Séamus Coleman's path to breaking Everton’s Premier League appearance record

Séamus Coleman became Everton’s record Premier League appearance holder on Sunday when he lined up for the Merseyside club for the 355th time. 

The now 35-year-old marked this achievement with a classy performance in an end-to-end scoreless draw at Goodison Park against Aston Villa where his work rate and composure stood out on both sides of the field. 

To celebrate the achievement, the Evertonians paid tribute with a special banner reading “15 years of Séamus” as Coleman moved ahead of former goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Coleman, this week in 2009, signed for the Toffees from Sligo Rovers for a famed  £60,000 fee. That price has been proven to be a bargain as the Killybegs man has become a longtime servant of the blue half of Merseyside. 

Coleman made his Everton debut in a 5-0 loss to Benfica in a Europa League tie that October. He would make his Premier League debut later against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok before putting his name on lights on his first Goodison appearance, against Tottenham Hotspur. 

Coleman replaced the injured Joseph Yobo after just 15 minutes and was named man of the match for playing a part in both goals that secured a 2-2 draw for the Toffees.

After a loan spell at Blackpool where he helped bag promotion in 2010 courtesy of a 3-2 play-off win over Cardiff City, Coleman got more game time for Everton. He would score four goals in the 2010/11 season from wing-back and be nominated for the PFA (Professional Footballers' Association) Young Player Award. 

The 2013/14 season proved to be Coleman’s best, netting six times that campaign and playing a pivotal role in Roberto Martinez’s side finishing fifth in the table.  He was put on the PFA Team of the Year as well as winning Everton's Player of the Year and Players’ Players of the Year. 

After debuting for Ireland against Wales in 2011 in the Carling Cup, 2013 was also a big year on the international stage as Coleman captained his country for the first time in a World Cup qualifier, against Germany in Cologne on his 25th birthday.

At Euro 16 in France, Coleman was handed the armband ahead of Ireland’s third group game, in which they defeated Italy 1-0 in Lille to reach the round of 16. They were eventually eliminated by France on a  2-1 scoreline in Lyon with Antoine Griezmann scoring twice. 

However, in 2017 Coleman suffered a broken leg following a high challenge from Neil Taylor of Wales in a World Cup qualifier which ruled him out until 2018.  Coleman, for Everton, would return in 2018 in a 2-1 win against Leicester City. In 2019 he was given the captaincy at Everton after the departure of Phil Jagielka. Coleman has been the standard of excellence at Everton and has been praised time and again for his leadership,  dedication and work ethic.

Heading into his 15th year as an Evertonian, Coleman, now 35, has made 403 appearances which places him eighth on the Toffees’ all-time list.  

Coleman has scored 26 goals and only received 37 yellow cards, which is impressive given the fact he often faces pacey wingers who tend to try and draw fouls.

Though he’s played against the best the Premier League has had to offer over the past decade or so, Coleman has always been close to his Donegal roots, especially his home Killybegs.  He loves returning home to Killybegs after the end of the season. Oftentimes he’ll be invited for a kickabout by the locals to which he’ll always join in. 

Coleman was omitted from Euro 2012 Euro which disappointed many of his friends and locals of Killybegs but he never made a fuss. The night Ireland played Croatia in Poznan, teetotaler Coleman watched the match with his friends in Fawlty’s Bar in Killybegs.

“He’s a role model being the same fella he always was,” Coleman’s former manager at St Catherine’s Brian Dorrain, said. “a nice lad from a nice family who remembers who he is and where he is from.”