Thursday, 28 November 2024

Episode 81 - Three positive halves

I'm joined again by Mark Kennedy of Hawkeye Sidekick and Philip Flanagan of The Bottomless Pit of Football to review the final two games of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League campaign. Was the post in with a chance of winning the Player of the Match against Finland, and were there any positives from the second half collapse against England?

With the Women's team preparing for their UEFA Women's Euro 2025 play off against Wales, we examine both squads and encourage fans to attend the second leg in Aviva Stadium, not least because of a prediction I stand by!

Finally, we give a brief mention to the Mens' U19 side after their first qualifying round for next year's Championship

Friday, 15 November 2024

Episode 80 - A northern mind

Myself and Philip Flanagan of The Bottomless Pit of Football are delighted to be joined by John Nicholson of football365 to discuss a wide range of topics, from Lee Carsley's time in charge of England, the waning power of the press, the poppy controversy, and more!

(Note this was recorded before England and Ireland's games against Greece and Finland, respectively)


Wednesday, 13 November 2024

Episode 79 - A unique set of circumstances

I'm joined by Mark Kennedy of Hawkeye Sidekick to preview the final 2024/25 UEFA Nations League games for the Republic of Ireland National Men's Team against Finland and England. What do we think of the squad selected by Heimir Hallgrímsson, will the performances against Finland and Greece affect the expectations of Ireland fans, and how do we think the Boys in Green will fare over the two games?

Following the National Women's Team defeat of Georgia in the first round of the play off for UEFA Women's Euro 2025, what can Eileen Gleeson's team expect in the second round against Wales.

Finally, we review the U17 Mens Team's performance in the Qualifying Round for the 2025 UEFA Under 17 Championship and explain how a rare, possible unique, set of circumstances led to them qualifying with three yellow cards

Also, I make a prediction for the attendance in the final home game of 2024.

Tuesday, 5 November 2024

Round up for weekend of Friday, 1st November 2024

Friday, 1st November 2024
Belgian Challenger Pro League
Club Brugge II 1-3 Lommel
Daniel Negry-McGrath came off the bench in the 78th minute for his first appearance of the season

Saturday, 2nd November 2024
Championship
Oxford United 1-2 Swansea City
Cyrus Christie made his first appearance for new club Swansea City

Stoke City 2-1 Derby County
Tom Cannon scored his 15th goal in the Championship
Enda Stevens was booked for the first time this season
Andrew Moran was booked for the fifth time this season

Cardiff 2-1 Norwich City
Callum Robinson scored his fifth goal of the season, also his 15th goal for the Blues
Callum O'Dowda assisted a goal for the first time since August 2023
Shane Duffy was named in the Norwich City starting XI for the 50th time

Preston North End 1-3 Bristol City
Mark Sykes made his first assist of the season

Sheffield Wednesday 2-6 Watford
Festy Ebosele made his first assist of the season - this was the winger's first assist since May 2023

Scottish Premiership
St Johnstone 1-2 Hearts
Graham Carey was name in the St Johnstone starting XI for the first time in five weeks

FA Cup
Bradford City 3-1 Aldershot
Calum Kavanagh scored his first goal of the season

Walsall 2-1 Bolton Wanderers
David Okagbue started a game for Walsall for the fiftieth time

Stockport County 2-1 Forest Green Rovers
Tayo Adaramola's start was the defender's first appearance in a month

Port Vale 1-3 Barnsley
Corey O'Keeffe was booked for the first time in seven weeks
Luca Connell was booked for the fifth time this season

Sunday, 3rd November 2024
Championship
Millwall 1-0 Burnley
Josh Cullen's start was his 100th appearance in the Championship

Scottish Premiership
Hibernian 1-1 Dundee United
Emmanuel Adegboyega was booked for the fifth time this season

Dundee 3-2 Kilmarnock
Corrie Ndaba was booked for the first time since Saturday, 14th September

FA Cup
MK Dons 0-2 AFC Wimbledon
Scott Hogan was booked for the first time this season

Curzon Ashton 0-4 Mansfield Town
Stephen Quinn scored his first goal since Friday, 9 August

Belgian Challenger Pro League
Deinze 3-1 SK Beveren
Liam Kerrigan start a game for the first time in six weeks

