Tony Cousins
Encyclopedia
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
.
Cousins has been involved in full-time football since the age of sixteen when he joined English club Chelsea
, where he spent two years. Throughout his career he played for Dundalk
, Liverpool
, Hereford United
, Middlesbrough
, Bohemians
, Shamrock Rovers
and Bray Wanderers.
, during which he shared the PFAI Young Player of the Year Award in 1989/90, he signed for Liverpool. Due to injury he failed to make a single first team appearance before getting a free transfer to Middlesbrough at the end of the 1992/93 season. After 3 appearances for Hereford he came home to sign for Bohemians where he scored 22 goals in 83 league games over three seasons.
He signed for Shamrock Rovers in the summer of 1996, making his debut in a preseason friendly against Heart of Midlothian
. His first of many goals for the Hoops came in a friendly win against Crewe Alexandra
. Three weeks later, he scored his first competitive goal in a 2-2 draw against Shelbourne
in the League Cup. His first league goal came against Bray Wanderers
on 13 September 1996.
In his first season with Shamrock Rovers he was the joint top goalscorer in the League of Ireland, winning Player of the Month in February 1997. The following season, he was the team's top goalscorer with 15 league goals. During the six years he played with Rovers he scored 46 goals in 145 league appearances and a total of 65 goals in 190 appearances, including one goal in two appearances in European competition.
Having completed his time with Shamrock Rovers, he spent one season with Bray Wanderers before retiring. Cousins was capped six times by the Irish Under 21 team
at the start of his career, scoring four goals.
in 2003. In February 2005, he was appointed assistant coach at Drogheda United. He became coach of Galway United in 2006, where he stayed for two seasons. He was removed from his position in March 2008, following a home defeat to Shamrock Rovers. He replaced John Ryan
as coach of Kildare County
on 24 October 2008 for the remainder of the 2008 season.
Cousins was appointed Longford Town
manager in December 2009.
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
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...
and the current coach of 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...
club, Longford Town
Longford Town F.C.
Longford Town F.C. is an Irish football club playing in the League of Ireland First Division. The club, founded in 1924 and elected to the league in 1984, hails from Longford, County Longford and play their home matches at Flancare Park...
. He is the older brother of Andrew Cousins
Andrew Cousins
Andrew Cousins is an Irish football player who is currently player/coach at Newbridge Town.Cousins played his youth football at Belvedere. Cousins plays in midfield and has represented the Ireland under 19 team as captain...
and first cousin of Tommy Dunne
Tommy Dunne (footballer born 1972)
Tommy Dunne is the manager of Cork City. He is an Irish former football player who played for several League of Ireland Clubs including Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers and Derry City F.C....
.
Cousins has been involved in full-time football since the age of sixteen when he joined English club Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, where he spent two years. Throughout his career he played for 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...
, Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, Hereford United
Hereford United F.C.
Hereford United Football Club is an English professional football club based in the city of Hereford. Founded in 1924, they are competing in Football League Two in the 2011–12 season. Hereford have played at Edgar Street for their entire history and are nicknamed 'The Whites' or 'The Lilywhites',...
, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, Bohemians
Bohemian 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...
, 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 Bray Wanderers.
Playing career
He made his League of Ireland debut for Dundalk at Waterford on 25 September 1988. After two years at Oriel ParkOriel 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:...
, during which he shared the PFAI Young Player of the Year Award in 1989/90, he signed for Liverpool. Due to injury he failed to make a single first team appearance before getting a free transfer to Middlesbrough at the end of the 1992/93 season. After 3 appearances for Hereford he came home to sign for Bohemians where he scored 22 goals in 83 league games over three seasons.
He signed for Shamrock Rovers in the summer of 1996, making his debut in a preseason friendly against 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...
. His first of many goals for the Hoops came in a friendly win against Crewe Alexandra
Crewe Alexandra F.C.
Crewe Alexandra Football Club is an English professional football club based in Crewe, Cheshire. Nicknamed The Railwaymen due to the town's links with the rail industry, they currently play in Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football, and are based at the Alexandra Stadium.The club...
. Three weeks later, he scored his first competitive goal in a 2-2 draw against 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....
in the League Cup. His first league goal came against Bray Wanderers
Bray Wanderers A.F.C.
Bray Wanderers A.F.C. are an Irish football club playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. The club, founded in 1942 and elected to the League in 1985, hails from Bray and play their home matches at the Carlisle Grounds. Club colours are Green and White, and it goes by the nickname...
on 13 September 1996.
In his first season with Shamrock Rovers he was the joint top goalscorer in the League of Ireland, winning Player of the Month in February 1997. The following season, he was the team's top goalscorer with 15 league goals. During the six years he played with Rovers he scored 46 goals in 145 league appearances and a total of 65 goals in 190 appearances, including one goal in two appearances in European competition.
Having completed his time with Shamrock Rovers, he spent one season with Bray Wanderers before retiring. Cousins was capped six times by the Irish Under 21 team
Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team
The Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team, is the national under-21 football team of the Republic of Ireland and is controlled by the Football Association of Ireland and competes in the biennial European Under-21 Football Championship and has competed since 1978.-Competition...
at the start of his career, scoring four goals.
Coaching career
Tony Cousins was appointed U-21 coach at Shamrock Rovers before becoming assistant to Liam BuckleyLiam Buckley
Liam Buckley , is an Irish former professional football player and manager.-Playing career:Liam began his League of Ireland career with Shelbourne F.C. and signed for Shamrock Rovers as a full time player in the 1979 close season...
in 2003. In February 2005, he was appointed assistant coach at Drogheda United. He became coach of Galway United in 2006, where he stayed for two seasons. He was removed from his position in March 2008, following a home defeat to Shamrock Rovers. He replaced John Ryan
John Ryan (footballer)
John Ryan is an Irish football manager and former player.-Playing career:He made his League of Ireland debut for St Patrick's Athletic on the 4th of September 1988....
as coach of Kildare County
Kildare County F.C.
Kildare County F.C. was an Irish football club that played in the League of Ireland. The club, founded in 2002, hailed from Newbridge, County Kildare and played their home matches at Station Road. Their club colours were white and black.- 2001/2002 :...
on 24 October 2008 for the remainder of the 2008 season.
Cousins was appointed Longford Town
Longford Town F.C.
Longford Town F.C. is an Irish football club playing in the League of Ireland First Division. The club, founded in 1924 and elected to the league in 1984, hails from Longford, County Longford and play their home matches at Flancare Park...
manager in December 2009.
Honours
- FAI Super CupFAI Super CupThe FAI Super Cup is a defunct football tournament which was played for 3 years between 1998 and 2000. It was played before the League of Ireland season began, usually in July. The first tournament was played in the neutral Morton Stadium and the 1999 and 2000 editions were both played for in...
- Shamrock Rovers - 1998
- Leinster Senior CupLeinster Senior Cup (football)The Leinster Senior Cup is an association football cup competition organised by the Leinster Football Association. It contested by the top League of Ireland sides based in the province in Leinster along with four Leinster Senior League sides and the two Leinster Junior Cup finalists. The Cup was...
- Shamrock Rovers - 1997
- PFAI Young Player of the YearPFAI Young Player of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland Players' Young 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...
- DundalkDundalk 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...
- 1989/90
- Dundalk
- Player of the Year
- Shamrock Rovers - 1996/97