Jump to content

St Patrick's Athletic F.C.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 86.181.220.245 (talk) at 15:08, 16 June 2013 (→Players: Put players without numbers in position order). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

St Patrick's Athletic
St Patrick's Athletic Crest
Full nameSt Patrick’s Athletic Football Club
Nickname(s)Saints, SuperSaints, Pats', St. Pats'
Founded1929
GroundRichmond Park,
Inchicore, Dublin
Capacity5,340
ChairmanGarrett Kelleher
ManagerLiam Buckley
LeagueLeague of Ireland
(Premier Division)
20123rd
Current season

St Patrick's Athletic F.C. (Template:Lang-ga) is an Irish football club, based in Inchicore, Dublin, that plays in the Irish Premier Division. Founded in May 1929, they played originally in the Phoenix Park but they moved to their current ground Richmond Park in 1930.
St Patrick's Athletic have won few trophies in Irish Club Football, including seven League Titles, the fifth most in Irish Football, as well as two FAI Cup's and two League Cups. The current manager is Liam Buckley, who is in charge for his second spell at the club after replacing Pete Mahon in 2011.

Despite being founded in 1929, they did not take their place in the League of Ireland until 1951 and winning the league in its first attempt. The club's glory years came in the 1950s and 1990s when they won 7 of their 7 league titles. The club also have the record for never being relegated from the Premier Division . The club play in red and white colour's, while their nicknames include The Saints, Supersaints and Pat's. The Saints also have a lot of Dublin Derby games with the likes of Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians.

History

Early Years (1929–1950)

St Patrick's Athletic F.C. was founded in 1929. The first season was played in Phoenix Park but in 1930 St Pats moved into Richmond Park. Known as the Saints or simply as 'Pats' the club quickly climbed up the junior and intermediate ranks of Irish football and by the end of the 1940s were established as the top non-League of Ireland side in the country. After winning the FAI Intermediate Cup in 1948 and 1949 moves were made by the League of Ireland to entice St Pats into their competition.

1950–1960

Entering The League Of Ireland

In 1951 the club was admitted, along with Cork side Evergreen United, to the senior ranks of the League of Ireland. St Pats made an immediate impact, winning the league championship at their first attempt. Two more league championship successes followed in 1954/1955 and 1955/1956. The club had to wait until 1959 before their first FAI Cup success, repeating the feat in 1961. Despite several appearances in the final since 1961 the Saints have so far failed to secure a third Cup win.

Many of the Pats players of that golden era are still recalled fondly today – Ginger O'Rourke, Harry Boland ('The Legend', 1926–2000), Jimmy Timber Cummins (a cousin of one of the founders – Bart Cummins) Jimmy Growler Cummins (a brother of Bart Cummins) Irish international Shay Gibbons, Ronnie Whelan Snr. and Willie Peyton are players who contributed greatly during this era.

1960–1980

St Pats struggled throughout the late 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s with only the odd cup final or young star emerging to brighten things for long suffering Pats fans. Among those players to emerge was Noel Campbell. Campbell spent a number of years with St Pats (gaining the first of his Irish caps) before moving to SC Fortuna Köln where he would play 8 seasons. Perhaps the brightest star to play for St Pats was Paul McGrath. McGrath was signed by Saints' manager Charlie Walker from junior side Dalkey United. Within a year he had won the PFAI Player of the Year award and earned himself a move to Manchester United.

1980–1990

The appointment of Brian Kerr as manager in 1986 was a major turning point in the fortunes of the club. Kerr worked on limited resources to create team capable of challenging the best. The championship in the decade. At the end of the 1988/89 season St Pats left Richmond Park for what the board of directors called "a short time" while redevelopment work was done.

1990–1999

Playing in Harold's Cross, Kerr's blend of young players (Paul Osam, Curtis Fleming, Pat Fenlon, John McDonnell) and experienced campaigners disregarded by other clubs (Damian Byrne, Dave Henderson) won the club's first league championship in 34 years on Easter Monday 1990. Most Irish football commentators expected the young Saints to dominate Irish football for some time. A series of takeover attempts saw the club thrust into turmoil and Kerr was forced to break up the team. In the summer of 1992 the club were hours away from extinction before a group of local investors raised £82,000 to save the club.

