Jim Gannon
James Paul Gannon is a professional football manager and former player. He started and finished his career as a player in Ireland but made most of his professional appearances in the English Football League at Stockport County, where supporters elected him as a member of the Hall of Fame.
Gannon began his playing career at Dundalk but moved to the English club Sheffield United in 1989. The next year, he transferred to Stockport County, following a short loan spell with Halifax Town. He spent the next ten years at Stockport, becoming one of the club's most loyal servants, and helped the club to second-place finishes in both the Second Division and Fourth Division, as well as two Football League Trophy finals. After leaving the club in 2000, he spent a season with Crewe Alexandra, before returning to Ireland with Shelbourne, winning two League of Ireland Premier Division titles in his three years there.
Starting a career in management, he took charge of his first club Dundalk in 2004. After a season in Ireland, he returned to Stockport County as manager. There, he led the club to promotion from League Two via the play-offs in 2008. Leading County to safety in League One despite a ten-point deduction for entering administration, he lost his job as part of a cost-cutting measure. Heading to Scottish Premier League side Motherwell, he managed the club in the Europa League, but left after just 25 games in charge. He took charge of Championship side Peterborough United in 2010. Still, he stayed at the struggling club for only two months, turning down a four-year contract. In January 2011, he was appointed manager of Port Vale but lasted just ten weeks. He returned to Stockport in November 2011 as the club's director of football and manager before being sacked in January 2013. He took charge at Northwich Victoria in December 2013. He spent just over two years with Northwich before returning to manage Stockport County for the third time in January 2016. He led the club to promotion as National League North champions at the end of the 2018–19 season. He left Stockport in January 2021 and took charge at Hyde United for a short spell eight months later.
Early life
Gannon was born in Southwark, South London and moved with his family to Ireland at a young age. His father was a painter and decorator, and his mother was a cleaner. He considers himself to be a "working class Irish Catholic". He served in the Irish Army as a teenager and was asked to go on a training course for the Army Ranger Wing, though rejected the opportunity as it would mean giving up football. He had to buy himself out of the Army so as to play football professionally in England.Playing career
Early career
In 1987, he received his start in higher-level football with Irish club Dundalk. Whilst with the club he played in both the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, in a highly successful period in the club's history. During his spell at the club, they did the Irish double, winning both the FAI Cup and topping the League of Ireland Premier Division in 1987–88. His performances for Dundalk earned him a £70,000 move to Sheffield United in April 1989. However, he was unable to break into the first team at Bramall Lane. He spent a brief time in 1989–90 on loan at struggling Halifax Town, making two appearances for the club.Stockport County
In 1990, he moved to Stockport County, who paid United between £40,000 and £75,000 for his services. He remained at the club for ten years, during which the club would win promotion on two occasions, and make four Wembley appearances. On 10 March 1993, Gannon verbally abused Stoke City player Mark Stein, who reacted by assaulting Gannon. Stein was later required to appear in court for the attack after Gannon made a formal complaint to the police. The two players' confrontation continued the following month after Gannon's then-girlfriend spat at Stein in a post-match interview. Stein was given a conditional discharge after the court accepted he was under "extreme provocation" from what he claimed was racial abuse.During his early days at the club Gannon was criticised by supporters for his performances. However, he won them over after moving from centre-half to become a goalscoring midfielder. Stockport fans named him 'The Ghost', due to his knack of "ghosting" in at the back of the box to score from crosses. He was also nicknamed "Big Jimbo".
In 1990–91, County achieved promotion from the Fourth Division as runners-up. In 1992, Gannon made his first trip to Wembley Stadium, as Stockport lost 1–0 to Stoke City in the Football League Trophy final. During the same season, Stockport also reached the Third Division play-off final, but were defeated at Wembley. The following year, County again reached the Football League Trophy final but lost 2–1 to Port Vale. In January 1994, Gannon joined Notts County for a brief loan spell to help him overcome some personal problems. Returning to Stockport, he finished the season with his fourth trip to Wembley in two years, as County were denied promotion from the Second Division by a 2–1 defeat to Burnley. The team finally achieved promotion from the division in 1996–97 as runners-up. This promotion was built on a strong defence, of which Gannon and fellow centre-back Sean Connelly were a major part. The following season, County achieved an eighth-place finish in the First Division. He played under the management of Danny Bergara, Dave Jones, Gary Megson, and Andy Kilner.
