Galway United
Encyclopedia
Galway United F.C. was founded as Galway Rovers in 1937. They are a football club currently playing in the League of Ireland Premier Division, the top tier of the Irish
football.
Galway first joined the League of Ireland in 1977, having been invited to participate in the League Cup in the previous year.
Galway Rovers made its League of Ireland
debut in Terryland Park
, Galway
, against St. Patricks Athletic on the August 28 of that year.
Until February 2011, the club's chief executive
was ex-derivatives trader Nick Leeson
, whose unsupervised speculative trading
caused the collapse of Barings Bank
, the UK
's oldest investment bank.
district of Galway in 1937. The club achieved great success at junior level and had their first shot at senior football when they competed in the League Cup in 1976. In 1977, the club was invited to join the then League of Ireland
and made its debut in Terryland Park against St. Patricks Athletic on the 28th August of that year. The club found it difficult to make an impact in the League Of Ireland at first but gradually improved and reached its first major final in 1981, losing the League Cup final on penalties to Dundalk
in Oriel Park
.
Due to financial difficulties, the company behind the club was dissolved and the club was reformed as Galway United.
final. Shamrock Rovers F.C.
were the victors in Dalymount Park
on 28 April 1985. As Shamrock Rovers
had already secured European qualification through their league title triumph, the place reserved in Europe for the FAI Cup
winners fell to the runners-up. This enabled Galway United to qualify for a historic first appearance in Europe, in the European Cup Winners Cup. The team distinguished themselves in the National Stadium
in Copenhagen
, when despite finishing with ten men, held Lyngby to a 1-0 victory. A packed Galway Sportsgrounds
on the 2nd October saw the Danes
hold on for a 4-2 aggregate victory.
Galway United continued their impressive form in the League of Ireland
and incredibly remained unbeaten until March 1986 - a club Premier Division record of 16 games. At this stage they were leading the table, ahead of the great Shamrock Rovers
side of that era, who went on to win four league titles in a row. On the 2nd March 1986, the two title contenders went head to head in Terryland in a match which would ultimately decide the title. Three goals in the first 35 minutes handed the game to Rovers, who went on to win the game 3-1 and ultimately, the league. Galway United finished runners up and again qualified for Europe as Ireland's UEFA Cup
representatives. Meanwhile, on 15 January 1986, United won their first senior trophy as they beat Dundalk
2-0 in the League Cup final. Denis Bonner (brother of Packie
) scored for United, along with Paul McGee
(17 times capped for Ireland). Galway United's opponents in the UEFA Cup were FC Groningen, who at the time were one of the top sides in the Netherlands
. They went on to win 8-2, with the home tie memorable for the fact that it was held in the Gaeltacht
area of Carraroe, on a pitch that usually hosted the local Gaelic football
team, An Cheathrú Rua
.
. In the FAI Cup, United again reached the final, this time held in Lansdowne Road
. Old rivals, Shamrock Rovers were the opposition and were seeking their 25th victory in the competition. With five minutes to go on the clock, Johnny Glynn tapped home a late goal, which was enough to win Galway United the FAI Cup and also send them back into Europe. United were drawn against Danish side Odense BK
in the European Cup Winners Cup. The first leg was held in the Galway village of Ballinderreen in front of a 6,000 crowd. Odense were much too strong for United, who had lost both Keane and Glynn in the summer, and they went on to win the tie 7-0 on aggregate.
The following season proved to be traumatic for the club, as they were relegated to the First Division for the first time in their history. Tony Mannion returned as manager and Galway United returned to the top flight in style, winning the First Division at the first attempt and also winning the First Division shield. Terryland Park was being redeveloped and the club moved to Crowley Park, the home of local rugby side Galwegians
, for one season. The side surpassed all expectations by finishing third in the Premier Division behind Shamrock Rovers and Cork City.
