Bohemian F.C.
 | |||
| Full name | Bohemian Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Bohs The Gypsies | ||
| Founded | 1890 | ||
| Ground | Dalymount Park, Phibsborough, Dublin 7 | ||
| Capacity | 7,955 | ||
| Chairman | Robert Dunne | ||
| Manager |  Pat Fenlon | ||
| League | LOI Premier Division | ||
| 2008 | 1st | ||
| Website | http://www.bohemians.ie | ||
|
| |||
Bohemian F.C. (Irish: An Cumann Peile Bóithéimeach), more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional Irish association football club, who secured their tenth League of Ireland title in October 2008, and their 7th FAI Cup on 23 November 2008. They have thus achieved a second double inside a decade, and the third in their history, having previously achieved the feat in the 2000–01 and 1927–28 seasons. The club, founded on 6 September 1890 is a founding member of the league, plays its home matches at Dalymount Park stadium in the Dublin neighbourhood of Phibsborough. Its nicknames are 'Bohs', 'The Gypsies'. Its club colours are red and black, which it adopted at the 4th AGM in October 1893. It is owned 100% by the members of the club.
The club is currently managed by Pat Fenlon, who was appointed on 22 December 2007.
History
Bohemian F.C. was founded on 6 September 1890. It was a member of the Irish Football League from 1902 to 1911 and 1912 to 1920. During this time the club's greatest success was winning the Irish Cup in 1908.
It was a founding member of the League of Ireland in 1921, and it is one of only two clubs to have been members of the League of Ireland since its inception (the other being Shelbourne), and it is the only club to have been ever-present in the top division of the league. In its first season it finished second in the league, just two points behind St. James Gate. The club won its first league title in 1924. In 1928 the club won its second league title and completed a double that season by winning its first FAI Cup also. The club was one of the major forces in the early years of the league, going on to win another three league titles and another FAI Cup in the next eight seasons.
After this success the club began to struggle, often finishing at the foot of the league and rarely mounting a title challenge, largely because of an inability to attract or keep top players due to its strict amateur status, which had been a fundamental part of the club since its formation. The club went 34 seasons without winning a major trophy. In 1969 the club ended its amateur status, and the first player to sign professional terms was Tony O'Connell, who signed on 11 March 1969.
The club then went on to win two league titles, two FAI Cups and two league cups in the 1970s, more trophies than any other club that decade. In 1970 the club entered European competition for the first time where it was beaten in the first qualifying round of the European Cup Winners' Cup (see below). The club went through another trophy-less spell after its 1979 league cup victory, which was not broken until the club won its fifth FAI Cup in 1992. It was not until 2001 that it regained the league title, also winning the FAI Cup that season to complete its second double. After adding another league title in 2003, Bohemians triumphed once again in 2008, winning the double of both the league for the tenth time with four league games still to play,[1] and the FAI cup in a penalty shoot-out.[2]
Stadiums
Bohemians' first permanent home ground was on the Polo Ground in Phoenix Park. Goal posts and other equipment were kept at Gate Lodge on North Circular Road (Dublin) They remained there until the 1893/94 season when they obtained a private ground on Jones Road now known as Croke Park, the headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The space then took in the ground now occupied by the Old Belvedere, and for the first time it was possible for the club to build up some sort of finances, since a charge for admission was made at all important home matches.
They moved to a new home at Whitehall Farm, Glasnevin, in time for the start of the 1895/96 season but in those days, the area was out of the way and without public transport so the Bohemian committee continued to look for a new home ground. Their search came to an end when they moved to Dalymount Park which was officially opened on 7 September 1901.
