Eamonn Bannon

Football manager infobox
playername = Eamonn Bannon


fullname = Eamonn John Bannon
height = height|ft=5|in=9
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|df=yes|1958|4|18
cityofbirth = Edinburgh
countryofbirth = Scotland
currentclub =
position = Midfield
years = 1976–79 1979 1979–88 1988–93 1993–94 1995–96
clubs = Hearts Chelsea F.C. Dundee United Hearts Hibernian Stenhousemuir Spartans
caps(goals) = 071 (19) 025 0(1) 290 (71) 114 0(9) 001 0(0) 029 0(1) 0n/a
nationalyears = 1979–86
nationalteam = Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 011 0(1)
manageryears = 1996
managerclubs = Falkirk

Eamonn John Bannon born (18 April 1958 in Edinburgh) is a former Scottish football player who played in midfield.

He was an outstanding left-sided midfield player who was quick and an excellent passer of the ball. He is best known for his career with Dundee United, who at the time were regarded as one of the strongest clubs in Britain. He began his career with Hearts before moving to Chelsea in 1979. He was bought to replace the departing Ray Wilkins and soon found himself a first team regular. He was seen as Chelsea's playmaker by manager Danny Blanchflower.

Blanchflower, however, was sacked after a poor run for the club and he was replaced by Geoff Hurst. Although initially selected by Hurst, Bannon gradually slipped down the order at Chelsea and was sold in October, 1979 to Dundee United for £165,000, a then Scottish transfer record and a bargain for manager Jim McLean.

He made his debut for Dundee United F.C. against Raith Rovers in the League Cup in a 0-0 draw but scored in only his second game for the club and helped Dundee United win the Scottish League Cup, their first national trophy in season 1979-80. They repeated this feat the following season, with Bannon again, a key player.

Dundee United were now becoming a major threat to the more established Scottish clubs at the time like Rangers, Celtic and Aberdeen. They narrowly lost their third consecutive Scottish League Cup final to Rangers and also lost the Scottish Cup final in the same season. The following year United won the Scottish League title for the first time, with Bannon, now the regular penalty taker, the midfield talisman. They maintained a regular top five placing in succeeding seasons.

Bannon remained a key figure in a great United side that went on to reach a European Cup semi-final, (narrowly losing to A.S. Roma of Italy), a UEFA Cup final, (losing 2-1 on aggregate to IFK Göteborg of Sweden) and the Scottish Cup finals of 1985, 1987 and 1988. They lost in all of these finals, and the Scottish Cup was the only domestic trophy Bannon failed to win in his career.

The 1988 Scottish Cup final defeat to Celtic was Bannon's last match for Dundee United.

A scorer of goals and a maker of many, Bannon scored what is arguably the best goal ever scored at Tannadice. The fifth goal against German side Borussia Mönchengladbach where he "ran half the length of the pitch with the Germans in his wake" before slotting past the goalkeeper, is regarded by many as the finest they have seen.

He is rightfully regarded as a club legend at United for all his achievements in the golden era of the club.

He played out his career with his first club Hearts and with city rivals Hibs. Bannon also played for Stenhousemuir and helped them win the Scottish Challenge Cup final at McDiarmid Park in 1995, defeating his old club Dundee United, who had been relegated to the first division that season, 5-4 on penalties.

Bannon was also a Scotland international, making his international debut in 1979 and winning 11 caps for his country. His final two games for Scotland came at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico where he was a substitute in the defeat to Denmark and played a large part of their next match against West Germany. It was in this game he had an outstanding shot from the edge of the box spectacularly saved by German goalkeeper Harald Schumacher. Scotland went on to lose the match 2-1, and Bannon was not included in the squad for the final group match against Uruguay. His only international goal came in 1983 against East Germany.

His nephew, Paul Telfer, is also a footballer, and until recently played in defence for Celtic F.C.

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