MLS
Atlanta United 2-1 Inter Miami
Derrick Williams scored his first goal for Atlanta United, this was the defender's first goalsince Sunday, 25th June

Danish First Division
Fredericia 1-4 OB
William Martin came off the bench to score his first goal in five weeks

Monday, 4 November 2024

Episode 78 - Not quite a moral victory

I'm joined again by Mark Kennedy of Hawkeye Sidekick and Philip Flanagan of The Bottomless Pit of Football to discuss the Republic of Ireland's two Nations League games in October. What did we make of the changes to the side and how the players reacted to going behind, and what does it mean for the final two League B games in November?

Going into their final two qualifiers for the 2025 UEFA U21 Championship, the Under 21 side knew what was needed, but still fell short of qualification. What players from the squad can look forward to promotion to the senior side, and what does another campaign that finished in disappointment mean for coach Jim Crawford?

Also, Sideshow Bob's rakes and I do a live countdown math problem!

Tuesday, 8 October 2024

Episode 77 - Heimir Hallgrímsson's first games(effectively)

On the new podcast episode, I'm joined by Mark Kennedy of Hawkeye Sidekick to discuss the Republic of Ireland's upcoming UEFA Nations League games against Finland and Greece, and the U21s final two qualifiers for the 2025 UEFA Under 21 Championship

Monday, 7 October 2024

Round Up for weekend of Saturday, 5th October 2024

Saturday, 5th October 2024
Premier League
Arsenal 3-1 Southampton
Ryan Manning's start, his first appearance of the season, was also his first appearance in the Premier League

Brentford 5-3 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Nathan Collins scored his first goal of the season - the defender's first goal since January

Championship
Norwich City 4-0 Hull City
Shane Duffy made his 50th appearance for Norwich City

Derby County 2-0 QPR
Marcus Harness scored his first goal for Derby County - this was the midfielder's first goal since November 2023

Plymouth Argyle 2-1 Blackburn Rovers
Michael Obafemi scored his first goal for Plymouth Argyle, this was the striker's twentieth goal in the Championship

West Bromwich Albion 0-0 Millwall
Mikey Johnston was booked in what was his first start of the season
Dan McNamara started a game for the first time in six weeks

League 1
Huddersfield Town 2-0 Barnsley
Joe Hodge was booked for the first time this season

Peterborough 2-1 Stevenage
Cian Hayes started a game for the first time in five weeks

Bolton Wanderers 2-2 Shrewsbury Town
Jordan Shipley scored his 15th goal for Shrewsbury Town

Charlton Athletic 1-0 Birmingham City
Conor Coventry was booked for the fifth time this season

Lincoln City 2-1 Leyton Orient
Sean Roughan was booked for the first time this season

Mansfield Town 2-0 Blackpool
Stephen McLaughlin was shown his first yellow card in seven weeks

Rotherham 2-1 Reading
Joe Rafferty made his first assist of the season - the first time the defender assisted a goal since November 2023

Wrexham 4-1 Northampton Town
James McClean scored his first goals of the season

League 2
Crewe Alexandra 2-0 Gillingham
Adrien Thibaut made his first assist of the season

Salford City 1-0 AFC Wimbledon
James Furlong was booked for the first time this season, in his first start in five weeks
    
Swindon Town 0-0 Harrogate Town
Aaron Drinan's start was his 100th appearance in League Two

Scottish Premiership
St Mirren 0-1 Dundee United
Charles Dunne's start was his first appearance of the season
Emmanuel Adegboyega scored his first goal of the season

Sunday, 6th October 2024
Championship
Bristol City 1-1 Cardiff
Luke McNally scored his first goal of the season
Mark Sykes was booked for the fifth time this season

Scottish Premiership
Ross County 1-2 Celtic
Adam Idah started a game for Celtic for the tenth time

Aberdeen 3-2 Hearts
Jamie McGrath assisted a goal for the first time in six weeks

Segunda Division
Deportivo La Coruna 0-0 Malaga
Aaron Ochoa Moloney was booked for the first time this season

Monday, 7th October 2024
League 2
Bradford City 3-1 Newport County
Calum Kavanagh made his 25th appearance for Bradford City