Having spent four years in Harold's Cross the club returned to a new look Richmond Park in 1993, their spiritual home in Dublin's Inchicore. Brian Kerr began the task of creating a winning setup once again. With the aid of a newly appointed Chief Executive, and former player, Pat Dolan and by the club's new Chairman, Tim O'Flaherty, the league trophy returned to Richmond Park in 1996.

A new generation of footballing heroes emerged in Pats colours with greats such as Eddie Gormley, Paul Osam and Ricky O'Flaherty together with exciting young stars such as Colin Hawkins and Trevor Molloy thousands flocked to Inchicore for Friday nights under the floodlights in Richmond Park. When Kerr resigned to take up the Director of Coaching job with the FAI, the good work was continued by Pat Dolan and then Liam Buckley installed as manager. The glory continued as further league championships were secured in 1998 and 1999 which led to European qualification and a creditable 0–0 draw with the famous Celtic at Celtic Park, the club lost the return leg in Tolka Park, Dublin but the away draw was a major boost for Irish football against such a famous club in the world game. The club however suffered a humiliating setback in the same competition one year later when they lost 10–0 on aggregate to Zimbru Chişinău.

2000–2004

Into the new century, the success continued. St. Pats won both the League of Ireland Cup and Leinster Senior Cup in 2000/01. Controversy dogged the club in the 2001/02 season due to player registration irregularities. The club had 9 points deducted due to fielding an ineligible player (Paul Marney) in their first 3 games of the season, but this decision was revoked upon arbitration, on 22 March 2002. They then had 15 points deducted for playing Charles Mbabazi Livingstone in the first 5 matches of the season in spite of not having registered him until 12 September 2001. St. Pats argued that they did not intentionally seek to gain advantage as the player was registered correctly the previous season, there was nothing underhand about it. An FAI arbitration panel would reject the Saints appeal of the point deduction and to this day the Saints still contest that they are the rightful league champions. That season also saw St. Patrick's come close to merging with fellow League of Ireland club St. Francis. This move was greeted with anger by club supporters and although St. Francis went out of business (and therefore the league) the merger never happened.

New Club Chairman Andrew O'Callaghan was appointed in the summer of 2002 and has worked to modernize the club and face the new challenges of UEFA licensing and ground development. St. Pats made Irish footballing history in 2002 by becoming the first club to progress in the Intertoto Cup with a victory over Croatian team NK Rijeka over two legs – the club were eventually knocked out of the competition only on away goals to KAA Gent of Belgium.

Johnny McDonnell Reign (2004–2009)

The club marked its 75th anniversary in 2004, also in 2004 a change of management happened with former favourite Johnny McDonnell taking over the helm at the club. In 2005 the club were forced to investigate the idea of sharing a new stadium in Tallaght with Shamrock Rovers in order to comply with the FAI's wish for Dublin clubs to ground share. The move was met with furious protests by the club's supporters and a group calling themselves 'Pats for Richmond' was set up to organise demonstrations. In July 2006 St. Pats signalled their intention to stay in Richmond Park by purchasing the Richmond House pub (also known as McDowell’s) for use as an official clubhouse. The club lost yet another FAI Cup Final in December 2006 and their hunt for their 3rd victory in the elusive competition continues. In early 2007 the club was purchased by wealthy property magnate Garrett Kelleher. After a number of months of negotiations, Kelleher finally announced himself as Chairman of St Patrick's Athletic on 19 July 2007.[1] One of his first acts on taking over St Pats was to appoint ex-manager Brian Kerr as director of football. It was widely reported in Irish newspapers that Kelleher was preparing to spend €50 million on upgrading St. Pats' Richmond Park home.
During the 2007 season Pat's were neck and neck with Drogheda United for the title, but Pat's slipped away and Drogheda United eventually finished up as champions.
It was the same again for the 2008 season with Pat's battling up the top with Bohemians for the title. Also this year Pat's were in Europe because their 2nd place finish in 2007 allowed them qualify for the 2008–09 UEFA Cup. During their European run St. Pat's progressed through two rounds of the UEFA Cup beating JFK Olimps Riga and Elfsborg but the run came to an end when they lost to Hertha BSC in the First Round proper. Pat's also lost out to Bohemians for the league title.

