Willie Browne
Encyclopedia
Willie Browne was an Irish
soccer player during the 1960s.
A Bohemian F.C.
legend, he was the last amateur to have been capped for the full Ireland
national team for 43 years until Joseph Lapira
was capped against Ecuador in May 2007.
and educated at St. Mels College, Browne began his career at UCD
,where, as well as winning numerous international university caps, he was a member of 4 winning Collingwood Cup teams, and after graduating, he signed for then strictly amateur Bohemians
in time for the 1961/62 season. A strong central defender, he was made captain of Bohemians in only his 2nd season at the club. He was a born leader, so much so that Bohs broke with their tradition of having a different man captain the team each year and Willie kept the captaincy for 3 seasons in a row.
The 1963/64 season was Willie's finest as Bohs reached the semi-final of the FAI Cup
and Willie won three full international caps for Ireland. He made his debut away to Austria in a European Nations Cup tie that finished 0-0. He started left back in a 2-0 defeat to Spain and earned his third and final cap at Dalymount Park
in a 3-1 defeat to England.
In 1963 he was voted Personality of the Year by the Soccer Writers Association of Ireland and was also awarded the Caltex Award for soccer.
Seán Thomas
arrived as manager of Bohs in 1964/65 and turned things around. The perennial strugglers finished third in the league that season with Browne excelling at the back. This was a remarkable achievement for a fully amateur team. Things got better the next season as Bohs once again finished third and ended a 19 year wait for silverware by winning both the LFA Presidents Cup and the Leinster Senior Cup
. This was to be Willie's swansong as he retired from football at the end of the season. He made 177 appearances for Bohs in all competitions scoring 20 goals.
A fine tennis player, he won nine men's open singles tennis championship titles at Elm Park
and later became a single handicap golfer at the club.
Willie Browne died in October 2004.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
soccer player during the 1960s.
A Bohemian F.C.
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...
legend, he was the last amateur to have been capped for the full Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
national team for 43 years until Joseph Lapira
Joseph Lapira
Joseph Lapira is an Irish-American soccer player playing for Nybergsund.-Family:Joseph is the son of Paul and Kate Lapira and brother to Maria and Michael Lapira. Joseph's paternal grandparents were from Malta. Joseph lived in Lake Charles, Louisiana most of his life.-Career:Lapira graduated from St...
was capped against Ecuador in May 2007.
Career
Born in LongfordLongford
Longford is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 7,622 according to the 2006 census. Approximately one third of the county's population resides in the town. Longford town is also the biggest town in the county...
and educated at St. Mels College, Browne began his career at UCD
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...
,where, as well as winning numerous international university caps, he was a member of 4 winning Collingwood Cup teams, and after graduating, he signed for then strictly amateur 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...
in time for the 1961/62 season. A strong central defender, he was made captain of Bohemians in only his 2nd season at the club. He was a born leader, so much so that Bohs broke with their tradition of having a different man captain the team each year and Willie kept the captaincy for 3 seasons in a row.
The 1963/64 season was Willie's finest as Bohs reached the semi-final of 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...
and Willie won three full international caps for Ireland. He made his debut away to Austria in a European Nations Cup tie that finished 0-0. He started left back in a 2-0 defeat to Spain and earned his third and final cap at 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...
in a 3-1 defeat to England.
In 1963 he was voted Personality of the Year by the Soccer Writers Association of Ireland and was also awarded the Caltex Award for soccer.
Seán Thomas
Seán Thomas
Seán Thomas was a former Irish football manager who died on 24 June 1999.-Club Management:One of the very first coaches to study for coaching badges Thomas had short spells as coach at Sligo Rovers and Home Farm F.C. before moving to Shamrock Rovers in 1961 for Rovers' tour in the International...
arrived as manager of Bohs in 1964/65 and turned things around. The perennial strugglers finished third in the league that season with Browne excelling at the back. This was a remarkable achievement for a fully amateur team. Things got better the next season as Bohs once again finished third and ended a 19 year wait for silverware by winning both the LFA Presidents Cup and the Leinster Senior Cup
Leinster Senior Cup
This is a disambiguation page. Leinster Senior Cup may refer to:* Leinster Club Senior Cup: rugby union* Leinster Schools Senior Cup: rugby union* Leinster Senior Cup...
. This was to be Willie's swansong as he retired from football at the end of the season. He made 177 appearances for Bohs in all competitions scoring 20 goals.
A fine tennis player, he won nine men's open singles tennis championship titles at Elm Park
Elm Park Golf Club
Elm Park Golf & Sports Club operates an 18 hole golf course and tennis club located at Nutley Lane, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, Ireland.-History:The golf club was established in 1924 with the purchase of Elm Park House and its surrounding lands...
and later became a single handicap golfer at the club.
Willie Browne died in October 2004.
Honours
- 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...
- Bohemians - 1965/66
- LFA Presidents Cup
- Bohemians - 1965/66
- Sports Writers Personality of the Year
- 1963
Representative Honours
- 3 Full International Irish caps
- 16 Amateur Irish caps
- 1 Ireland "B" cap
- 6 Inter-League caps