Tell me about the early part of your footballing career?
I started out at Home Farm before moving to Shamrock Rovers. I was there when Johnny Giles returned back to Ireland. I had got a taste of first team action under Sean Thomas but Giles brought a lot of players back to Rovers and I ended up leaving because of a lack of first team action.
You then enjoyed great success at Athlone Town…
Sean Thomas took over at St Mel’s Park and I followed him there. Eventually Turlough O’Connor came in and we won the league in 1981 and 1983 along with a few league cups. It was a great period and very exciting for everybody at Athlone. Eventually I decided to move to American and I played for two seasons in the MLS for San Diego. After that I moved to Glentoran.
What were your first impressions of Dundalk?
I moved to Oriel Park after Turlough took over. Dundalk were a very successful club and I knew it was a good club.
After the 1987 Cup run you ended up playing against Ajax. What was that experience like?
It was great occasion. We kept them scoreless for 65 minutes before they got a goal from a deflection I think. I was marking Frank Stapleton that night.
You then picked up an injury and it took time for you to get back in the team. Yet when you did we went on a great run…
Yes I picked up an injury and John Cleary and Joey Malone were playing superbly well in the centre of defence. It was difficult not being in the team but I think we went on a sticky patch and I was recalled into the side. I was back in for the cup match with Cork and I stayed in the side for the rest of the campaign.
What is your most abiding memory of the Double winning campaign?
I think it would be the match in Inchicore when we beat St Pats 3-0 to get to the FAI Cup final. We were outstanding that day. That was a great Dundalk team. It was one of the best ever like the team that Tommy McConille and Dermot Keely played for.
Was there much pressure on you to perform to a high standard?
We were very experienced. If we scored it was very unlikely that you would score against us. There was pressure on the defence to perform to high standards but we loved that. We had some great flair up front. We were also ahead of our time in some respects. In the FAI Cup final we basically played a 3-5-2 formation with Joey Malone, John Cleary and myself at the back with Martin Lawlor and Gino Lawless getting forward as wing-backs. There was nothing really else like it at the time.
You then decided to emigrate to Australia…
Yes I moved to Melbourne at the end of that season. I played for three more years and coached also. I then linked up with Martin Lawlor as a coach when he managed Drogheda United. I eventually took over that role in 2000 and won promotion before getting the sack in 2004.
You are now involved with the FAI. Do you enjoy it?
I am now co-ordinating and running a coaching academy in North Dublin. We have 28 young players that we are trying to prepare for life in the league. It’s myself and Gino Brazil that run the academy. I love it and I am really enjoying the experience.
