Irish League legend speaks of 'proud moment' after teenage son earns maiden Glentoran senior call-up
Irish League legend Tim McCann admits it was a “proud moment” having teenage son Cillian alongside him on Glentoran’s bench during their recent Premiership clash with Cliftonville and hopes the experience will help drive him on even further.
Tim spent time with Cliftonville, Glentoran and Ballymena United during his own successful playing career, winning Irish League titles with both the Reds and Glens before moving into coaching.
He returned to The Oval – where he won 14 trophies and made 281 appearances – as first team coach under Declan Devine in May having also previously been on the backroom staff of Mick McDermott, Rodney McAree and Warren Feeney.
Cillian (17) has been progressing through the youth ranks at the East Belfast club over recent years while his younger brother Lennon (15), who is a talented attacker, has now also joined Glentoran’s academy.
Named in a senior matchday squad for the first time when Devine’s side lost out 2-0 to Cliftonville on Friday, it marked another step of progression for Cillian after he signed to Quorum Sports agency earlier this month.
"It was a proud moment,” reflected Tim on BBC Sportsound. “It's down to his hard work.
"He has been in training with the first team a few times and the players got to know him.
"He has done rightly when he came in and Deccy doesn't pick people for the sake of picking people - it's all down to merit, so the fact he was on the bench...it's such a great experience for a young lad to get that experience at that level.
"It was a great atmosphere and eye-opener. Hopefully it's something he will want more of and it drives him on and creates that bit of hunger."
Glentoran’s academy continues to impress after their U18 side recently reached the Harry Cavan Youth Cup final by beating Larne in their last-four showdown and Cillian’s progression helped Tim know that it was the right place for Lennon to develop too.
"Cillian has been there a couple of years now and came through the academy,” he added. “He is finishing off his second year in the football academy and is doing well.
"Lennon has just joined within the last week.
"Cillian signed with Quorum Sports...they contacted me a few months ago and said they were coming to watch him a few times. They'd heard that clubs had been looking at him and different things so they finalised things which is great for him.
"It's great at 17 and it's all down to his hard work and what he does.
"He's thrived at Glentoran and it's credit to the guys who run the academy and coaches under Andy Mathieson.
"It has been fantastic for him and I just wanted Lennon to get a taste for it because I could see the improvement in Cillian and I wanted to get Lennon in at an early age too.
"The young girl is still at Cliftonville so we don't have to travel as far to Larne now that the two boys are at Glentoran. Everything is good and they are playing away."