Galway United returned to Terryland Park
on 9 October 1994, beating Sligo Rovers. Two weeks later a record Terryland crowd of 7,000 saw United defeat Cork City 2-1, as the floodlit football came to Galway. United remained in the Premier Division until 1996. The cloud of relegation had a silver lining, however, as United won two trophies - the First Division Shield and also the League Cup, both for the second time.
was the next person to take the helm at Terryland Park and won promotion to the Premier Division in 1999. His reign as manager Terryland is generally remembered for two FAI Cup campaigns, in which the club reached successive semi-finals in 1999 and 2000. The club lost both games, the first to Finn Harps and the second to Shelbourne
. The 1999 semi-final was the first football match to be televised live from Terryland Park on national television. Tony Mannion returned for his third spell as manager in 2001 but Galway United found themselves relegated to the First Division for the third time, by the start of the 2002–2003 campaign.
At the start of the 2005 season, club hero Stephen Lally took over as club manager, but he tendered his resignation from his post just ten games into the 2006 campaign. Tony Cousins
was appointed manager of the club on 14 June 2006. Galway United finished 3rd in the 2006 league campaign and were invited to take part in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland
for the 2007 season.
In July 2007, the new 1,500-seater stand at Terryland Park
was opened, increasing the seated capacity to 2,900. That season saw the club involved in a relegation fight for most of the season but avoided the drop and finished 7th.
The following season saw a poor start costing Cousins his job in April 2008. Jeff Kenna
took over in a player-manager capacity. Rumours of financial troubles and the selling of the players within the squad, most notably Derek O'Brien
, coupled with the club sitting bottom of the league, relegation loomed on the horizon. However, a surge of great form which saw the United reach the FAI Cup semi-finals gave the club a fighting chance of survival. A 3–0 victory over Finn Harps in the penultimate game of the season put survival in United's own hands and their victory the following week away to U.C.D
ensured that Galway United would be playing in the top division in 2009.
Following the departure of Jeff Kenna to St Patrick's Athletic on 14 January 2009, Ian Foster
was promoted from his role as assistant manager, signing a two-year contract to take over the reins at the club. Foster succeeded in helping the club avoid the relegation play-offs in 2009, albeit due to Derry City's
expulsion from the LOI Premier Division.
Following the departure of Sean Connor
from his post at Dundalk
, 24 hours after the final game of the season, Ian Foster sought permission from Galway United CEO Nick Leeson
to speak with Dundalk
, but was denied. He subsequently resigned his position and was appointed team manager at Dundalk on 4 December 2009. Foster cited alleged payment problems during the season as justification for his contact with Dundalk and his subsequent appointment there.
was appointed as team manager by Galway United. Between the end of 2009 and the start of the 2010 season, Galway United and Dundalk
effectively swapped team managers, as Ian Foster
moved in the opposite direction to Dundalk.
From 15th April to 9th September, Galway went on astonishing run of twenty-two defeats in a row, which ended after they scraped a 2-2 draw against Dundalk
. Due to poor attendances and lack of funding, Galway put up their entire squad for sale in the mid-season transfer window and in doing so, turning completely amateur. All new signings were from local clubs. Galway United sacked manager Sean Connor in September.John Brennan took over, but could do little to help the team as they had already secured bottom of the Premier Division. Galway only scored twenty league goals in the 2011 season and concede an incredible one-hundred-and-fifteen. They only won one league game, beating Bohemians 1-0 on 25th March 2011.
The committee took over the responsibility with the intention of stabilising the finances of the club and repairing the damage caused during the tenure of Nick Leeson as CEO of the club.
President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins
serves as club president in a ceremonial capacity.
Terryland Park is due to undergo even more development in the future. It is planned that the new stand, which was built in 2007, will include a shop unit, turnstiles, medical examination and first-aid rooms, toilets, showers, dressing-rooms, a match delegates' room, officials' dressing-room, a new media and reception room, a canteen with facilities for press conference, and TV and radio facilities.
Terryland Park has hosted 5 Ireland under 21 games and other international underage matches. Every year, 80 games are played at Terryland Park with between 25 to 30 of these fixtures involving Galway United.
In 2008, Terryland Park was voted as the best surface in the League of Ireland for the second year running.
UEFA Cup
:
Overall:
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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.
Galway first joined the League of Ireland in 1977, having been invited to participate in the League Cup in the previous year.
Galway Rovers made its 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...
debut in Terryland Park
Terryland Park
Terryland Park is a multi-purpose stadium in Galway, Ireland, owned by the Galway & District Football League. It is currently used for association football matches and has been the home ground of Galway United since 1977.- History :...
, Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
, against St. Patricks Athletic on the August 28 of that year.
Until February 2011, the club's chief executive
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
was ex-derivatives trader Nick Leeson
Nick Leeson
Nicholas "Nick" Leeson is a former derivatives broker whose fraudulent, unauthorized speculative trading caused the collapse of Barings Bank, the United Kingdom's oldest investment bank, for which he was sent to prison...
, whose unsupervised speculative trading
Rogue trader
A rogue trader is an authorised employee making unauthorised trades on behalf of their employer. It is most often applicable to financial trading, and as such is a term used to describe persons - professional traders - making unapproved financial transactions....
caused the collapse of Barings Bank
Barings Bank
Barings Bank was the oldest merchant bank in London until its collapse in 1995 after one of the bank's employees, Nick Leeson, lost £827 million due to speculative investing, primarily in futures contracts, at the bank's Singapore office.-History:-1762–1890:Barings Bank was founded in 1762 as the...
, the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's oldest investment bank.
Foundation and league membership
"The Tribesmen" as Galway United F.C. are known as, was founded as Galway Rovers in the CladdaghCladdagh
Claddagh is an area close to the centre of Galway city, where the Corrib River meets Galway Bay. It was formerly a fishing village, just outside the old city walls. It is just across the river from the Spanish Arch, which was the location of regular fish markets where the locals supplied the city...
district of Galway in 1937. The club achieved great success at junior level and had their first shot at senior football when they competed in the League Cup in 1976. In 1977, the club was invited to join the then 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...
and made its debut in Terryland Park against St. Patricks Athletic on the 28th August of that year. The club found it difficult to make an impact in the League Of Ireland at first but gradually improved and reached its first major final in 1981, losing the League Cup final on penalties to Dundalk
Dundalk F.C.
Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...
in Oriel Park
Oriel Park
Oriel Park is a multi-purpose stadium in Dundalk, County Louth, Republic of Ireland. It is used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Dundalk F.C. Its current capacity is about 4,500 with 3,000 seats. The ground was opened in 1919.-History:...
.
Due to financial difficulties, the company behind the club was dissolved and the club was reformed as Galway United.
New name, new decade, new frontiers
Success was soon to follow. United finished in sixth position in the League in 1985 and, under the stewardship of Tom Lally and Tony Mannion, qualified for the FAI CupFAI 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. Shamrock Rovers F.C.
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...
were the victors in Dalymount Park
Dalymount Park
Dalymount Park is an Irish football stadium situated on Dublin's Northside. It is the home of Bohemian F.C., who have played there since the early 20th century. Affectionately known as 'Dalyer' by fans, it was also historically the "home of Irish football" holding Irish internationals and FAI Cup...
on 28 April 1985. As 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...
had already secured European qualification through their league title triumph, the place reserved in Europe for 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...
winners fell to the runners-up. This enabled Galway United to qualify for a historic first appearance in Europe, in the European Cup Winners Cup. The team distinguished themselves in the National Stadium
Parken Stadium
Parken Stadium is a football stadium in the Indre Østerbro district of Copenhagen, Denmark, built from 1990–1992. It currently has a capacity of 38,065 for football games, and is the home ground of F.C. Københaven and the Danish national football team...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, when despite finishing with ten men, held Lyngby to a 1-0 victory. A packed Galway Sportsgrounds
Galway Sportsgrounds
Galway Sportsground, also known as The Sportsground, is a multi-purpose stadium in Galway, Ireland. It opened in 1927, with the playing of a soccer match...
on the 2nd October saw the Danes
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
hold on for a 4-2 aggregate victory.
Galway United continued their impressive form in 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...
and incredibly remained unbeaten until March 1986 - a club Premier Division record of 16 games. At this stage they were leading the table, ahead of the great 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...
side of that era, who went on to win four league titles in a row. On the 2nd March 1986, the two title contenders went head to head in Terryland in a match which would ultimately decide the title. Three goals in the first 35 minutes handed the game to Rovers, who went on to win the game 3-1 and ultimately, the league. Galway United finished runners up and again qualified for Europe as Ireland's UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
representatives. Meanwhile, on 15 January 1986, United won their first senior trophy as they beat Dundalk
Dundalk F.C.
Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...
2-0 in the League Cup final. Denis Bonner (brother of Packie
Packie Bonner
Patrick Joseph "Packie" Bonner is an Irish former football goalkeeper for Celtic and the Republic of Ireland, who earned 80 caps after making his debut on his 21st birthday...
) scored for United, along with Paul McGee
Paul McGee (footballer born 1954)
Paul 'Skee' McGee is a former Irish football player and current manager of League of Ireland First Division club Salthill Devon....
(17 times capped for Ireland). Galway United's opponents in the UEFA Cup were FC Groningen, who at the time were one of the top sides in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. They went on to win 8-2, with the home tie memorable for the fact that it was held in the Gaeltacht
Gaeltacht
is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...
area of Carraroe, on a pitch that usually hosted the local Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
team, An Cheathrú Rua
Carraroe GAA
Carraroe GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Gaeltacht area of Carraroe, County Galway, Ireland. The club is a member of the Galway GAA...
.
The 1990s
Fast forward five years and Galway United had consolidated their position in the Premier Division under new manager Joey MaloneJoey Malone
Joey Malone was an Irish soccer player during the 1970s and 1980s.A dynamic midfielder, he made his League of Ireland debut with Bohemians on the 25th of September 1977 and won a league title with them in 1977/78. He made 1 appearance in European competition for Bohs...
. In the FAI Cup, United again reached the final, this time held in Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts...
. Old rivals, Shamrock Rovers were the opposition and were seeking their 25th victory in the competition. With five minutes to go on the clock, Johnny Glynn tapped home a late goal, which was enough to win Galway United the FAI Cup and also send them back into Europe. United were drawn against Danish side Odense BK
Odense BK
Odense Boldklub is a Danish professional football club based in the town of Odense. The club has won three Danish championships and five Danish Cup trophies. OB play in the Danish Superliga and their home field is TRE-FOR Park in Odense on Funen...
in the European Cup Winners Cup. The first leg was held in the Galway village of Ballinderreen in front of a 6,000 crowd. Odense were much too strong for United, who had lost both Keane and Glynn in the summer, and they went on to win the tie 7-0 on aggregate.
The following season proved to be traumatic for the club, as they were relegated to the First Division for the first time in their history. Tony Mannion returned as manager and Galway United returned to the top flight in style, winning the First Division at the first attempt and also winning the First Division shield. Terryland Park was being redeveloped and the club moved to Crowley Park, the home of local rugby side Galwegians
Galwegians RFC
Galwegians Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club in Galway, Ireland. The club was founded in 1922 and plays in the second tier of the top division of the Irish domestic club competition the All-Ireland League....
, for one season. The side surpassed all expectations by finishing third in the Premier Division behind Shamrock Rovers and Cork City.
Galway United returned to Terryland Park
Terryland Park
Terryland Park is a multi-purpose stadium in Galway, Ireland, owned by the Galway & District Football League. It is currently used for association football matches and has been the home ground of Galway United since 1977.- History :...
on 9 October 1994, beating Sligo Rovers. Two weeks later a record Terryland crowd of 7,000 saw United defeat Cork City 2-1, as the floodlit football came to Galway. United remained in the Premier Division until 1996. The cloud of relegation had a silver lining, however, as United won two trophies - the First Division Shield and also the League Cup, both for the second time.
The end of the 1990s and the new millennium
Don O'RiordanDon O'Riordan
Donald Joseph O'Riordan is an Irish former professional footballer and football manager currently in charge of American side FC New York. O'Riordan notably played for Grimsby Town amongst others and has previously been on the coaching staff at Sheffield United, in the role of technical...
was the next person to take the helm at Terryland Park and won promotion to the Premier Division in 1999. His reign as manager Terryland is generally remembered for two FAI Cup campaigns, in which the club reached successive semi-finals in 1999 and 2000. The club lost both games, the first to Finn Harps and the second to 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....