Round Up for week of Tuesday, 1st October 2024

Tuesday, 1 October 2024
Championship
Luton Town 2-2 Oxford United
Tyler Goodrham scored his first goal in five weeks

Sunderland 2-0 Derby County
Eiran Cashin made his 25th appearance in the competition
Marcus Harness was booked for the first time this season in what was his first start for Derby County

League 1
Barnsley 2-2 Wycombe Wanderers
Kieran Sadlier assisted a goal for the first time in six weeks

Bristol Rovers 3-2 Charlton Athletic
Promise Omochere assisted a goal for the first time this season

Leyton Orient 0-1 Exeter City
Pierce Sweeney was booked for the first time in five weeks

Shrewsbury Town 0-2 Stockport County
Tayo Adaramola was booked for the first time this season

Stevenage 1-0 Wrexham
Thomas O'Connor was booked for the first time in seven weeks

Wigan 3-0 Peterborough
Babajide Adeeko was named in the Wigan starting XI for the fiftieth time
Cian Hayes' introduction was his first appearance in five weeks
Sam Curtis was booked for the fifth time this season

League 2
Cheltenham 2-1 Accrington Stanley
Both Connor O'Brien and Liam Kinsella assisted a goal for the first time this season, Kinsella did so in his first start in five weeks
Dara Costelloe scored his first goal for Accrington Stanley - almost a year to the date after his previous goal on Saturday, 30 September 2023

Morecambe 1-1 Bradford City
Calum Kavanagh started a game for the first time in five weeks

Tranmere Rovers 1-1 Swindon Town
Gavin Kilkenny was named in a starting XI for the fiftieth time in his career

Walsall 2-6 Fleetwood Town
David Okagbue made his first assist of the season
David Harrington was booked for the first time this season

Wednesday, 2nd October 2024
Championship
Preston North End 3-0 Watford
Robbie Brady's start, his first in seven weeks, was his 75th appearance for Preston North End

Stoke City 6-1 Portsmouth
Andrew Moran scored his first goal of the season
Tom Cannon broke his duck with loan club Stoke City by scoring four goals - the first player to do so for the Potters since Peter Thorn in 2000
Mark O'Mahony scored his first goal for Portsmouth

Thursday, 3rd October 2024
MLS
Atlanta United 1-2 CF Montreal
Derrick Williams made his 25th start for Atlanta United

Toronto FC 1-4 New York Red Bulls
Kevin Long made his 25th start for Toronto FC
Ryan Meara was booked for the first time this season

Colorado Rapids 1-3 LA Galaxy
In his 60th start for Colorado Rapids, Connor Ronan scored his first goal since May 2023

Monday, 9 September 2024

Round Up for weekend of Saturday, 7th September 2024

Saturday, 7th September 2024
League 1
Barnsley 2-1 Bristol Rovers
Corey O'Keeffe was booked for the first time this season in his 50th appearance for Barnsley

Wrexham 3-0 Shrewsbury Town
James McClean assisted a goal for the first time this season in his 50th appearance for Wrexham

League 2
Bradford City 2-1 Carlisle United
Tyreik Wright assisted a goal for the first time since Saturday, 29th October 2022

Colchester United 1-1 Bromley
Anthony Scully made his first appearance for Colchester United

Doncaster Rovers 1-0 Gillingham
Shadrach Ogie made his 50th start for Gillingham

Newport County 1-4 Port Vale
Shane McLoughlin made his 50th appearance for Newport County
Ciaran Brennan was shown a red card for the first time since Tuesday, 18th October 2022

Belgian Cup
Dessel Sport 2-3 SK Beveren
Liam Kerrigan was named in the SK Beveren starting XI for the first time


Wednesday, 4 September 2024

Round Up for weekend of Friday, 30th August 2024

Friday, 30th August 2024
Championship
Luton Town 1-2 QPR
Jimmy Dunne scored his first own goal in almost two years, since Saturday, 15 October 2022

Saturday, 31st August 2024
Championship
Oxford United 3-1 Preston North End
Tyler Goodrham scored his first goal in the Championship

Portsmouth 1-3 Sunderland
Alan Browne scored his first goal for Sunderland, this was the midfielder's first goal since December 2023