In 2006 the club's members decided to sell Dalymount Park to developer Liam Carroll in a €65,000,000 deal which would instantly put the club in an unprecedented financial position in Irish sporting terms. The deal included the development of a new 10,000-seater stadium, complete with restaurants, bars and a gym, in Harristown near Dublin Airport[3]. On 7 November 2008, Bohemians lost a court case versus Albion Ltd which has had the effect of putting the move on hold; the club is appealing the case to the Supreme Court.[4]
European record
Although they did not make their first appearance in European competition until 1970, Bohemians have now played more and won more games in Europe than any other League of Ireland club [1]. Like all Irish clubs, they have generally found the going tough in Europe, but they have had some famous successes too. Their finest hour came when they eliminated Scottish Premier League club (and former Cup Winners' Cup and European Super Cup champions) Aberdeen from the UEFA Cup in August 2000. That triumph was set up by a dramatic 2-1 victory away from home, in which Bohs scored 2 late goals to overturn a 1-0 deficit. That was the first time an Irish club defeated British opposition away from home in European competition. Other notable results include wins against Rangers and Kaiserslautern (away) and draws against Rangers, Newcastle United, Sporting Lisbon, Dundee United (away) and Aberdeen. In all, they have beaten a total of 10 different teams, from 9 countries (Denmark, Cyprus, Scotland, Germany, Estonia, Belarus, Belgium, Wales and Latvia). Bohs bowed out of the 2008 Intertoto Cup on away goals to Latvian side FK Riga despite winning the second leg 2-1. Earlier in that campaign they recorded their biggest single leg (5-1) and aggregate (9-3) wins in Europe (against Welsh Premier League club Rhyl).
Bohemian's started their 2010 UEFA Champions League second round qualifying tie away to Austrian Bundesliga champions Red Bull Salzburg on 16 July 2009 with a 1-1 draw in Salzburg.[5] In the second leg on the 22 July, 2009, Bohemians held out until an 87th minute goal by Patrik Ježek for Red Bull Salzburg gave them a one nill victory on the night and two one win on aggregate.[6]
Record by competition
European Cup/UEFA Champions League:
| Appearances | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 25 |
| Appearances | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 26 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 14 | 48 |
| Appearances | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 |
| Appearances | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 20 |
Overall:
| Appearances | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | 58 | 12 | 12 | 34 | 46 | 104 |
Past opponents
| Season | Competition | Country | Team | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970-71 | Cup Winners' Cup Preliminary Round | 
|
TJ Gottwaldov | 1-2, 2-2 (3-4 agg.) |
| 1972-73 | UEFA Cup Round 1 | 
|
FC Koln | 1-2, 0-3 (1-5 agg.) |
| 1974-75 | UEFA Cup Round 1 |
|
Hamburger SV | 0-3, 0-1 (0-4 agg.) |
| 1975-76 | European Cup Round 1 | 
|
Rangers | 1-4, 1-1 (2-5 agg.) |
| 1976-77 | Cup Winners' Cup Round 1 | 
|
Esbjerg fB | 2-1, 1-0 (3-1 agg.) |
| Cup Winners' Cup Round 2 | 
|
Śląsk Wrocław | 0-3, 0-1 (0-4 agg.) | |
| 1977-78 | UEFA Cup Round 1 | 
|
Newcastle United | 0-0, 0-4 (0-4 agg.) |
| 1978-79 | European Cup Round 1 | 
|
AC Omonia | 1-2, 1-0 (2-2 agg.) |
