George O'Callaghan

Football player infobox
playername = George O'Callaghan


fullname = George Paul O'Callaghan, Jr.
height = height|meters=1.85
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1979|9|5
cityofbirth = Cork
countryofbirth = Republic of Ireland
currentclub = Tranmere Rovers
clubnumber = 8
position = Attacking Midfielder
youthyears = 1995–1998
youthclubs = Port Vale
years = 1998–2002
2002–2007
2007–2008
2007
2008
2008–
clubs = Port Vale
Cork City
Ipswich Town
→ Brighton & Hove Albion (loan)
Cork City
Tranmere Rovers
caps(goals) = 034 0(4)
150 (23)
011 0(1)
014 0(0)
015 0(7)
000 0(0)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 19:59, 9 July 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate =

George Paul O'Callaghan, Jr., (born 5 September 1979 in Cork, County Cork) is an Irish football player who plays as an attacking midfielder for Tranmere Rovers. As well as being a midfielder, O'Callaghan can also play as a striker.

Widely known as 'The King', George is a true number 10.

Port Vale

O'Callaghan went on trial with Port Vale at the age of 16 and was signed up almost immediately. After two years, the Corkman was offered a professional contract. O'Callaghan was a regular in the side in the 1998–99 season, until John Rudge was sacked. Brian Horton took over as manager and O'Callaghan was put back into the youth squad. 13 months later, he made a return to the senior squad, scoring in a draw with Crewe Alexandra. He stayed in the side for the rest of the season and signed a new two year deal with the club despite an offer from Tottenham Hotspur.Fact|date=February 2008 Port Vale were relegated to League 1 that year. O'Callaghan was top scorer 7 games into the 2000–01 season but was suddenly dropped after a 3–0 loss to Cardiff City. It would be his last game for Port Vale.

Cork City 2002–2006

He returned home to Cork in 2002 after his contract ended at Port Vale. Shortly after, he signed for his hometown club Cork City making his debut in the opening game of the 20002–03 season against Shelbourne in 3–0 home win in which he scored. Together with new signing John O'Flynn, they formed a notable striking partnership. Following the arrival of Neale Fenn in 2004, O'Callaghan was moved to midfield by then manager Pat Dolan, to accommodate the new player.

In 2005, Cork City picked up their first League title in 12 years and O'Callaghan picked up a winners medal. He scored 11 goals in all competitions and was also announced as the eircom League Player of the Year for 2005.

Ipswich Town

In October 2006, O'Callaghan joined English club Ipswich Town on trial with a view to a permanent deal. He remained training at Ipswich for the following two months, unable to formally sign because of UEFA's transfer window system. In mid-January 2007, the clubs finally negotiated a deal despite strong words on both sides, concluding in an undisclosed fee (speculated to be around £60,000) which saw him sign an 18-month contract with Ipswich. On his full Ipswich debut he was sent off playing in the FA Cup against Watford, after an alleged stamp on defender Danny Shittu, but Ipswich viewed the red card as harsh, and O'Callaghan's club announced that they would contest referee Steve Bennett's decision to show the red card. The case was heard at an appeals panel and the decision reached was to allow O'Callaghan to escape a further three match ban. On May 7, 2007 O'Callaghan scored his first goal for Ipswich in the 5-1 win over Barnsley.

On 21 January, 2008 after only playing 12 games for Ipswich, he was released. [Cite web
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/i/ipswich_town/7201082.stm
title = Ipswich to let O'Callaghan leave
date = 21 January, 2008
accessdate= 2008-01-21
publisher = BBC Sport]

aga at Brighton

In August 2007, Ipswich agreed terms with Brighton & Hove Albion to sell O'Callaghan for around £60,000, rising to £75,000 based on appearances, although this transfer fell through as the club and player were unable to reach an agreement on personal terms, but the player did move to the Withdean on loan until the end of December 2007 [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/brighton/6969368.stm O'Callaghan joins Brighton] "BBC Football", 31 August 2007. Retrieved 12 July 2008] . He rejected the chance to sign permanently at Brighton, stating that chairman Dick Knight was being unrealistic with the wages he was offering O'Callaghan and fellow striker Bas Savage. Both players left the club at the end of December 2007.

Cork City 2008

On 31 January, 2008 O'Callaghan returned home to Cork City] signing a three year deal under new manager Alan Mathews. O'Callaghan made his debut in a friendly against Shelbourne on 7 February. He then made his competitive debut against Dungannon Swifts in the Setanta Cup on February 26, scoring two goals.

Tranmere Rovers

After only half a season at Cork City, it was announced on July 9 that O'Callaghan, along with ex-teammate Bas Savage, had joined Tranmere Rovers on a two year contract.His wife has recentley given birth to their first child, a daughter named Sadie [Cite web
url = http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11733_3803129,00.html
title = Rovers seal double deal
date = 9 July, 2008
accessdate= 2008-07-09
publisher = Sky Sports]

Club honours summary

*Winners
** Football League Trophy (2000-01)
** Munster Senior Cup (2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05)
** eircom League (2005)

*Runners Up
** eircom League (2004)
** FAI Cup (2005)
** Setanta Sports Cup (2006)

Awards

* Port Vale FC Young Player Of The Year (1997)
* eircom League Player Of The Year (2005)

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=15089|name=George O'Callaghan
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eMN9RxJHqk Highlights package containing many George O'Callaghan goals.]