Ian Stuart Dunbavin (born 27 May 1980) is an English professional football coach and former player who played as a goalkeeper. He spent the majority of his career at EFL League Two side Accrington Stanley, where he amassed 151 league appearances over an 8-year period.
Dunbavin joined the Liverpool academy as a goalkeeping coach for the academy's under-16 teams on a part-time basis in 2014, before becoming a full-time addition to the club's academy in October 2016.
Career Born in Huyton, Merseyside, Dunbavin attended Christ the King Catholic High School in Southport before being offered a two-year scholarship deal at Liverpool in June 1996. He went on to sign a professional two-year deal in 1998 but ultimately went on to make no appearances for his boyhood club, leaving the club for Division Three side Shrewsbury Town on 17 January 2000 on a free transfer.
On 30 June 2004, Dunbavin left Shrewsbury following the expiration of his contract. Prior to the expiration of his contract, Dunbavin had spent time on trial in January with Scottish second-tier side Raith Rovers and Second Division club Wrexham, with no move to either club eventually materialising. He made 101 appearances in all-competitions for Shrewsbury.
On 12 July 2004, Dunbavin joined Conference National side Halifax Town, then managed by Chris Wilder. He signed an additional one-year contract with the club in April 2005 before being sent out on loan to fellow Conference outfit, and the now-defunct Scarborough in November 2005.
Following his release from Halifax at the end of the 2005–06 season, Dunbavin joined newly promoted Football League Two club Accrington Stanley on 1 July 2006.
In August 2009, Dunbavin received a suspended sentence, for his part in a brawl for which his friend Steven Gerrard had previously been arrested. He was also ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work, and expressed "remorse and shame" for throwing two punches at the victim.
On 2 January 2014, Dunbavin was signed on a one-month emergency loan by fellow League Two side Chesterfield, managed by former Stanley manager Paul Cook. The move came after Dunbavin's falling out with then-manager James Beattie which resulted in him being dropped in favour of young loanee Marcus Bettinelli. He remained with Chesterfield until the end of the season, with Chesterfield going on to be promoted back to League One at the first time of asking as well as finishing runners-up to Peterborough United in the Football League Trophy.
Following his return to Accrington at the end of the season, Dunbavin had the final year of his contract terminated by mutual consent on 5 July 2014. He made 161 appearances in all-competitions during his 8-year stay with the Lancashire club.
Despite receiving offers elsewhere following his departure from Stanley, and speculated interest from newly promoted Chesterfield, the club at which he had spent half a season on loan prior to his release, Accrington would go on to be Dunbavin's last club as a player.
He returned to Liverpool's academy on a part-time basis in 2014, coaching the academy's under-6 to under-16 teams before becoming a full-time coach at the club in October 2016.
Career statistics Source:
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsLiverpool1998–99Premier League0000000000Liverpool1999–2000Premier League0000000000Total0000000000Shrewsbury Town1999–2000Division Three7000000070Shrewsbury Town2000–01Division Three220102000250Shrewsbury Town2001–02Division Three34010001Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy0360Shrewsbury Town2002–03Division Three330401060440Shrewsbury Town2003–04Conference3000000030Total9906030701160→ Morecambe (loan)2003–04Conference3000000030Total3000000030Halifax Town2004–05Conference Premier39020001Appearance(s) in FA Trophy0420Halifax Town2005–06Conference Premier140000000140Total530200010560→ Scarborough (loan)2005–06Conference140000000140Total140000000140Accrington Stanley2006–07League Two230102000260Accrington Stanley2007–08League Two230100010250Accrington Stanley2008–09League Two4000001050Accrington Stanley2009–10League Two270200020310Accrington Stanley2010–11League Two250201000280Accrington Stanley2011–12League Two250000020270Accrington Stanley2012–13League Two200101000220Accrington Stanley2013–14League Two4000100050Total15107050601690→ Chesterfield (loan)2013–14League Two0000000000Career total3200150801403570
Honours FA Youth Cup: 1996
Chesterfield Football League Trophy runner-up: 2013–14
References
External links