Seamus Coleman sends emotional message to fans as he ends 17-year Everton playing career

Seamus Coleman sends an emotional message to fans in a video published as he ends a 17-year playing career with Everton.

The Toffees have confirmed the 37 year old will leave the club at the end of the season, signing him for £60,000 from Sligo Rovers back in 2009.

He made 433 appearances, scored 28 goals, made 27 assists was club captain for 7 seasons and also won the only game in charge as player-joint interim manager.

The time has come to stop playing for the club, he has been offered a coaching role, but will play out games with Ireland before making any further decision on what he will do next.

Seamus Coleman – one of our greatest-ever servants and captains – has announced his proud Everton playing career spanning more than 17 years will come to an end when his contract expires next month.

Thank you for everything, Seamus. 💙

— Everton (@Everton) May 15, 2026

In it, he said: “Hi Evertonians, just a message to say after 17 years at this amazing football club, over 17 years at this amazing football club, I’ve decided that this year will be my last as a player.

“I don’t know where to start really, I suppose I want to start by thanking you all for your unbelievable support.

“Incredible football club, incredible people, over 17 years here, three kids here, it’s become my home from home and some amazing memories, some tough times, but I think I’m always about family and football and I’ve got three kids who are now Evertonians for life and we’ll always support the club, we’ll always be part of this football club.

“Obviously after such a big decision, I want to have some time over the summer to kind of focus on what’s next for me and my family.

“Obviously my love for Everton is something that you all know about and I’ve got a huge love for Ireland as well.

“So I’m going to take some time over the summer, play the Ireland games and take some time with my family to decide what’s next.

“The club have been unbelievable with me. They’ve offered me an opportunity to stay on at the football club.

“The manager’s been great, the staff have been great and I think with such an important decision over my future I’m going to take a nice long holiday and enjoy time with the family and kind of look back on what has been an amazing time as an Everton footballer, came over as a 20 year old boy not knowing how many games I played for the first team and to go on to captain this massive football club was more than I could have dreamed of.

“I think the most important thing for me is to thank you all. You’ve helped me in more ways than you can imagine, through our toughest times more so than anything else. I live in the city, I see you all daily.

“When we’re going through our toughest times, I’ve said this a few times, but I’ve been fit to take your concerns, your love of the football club back into the dressing room to explain to the lads how much this football club means to the people and you know, you’ve got to thank yourself for helping me and the lads get through our toughest times.

“I’d like to thank all my teammates over the years, all my managers, all my coaches, all the staff at Finch Farm, all the staff at Goodison and now the new stadium for all their support over the years.

“My teammates, you’ve seen me angry, you’ve seen me sad, you’ve seen me happy, you’ve seen me emotional. You’ve seen me go through everything, but the greater cause has always been Everton Football Club doing well, Everton Football Club surviving some of our toughest times.

Legend. Evertonian. 🥹

Thank you, Seamus. 💙 pic.twitter.com/giRQbILwxl

— Everton (@Everton) May 15, 2026

“And I sat and I spoke to you all at different times about when it’s all said and done and we’re all going off on our own journeys. How would we look back at each other? How did we stand up through the toughest of times?

“I’ll always have fond memories of my time together with you all. I want to thank you for making me a better captain, a better team-mate, too many of yous all to name but thanks for everything.

“I’ve not always got it right but I’ve tried my best to put Everton Football Club first and yeah, again, thank yous all.

“Yous mean the world to me, the staff means the world to me, all the managers that have came before have been so important in my career too, so thank you all.

“Coming over here as a 20-year-old from Sligo Rovers to a reserve team to just hope to impress enough to begin with just get on the bench for Everton and then you know to think I went on to I think maybe most Premier League appearances for the club and you know to become captain of this great football club it’s you know beyond my wildest dreams and you know to put the shirt on once was an amazing feeling but to wear it as much as I did was was incredible.

“I’ve made absolutely no secret about it since I’ve came to this football club that all I wanted to do was walk up them stairs at Wembley and lift the trophy.

“Unfortunately that didn’t happen and I think maybe the goalposts have shifted a little bit over the last three or four years.

“I suppose unless you’ve been living it and inside the dressing room you will never fully understand how tough that time was for the players, the staff, obviously yourselves as well, points deductions, not being fit to sign many players, going through a very, very tough time and unfortunately being in a position that I never imagined ever in the being or no Evertonian had imagined ever in the being but I probably, you know, I’m not claiming it as an achievement but I do take some pride in knowing that I’d done all I could for three and a half years to make sure this football club stayed in the Premier League and I had some amazing teammates that have helped me along the way with that so.

