A SUCCESSFUL loan spell at Wycombe Wanderers proved the making of 18-year-old Stephen O’Halloran, Stalybridge Celtic’s player/assistant manager.
The 34-year-old was relating his own personal experiences when speaking about the young players Celtic have loaned this season and the benefits they will have gained from their spells at Bower Fold
They have included Salford City pair Marcus Dackers and Hayden Campbell, Sheffield Wednesday’s Josh Dawodu and Adam O’Reilly from Preston North End.
Defender O’Halloran was loaned by Aston Villa to Wycombe in October 2006 and remained until the January.
They were halcyon days for the Chairboys as O’Halloran helped the minnows reach the semi-finals of the League Cup when they were beaten by Chelsea.
O’Halloran featured in the first match of the two-legged semi, but his loan expired before the second game.
And reflecting on that 15-match spell at Wycombe, O’Halloran said: “For me as a young lad who had never played first-team football, it was a great experience.
“Paul Lambert was manager and gave me the chance which I will always be grateful for.
“I made my league debut in professional football for Wycombe (against Hartlepool) and also featured in their great run in the League Cup.”
O’Halloran went on to enjoy a lengthy career, although primarily in non-league, but he won two full caps for the Republic of Ireland.
Professional clubs are keen for young players like of Dackers, Campbell, Dawodu and O’Reilly to come out to gain experience as there is a chasm between youth team and Under-23s and first-team football.
O’Halloran said: “U23 and reserve-team football has a place, but young players need to go out on loan to play men’s football.
“It is an opportunity for them to do well and when they return to their clubs, they can perhaps challenge for a first-team place as happened with Marcus who seized his chance with us with both hands.
“He has spoken about how important the spell he had at Celtic was in his development.”
Dackers and Dawodu both, in interviews in the Correspondent, detailed the differences in the physicality, pace and intensity in playing men’s football.
Both players described it as a culture shock as in youth and U23 football the emphasis is on technique and developing players.
However, they noticed a different philosophy when three points were at stake and the number one priority.