West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Swansea City
Jayson Molumby scored his first goal of the season, his first goal since April 2023

League 1
Rotherham 2-1 Huddersfield Town
Joe Hodge marked his Huddersfield Town debut with his first goal since February

Bolton Wanderers 0-2 Exeter City
Millenic Ali scored his fifth goal in the competition
Pierce Sweeney was booked for the first time this season

Bristol Rovers 2-0 Cambridge United
Promise Omochere scored a brace for the first time in his career

Crawley Town 0-3 Barnsley
Luca Connell was booked for the first time this season

Stevenage 0-1 Lincoln City
Sean Roughan made his 100th appearance for Lincoln City
Jack Moylan scored his fifth goal for Lincoln City
Paudie O'Connor was sent off for the third time for Lincoln City

League 2
Grimsby Town 2-1 Bradford City
Tyreik Wright's start was his 100th career appearance

Swindon Town 1-2 Notts County
Gavin Kilkenny scored his first goal for Swindon Town in his debut for the Robins
David McGoldrick scored his first goal of the season

Walsall 2-1 Cheltenham
David Okagbue was booked for the first time this season

Scottish Premiership
St Johnstone 1-2 Motherwell
Dan Casey scored his fifth goal for Motherwell

Belgian Challenger Pro League
Liege 0-0 SK Beveren
Liam Kerrigan made his first appearance for SK Beveren

Sunday, 1st September 2024
Scottish Premiership
Kilmarnock 1-1 Hibernian
Corrie Ndaba made his first start of the season

La Liga
Getafe 0-0 Real Sociedad
John-Joe Finn made his first appearance of the season - this was the midfielder's first appearance since Wednesday, 1 November 2023

MLS
Toronto FC 1-3 D.C. United
Kevin Long made his 25th appearance for Toronto FC

Austin FC 0-1 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Jon Gallagher was named in the Austin FC starting XI for the 100th time

Friday, 30 August 2024

Round up for week of Tuesday, 27th August 2024

Tuesday, 27th August 2024
English League Cup
Middlesbrough 0-5 Stoke City
In his first start for Stoke City, Andrew Moran completed a hat trick of assists

Watford 2-0 Plymouth Argyle
Michael Obafemi was named in the Plymouth Argyle starting XI for the first time

Brighton and Hove Albion 4-0 Crawley Town
In his final appearance for Brighton before departing on loan to Portsmouth for the rest of the season, Mark O'Mahony scored the first goal of his career

Everton 3-0 Doncaster Rovers
Both Seamus Coleman and Jake O'Brien made his their first appearance of the season, O'Brien's start was his debut for Everton, which his marked with an assist
Ian Lawlor's start was the goalkeeper's 100th appearance for Doncaster Rovers

Football League Trophy
Crewe Alexandra 5-1 Liverpool U21
Adrien Thibaut marked his first appearance for Crewe Alexandra with a goal
Trent Kone Doherty made his first appearance of the season

Wednesday, 28th August 2024
English League Cup
Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 Burnley
Luke McNally started a game for the first time this season

Swansea City 0-1 Wycombe Wanderers
Kieran Sadlier made his 50th appearance for Wycombe Wanderers

AFC Wimbledon 2-2 Ipswich Town
Both Dara O'Shea and Chiedozie Ogbene made their Ipswich Town debuts

Cardiff 3-5 Southampton
Former League of Ireland midfield duo Romeo Akachukwu  and Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh made their first appearance for Southampton

Nottingham Forest 1-1 Newcastle United
Andrew Omobamidele's start, his first since Saturday, 13 April, was his first appearance of the season

Austrian Cup
WSPG Weis 0-1 Blau-Weiss Linz
Conor Noss scored his first goal in the competition


Wednesday, 21 August 2024

Three Premier League Debutants

On the opening day of the 2024/25 Premier League season, Ipswich Town played their first game in the top flight since they were relegated at the end of the 2001/02 season. In the second half, manager Kieran McKenna introduced Marcus Harness, who declared for Ireland in 2019, U21 midfielder Jack Taylor, and newly capped forward Sammie Szmodics from the bench. This was only the fourth time that three, or more, Irish players made their Premier League debut in the same game, and the first in fifteen years.