“I hope to see in the future the club kick on and know that maybe I helped stabilise us through which was a tough, tough period.

“Me along with some of my amazing teammates and managers kept fighting for this football club to get us into that beautiful new stadium and fingers crossed now good times are ahead and no more looking over our shoulder.

“This will always be my football club and I’m glad that I’ve been here for so long to say I now have a team that I can support for the rest of my life.

“My family back in Ireland and my family here, my kids, all Evertonians for life and something special about that, you know, in the years to come to know that we’ll still all be supporting Everton and my kids will always be Evertonians.

“So this will always be my club. Thank you for letting me be part of it for over 17 years. And yeah, thank you.”

David Moyes said to evertonfc.com: “It’s virtually impossible to put into words what I think of Seamus Coleman and the impact he’s had at this Club.

“To represent Everton at the highest level for 17 years is a remarkable achievement and, speaking as his manager over two spells, it has been a genuine privilege to watch him grow as a player, a leader, and a man.

“I know it’s going to be incredibly difficult to replace the characteristics Seamus brings to this Club. His influence behind the scenes is hard to measure and explain. He’s hugely respected by everyone, and we will miss his presence, on and off the pitch.

“He deserves to have a special place in the Club’s history, but also in the hearts of every Evertonian because he embodies everything this Club stands for every time he pulls on the shirt.

“I must also give huge credit to the people who were instrumental in bringing Seamus here in the first place.

“To sign a player for £60,000 from Ireland, and to see him go on to make well over 400 appearances in the first-team, demonstrates just how important good recruitment is.

“We wish Seamus all the very best in whatever he decides to do next, and he knows there will always be a place here for him if he chooses to return in the future.”

“Seamus deserves a lot of credit as a human being for what he’s done for Everton.” 🔵 pic.twitter.com/r2MKibechx

— Everton (@Everton) May 15, 2026

"We've offered Seamus every job there is! There will always be a desk here for him." 🔵 pic.twitter.com/XXQVZTSMIs

— Everton (@Everton) May 15, 2026

Twitter users reacted after Seamus Coleman sends an emotional message to fans as he ends his 17-year Everton playing career…

@JDelaney9907: Even as a red I can only say unbelievable things about this fella. Model professional and always gave 100%. Great captain but an even greater person.

@efcg22: Expected but doesn’t make it any less sad, what a player, awful that we couldn’t win him a title

@Vaughanie10: Nobody deserves the title Everton Legend & place in the Hall of Fame more.. Fantastic servant over 17yrs & more importantly Top Clas Human Being… 👌🏻👌🏻💙💙💙

@3boodrak: I knew this day was coming, but I kept hoping it never would. Even now, my heart still refuses to accept it. After 17 years, I simply can’t imagine our club without him. This doesn’t feel like saying goodbye to a player — it feels like saying goodbye to a part of us 😞💔

@daveblueallover: A great servant, captain, passion, pride, a humble man who has given his all to the club, especially the supporters. I hope he is staying in a coaching or ambassador role. Whatever you do in the future, Seamus, we will miss you wearing our shirt. NSNO

@IrishEfc1878: Such a shame the last 3 or 4 years of his time were about survival but he guided the club through that brilliantly. He will be remembered for his peak years, when he was one of the best in Europe and absolutely outstanding full back. Hard to imagine he won’t be back in some role

@longy0601: Unbelievable guy. Great player, great man, an even better person, so many stories of his off the pitch approachable attitude to people he met over his years. I hope he stays with the club, we need his passion for those training pitches, I hope Moyes gets him on the pitch Sunday.

@owen150x: @HullCity if we go up should be all over this. Experienced.

@dbignall85: Thanks for everything Seamus. One of the few players in recent years who really seemed to ‘get’ the football club. Its a shame he never lifted a trophy but hopefully we see him back in the dugout in the future. Nothing but the best 💙 #COYB

@EvertonShamrock: Séamus has embodied what the Club means to fans through the good times and the bad. Gentleman and Evertonian. Hope he stays on in some capacity and at some stage in the future is our manager 💙💚

@croupier1970: The best signing we’ve made in over a decade. Hope the man is given a farewell testimonial to give ALL proceeds to his chosen charity & then he gets a coaching position. This man is as true a blue as is possible 💙