Jeff Kenna Season: European Run Again (2009)

For the 2009 season Pat's replaced Johnny McDonnell with Jeff Kenna in January 2009. He didn't have the best of starts with a 3–0 home defeat to former club Galway United. He was immediately put under pressure when bad run of results put them into a relegation battle. Despite the poor league form, once again Pat's had another European run in the Europa League again progressing through two rounds of the Europa League, thus becoming only the second League of Ireland club (after Cork City in 2004 and 2005) to achieve such progress in two consecutive European campaigns. Pat's this time won games against Valletta FC and Russian Premier League side Krylia Sovetov to reach the play-off round where they were defeated by FC Steaua București. [2][3][4] In September 2009 with Pat's struggling, Kenna resigned and was replaced for two games by Maurice O'Driscoll. Pete Mahon then took over until the end of the season and avoided relegation, winning two must win games on the final two weeks of the season, away to Drogheda United and at home to Dublin rivals Shamrock Rovers.

Pete Mahon Era(2009–2011)

Pete Mahon was appointed as manager for the 2010 season with John Gill as his assistant. The Super Saints reached their first Setanta Sports Cup final, were they met local rivals Bohemians after overcoming Sligo Rovers 6–2 over 2 legs. They lost the final at the Tallaght Stadium 1–0 however. The Saints were knocked out of the FAI Cup by arch rivals Shamrock Rovers in a semi-final replay at Richmond Park, after knocking Dundalk, Belgrove and Sporting Fingal out. They were near the top of the table for the majority of the season, however fell off somewhat near the end and finished in mid-table. The demised of Sporting Fingal saw the Saints take their European place for the 2011 season. Mahon led a successful Europa League campaign, knocking out Íþróttabandalag Vestmannaeyja from Iceland and FC Shakhter Karagandy from Kazakhstan before eventually being knocked out in the third qualifying round by Ukrainian side FC Karpaty Lviv. The Saints won the 2011 Leinster Senior Cup after beating Dublin rivals Bohemians 2–0 at Dalymount Park.The Saints bid to end their 50 year drought of winning the FAI Cup came to a heartbreaking end, after knocking Crumlin United, Waterford United and Cork City out, the Saints faced old rivals Shelbourne in the semi-final. The Saints drew 1–1 at Tolka Park, failing to make use of their one man advantage for the whole second half. The game went to a replay at Richmond Park and things were going well when David McMillan opened the scoring for the Saints, but goalkeeper Gary Rogers was extremely harshly sent off early on and Shels went on to win 3–1. Similar to the 2010 season, the Saints were near the top of the table for the most part of the season in 2011, but their title challenge petered out towards the end of the season and the Saints finished fourth meaning they would participate in UEFA Europa League qualifiers in the 2012 season.

Return of Buckley(2012–Present)

The Saints decided not to renew manager Pete Mahon's contract for the 2012 season, appointing former player and manager Liam Buckley to the job, giving him a two year contract with former player and assistant manager at the club, Trevor Croly as his assistant. Buckley refurbished the squad by bringing in fourteen and getting rid of sixteen. Pat's started the season off well with the team playing wonderful football and being unbeaten in its first six games, which included the game against Shamrock Rovers which they demonstrated their wonderful football brilliantly in a memorable 5–1 win over their fierce rivals.[5] Buckley took the reigns of the club knowing of the European expectations at the club and he didn't disappoint, managing his side to a third qualifying round place after knocking both Íþróttabandalag Vestmannaeyja and NK Široki Brijeg out after extra-time, to earn a tie with German powerhouse Hannover 96, who knocked the Saints out in the third qualifying round. Buckley's side finished 3rd in the league, 6 points off champions Sligo Rovers. He also guided his side to the 2012 FAI Cup Final, the club's first game at the Aviva Stadium, but lost 3-2 in extra-time to Derry City and extending the Saints' FAI Cup winning drought to 52 years.

Fans

Saints fans have widely become known as some of the most active and vocal throughout the country. Throughout the clubs history, any period of turmoil was always met with protest by the loyal saints. In 2001, an ultras group called the Shed End Invincibles[6] were set up, for four years they created huge tifo displays, choreographed chants and created Richmond Park into a fortress. After a period of exile, the ultras group were reignited in 2009 under younger leadership. Since then, in just two short seasons their work has been applauded by other fans. Big banners, flares, and smoke screens are a common sight at St.Pats matches.

