O’Halloran: Stephen

2008-2008 (Player Details)

Left Back

Born: Cobh, County Cork, Republic of Ireland: 29-11-1987

Debut: None

6’ 11st 7lb (2008)

O'Halloran signed for Aston Villa from Cork based team Springfield in July 2003. The young left-sided defender was impressive for Villa's reserves in the early part of the 2006-07 season, scoring in the opening game against Reading and in October he joined Wycombe Wanderers on loan, helping the League One club to the semi-finals of the Carling Cup and playing in the first leg against Chelsea at Adams Park. However, his loan spell ran out before the second-leg, and Wycombe eventually lost 5-1 to Chelsea. While at Wycombe he started nine League games and was substitute in two others and was an unused substitute on four occasions, as well as making two further appearances in the League Cup and one other game. He returned to Villa Park shortly afterwards to continue his football education with the reserves, once again scoring against Reading in the return fixture, before earning his first senior international call. He has since been a regular in the Republic of Ireland Under-Twenty-one squad and was named the 2007 Player of the Year at that level. Following this, O'Halloran was called up to the Republic of Ireland squad for their tour of America, and subsequently played in both matches, when he started against Ecuador and came on as a substitute against Bolivia. O'Halloran has also represented his country at Under-Fifteen, Under-Sixteen, Under-Seventeen and Under-Twenty-one level. The Cobh native had broken into the Villa squad for their 2006/2007 pre-season friendlies, but was never to make his debut for the first team. Later in the season O'Halloran signed a new contract with Aston Villa, keeping him at the club until 2009. On 16th January 2008, he signed for Southampton on loan until February 2008, making only one substitute appearance. On 28th February 2008 he signed for Leeds United on an initial one month loan deal. Unfortunately, in the warm up for what would have been his debut for Leeds at Swindon Town on 1st March 2008 he suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury which was expected to keep him out for up to a year. On 5th November 2008 Swansea City signed the Villa left back on loan on a three-month deal. Unfortunately, he had to cut short his loan spell with the Swans following yet another cruciate ligament injury, after starting two League games and one League Cup game. O'Halloran was not allocated a squad number for the 2009-10 season by Villa, but started five and came on as a substitute for the Villa Reserve team. He signed for Coventry City on 24th June 2010 on a free transfer, without ever playing a game for Villa at first team level. He signed a one year contract with an option for a further year. He made his debut as a seventieth minute substitute for Richard Wood in a 0-2 home defeat by Queens Park Rangers on 28th December 2010. He made his first start in the 0-0 home draw with Sheffield United on 15th January 2011. He went on to start eleven League games and came on as a substitute in just the one game but spent ten games unused on the bench, but did also start two F.A. Cup ties. Coventry did not take up their option and O'Halloran moved to Carlisle United in the off-season on a one year deal. He spent most of his time there on the bench, being unused on thirteen occasions in the League and once in the F.A. Cup, but did start three games in the League, one in the League Cup and one in the Football League Trophy. He moved on to Nuneaton Town signing a one year deal with them on 7th August 2012. He made his debut with them in a 2-1 win at Leyton Orient on 27th August 2012 and went on to make thirty-three starts and four times came of the bench in the League, but sat unused seven times in the League and twice in the Cup. In July 2013 he joined Stockport County and started twenty League games and came off the bench a further six times in his first season of 2013-14. In 2014-15 he has made thirteen starts in the League and one in the Cup to the end of October.