Everton Academy product Callum Connolly has signed for Stockport County after completing 3 years at Blackpool since leaving Finch Farm in 2021.
Connolly holds the record for loan spells completed while he was an Everton player working up through the Academy, where he spent eight years in all. He moved quickly through the Under-18s but his development would stall with the Under-21s, then Under-23s, and he left the club with only one short sub appearance at senior level.
Able to play in either full-back position or in midfield, 19-year-old Connolly was named by manager Roberto Martinez on the Everton substitutes bench for a Premier League clash with Southampton at Goodison Park in April 2016 and acquitted himself well as a second-half substitute for Seamus Coleman in Everton’s injury-hit defence.
Despite being capped by England at U17, U19 and U21 levels, that would be his only senior appearance for the club. He would go on to spend the next five seasons on Everton’s books, but increasingly featuring away from Everton on what would become an unprecedented succession of loan spells at Barnsley, Wigan Athletic (2), Ipswich Town, Bolton Wanderers, Lincoln City, and Fleetwood Town (2).
After leaving Everton in 2021 with just that one sub appearance to his name, he spent 3 years at Bloomfield Road, racking up 108 appearances in all competitions. He left Blackpool in June 2024 as a free agent as his contract expired.
Stockport County boss Dave Challinor said: “To sign someone of Callum’s character, versatility and experience, having played over half of his career in the Championship, is a brilliant coup for the club.
“Versatility on its own probably doesn’t do justice in his case, he can play anywhere across a back four or five, as a defensive midfielder or as an 8, so is a manager’s dream in terms of squad dynamics. He’s worked with members of the backroom staff previously, who were in total agreement on the impact he could have in our group, so personally I’m really looking forward to working with him.
“He had a disappointing back end of last season from his perspective and I know how much he’s looking forward to a fresh start and motivation to really kick on and get back to the levels he’s been at earlier in his career. He comes in at a great age with his peak years in front of him and I’m sure he’ll complement our team as we enter into the exciting challenge ahead of us.”