Colin Healy

Colin played under-age football in Cork with Ballincollig and Wilton United before signing for Scottish giants Celtic in 1998. He spent five years at Parkhead making 30 league appearances and scoring three goals in all competitions.

In January 2002 Colin went on loan to Coventry City where he made 17 league appearances and scored twice. But on his return to Celtic at the end of the 2002/03 season he was released and signed for Mick McCarthy at Sunderland that summer.

Colin spent two and a half years at Sunderland and made just 20 league appearances due to two serious injuries. He broke his leg in December 2003 in a tackle with former Coventry team mate Youssef Safri and suffered a second leg break in 2004. He was released by the club when his contract expired in January 2006.

In March 2006 Colin joined Scottish club Livingston and made 9 appearances in the final months of the 05/06 season. He then moved back to England, signing a one year deal at Barnsley in August '06. But he made just 10 appearances for the Yorkshire club, adding 4 more in a short loan spell at Bradford City, before his contract was cancelled by mutual consent in December 2006.

On 20 February 2007 Colin returned to his home town to sign for Cork City but due to the 3-Club rule he didn't make his debut until 3 July in a League Cup quarter-final defeat to Bohemians. Colin made 18 league appearances that season and added 44 more over 2008 and 2009. He also won an FAI Cup winners medal in 2007 when Cork defeated Longford Town 1-0 in the final.

In July 2009. amid financial strife at Turner's Cross, Colin was sold to Ipswich Town. In a little over two years at Portman Road Colin made 29 appearances and scored twice. He also has a loan stint at Scottish Club Falkirk from January 2010 to the end of the 09/10 season during which he made 19 league appearances.

On 23 November 2011 Colin was released by Ipswich and on 28 january 2012 he returned for a second spell at Cork City, signing for manager Tommy Dunne. He made 44 league appearances over the following two seasons as the club finished sixth in the Premier Division in both 2012 and 2013. In 2014 John Caulfield took over the managerial reins and Colin scored twice (including a dramatic 87th minute winner against St Pats) in 27 league appearances as City were just pipped to the title by Dundalk.

Colin stayed with Cork for 2015 and made a further 20 league appearances, scoring twice in wins over Longford and Bohemians, as Cork finished runners-up to Dundalk once more. He also played in the FAI Cup Final which Cork lost 1-0 to Dundalk after extra-time. In 2016 City again finished second to Dundalk in the league with Colin making 19 league appearances, and again City met Dundalk in the FAI Cup final. This time, however, Colin picked up a winners medal after he came on as an extra-time substitute in City's 1-0 win.

In December 2020, Colin was appointed as Cork City's new first team Head Coach ahead of the 2021 campaign. Image courtesy of Alan Mooney