. The 1999 semi-final was the first football match to be televised live from Terryland Park on national television. Tony Mannion returned for his third spell as manager in 2001 but Galway United found themselves relegated to the First Division for the third time, by the start of the 2002–2003 campaign.
At the start of the 2005 season, club hero Stephen Lally took over as club manager, but he tendered his resignation from his post just ten games into the 2006 campaign. Tony Cousins
Tony Cousins
Tony Cousins is a former Irish footballer and the current coach of League of Ireland club, Longford Town. He is the older brother of Andrew Cousins and first cousin of Tommy Dunne....
was appointed manager of the club on 14 June 2006. Galway United finished 3rd in the 2006 league campaign and were invited to take part in the Premier Division 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...
for the 2007 season.
In July 2007, the new 1,500-seater stand at Terryland Park
Terryland Park
Terryland Park is a multi-purpose stadium in Galway, Ireland, owned by the Galway & District Football League. It is currently used for association football matches and has been the home ground of Galway United since 1977.- History :...
was opened, increasing the seated capacity to 2,900. That season saw the club involved in a relegation fight for most of the season but avoided the drop and finished 7th.
The following season saw a poor start costing Cousins his job in April 2008. Jeff Kenna
Jeff Kenna
Jeffrey Jude Kenna is an Irish football manager and former player who played the largest part of his career as a defender with Southampton and Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League. He has managed Galway United and St Patrick's Athletic...
took over in a player-manager capacity. Rumours of financial troubles and the selling of the players within the squad, most notably Derek O'Brien
Derek O'Brien (footballer born 1979)
Derek O'Brien is an Irish footballer playing with Cork City in the League of Ireland.-Playing career:...
, coupled with the club sitting bottom of the league, relegation loomed on the horizon. However, a surge of great form which saw the United reach the FAI Cup semi-finals gave the club a fighting chance of survival. A 3–0 victory over Finn Harps in the penultimate game of the season put survival in United's own hands and their victory the following week away to U.C.D
University College Dublin A.F.C.
University College Dublin Association Football Club known commonly as UCD is the football team of University College Dublin. They play in the League of Ireland. The club, founded in 1895 was elected to the league in 1979 under the management of Dr. Tony O'Neill. Since the 2008 season they have...
ensured that Galway United would be playing in the top division in 2009.
Following the departure of Jeff Kenna to St Patrick's Athletic on 14 January 2009, Ian Foster
Ian Foster
Ian Foster is a Distinguished Fellow and the Associate Division Director in the Mathematics and Computer Science Division at Argonne National Laboratory, where he leads the Distributed Systems Laboratory, and he is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Chicago...
was promoted from his role as assistant manager, signing a two-year contract to take over the reins at the club. Foster succeeded in helping the club avoid the relegation play-offs in 2009, albeit due to Derry City's
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...
expulsion from the LOI Premier Division.
Following the departure of Sean Connor
Sean Connor
Sean Connor is a former footballer and manager currently without a club.-Playing career:Connor began his career at Distillery in the Irish League where he played for one full season before moving to Port Vale...
from his post at Dundalk
Dundalk F.C.
Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...
, 24 hours after the final game of the season, Ian Foster sought permission from Galway United CEO Nick Leeson
Nick Leeson
Nicholas "Nick" Leeson is a former derivatives broker whose fraudulent, unauthorized speculative trading caused the collapse of Barings Bank, the United Kingdom's oldest investment bank, for which he was sent to prison...
to speak with Dundalk
Dundalk F.C.
Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...
, but was denied. He subsequently resigned his position and was appointed team manager at Dundalk on 4 December 2009. Foster cited alleged payment problems during the season as justification for his contact with Dundalk and his subsequent appointment there.
2010 and beyond
On 10 January 2010, Sean ConnorSean Connor
Sean Connor is a former footballer and manager currently without a club.-Playing career:Connor began his career at Distillery in the Irish League where he played for one full season before moving to Port Vale...
was appointed as team manager by Galway United. Between the end of 2009 and the start of the 2010 season, Galway United and Dundalk
Dundalk F.C.
Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...
effectively swapped team managers, as Ian Foster
Ian Foster (footballer)
Ian Foster is an English football manager who is currently in charge of Dundalk in the League of Ireland Premier Division...
moved in the opposite direction to Dundalk.
