view O'Hanlon's match-by-match record
 
Sean O'HANLON

A former England youth international, O'Hanlon originally signed on a month's loan from Everton in January 2004, making his debut as a late substitute in a 2-1 win at Notts County, on 24th January 2004. After a further substitute appearance at Blackpool, his full debut came on 7th February, in a 4-2 win over Rushden and Diamonds.

O'Hanlon impressed during his loan spell, with manager Andy King extending it on expiry for a further month, then, when Everton made a £150,000 bid for the Town's England under-16 captain Leigh Mills, O'Hanlon was included as part of the deal. Swindon accepted the bid, but Mills rejected the move - but O'Hanlon publicly expressed his desire to move to the County Ground. Soon afterwards, King moved to sign him in a standalone deal - and he eventually signed on a free transfer, on transfer deadline day.

Despite starting his Town career on the right side of defence, O'Hanlon moved into a central role in April 2004, and he quickly became the club's first choice centre-back. The following season, his cool performances were recognised, when he captained the team for the first time in a 1-0 win over Bradford in September 2004, regular skipper Matt Hewlett missing through injury. During December, with the Town lacking bite in midfield, O'Hanlon was moved forward into a central midfield role, and though he looked comfortable, he was obviously missed at the back - the Town lost three of the four matches he played there - on his return to the defence, the Town won three in a row, and went on a six game unbeaten run.

By the end of the season, he had been officially installed as the club captain - and though he missed the last two games of the season, having hobbled off with a thigh injury in the penultimate home game against Tranmere, he was the subject of a transfer bid from one of the League One play-off contenders - believed to be Sheffield Wednesday - that was flatly rejected by the Town board. He also finished third in the Evening Advertiser's player of the year award, behind the club's top two scorers, Sam Parkin and Grant Smith. Another inquiry from Cardiff during the close season was also refused.

The following season, a sprained ankle picked up in a victory over Yeovil late in August 2005 kept O'Hanlon out of the side for almost a month - he returned with the Town in the middle of a slump that saw them drop to the bottom of the table. At first, O'Hanlon struggled to regain his previous form as part of a side lacking in confidence, but as the team's form improved, so did his. With the Town in trouble at the bottom of the table, O'Hanlon kept his place in an oft-changing side, missing just two matches between the end of September and the end of the season to make forty league appearances - the most of any Town player during the season.

After being forced to retire from the season's final match with a knee injury, O'Hanlon underwent surgery early in the close season, though with his contract up for renewal and Swindon relegated to League Two, it was by no means certain that he would still be a Town player come the new season. At first, O'Hanlon seemed to want the club to show their ambition before he committed himself to a new deal - and when Dennis Wise was appointed as the new player-manager, it seemed that O'Hanlon would sign again. Despite reports of a three year deal almost being agreed, nothing had been signed by the time he became a free agent - and O'Hanlon shocked the club by signing for Milton Keynes Dons, with both Wise and chief executive Mark Devlin being reported as being "furious" with O'Hanlon's decision.

PLAYING RECORD:

Season LEAGUE FA CUP LEAGUE CUP OTHER TOTAL
Played Gls Played Gls Played Gls Played Gls Played Gls
'05/'06 40 4 2 - - - 2 - 44 4
'04/'05 40 3 3 1 1 (+1) - 1 (+1) - 45 (+2) 4
'03/'04 19 (+2) 2 - - - - - - 19 (+2) 2
TOTAL 99 (+2) 9 5 1 1 (+1) - 3 (+1) - 108 (+4) 10


TRANSFER INFORMATION:

DATE IN/OUT TRANSFER DETAIL
22 JAN 2004 IN Everton
(loan)
25 MAR 2004 IN Everton
Free transfer
3 JUL 2006 OUT Milton Keynes Dons
£75,000
(initial fee of £75,000 - further £25,000 for every 25 appearances up to a maximum of 75, plus £25,000 if promoted)


full name

Sean Philip O'Hanlon


 ENGLAND
U-20 international apps


youth international apps



date of birth
2 January 1983


             
             
             
           
         
             

usual positions
central defence

other positions
right back
defensive central midfield

youth career
Everton

senior career
Everton
SWINDON TOWN (loan)
SWINDON TOWN
Milton Keynes Dons
Hibernian 
Carlisle United
Stockport County