Pat Byrne
Encyclopedia
Pat Byrne is a former Irish
football
player and manager.
, his debut coming against St Patricks Athletic on 25 August 1974. He made 162 appearances in all competitions for Bohs (98 in the league, 10 in European competition) and won 2 League of Ireland
titles and 1 FAI Cup
before he moved to the USA in 1978, for a year with the Philadelphia Fury
of the North American Soccer League
where he played alongside fellow Irishmen Fran O'Brien (footballer)
and Eddie Byrne (footballer)
. He played in eighteen matches plus one play-off game and scored three goals http://www.nasljerseys.com/Rosters/Fury_Rosters.htm. Pat's team mates included Alan Ball, Peter Osgood
and Johnny Giles
. He played against the likes of Rodney Marsh
, Carlos Alberto
, Franz Beckenbauer
, Giorgio Chinaglia
and Bobby Moore
.
He returned to Europe in 1979, playing for Leicester City until 1981, then Heart of Midlothian
until 1983 http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/patbyrne.htm. While playing for the Tynecastle
side he was based in Dublin, and would regularly commute for weekend fixtures. When this became too much of a burden, he was granted a free transfer and joined League of Ireland
side Shamrock Rovers
. At Glenmalure Park
, he had extraordinary success winning 4 league titles in a row and the FAI Cup
3 times between 1984 and 1987. He was the clubs Player of the Year in 1984/85 and also picked up the SWAI Personality of the Year award for that season. During this time he also won 8 full international caps, 3 Inter League caps scoring once and played in 2 1988 Summer Olympics
qualifiers. He made 7 appearances for Rovers in European competition.
in 1988. By 1992, he had guided Shels to their first League of Ireland
title in thirty years and the following year, he guided them to their first FAI Cup
success in thirty years, when they beat Dundalk 1-0 in the cup final at Lansdowne Road
. In the Cup Winners' Cup
that autumn, Byrne brought Shels their first European victory since 1964 when they knocked out Ukrainian
side Karpaty Lviv
3-2 on aggregate. Byrne was sacked along with his assistant Jim McLaughlin shortly afterwards, and was succeeded by Eoin Hand
.
Pat became player/manager of St James's Gate F.C.
in February 1994 before he came back to Rovers to manage the club for the 1996/1997 season. He later managed Kilkenny City
to promotion to the Premier Division.
In September 2006, he became an official Shamrock Rovers Legend.
: 6
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.
Playing career
A central midfielder, Byrne's playing career started with BohemiansBohemian F.C.
Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11...
, his debut coming against St Patricks Athletic on 25 August 1974. He made 162 appearances in all competitions for Bohs (98 in the league, 10 in European competition) and won 2 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...
titles and 1 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...
before he moved to the USA in 1978, for a year with the Philadelphia Fury
Philadelphia Fury
The Philadelphia Fury was a soccer team based in Philadelphia that played in the North American Soccer League from 1978 to 1980. Among the club's investors were rock musicians Rick Wakeman, Peter Frampton and Paul Simon. The team played at Veterans Stadium....
of the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
where he played alongside fellow Irishmen Fran O'Brien (footballer)
Fran O'Brien (footballer)
Fran O'Brien was an Irish soccer player during the 1970s and 1980s. He was the first player to be capped for the Republic of Ireland playing in U.S., earning a total of four caps.-Player:...
and Eddie Byrne (footballer)
Eddie Byrne (footballer)
Eddie Byrne was an Irish soccer player during the 1970s.He played for Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians amongst others during his career in the League of Ireland. He began his career at Rovers in 1969 and spent 3 seasons at Glenmalure Park before joining Bohs for one season...
. He played in eighteen matches plus one play-off game and scored three goals http://www.nasljerseys.com/Rosters/Fury_Rosters.htm. Pat's team mates included Alan Ball, Peter Osgood
Peter Osgood
Peter Leslie Osgood was an English footballer who was active during the 1960s and 1970s. He is best remembered for representing Chelsea and Southampton at club level, and was also capped four times by England in the early 1970s.-Chelsea:Born in a small road named Kentons Lane in Windsor, Osgood...
and Johnny Giles
Johnny Giles
Michael John "Johnny" Giles is a former association footballer and manager best remembered for his time as a midfielder with Leeds United in the 1960s and 1970s...
. He played against the likes of Rodney Marsh
Rodney Marsh (footballer)
Rodney William Marsh is an English retired footballer. He was named after HMS Rodney by his father, who served on the battleship. He played for Fulham, Queens Park Rangers, Manchester City, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and the England national team. Lately, he has been a pundit and a commentator on the...
, Carlos Alberto
Carlos Alberto
Carlos Alberto is a common Portuguese given name, also found in Spanish .It is the name of several footballers:...
, Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Anton Beckenbauer is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed Der Kaiser because of his elegant style, his leadership, his first name "Franz" , and his dominance on the football pitch...