2011 Season
The 2011 season was Galway United's worst ever, and results-wise one of the worst seasons by a club in League of Ireland history.From 15th April to 9th September, Galway went on astonishing run of twenty-two defeats in a row, which ended after they scraped a 2-2 draw against Dundalk
Dundalk F.C.
Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...
. Due to poor attendances and lack of funding, Galway put up their entire squad for sale in the mid-season transfer window and in doing so, turning completely amateur. All new signings were from local clubs. Galway United sacked manager Sean Connor in September.John Brennan took over, but could do little to help the team as they had already secured bottom of the Premier Division. Galway only scored twenty league goals in the 2011 season and concede an incredible one-hundred-and-fifteen. They only won one league game, beating Bohemians 1-0 on 25th March 2011.
Management
The day to day operations of the club are carried out by a volunteer management committee, consisting of members of the Galway United Supporters Trust.The committee took over the responsibility with the intention of stabilising the finances of the club and repairing the damage caused during the tenure of Nick Leeson as CEO of the club.
President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins
Michael D. Higgins
Michael Daniel Higgins is the ninth and current President of Ireland, having taken office on 11 November 2011 following victory in the 2011 Irish presidential election. Higgins is an Irish politician, poet, sociologist, author and broadcaster. Higgins was President of the Labour Party until his...
serves as club president in a ceremonial capacity.
Management Committee
|
- Last updated, 7 August 2011
Shirt sponsors and manufacturers
| Year | Kit manufacturer | Shirt partner |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Umbro Umbro Umbro is an English sportswear and football equipment supplier based in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, England. The company is now part of Nike. Umbro designs, sources, and markets sport-related apparel, footwear, and equipment... |
Harmack Developments |
| 2005 | ||
| 2006 | ||
| 2007 | O Connell Drylining | |
| 2008 | Rival | |
| 2009 | Papa Johns | |
| 2010 | ||
| 2011 | ||
Grounds
In 1977, the club was invited to join the then League of Ireland. They began using Terryland Park in the same year on the 28th August. Here, they played their first match against St. Patricks Athletic. In 1993, Terryland Park underwent redevelopment. During this time, Galway United played their matches at the Galway Sportsground and Galwegians RFCs Crowley Park. The stadium was to undergo further redevelopment in 2007 after a €500,000 grant was received from the Irish Government in 2006. The money went towards building a new 1,500-seater stand and a new camera platform. This new stand increased the capacity from 3,300 to 5,000.Terryland Park is due to undergo even more development in the future. It is planned that the new stand, which was built in 2007, will include a shop unit, turnstiles, medical examination and first-aid rooms, toilets, showers, dressing-rooms, a match delegates' room, officials' dressing-room, a new media and reception room, a canteen with facilities for press conference, and TV and radio facilities.
Terryland Park has hosted 5 Ireland under 21 games and other international underage matches. Every year, 80 games are played at Terryland Park with between 25 to 30 of these fixtures involving Galway United.
In 2008, Terryland Park was voted as the best surface in the League of Ireland for the second year running.
