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Profile

Full nameNiall David Stephen Canavan
PositionFull-back
NationalityRepublic of Ireland
Age35
Date of birth11 Apr 1991
BirthplaceLeeds
Height193 cm
Shirt number#6
ClubBarrow
Full-back
27
Appearances
2
Goals
2
Assists
2176
Minutes

Domestic-league season · Barrow.

Performance data · by competition

CompetitionAppsGAMinMatch
League Two272221766.53
League Cup100906.9

Scout report

Experienced headFull-back

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, top 77% of League Two full-backs. On long-term scout potential he's rated 8.7, ranking 444th of 478 in the League Two. 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.

Judged on this season alone, Canavan graded 12 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 64th of 83 of the 83 full-backs in the League Two, 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, 81st of 83 of the 83 full-backs in the League Two. 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.

From the career report
Read the full career report →

Past his 2022/23 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2022/23Trending down
Current potential81st of 83 full-backs · League TwoCurrent season64th of 83 full-backs · League Two64th-best full-back in the League Two444th in the League Two · potential81st-highest potential full-back in the League Two
8.7
Ratingi
81st of 83 full-backs
11.6
Seasoni
below regular-starter level
52.6%
Minutes
rotation minutes
2.69
Def. actions / 90
moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Barrow finished 24th of 24 · a relegation-threatened side

2.69
Def. / 90
22
Tackles
24
Interceptions
4
Clean sheets

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

With a Rating of 8.7, Canavan carries the 81st-highest potential of the full-backs in the League Two of 83, and he is posting that for a relegation-threatened side (Barrow finished 24th of 24) — individual numbers are harder to earn on a struggling team, so his underlying level likely sits a touch above the ranking. 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.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.