ON MONDAY EVENING, Norwich City sealed promotion to the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

The Canaries might not have a huge Irish fanbase but they have picked up a few supporters on this side of the pond due to the presence of one man – Dubliner Wes Hoolahan.

Now, with Giovanni Trapattoni set to announce an extended squad for the games against Northern Ireland, Scotland and Macedonia, word on the street suggests that the gaffer might be about to hand an international recall to Ireland’s latest Premier League star.

But, em, who the hell is he?

Belvo Boy

Born and raised in Dublin, Hoolahan learned his trade with Belvedere FC, one of the top schoolboy clubs on the northside of the city.

Even at that age the youngster’s talent set him apart from his peers and, when it was time for the 18-year-old to move on from schoolboy football in 2000, it didn’t take long for League of Ireland side Shelbourne to snap him up.

With his dimunitive stature, excellent ball control and quick turn of pace, Hoolahan quickly became a fans’ favourite as a nippy little winger at Tolka Park.

The highlight of his six-year career with Shels came in 2004 when the League of Ireland Champions earned themselves a plum tie against Deportivo La Coruna of Spain in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League.

With the first leg in Dublin moved to Lansdowne Road to accommodate the huge demand for tickets, Hoolahan excelled in front of a crowd of over 24,000 spectators.

“Playing against Deportivo in front of 24,000 was the best experience of my life,” he told Sean Ryan of the Irish Independent shortly afterwards.

“My stomach was in knots as I walked out on the pitch and heard that crowd roar, but I got a few touches early on and that settled me. The boys at the back were giving it to me when I showed for it and that gave me confidence.”

Good Scot

Though Deportivo ultimately ran out 3-0 winners in the return leg in Spain, the five-foot-six midfielder had piqued the interest of a number of British clubs. When Shels began to struggle financially in 2006, an offer from SPL side Livingston was too good to refuse and Hoolahan made his way to West Lothian.

The Dub made a handful of appearances during his one season in the Scottish top tier as Livingston were relegated having achieved the lowest-ever points total of a Premier Division side. The man who had brought him to Almondvale, John Robertson, was dismissed and new coach Mark Proctor decided that it would be best if Hoolahan was sent out on a season-long loan to Division One side Blackpool.

Under Simon Grayson, he played nearly every game of the 2006-2007 season as Blackpool won promotion to the Championship via the playoffs, earning a place in the PFA League One Team of the Year in the process. Unsurprisngly, when the loan term expired, the Seasiders were anxious to keep Hoolahan at Bloomfield Road. A bitter legal wrangle with Livingston ensued and it was only after FIFA intervened that Hoolahan’s move was ratified.

Championship

The following season, Hoolahan was again almost ever-present for Blackpool, scoring five times as the club consolidated its place in the Championship. His performances in the 2007-2008 season caught the eye of Giovanni Trapattoni and, having represented Ireland at schoolboy and “B” level over the years, Hoolahan was finally handed his international debut by the Italian, coming on as a second-half substitute in the 1-0 friendly win over Colombia in Craven Cottage in May 2008.

That summer, mid-table Norwich City whisked him away to Carrow Road for an undisclosed amount and Hoolahan became an integral part of the Canaries’ rebuilding process. The club finished 22nd after a disappointing season and Hoolahan found himself back in League One.

Under new boss Paul Lambert, the Dubliner was moved off the wing and into a more attacking position in the hole behind the strikers. The move suited Hoolahan perfectly and his value to the team increased as he chipped in goals and assists which helped Norwich win successive promotions and bring them back to the big time once again.