Eddie Gormley
Encyclopedia
Eddie Gormley is a former Irish
football
player and manager of Bray Wanderers.
Gormley was a midfielder
and played league football in England
, Scotland
and Ireland
. He achieved most success with St Patrick's Athletic.
Community School where he played for the School Junior & Senior teams, and also playing schoolboy football with St Joseph’s Boys, Gormley joined League of Ireland
side Bray Wanderers in the summer of 1987. Made his League of Ireland debut for Bray at Derry City F.C.
on the 13th of September 1987. After only a handful of appearances Gormley impressed in a trial at Tottenham Hotspur and was signed on a three year contract in November 1987. During his time at Tottenham, Gormley would earn Republic of Ireland U-21 caps. He would however not play for Tottenham’s first team, outside of friendlies and testimonials. Tottenham loaned out Gormley to Chesterfield
, Motherwell
and Shrewsbury Town F.C.
to get some first team experience.
for Doncaster Rovers. Gormley inspired Doncaster to ten point lead in the league before financial circumstances saw a number of crucial players sold off, resulting in Doncaster missing out on promotion. The following two year saw Doncaster struggle as a side without any real chance of promotion. Gormley, however, flourished and was voted the club’s player of the year in both 1991/92 and 1992/93 seasons. http://www.doncasterrovers-supportersclub.co.uk/motm/motm%20past%20winners.html After three seasons at Doncaster, Gormley decided to return to Ireland and initially joined Drogheda United
on loan at the start of the 1993/94 season.
manager Brian Kerr in December 1993. His debut game went relatively unnoticed as it happened to be St. Pats first home game on return to their natural home of Richmond Park
after a four and half year absence. He played on the left wing during his first season. The following season saw Gormley move into central midfield and his performances there saw him selected on the League’s All Star team. In 1995/96 Gormley won the PFAI Player of the Year award as he drove St Pats to the league title. Unfortunately for Gormley and St Pats he missed a penalty in the FAI Cup
final replay as Shelbourne stopped the Saints winning the double. After finishing 5th in 1996/97, Gormley captained the Saints to further league titles in 1997/98 and 1998/99. A hugely creative player with an eye for spectacular goals (Irish Times journalist Gerry Thornley called him Hagi such were the playing similarities with the Romanian footballer
), his all round play made him a firm fans favourite in Inchicore
. He was captain of the League of Ireland
representative side between 1996 and 2000. When he left in 2000 after an argument with manager Pat Dolan
Pats’ fans were furious. He was cheered on and off the field by them every time he played against St Pats after his very successful spell there.
On 9th August 2010, Gormley parted company with Bray Wanderers, according to the club website.
PFAI Player of the Year
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,...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player and manager of Bray Wanderers.
Gormley was a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
and played league football in England
Football in England
Association football is a national sport in England, where the first modern set of rules for the code were established in 1863, which were a major influence on the development of the modern Laws of the Game...
, Scotland
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
and Ireland
League of Ireland
The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
. He achieved most success with St Patrick's Athletic.
Early career
Educated at CabinteelyCabinteely
Cabinteely is a south-eastern suburb of Dublin in Ireland, in the administrative county of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.-History:There is a prehistoric burial tomb known as Brennanstown Portal Tomb, Glendruid cromlech/dolmen, or The Druids’ Altar near Cabinteely....
Community School where he played for the School Junior & Senior teams, and also playing schoolboy football with St Joseph’s Boys, Gormley joined League of Ireland
League of Ireland
The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
side Bray Wanderers in the summer of 1987. Made his League of Ireland debut for Bray at Derry City F.C.
Derry City F.C.
Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division...
on the 13th of September 1987. After only a handful of appearances Gormley impressed in a trial at Tottenham Hotspur and was signed on a three year contract in November 1987. During his time at Tottenham, Gormley would earn Republic of Ireland U-21 caps. He would however not play for Tottenham’s first team, outside of friendlies and testimonials. Tottenham loaned out Gormley to Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
, Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
and Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
to get some first team experience.