Community

The club motto is Ni neart go cur le chéile (as Gaeilge). It translates to No strength without unity. St Patrick's Athletic is strongly linked with Inchicore and the local south west Dublin community. The club operate schoolboy teams at every age group from under 10 to under 18. In the past St. Patrick's Athletic Ladies played in the Dublin Women’s Soccer League (the de facto Ladies League of Ireland), winning the league championship in 1997. Many of that team won international honours and in 1998 Emma Byrne and Ciara Grant were transferred to Arsenal. As well as the senior ladies side are the several girls’ sides within the club.

Players

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Ireland EIR Brendan Clarke
2 DF Ireland EIR Ger O'Brien (vice-captain)
3 DF Ireland EIR Jake Carroll
4 DF Ireland EIR Conor Kenna (captain)
5 DF Ireland EIR Aidan Price
6 MF Ireland EIR Greg Bolger
7 MF Ireland EIR Conan Byrne
8 MF Ireland EIR Shane McFaul
9 FW Ireland EIR Christy Fagan
10 MF Ireland EIR John Russell
11 MF Ireland EIR Killian Brennan
12 DF Ireland EIR Ian Bermingham
14 MF Ireland EIR Jordan Keegan
15 DF Ireland EIR Kenny Browne
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 GK Ireland EIR David Ryan
17 MF Ireland EIR Chris Forrester
18 DF Ireland EIR Seán Gannon
19 FW Ireland EIR Jake Kelly
20 FW Ireland EIR Anthony Flood
21 FW Ireland EIR Conor Murphy
24 MF Ireland EIR Stephen Maher
25 GK Northern Ireland NIR Pat Jennings
- DF Ireland EIR Conor Mahony
- DF Ireland EIR Sean Hoare
- MF Ireland EIR Gavin Boyne
- MF Romania ROU Marco Chindea
- FW Ireland EIR Peter Durrad

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
22 MF Ireland EIR Ryan Coombes (at Athlone Town)
23 DF Ireland EIR Kevin Farragher (at Athlone Town)
No. Pos. Nation Player
— DF Ireland EIR Jamie McGlynn (at Salthill Devon)
— MF Ireland EIR Roddy Collins Jr. (at Athlone Town)

Under 19's and Academy

As well as fielding teams from ages 8-17, the club also field an Under 19 team that compete in the Dr. Tony O'Reilly League.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Ireland EIR Nathan Murphy
— GK Ireland EIR Aaron Rochford
— DF Ireland EIR Kevin Farragher
— DF Ireland EIR Daniel Campbell
— DF Ireland EIR Ross McKenna
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Ireland EIR Peter Hopkins
— MF Ireland EIR James McCarren
— MF Ireland EIR Thomas Mulroney
— FW Ireland EIR Peter Durard
— FW Ireland EIR Aaron Rafter

Honours

Regional

National

  • FAI Super Cup: 1
    • 1999
  • LFA Presidents Cup: 6
    • 1952–53, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1971–72, 1990–91, 1996–97

Youths

Player Honours

PFAI Player of the Year (6)

PFAI Young Player of the Year (3)

FAI National League Player of the Year (2)

League of Ireland Golden Boot (5)

Notes

  • ^ Won by the club's reserve side.
  • ^ Won as a non-league side

Notable Players

Current players excluded. Some players spanned several decades, they are placed in the decade they made their debut for St Patrick's.

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

Records

  • St. Pats Full League Record

P 1551 W 622 D 418 L 510 F 2284 A 2121 Pts 1879

Statistics are correct up to 02/08/2007
Above points tally is the amount of points earned in real terms. In most seasons the league used a 2 pts for a win system
If using a straight 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw system, St. Pats would've earned 2284 points

  • Record League Points Tally 73 in season 1998/99 (33 games)
  • Record League Goals Tally 62 in season 1954/55 (22 games)
  • Record League Victory 8–0 (h) v Limerick 10 December 1967
  • Record FAI Cup Victory 5–0 (a) v St. James Gate 25 February 1994
  • Record Goal scorer Aggregate Shay Gibbons 108 goals
  • Record Goal scorer Season Shay Gibbons 28 goals in 1954/55

European record

FC Steaua Bucharest V St Patrick's Athletic F.C. in 20 August 2009
Richmond Park before the UEFA Cup clash against Elfsborg

