William "Billy" Behan was an Irish

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

 footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Shelbourne

Shelbourne F.C.

Shelbourne Football Club is an Irish professional football club based in the Drumcondra area of Dublin, currently playing in the League of Ireland Premier Division....

, Shamrock Rovers

Shamrock Rovers F.C.

Shamrock Rovers Football Club are a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the most successful club in Irish football history. The club have won the League of Ireland title a record 17 times and the FAI Cup a record 24...

 and Manchester United

Manchester United F.C.

Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...

 during the 1930s.

He made his Rovers debut on 8 February 1931 in a 5–1 win over Bray Unknowns

Bray Unknowns F.C.

Bray Unknowns were a football club who played in the League of Ireland for nineteen seasons from 1924-25 to 1942-43. Having played their first five league seasons in Woodbrook in Southside Dublin, they then moved back to Bray where they played their home games for the remainder of their time in the...

 at Milltown

Glenmalure Park

Glenmalure Park, often simply known as "Milltown", was a football stadium on the Southside of Dublin city in Ireland. Located in the suburb of Milltown, it was home to Shamrock Rovers from 1926 to 1987, when it was sold to property developers by the club's directors...

. In his first season he won the FAI Cup

FAI Cup

The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...

.

Behan signed for Manchester United in September 1933, along with fellow Irishman David Byrne

David Byrne

David Byrne may refer to:*David Byrne , musician and former Talking Heads frontman**David Byrne , his eponymous album*David Byrne , Irish footballer*David Byrne , English footballer...

 - they were the first players from the south of Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

 to play for the club in over a decade.

He made his United debut in an English Second Division

Football League Second Division

From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...

 home game against Bury

Bury F.C.

Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...

 on 3 March 1934. The following July, he briefly returned to Shelbourne before again returning to Rovers. Over the next two seasons, he won another FAI Cup and a League of Ireland Shield. His last game for the Hoops was on 23 August 1936 in a Shield win over Drumcondra.

After his retirement as a player he became a respected referee and was in charge of the 1943 FAI Cup Final. He then managed Drumcondra in the 1950s where he won the FAI Cup

FAI Cup

The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...

 again.

Behan subsequently became United's chief scout in the Republic of Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

 and is credited with discovering, among others, Johnny Carey

Johnny Carey

John Joseph "Johnny" Carey , also known as Jackie Carey, was an Irish footballer and manager. As a player Carey spent most of his career at Manchester United, where he was team captain from 1946 until he retired as a player in 1953...

, Liam Whelan

Liam Whelan

William Augustine Whelan , also known as Billy Whelan or Liam Whelan, was an Irish footballer and one of the eight Manchester United players who were killed in the Munich air disaster...

, Tony Dunne

Tony Dunne

Anthony Peter Dunne , Irish football player who regularly appeared at left-back. He had 33 caps for the Republic of Ireland, playing for the national team in 1962–1975. He was Irish Footballer of the Year in 1969....

, Don Givens

Don Givens

Daniel Joseph "Don" Givens is a football player and coach, and former Republic of Ireland U21 team manager...

, Kevin Moran and Paul McGrath

Paul McGrath (footballer)

Paul McGrath is a retired Irish footballer, who played as a defender. McGrath is widely recognised as one of the greatest players to have ever come out of Ireland....

. He also served as vice chairman of the Dalkey

Dalkey

Dalkey is suburb of Dublin and seaside resort in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County, Ireland. It was founded as a Viking settlement and became an important port during the Middle Ages. According to John Clyn, it was one of the ports through which the plague entered Ireland in the mid-14th century...

-based Leinster Senior League team, Dalkey United and it was through this association that he discovered McGrath.

Behan's father, William Sr., was one of the founder members of Shamrock Rovers. His brothers John and Paddy also played for Rovers. His son William junior kept goal for Rovers side also for a spell. His second cousin was Bob Fullam

Bob Fullam

Bob Fullam was an Irish footballer and one of the best-known players in the League of Ireland in the 1920s . A versatile attacking player, he was skilful but also had a tough-man image....

.

He died in November 1991 at the age of 80.

As a player

Shamrock Rovers

• FAI Cup
  FAI Cup
  The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...
  
   (2): 1931, 1936
• League of Ireland Shield
  League of Ireland Shield
  The League of Ireland Shield is a defunct Irish football tournament which was introduced when the League of Ireland started in 1921 and ran uninterrupted until 1972...
  
   (1): 1934–35

Sources

• Back from the Brink (2006): Paul McGrath with Vincent Hogan
• The Boys In Green – The FAI International Story (1997): Sean Ryan
• The Hoops by Paul Doolan and Robert Goggins (ISBN 0-7171-2121-6)

External links

• Profile at MUFCInfo.com