Seán Dillon Explained

Seán Dillon
Upright:0.8
Birth Date:1983 7, df=yes
Birth Place:Dublin, Ireland
Position:Defender
Currentclub:Montrose (player-coach)
Clubnumber:14
Youthclubs1:Cherry Orchard[1]
Youthyears2:1999–2002
Youthclubs2:Aston Villa
Years1:2002–2005
Clubs1:Longford Town
Years2:2006
Clubs2:Shelbourne
Caps2:29
Goals2:0
Years3:2007–2017
Clubs3:Dundee United
Caps3:274
Goals3:7
Years4:2017–
Clubs4:Montrose
Caps4:198
Goals4:7
Nationalyears1:1999–2000
Nationalteam1:Republic of Ireland U16
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2005
Nationalteam2:Republic of Ireland U21
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalcaps2:1
Nationalyears3:2007
Nationalteam3:Republic of Ireland B
Nationalcaps3:1
Nationalgoals3:0
Club-Update:02:07, 13 December 2022 (UTC)

Seán Dillon (born 30 July 1983) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for club Montrose, where he is a player-coach. He previously played for Dundee United and Irish teams Longford Town and Shelbourne in the League of Ireland prior to joining Dundee United in January 2007 then Montrose in June 2017. He has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-16,under-21 and B international level.

Club career

Dillon was a youth player with Aston Villa but moved back to Ireland in 2002 with Longford Town, where he won two FAI Cups and a League of Ireland Cup during his four years at Flancare Park. In 2006, he moved to Shelbourne and helped them to their thirteenth league championship win, also scoring the only goal of the game in Shels' Intertoto Cup win in Lithuania over FK Vėtra. In January 2007, Dillon moved to Scottish side Dundee United for an undisclosed fee.[2]

In March 2008 he collected a Scottish League Cup runners-up medal despite being an unused substitute in the final.[3] However, on 15 May 2010, he was then a part of the Dundee United team who defeated Ross County 3–0 to lift the Scottish Cup at Hampden Park.[3]

Not long after the beginning of the 2012–13 season Dillon signed a contract extension that would keep him at the club until May 2015.[4] He was then appointed club captain by manager Jackie McNamara for the 2013–14 season.[5]

On 30 June 2017, it was announced that Dillon had signed a two-year contract as a player-coach with Montrose.[6] In the 2017–18 season Dillon didn’t miss a game, as the gable endies clinched the Scottish League 2 title by one point. In 2019, Dillon signed a contract extension keeping him at Montrose until summer 2021, with manager Stewart Petrie crediting him with having a "huge influence on the teams success" since his arrival.[7] In December 2022, Dillon agreed a one-year extension with Montrose which would keep him with the Gable Endies until 2024.[8]

International career

Dillon represented the Republic of Ireland Under-16 team at the 2000 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship and is a former Republic of Ireland under-21 international who represented his country at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship, appearing as a substitute in the second round exit.Dillon also represented the Republic of Ireland under-21 team on one occasion[9] and played alongside United teammate Noel Hunt for the Ireland B team in October 2007 in a match against Scotland who included teammate Darren Dods.[10]

Personal

His aunt Noeleen McMahon won four caps for the Republic of Ireland women's national football team

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueScottish CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dundee United2006–07Scottish Premier League1501000160
2007–083323040402
2008–091902030240
2009–103305030410
2010–11341502020431
2011–12280300020330
2012–13310302010370
2013–14Scottish Premiership2312020271
2014–152713030331
2015–162624010312
2016–17Scottish Championship100003080210
Total27973102301303467
Montrose2017–18Scottish League Two362204020442
2018-19[11] Scottish League One5000400090
UK Career total32093303101503999

Honours

Longford Town

2003, 2004

2004

Shelbourne

2006

Dundee United

2009–10

2016–17

Montrose

2017–18[12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: your club. www.cherryorchardfc.yourclub.ie.
  2. News: Dillon completes Dundee Utd move. BBC Sport website. 11 January 2007.
  3. Web site: Seán Dillon. Arab Archive.
  4. Web site: New Dundee United deal for defender Sean Dillon. BBC Sport. 24 October 2012. 21 August 2013.
  5. News: Dundee United boss: Dillon decision was easy. Evening Telegraph. Duthie, Tom. 11 July 2013. 21 August 2013.
  6. News: Roache. Ian. Former Dundee United skipper Sean Dillon joins Montrose as player-coach. 30 June 2017. The Courier. 30 June 2017. Dundee.
  7. Web site: Montrose FC Online - GABLE ENDIES DELIGHTED WITH DILLON CONTRACT EXTENSION. 1 November 2020. www.montrosefc.co.uk.
  8. Web site: Smith . Ewan . Sean Dillon refusing to give up on Hampden fling in his 40s as Montrose veteran agrees new deal until 2024 . 13 December 2022 . The Courier . en-GB.
  9. News: Dillon realistic on cap chances. Dey, Graeme. The Courier (Dundee). 26 October 2007. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20071028172753/http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2007/10/26/sportstory10469137t0.asp. 28 October 2007.
  10. News: Scotland B 1–1 Rep of Ireland B. Lindsay, Clive. 20 November 2007. BBC Sport website.
  11. Web site: Soccerbase - Sean Dillon.
  12. News: Scottish League Two: Montrose win title; Peterhead, Stirling & Stenhousemuir enter play-offs. BBC.