Wolves 0-2 West Ham, Saturday 15th August 2009
The last time this happened was in August 2009, when Wolves, managed by two-time Ireland manager Mick McCarthy,  started defenders Stephen Ward and Kevin Foley, and striker Andy Keogh as the old gold faced West Ham United in their first game in England's top division for five years.

Wimbledon 3-2 Bolton Wanderers, Saturday 19th August 1995
It had been thirteen years since the feat had occurred, when Bolton lost 3-2 to Wimbledon on the opening day of the 1995/96 season. This was Bolton's first game in the Premier League, and their first top level game in 15 years. Keith Branagan and Jason McAteer lined out for the Trotters in Selhurst Park, with future single capped player Owen Coyle coming on for the last six minutes of the game.

Ipswich Town 1-1 Aston Villa, Saturday, 15th August 1992
On the very first day of the Premier League in August 1992, when technically every player made their PL debut, Aston Villa started Paul McGrath and Steve Staunton in defence, with fellow Irish international Ray Houghton playing on the wing.

Coventry 2-1 Middlesbrough, Saturday, 15th August 1992
There's only one game where more than three Irish players made their Premier League debut. On the same day that Villa started three, Coventry faced Middlesbrough at Highfield Road, with defenders Chris Morris and Alan Kernaghan starting for Boro. They were joined in the second half by Bernie Slaven, who would go on to be the first Irish player to score in the Premier League four days later. Phil Babb lined out for Coventry, making this the only time four Irish players made their Premier League debut in the same game.

Further reading
Hammers ruin Wolves' return
Wimbledon 3-2 Bolton
Coventry City 2-1 Middlesbrough

Tuesday, 20 August 2024

Round Up for weekend of Saturday, 17th August 2024

Saturday, 17th August 2024
Premier League
Ipswich Town 0-2 Liverpool
Sammie Szmodics, Marcus Harness, and Jack Taylor made their first appearance in the Premier League, the first time three Irish players made their debuts in the top flight in the same game since Kevin Foley, Andy Keogh, and Stephen Ward made their first PL appearance in August 2009, for Wolves against West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Matt Doherty's start was his 150th appearance in the Premier League

Championship
Portsmouth 0-0 Luton Town
Chiedozie Ogbene's start was his 200th appearance in English football

Bristol City 4-3 Millwall
Sinclair Armstrong scored his first goal for Bristol City

Burnley 5-0 Cardiff
Callum Robinson's introduction was his 50th appearance for Cardiff

Sheffield United 2-2 QPR
Jimmy Dunne scored his first goal of the season

Watford 3-0 Stoke City
Andrew Moran made his first appearance for loan club Stoke City

League 1
Lincoln City 1-2 Barnsley
Paudie O'Connor assisted a goal for the first time since Saturday, 28th October 2023

League 2
Accrington Stanley 3-3 Harrogate Town
Seamus Conneely made his 350th appearance for Accrington Stanley

Bradford City 0-0 Salford City
Neil Byrne was booked for the first time since Friday, 22 December 2023

Port Vale 0-0 Tranmere Rovers
Ronan Curtis' start was the 200th time the forward was named in a starting XI in English football

Sunday, 18th August 2024
League 2
Notts County 2-2 Fleetwood Town
Mipo Odubeko was booked on his first appearance for Fleetwood Town

Scottish League Cup
Motherwell 1-0 Kilmarnock
Kieran O'Hara made his first start of the season - this was the goalkeeper's first start since Wednesday, 15th May 2024


Wednesday, 14 August 2024

Claire Foy, The Three Manchester Martyrs, and Italia '90

I don't usually watch "Who Do You Think You Are?", the show where celebrities climb their family tree to see where they came from, and who they really are, but recently came across actress Claire Foy's episode while channel hopping (something we did before streaming) and found it quite interesting.

Foy's 3x-Great Grandfather John Henry Martin, and his brother William, were two of many arrests made in Manchester following the murder of Manchester police officer Charles Brett, who was shot while escorting Thomas J. Kelly and Timothy Deasy, two leaders of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, to prison.

Both brothers were released after testimonies from friends and family established that they were not present when the attack took place.

