Niall Canavan
based on the 2025/26 season · updated 18 Aug 2026
Profile
Season stats
Full career & schedule →Domestic-league season · Barrow.
Scout report
N. Canavan is a 35-year-old full-back at Barrow, enjoying a standout season — 2 goals and 2 assists in 27 appearances, a Season grade of 12. On long-term scout potential he's rated 8.7. A seasoned veteran, he has been a rotation option (52.6% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.69 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Canavan.
On the season, Canavan graded 12 for current form (age-blind), on 4 clean sheets and 2.688 defensive actions per 90.
Year-on-year, that's a drop on last season (Season 28 → 12). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has held fairly steady, peaking in 2022/23.
On long-term talent our Rating reads 9. At 35 Canavan is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 0.5 reflects that trajectory.
Past his 2022/23 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.
Output in context · Barrow finished 24th of 24 · a relegation-threatened side
2.69 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 4 clean sheets across 27 appearances. Doing that for a relegation-threatened side (24th of 24) is harder than the bare numbers suggest: a back line under more pressure has to defend more often and protects fewer leads, so the volume — and any clean sheets — carry real weight. Going forward he chipped in 2 goals and 2 assists — a useful bonus from the back.
Strengths
- Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.17 goal involvements per 90, useful for a full-back.
Watch points
- Game time. Only 52.6% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
- Age curve. At 35, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
- Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.
Outlook
Rated 8.7 overall — below regular-starter level. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.69 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.6× and falling).
Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.
Season statistics
Bars = where he ranks among full-backs in the League Two with 600+ minutes this season.
Shooting
Passing
Defending
Yellow/red cards
Transfer news
No transfer news found for this player.