Record by competition

As of August 10, 2012

European Cup/UEFA Champions League
Appearances Played Won Drawn Lost For Against
3 6 0 2 4 1 17
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup/UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League
Appearances Played Won Drawn Lost For Against
8 32 9 5 18 31 54
Cup Winners Cup
Appearances Played Won Drawn Lost For Against
1 2 0 0 2 1 8
Intertoto Cup
Appearances Played Won Drawn Lost For Against
1 4 2 0 2 6 6
Overall
Appearances Played Won Drawn Lost For Against
13 44 11 7 26 39 85

Past opponents

Season Competition Country Team Score
61–62 Cup Winners' Cup Preliminary Round Scotland Dunfermline Athletic F.C. 1–4, 0–4 (1–8 agg.)
67–68 Inter Cities Fairs Cup 1st Round France FC Girondins de Bordeaux 1–3, 3–6 (4–9 agg.)
88–89 UEFA Cup 1st Round Scotland Heart of Midlothian F.C. 0–2, 0–2 (0–4 agg.)
90–91 European Cup 1st Round Romania FC Dinamo Bucureşti 0–4, 1–1 (1–5 agg.)
96–97 UEFA Cup Preliminary Round Slovakia ŠK Slovan Bratislava 3–4, 0–1 (3–5 agg.)
98–99 UEFA Champions League 1st Qualifying Round Scotland Celtic F.C. 0–0, 0–2 (0–2 agg.)
99–00 UEFA Champions League 1st Qualifying Round Moldova FC Zimbru Chişinău 0–5, 0–5 (0–10 agg.)
02 UEFA Intertoto Cup 1st Round Croatia NK Rijeka 2–3, 1–0 (3–3 agg.) (2-0 on away goals)
UEFA Intertoto Cup 2nd Round Belgium K.A.A. Gent 0–2, 3–1 (3–3 agg.) (0-1 on away goals)
07–08 UEFA Cup 1st Qualifying Round Denmark Odense Boldklub 0–0, 0–5 (0–5 agg.)
08–09 UEFA Cup 1st Qualifying Round Latvia JFK Olimps Rīga 1–0, 2–0 (3–0 agg.)
UEFA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round Sweden IF Elfsborg 2–2, 2–1 (4–3 agg.)
UEFA Cup 1st Round Germany Hertha Berlin 0–2, 0–0 (0–2 agg.)
09–10 UEFA Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round Malta Valletta F.C. 1–1, 1–0 (2–1 agg.)
UEFA Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round Russia FC Krylia Sovetov Samara 1–0, 2–3 (3–3 agg.) (2-0 on away goals)
UEFA Europa League Play-off Round Romania FC Steaua Bucureşti 0–3, 1–2 (1–5 agg.)
11–12 UEFA Europa League 1st Qualifying Round Iceland Íþróttabandalag Vestmannaeyja 0–1, 2–0 (2–1 agg.)
UEFA Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round Kazakhstan FC Shakhter Karagandy 1–2, 2–0 (3–2 agg.)
UEFA Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round Ukraine FC Karpaty Lviv 0–2, 1–3 (1–5 agg.)
12–13 UEFA Europa League 1st Qualifying Round Iceland Íþróttabandalag Vestmannaeyja 1–0, 1–2 (aet; 2–2 agg.) (1-0 on away goals)
UEFA Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round Bosnia and Herzegovina NK Široki Brijeg 1–1, 2–1 (aet; 3–2 agg.)
UEFA Europa League 3rd Qualifying Round Germany Hannover 96 0–3, 0–2 (0–5 agg.)
13–14 UEFA Europa League 1st Qualifying Round TBC TBC TBC

Managers

See also

References

  1. ^ stpatsfc.com (2007). "Board Appointments at St Patrick's Athletic FC". stpatsfc.com. Retrieved 20 June 2007. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  2. ^ "Valletta 0–1 St Patrick's Athletic (Agg 1–2)". rte.ie. rte. 30 July 2009.
  3. ^ "Krylya Sovetov 3–2 St Patrick's Ath (Agg 3–3)". rte.ie. rte. 6 August 2009.
  4. ^ "St Patrick's Ath 1–2 Steaua Bucharest (Agg 1–5)". rte.ie. rte. 27 August 2009.
  5. ^ "St Patrick's Athletic 5–1 Shamrock Rovers". RTÉ News. 6 April 2012.
  6. ^ "Shed End Invincibles – Offical Website".

Template:UEFA Europa League

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=St_Patrick%27s_Athletic_F.C.&oldid=560160999"