouth Town. Carey appointed Flynn as player/assistant manager and he remained with the club until joining Penzance in 2011. He returned to Falmouth as a player in March 2012.

Coaching career

edit

In January 2009, Flynn was appointed manager of Cornwall-based Jolly Combination League side Mullion FC.[5]

Career statistics

edit

Source:[6]

Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Coventry City 1991–92 First Division 22 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 22 2
1992–93 Premier League 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
1993–94 Premier League 36 3 1 0 2 0 0 0 39 3
1994–95 Premier League 32 4 2 0 3 1 0 0 37 5
Total 97 9 3 0 5 1 0 0 105 10
Derby County 1995–96 First Division 42 2 1 0 3 0 0 0 46 2
1996–97 Premier League 17 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 19 1
Total 59 3 3 0 3 0 0 0 65 3
Stoke City (loan) 1996–97 First Division 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Total 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
West Bromwich Albion 1997–98 First Division 35 2 1 0 4 0 0 0 40 2
1998–99 First Division 38 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 41 2
1999–2000 First Division 36 4 0 0 5 1 0 0 41 5
Total 109 7 2 0 11 1 0 0 122 7
Tranmere Rovers 2000–01 First Division 35 1 4 0 5 0 0 0 44 1
2001–02 Second Division 31 5 4 3 3 2 0 0 38 10
Total 66 6 8 3 8 2 0 0 82 11
Kidderminster Harriers 2002–03 Third Division 45 2 1 0 1 0 3 0 50 2
2003–04 Third Division 6 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 7 0
Total 51 2 1 0 2 0 3 0 57 2
Career total 387 28 17 3 33 4 3 0 440 35
A. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals in the Football League Trophy.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Sean Flynn". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Sean Flynn Profile". Tranmere Rovers F.C. Archived from the original on 6 March 2001. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  3. ^ Ridley, Ian (13 August 1995). "Club-by-club guide: The prospects, the players to watch, the arrivals and departures". The Independent. London. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  4. ^ "Signing Number Four". Tranmere Rovers F.C. 13 July 2000. Archived from the original on 9 March 2001. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  5. ^ "Mullion name ex-Baggies captain Sean Flynn as new manager".
  6. ^ Sean Flynn at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
edit