Our popular Derryleigh One-on-One is back with a bang. This time, we decided to feature one of our younger players, Daniel Egan, who’s a key member of the U18 squad and this season has broken into the Junior A team squad. Daniel has been playing with Newport since a very young age and is a very popular player amongst his peers and coaches. Dan’s family are firmly entrenched in the club, as his Dad, Richard, is a Committee Member and coaches the U16 schoolboys, his Mum, Sarah, is a member of the Social Committee, his brother, Chris, plays with the U16s and youngest brother Eoin, is now playing with the Nippers.

Dan is a natural all-rounder as he has represented Tipperary in the 1,500m National Finals and has also played for Tipperary in U15 & U16 Gaelic Football.

Dan has some great pedigree as his grandfather Christy Egan, who started his career with Hyde Rangers & Fairview, was an Irish Youth international, then played for League of Ireland side, Cork Celtic before being signed by Derby County Manager, Brian Clough in 1973. Derby played in the First Division (now Premier League). He also played with Newport County & Burton Albion. His Dad, Richard, also represented Derby Schoolboys at underage level and Mum, Sarah, was an enforcer with the Ahane Camogie team.

Big thanks to Dan for agreeing to take part in our one-on-one.

Q. How long have you been associated with Newport Town AFC?
A. I have been playing with the club for ten years.

Q. What’s your current involvement with the Club?
A. I play for the under 18’s team and the Junior A team.

Q. What are your hopes for the next couple of seasons in NTAFC?
A. I hope that the A team get promoted to premier and win trophies.

Q. What professional soccer team do you support and why?
A. Derby County. My Grandfather, Christy Egan, left Ireland to play for them. Dad and I would watch them when I was a kid, so Derby would have been the team I followed growing up, so it just stuck.

Q. Who are your favourite professional players (both past & present)?
A. Wayne Rooney and Paulo Wanchope.

Q. In your opinion, what qualities make a player a good team captain?
A. I think being a leader on and off the pitch will set an example for the other players and being able to communicate with your team in a positive way.

Q. What takes up your time when you’re not at the Club?
A. School, other sports, studying and coaching

Q. Who is your favourite cartoon character?
A. Homer Simpson

Q. What is your favourite film?
A. Unbroken, starring Jack O’Connell, a sound Derby Lad.

Q. What is your favourite band / singer?
A. Eminem

Q. Do you have a special routine or superstition in general or before a game?
A. Yeah, always make sure I have matching socks.

Q. Who is your favourite non-sports icon?
A. The actor, Jim Carrey.

Q. If you could play at any sporting stadium in the world, which one would it be?
A. Pride Park - Derby County’s stadium

Q. Messi or Ronaldo?
A. Messi, without a doubt

Q. What other sport(s) do you love to play, and how would you rate your skills?
A. I did athletics and I ran the 1500m for Tipperary in an All-Ireland Community Games Final in 2018 and I played inter-county football for the Tipperary U15 & U16 teams.

Q. Best thing about living in Newport?
A. The community is great and the people here are very friendly.

Q. What one word would others use to describe you?
A. Workhorse.

Q. What is your favourite memory to date of being involved with Newport Town AFC?
A. My favourite memory has to be the first ever underage cup final I won. We played the game in thunder and lightning and we won the game 2-1. I was lucky enough to score in the game so I’ll always remember that.

Q. If you could change or bring in one rule in soccer, what would it be?
A. Get rid of VAR.

Q. What’s the funniest or strangest thing you ever saw happen during a match?
A. Darren Bent’s goal for Sunderland in the Stadium of Light back in 2009 when his shot deflected off a beach ball that was in front of the goal which ended up in the back of the Liverpool net. Ironically, the beach ball had been thrown on to the pitch by a Liverpool supporter.

Q. Who has had the biggest impact on your soccer career to date?
A. All the coaches that I had throughout the years and all of my friends that played with me on day one and still play with me ten years on.

Q. If you had one wish, what would you look to change/implement in NTAFC?
A. Build a stand for the spectators to enjoy the games.

Q. What advice do you have for the younger NTAFC players?
A. Play the game and enjoy it.

Q. Finally, what’s been your greatest achievement or most memorable moment in football
A. Winning LDSL U11 Player of the Year for the 2013/2014 season. Winning the league and the cup two years in a row. Scoring a hat trick for the A team on my league debut.