, Giorgio Chinaglia
Giorgio Chinaglia
Giorgio Chinaglia is a former football striker from Italy. He grew up and played his early football in Cardiff, Wales and began his career with Swansea Town in 1964. A year later at age 19, Chinaglia returned to Italy to play for Massese, and then Internapoli, before joining S.S. Lazio in 1969...
and Bobby Moore
Bobby Moore
Robert Frederick Chelsea "Bobby" Moore, OBE was an English footballer. He captained West Ham United for more than ten years and was captain of the England team that won the 1966 World Cup...
.
He returned to Europe in 1979, playing for Leicester City until 1981, then Heart of Midlothian
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
until 1983 http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/player/patbyrne.htm. While playing for the Tynecastle
Tynecastle Stadium
Tynecastle Stadium is a football stadium situated in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh, Scotland, which is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Hearts. Tynecastle has a seating capacity of 17,420, which makes it the seventh largest football stadium in Scotland...
side he was based in Dublin, and would regularly commute for weekend fixtures. When this became too much of a burden, he was granted a free transfer and 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 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...
. At Glenmalure Park
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...
, he had extraordinary success winning 4 league titles in a row and 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...
3 times between 1984 and 1987. He was the clubs Player of the Year in 1984/85 and also picked up the SWAI Personality of the Year award for that season. During this time he also won 8 full international caps, 3 Inter League caps scoring once and played in 2 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
qualifiers. He made 7 appearances for Rovers in European competition.
Management career
His distinguished career in the green and white came to an end at the end of the 1987/88 season when he was installed as player-manager of Shelbourne F.C.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....
in 1988. By 1992, he had guided Shels to their first 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...
title in thirty years and the following year, he guided them to their first 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...
success in thirty years, when they beat Dundalk 1-0 in the cup final at 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...
. In the Cup Winners' Cup
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
The UEFA Cup Winners' Cup was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. The cup is one of the many inter-European club competitions that have been organised by UEFA. The first competition was held in the 1960–61 season—but...
that autumn, Byrne brought Shels their first European victory since 1964 when they knocked out Ukrainian
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
side Karpaty Lviv
FC Karpaty Lviv
FC Karpaty Lviv is a Ukrainian professional football club from the city of Lviv. Named after the Carpathian Mountains, they are one of perennial mid-table clubs in Ukraine.-Early years :...
3-2 on aggregate. Byrne was sacked along with his assistant Jim McLaughlin shortly afterwards, and was succeeded by Eoin Hand
Eoin Hand
Eoin Kevin Joseph Colin Hand is a former footballer and football manager. As a player, his normal position was centre-half. He works as a television and radio football commentator for RTÉ in Ireland.-Playing career:...
.
Pat became player/manager of St James's Gate F.C.
St James's Gate F.C.
St James's Gate F.C. is an Irish football club that currently plays in the Leinster Senior League. St James Gate was founded as the footballing part of the Guinness Sports and Social club and was named after St. James's Gate Brewery....
in February 1994 before he came back to Rovers to manage the club for the 1996/1997 season. He later managed Kilkenny City
Kilkenny City A.F.C.
Kilkenny City A.F.C. was an Irish football club. The club played in the First Division of the League of Ireland until 18 January 2008 when they announced that they resigned their position in the league citing “lack of finance, poor results and paltry attendances”.The club hails from Kilkenny and...
to promotion to the Premier Division.
In September 2006, he became an official Shamrock Rovers Legend.
As a player
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...
: 6
-
- BohemiansBohemian F.C.Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11...
- 1974–75, 1977–78 - Shamrock RoversShamrock 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...
- 1983–84, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87
- Bohemians
- 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...
: 4- BohemiansBohemian F.C.Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11...
1976 - Shamrock RoversShamrock 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...
1985, 1986, 1987
- Bohemians
- League of Ireland Cup: 1
- BohemiansBohemian F.C.Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11...
1975
- Bohemians
- Leinster Senior Cup: 3
- BohemiansBohemian F.C.Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11...
1974/75, 1975/76 - Shamrock RoversShamrock 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...
1984/85
- Bohemians
- Football League Second DivisionFootball League Second DivisionFrom 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...
- Leicester City F.C.Leicester City F.C.Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
1979/80
- Leicester City F.C.
- PFAI Player of the YearPFAI Players' Player of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland Players' Player of the Year award is given to the footballer in the top-flight of Irish football, the League of Ireland, whom is seen to have been the best player of the previous season.The...
: 1- Shamrock RoversShamrock 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...
- 1983/84
- Shamrock Rovers
- SWAI Personality of the Year: 1
- Shamrock RoversShamrock 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...
- 1984/85
- Shamrock Rovers
- SRFC Player of the Year: 1
- Shamrock RoversShamrock 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...
- 1984/85
- Shamrock Rovers
As a manager
- 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...
: 1- Shelbourne F.C.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....
1992
- Shelbourne F.C.
- 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...
: 1- Shelbourne F.C.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....
1993
- Shelbourne F.C.
- SWAI Personality of the Year
- Shelbourne F.C.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....
- 1991/92
- Shelbourne F.C.
Sources
- The Hoops by Paul Doolan and Robert Goggins (ISBN 0-7171-2121-6)