Support
The club has a small but loyal fan base based around the city and county of Galway, also extending into south Mayo and north Clare. Galway United were averaging gates of circa 1,000 during the 2011 season. Galway United's only supporters club is GUST ( Galway United Supporters Trust ). Over the years, GUST has provided considerable support to Galway United by way of fund-raising. The fan base of Galway United are known as the Maroon Army.Current Squad
Managers
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- Caretaker manager(s)
Personnel
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- Last updated, 7 August 2011
Recent seasons
| Season | League | 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... |
League Cup | Top goalscorer | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | Name | Goals | |||
| 2005 | First | 36 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 46 | 43 | 53 | 5th | R2 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... |
R2 | Barry Moran | 11 |
| 2006 | First | 36 | 19 | 12 | 5 | 57 | 25 | 69 | 3rd | R2 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... |
R1 | Barry Moran | 11 |
| 2007 | Prem | 33 | 7 | 13 | 13 | 28 | 35 | 35 | 8th | R2 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... |
R2 | Derek Glynn Derek Glynn Derek Glynn is a Irish football player and plays as a striker.He joined Galway United in 2007 from Claremorris AFC where he was top scorer in the Mayo league for 3 consecutive years earning him recognition as a striker with a keen eye for goal. Was the SWAI Player of the Month in June 2007... |
10 |
| 2008 Galway United F.C. season 2008 This is a list of competitive matches played by Galway United Football Club in Irish football during the 2008 season.-Pre-season:-Premier Division:-League Cup:- Squad statistics :-References:... |
Prem | 33 | 8 | 8 | 17 | 34 | 49 | 32 | 9th | SF 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... |
SF | Jay O'Shea | 7 |
| 2009 Galway United F.C. season 2009 This is a list of competitive matches played by Galway United Football Club in Irish football during the 2009 season.- Pre-season :- Premier Division :- Final table :- FAI Cup :- League Cup :- Squad statistics :... |
Prem | 36 | 12 | 6 | 18 | 36 | 57 | 42 | 7th | R4 | QF | Vinny Faherty Vinny Faherty Vincent "Vinny" Faherty is an Irish footballer who plays in Australia for Whittlesea Zebras, promoted as champions to the Victorian Premier League for the 2012 season. He plays in either the forward position or as an attacking midfielder.-Early career:As a youngster, Faherty began his career with... |
8 |
| 2010 Galway United F.C. season 2010 This is a list of competitive matches played by Galway United Football Club in Irish football during the 2010 season.-Premier Division:*Attendance figures in brackets represent away fixtures.-EA Sports Cup:-Friendly matches:... |
Prem | 36 | 9 | 11 | 16 | 38 | 59 | 38 | 8th | QF 2010 FAI Cup The 2010 FAI Senior Challenge Cup, also known as the 2010 FAI Ford Cup, is the 87th season of the national football competition of the Republic of Ireland.... |
R1 | Karl Sheppard Karl Sheppard (footballer) Karl Sheppard , is a footballer currently playing with League of Ireland Premier Division club Shamrock Rovers.Sheppard began his playing career at schoolboy club Portmarnock AFC... / Stephen O'Donnell Stephen O'Donnell (Irish footballer) Stephen O'Donnell is an Irish professional footballer who plays for League of Ireland Premier Division club Shamrock Rovers.-Arsenal:... |
8 |
National Titles
- League of IrelandLeague of IrelandThe 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...
- Runners-up (1): 1985-86
- FAI CupFAI CupThe 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...
- Winners (1): 1991
- Runners-up (1): 1985
- League of Ireland Cup
- Winners (2): 1985-86, 1996-97
- Runners-up (1): 1980-81
- League of Ireland First Division
- Winners (1): 1992-93
- Runners-up (1): 1998-99
- League of Ireland First Division ShieldLeague of Ireland First Division ShieldThe League of Ireland First Division Shield is a now defunct Irish football competition which was run by the Football Association of Ireland. The tournament was confined to those teams competing in the League of Ireland First Division and ran during the 1980s and 1990s.-List of Finals:Possibly...
- Winners (2): 1992-93, 1996-97
Regional Titles
- Connacht Senior CupConnacht Senior Cup (Association football)Connacht Senior Cup is a recently revived knockout competition that features junior teams and League of Ireland representatives from the province of Connacht...
- Winners (3): 1984-85, 1995-96, 2007-08
European Record
UEFA Cup Winners Cup:| Appearances | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 11 |
UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
:
| Appearances | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
Overall:
| Appearances | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 19 |
Past Opponents
| Season | Competition | Country | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985/86 | UEFA Cup Winners Cup First Round |  |
Lyngby BK Lyngby Boldklub Lyngby Boldklub is a professional Danish football club founded in 1921. It is based at Lyngby Stadion in Kongens Lyngby, Denmark. From 1994 to 2001 the club was known as Lyngby FC.-History:... |
0-1, 2-3 (2-4 agg.) |
| 1986/87 | UEFA Cup UEFA Cup The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League... First Round |
 |
F.C. Groningen | 1-5, 1-3 (2-8 agg.) |
| 1991/92 | UEFA Cup Winners Cup Qualifying Round | |
Odense | 0-3,0-4 (0-7 agg.) |
External links
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