On 21 March 2000, during a game with Manchester City, he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligaments, keeping him out of action for several months. He was awarded a testimonial match against Manchester City in August 2000, but got into a dispute with the club over the financial arrangements. He then left the club in November 2000, and issued employment tribunal proceedings for unfair dismissal.
Later career
The following month he joined Dario Gradi's Crewe Alexandra on non-contract terms. After ten games with Crewe, he returned to Ireland.Following a break from football to obtain qualifications in accountancy, Gannon signed with Shelbourne in August 2001. Despite being appointed as captain upon his arrival, he initially struggled to get into the first-team during the 2001–02 League Championship winning season, and considered a move back to England. However, he found himself a key member of the defence when new manager Pat Fenlon took over. Under Fenlon, Gannon helped the "Shels" to a second-place finish in 2002–03, and also played in the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds, scoring past Hibernians in a 2–2 draw at the Ta' Qali National Stadium. He did not feature extensively in the club's 2003 League Championship winning side.
Gannon holds a unique record of having scored in all four English divisions, the FA Cup, the League Cup, the Full Members Cup, the English Football League play-offs, the League of Ireland, the FAI Cup, the League of Ireland Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. He has received two distinguished honours from Stockport's supporters since leaving the club – being elected to the Stockport Hall of Fame and as Honorary Vice President of the Hatters Independent Supporters Club. His 479 club appearances put him in third spot in Stockport's all-time appearance list, and his 65 goals are ninth in their scoring records.
Managerial career
Dundalk
In June 2004, he was appointed to his first managerial post, taking charge of Dundalk, the first club in Gannon's professional playing career. The side finished sixth in the League of Ireland First Division in the 2004 season. On 14 November 2005, Gannon confirmed his resignation from Dundalk after his position had been questioned as his chief supporters, vice-chairman Tom Baldwin and chief executive Sean Connolly, left the club. This left Dundalk without a manager for their final match of the 2005 season, in which they had already secured a comfortable mid-table position in Ireland's second tier of association football. Before Gannon's departure, the team had drawn ten consecutive matches.Stockport County
2005–06
In November 2005, Gannon was appointed as director of Stockport County's Centre of Excellence for girls. After the resignation of Chris Turner as Stockport County manager on Boxing Day 2005, Gannon was appointed as caretaker manager with the team nine points adrift of safety at the bottom of League Two, facing potential relegation from the Football League.County went undefeated in Gannon's first four league games in charge. After three weeks, this upturn in results saw Gannon offered the job full-time, which allowed him to guide County to safety. The club won more than twice as many points in the second half of the season than in the first. Believing that safety would be assured on the final day of the season, he was proved correct as they managed to avoid relegation with a final day draw with champions Carlisle United. Comparisons were made to Sam Allardyce. As a committed Stockport fan, he was already regarded by many Stockport supporters as a legend at the club for his ten years as a player. After delaying talks, he accepted a one-year rolling contract in the summer.
2006–07
At the beginning of the 2006–07 season, Gannon and Stockport announced they had drawn up a five-year plan to take the club to the Championship. Results on the field followed this statement of intent, with Gannon leading County to a League record nine consecutive victories without conceding a goal. Gannon lodged a complaint with The Football Association against Bristol Rovers when a fixture was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, as he felt not enough was done to ready the pitch, and also a complaint about the referee's handling of the situation. Gannon was later incensed with the FA when the same referee was allowed to take charge of the postponed fixture, which Rovers won 2–1. Gannon also branded approaches from Manchester City and Liverpool "questionable" and "unprofessional" after the two Premier League clubs swooped for youngsters being trained in Stockport County's development squads.During the season, Gannon and Stockport began to form a close relationship with Alan Lord, the founder of Football Development School ProFootball4u. Anthony Pilkington, who began to feature in County's first team in the second half of this season, was developed through Lord's school. At the end of the season, Lord was taken on at County as a scout and development team coach; he would later follow Gannon to Motherwell.
County missed out on the League Two play-offs due to results on the final day of the season, missing out on goal difference despite a 5–0 victory over Darlington.