Doncaster Rovers
At the end of the 1989/90 season Gormley was released by Tottenham and signed by Billy BremnerBilly Bremner
William John "Billy" Bremner was a Scottish professional footballer, most noted for his captaincy of the Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s. He has since been voted Leeds United's greatest player of all time and has a statue outside the South East corner of Elland Road...
for Doncaster Rovers. Gormley inspired Doncaster to ten point lead in the league before financial circumstances saw a number of crucial players sold off, resulting in Doncaster missing out on promotion. The following two year saw Doncaster struggle as a side without any real chance of promotion. Gormley, however, flourished and was voted the club’s player of the year in both 1991/92 and 1992/93 seasons. http://www.doncasterrovers-supportersclub.co.uk/motm/motm%20past%20winners.html After three seasons at Doncaster, Gormley decided to return to Ireland and initially joined Drogheda United
Drogheda United
Drogheda United Football Club is an Irish football club currently playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. The club hails from Drogheda, Ireland and, since 1979, plays its home matches at Hunky Dorys Park....
on loan at the start of the 1993/94 season.
St Patrick’s Athletic
After securing his release from Doncaster Rovers, Gormley was signed by St Patrick’s AthleticSt Patrick's Athletic F.C.
St Patrick's Athletic Football Club is a football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the League of Ireland Premier Division. Founded in 1929, they are based in the Dublin suburb of Inchicore and play their home matches at Richmond Park. They have won the League of Ireland title 7 times and...
manager Brian Kerr in December 1993. His debut game went relatively unnoticed as it happened to be St. Pats first home game on return to their natural home of Richmond Park
Richmond Park (football ground)
Richmond Park is a football stadium in Dublin, Ireland. It is the home ground for Irish football team St. Patricks Athletic of the League of Ireland. It is situated in the Dublin suburb of Inchicore...
after a four and half year absence. He played on the left wing during his first season. The following season saw Gormley move into central midfield and his performances there saw him selected on the League’s All Star team. In 1995/96 Gormley won the PFAI Player of the Year award as he drove St Pats to the league title. Unfortunately for Gormley and St Pats he missed a penalty in 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...
final replay as Shelbourne stopped the Saints winning the double. After finishing 5th in 1996/97, Gormley captained the Saints to further league titles in 1997/98 and 1998/99. A hugely creative player with an eye for spectacular goals (Irish Times journalist Gerry Thornley called him Hagi such were the playing similarities with the Romanian footballer
Gheorghe Hagi
Gheorghe Hagi is a former Romanian footballer. He was famous for his passing, close control, long shots and was regarded as one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe during the 1980s and 1990s and is considered the greatest Romanian footballer of all time...
), his all round play made him a firm fans favourite in Inchicore
Inchicore
-Location and access:Located five kilometres due west of the city centre, Inchicore lies south of the River Liffey, west of Kilmainham, north of Drimnagh and east of Ballyfermot. The majority of Inchicore is in the Dublin 8 postal district...
. He was captain of the League of Ireland
League of Ireland
The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
representative side between 1996 and 2000. When he left in 2000 after an argument with manager Pat Dolan
Pat Dolan
Patrick Dolan is a former football player, manager, and executive. He is a soccer analyst on Setanta Sports Ireland.-Early life:...
Pats’ fans were furious. He was cheered on and off the field by them every time he played against St Pats after his very successful spell there.
End of Playing career and on
Having decided to leave St Pats, Gormley re-joined his first club, Bray Wanderers. He played for three seasons and performed admirably. He was unable, however to help Bray reach the heights he reached with St Pats and in 2003, Gormley retired from professional football. After his retirement Eddie played one season for Pearse Rovers (Sallynoggin, Co Dublin) in the Leinster Senior League. After a spell as coach with, in September 2006 Gormley was appointed manager of Bray Wanderers. http://www.rte.ie/sport/2006/0922/bray.htmlOn 9th August 2010, Gormley parted company with Bray Wanderers, according to the club website.
Honours
League of IrelandLeague of Ireland
The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
- St. Patrick's Athletic - 1995/96, 1997/98, 1998/99
PFAI Player of the Year
Professional Footballers Association of Ireland
The Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland ' is the representative body for professional and semi-professional footballers in Ireland. Players from all nationalities in the League of Ireland are represented, not just Irish players. It is a member of FIFPro; the international body for...
- 1995/96
External links
- Gormley interview from braywanderers.com, July 2002