| European Cup Round 2 | 
|
Dynamo Dresden | 0-0, 0-6 (0-6 agg.) | |
| 1979-80 | UEFA Cup Round 1 | 
|
Sporting Lisbon | 0-2, 0-0 (0-2 agg.) |
| 1984-85 | UEFA Cup Round 1 |
|
Rangers | 3-2, 0-2 (3-4 agg.) |
| 1985-86 | UEFA Cup Round 1 |
|
Dundee United | 2-5, 2-2 (4-7 agg.) |
| 1987-88 | UEFA Cup Round 1 |
|
Aberdeen | 0-0, 0-1 (0-1 agg.) |
| 1992-93 | Cup Winners' Cup Qual. Round | 
|
Steaua Bucureşti | 0-4, 0-0 (0-4 agg.) |
| 1993-94 | UEFA Cup Round 1 | 
|
Girondins de Bordeaux | 0-1, 0-5 (0-6 agg.) |
| 1995 | Intertoto Cup Round 1 |
|
Odense BK | 0-2 |
| Intertoto Cup Round 1 | 
|
HJK Helsinki | 2-3 | |
| Intertoto Cup Round 1 |
|
Girondins de Bordeaux | 0-2 | |
| Intertoto Cup Round 1 | 
|
IFK Norrköping | 0-5 | |
| 1996-97 | UEFA Cup Qual. Round 1 | 
|
Dinamo Minsk | 1-1, 0-0 (1-1 agg.) |
| 1997-98 | UEFA Cup Preliminary Round | 
|
Ferencváros | 0-1, 0-5 (0-6 agg.) |
| 2000-01 | UEFA Cup Qualifying Round |
|
Aberdeen | 2-1, 0-1 (2-2 agg.) |
| UEFA Cup Round 1 |
|
1. FC Kaiserslautern | 1-3, 1-0 (2-3 agg.) | |
| 2001-02 | Champions League Qual. Round 1 | 
|
FC Levadia Maardu | 3-0, 0-0 (3-0 agg.) |
| Champions League Qual. Round 2 |
|
Halmstads BK | 1-2, 0-2 (1-4 agg.) | |
| 2003-04 | Champions League Qual. Round 1 |
|
FC BATE | 0-1, 3-0 (3-1 agg.) |
| Champions League Qual. Round 2 | 
|
Rosenborg B.K. | 0-1, 0-4 (0-5 agg.) | |
| 2004-05 | UEFA Cup Round 1 |
|
FC Levadia Tallinn | 0-0, 1-3 (1-3 agg.) |
| 2005 | Intertoto Cup Round 1 | 
|
K.A.A. Gent | 1-0, 1-3 (2-3 agg.) |
| 2008 | Intertoto Cup Round 1 | 
|
Rhyl | 5-1, 4-2 (9-3 agg.) |
| Intertoto Cup Round 2 | 
|
FK Rīga | 0-1, 2-1 (2-2 agg.) | |
| 2009 | Champions League Qual. Round 2 | 
|
Red Bull Salzburg | 1-1, 0-1 (1-2 agg.) |
Supporters
Bohs' fan base is mainly drawn from the northside of Dublin and their supporters share a bitter rivalry with southside club, Shamrock Rovers. However, the club has many fans from other parts of the city, across Ireland and worldwide. The club attracts regular attendances of between 1,000 and 2,000, while the larger derby fixtures attract attendances of over 3,000 people, significantly less than in previous decades.
During 2007 a number of fans got together to create more of a colourful atmosphere at home games. Named The Notorious Boo-Boys (or NBB, a term used by football journalists to disparage the apparent impatience of Bohs fans), the group bought new flags and organised displays during games to lift the atmosphere of the history filled Dalymount Park.[7]
A Team
The Bohemians A-team competes in the League of Ireland A Championship, which acts as a third tier of the League.[8] The team also doubles as a reserve team, which injured first team players can use to regain fitness. If the A - team win the Championship they cannot gain entry into the 1st division.[8] The team reached the "Grand Final" of the A Championship in 2008.[9]
The team is currently managed by former Bohs player Tony O'Connor[10] [2] [3]
Bohemians Youth
Bohemians youth section has about 250 players from the ages of 8 to 17. The club runs 15 teams who play in the DDSL. The youth director is Robert Loughlin who, along with the support of Bohemians, announced a 5 year partnership with DCU to national media coverage. This partnership will see Bohemians' youth teams training in and using DCU facilities, "learning the game like the first team do". The partnership also included a scholarship system which will see Bohs players being offered scholarships to DCU. The main aim of the youth section is to produce players who are good enough to play for the first team.[11]
