Birthplace: Dublin

Honours: Republic Of Ireland U17, U18 and U19.

Chris was a first-team regular throughout the 2008/09 season.

Notching eight goals in fifty-eight appearances, McCann was named the club's Young Player of the Year for the third season running.

And his importance to the team was rewarded in August 2009 when he signed a new two-year contract to the summer of 2011, extending his present deal by a year.

Chris, who was added to the first team squad in the summer of 2005, has hit the ground running since being fast-tracked into the first team squad.

The midfielder's rise to prominence saw him form an integral part of the youth team squad that reached the final of the 2005 Youth Alliance Cup. He also impressed in his outings for the reserve team while still a first-year apprentice.

As with fellow Irish rookie Kyle Lafferty, former manager Steve Cotterill had catapulted the Dubliner into his squad for the 2005/06 pre-season matches and, after fitting in well with the senior players and proving his ability on tour in Austria, he was given a squad number.

The teenager made such an impression in the first half of the campaign that he was awarded a professional contract in December 2005, running to the summer of 2009.

He finished the season as a mainstay in central midfield before joining the Republic of Ireland U19 squad in their European Championships Elite Round in Slovakia.

In March 2007, during a season of versatility that saw him operate in a number of defensive and midfield positions, Chris followed in the footsteps of team mates Kyle Lafferty and Michael Duff by signing a new deal until summer 2010.

Since then, McCann has been one of the first names on the team sheet every weekend.

Chris began his debut Barclays Premier League season well, but an unfortunate knee injury and subsequent surgery to his cruciate following the game against Sunderland at Turf Moor in September sidelined the midfielder until December 2009 at the earliest.