Current squad
The first team squad is established according to the official website: www.bohemians.ie. Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
Noted players
- See also:Category:Bohemian F.C. players
Managers
 |
| Year/s | Manager | League of Ireland | FAI Cup | League Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964-1967, 1968-1973 | Seán Thomas
|
1 | ||
| 1973-1990 | Billy Young
|
2 | 1 | 2 |
| 1990-1993 | Eamonn Gregg
|
1 | ||
| 1993-1998 | Turlough O'Connor
|
|||
| 1998 | Joe McGrath
|
|||
| 1998-2001 | Roddy Collins
|
1 | 1 | |
| 2001 | Pete Mahon
|
|||
| 2001-2004 | Stephen Kenny
|
1 | ||
| 2005-2006 | Gareth Farrelly
|
|||
| 2006-2007 |  Sean Connor
|
|||
| 2007- | Pat Fenlon
|
1 | 1 |
Honours
League titles: 10
- FAI Cups: 7
- IFA Cups: 1
- 1908
- League of Ireland Cups: 2
- 1975, 1979
- League of Ireland Shields: 6
- 1924, 1928, 1929, 1934, 1939, 1940
- Dublin City Cups: 1
- 1936
- Inter-City Cups: 1
- 1945
- Top Four Cups: 1
- 1972
- Leinster Senior Cups: 31, 1894-1998 (record)
- LFA President's Cups: 12
- Acieries D'Angeleur: 1
- 1929
Records
.jpg)
- League victory: 8-0 v Olympia, 18 November 1922 and v Home Farm, 5 February 1978
- Victory: 11-0 v Grangegorman, Leinster Senior Cup Final, 26 December 1946
- League defeat: 0-7 v Shamrock Rovers, 5 February 1955
- Most points in a season: 85 in 2008 (record total and 19 points record margin)
- Most league goals in a season (player): 25, Glen Crowe in 2000-01
- Most league goals (player): 131, Glen Crowe
- Most appearances (player): 575, Tommy Kelly
- Most goals (player): 192, Turlough O'Connor
- Oldest player: 40, Gary Matthews
- First goalscorer: Joseph Whelan v Britannia, 1 November 1890
References
- ^ "Jubilant scenes as Bohemians clinch their 10th title". Irish Times. 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
- ^ "Bohemians prevail in a cracker". Irish Times. 2008-11-24. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
- ^ http://www.independent.ie/national-news/bohemians-say-yes-to-the-sale-of-dalymount-park-in-65m-deal-76942.html
- ^ http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/irish/bohemians-lose-court-case-over-dalymount---euro60m-deal-now-in-doubt-1528137.html?r=RSS
- ^ "Ndo grabs precious away goal". Irish Times. 2009-07-16. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
- ^ "Bohemians 0-1 Red Bull Salzburg (Agg 1-2)". RTE Sport. 2009-07-23. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
- ^ Notorious Boo-Boys launch site, Bohemian F.C. Official Website, 2008. Retrieved on 2 January 2008
- ^ a b http://www.eircomloi.ie/the-divisions/a-championship/2008-season/
- ^ http://www.bohemians.ie/index.php/a-team-news/bohs-drawn-away-in-a-championship-final.htm
- ^ http://www.bohemians.ie/index.php/a-team-news/toccy-guides-a-side-to-championship-final.htm
- ^ http://www.bohemians.ie/index.php/bohemian-fc-youth-section/
External links
- Bohemian FC official site
- TheBohs.com: The main Bohs independent website, including a vibrant supporters' forum
- Bohemians Community Scheme (Multi-Language Websites)
- Kevin Hunt Testimonial official site
- Bohsnews: independent site logging club and other relevant news
- DCU Bohs supporters club
- Bohs.ie... The Big Club
- Past League Tables on FAI.ie
- Bohs on eircomloi.ie
- Blog of a Bohemians FC fan
- [4]
- [5]