The episode referred to the three men who were convicted of the crime - Allen, Larkin, and O'Brien - which triggered a memory of the folk song "Erin's Lovely Lee", which refers to the three men using their surnames as "the three Manchester Martyrs". Searching the term online led to the wikipedia entry for the trial, and this interesting piece of information - at the end of the trial, while addressing the court, Edward O'Meagher-Condon, another man convicted of the murder, whose sentence was overturned following the intervention of the US government(he was a US citizen), ended his speech with the cry "God Save Ireland!", a slogan echoed by his co-accused in the dock and supporters in the public gallery.

The slogan was used in the following days and weeks by supporters of the men appealing for their release, eventually inspiring the folk song "God Save Ireland", written by future Lord Mayor of Dublin Timothy Daniel Sullivan in December 1867. Many versions of the song have been released in the decades since the lyrics were first published, including the Dubliners

You might wonder what this has to do with Irish football? Well, the song gained popularity across the Irish diaspora, to the point where it was the unofficial anthem of Ireland until Amhrán na bhFiann was officially adopted as the national anthem by the Executive Council of the Irish Free State in July 1926. God Save Ireland's popularity continued to grow, eventually becoming a terrace anthem at Celtic Park. The familiarity of the tune in Scotland was confirmed after its melody was used in Scotland's 1978 World Cup unofficial anthem "Ally's Army"

If any of the lyrics sound familiar to fans of the Irish national side, even those born long after Ally McLeod's men returned from Argentina, it's because when Ireland first qualified for the World Cup, they were reused, along with quotes from manager Jack Charlton, in Ireland team song Put 'Em Under Pressure!

So, there you have it, how Claire Foy's great-great-great-grandfather was involved in a case that led to two football anthems!

Further reading

The Manchester Martyrs

Tuesday, 6 August 2024

Transfers, Loans, and Contracts for August 2024

Transfers
Saturday, 3rd August
Highly promising 16 year old winger Jadon Umeh signed for Portuguese giants Benfica

Following a successful trial, Ben Quinn joined his uncle Stephen at Mansfield

Thursday, 8th August
Sean Maguire returned to Cork City, signing a multi-year contract with the Leesiders

Megan Connolly signed for Serie A Femminile side Lazio

Friday, 9th August
Owen Bray signed for non-league side FC Halifax Town

Saturday, 11th August
Conor Grant signed for Notts County as part of Aaron Nemane's move to MK Dons

Monday, 12th August
Mipo Odubeko joined Fleetwood Town, signing a 12 month contract with the Cod Army, with the option of a further year

Bosun Lawal signed a four year deal with Stoke City

Former Ireland striker Aiden O'Brien signed a multi-year contract with League of Ireland side Shelbourne

Wednesday, 14th August
Following his successful loan in the second half of the 2023/24 season, Adam Idah returned to Celtic Park, signing a five year contract with the Scottish Champions

Naoisha McAloon was one of three signings announced by Burnley

Laois' Peter Grogan signed a two year contract with Austin FC II, with the option of two further years in Texas

Friday, 16th August
Recent Ireland debutant Sammie Szmodics joined newly-promoted Ipswich Town, signing a four year contract with the Tractor Boys

Monday, 19th August
Danny Mandriou returned to Shamrock Rovers, signing a contract until the end of the year with the League of Ireland Champions

Tuesday, 20th August
Former Ireland U21 defender Mark McGuinness signed for Luton Town

Striker Adrien Thibaut left non-league Macclesfield Town to sign a contract with League Two side Crewe Alexandra

Sunday, 25th August
Ipswich Town added to their Irish contingent of Sammie Szmodics, Marcus Harness, and Jack Taylor with the signing of Dara O'Shea

Monday, 26th August
Wexford FC confirmed the sale of Ireland U16 defender Oisin McDonagh to Serie A size Venezia FC

Wednesday, 28th August
Following Luton's relegation at the end of the 2023/24 season, Chiedozie Ogbene returned to the top flight in England, signing a four year contract with Ipswich

Aaron O'Reilly signed a one year contract, with the option of a further 12 months, with Huddersfield Town, and will initially join their B team squad

U19 international Cristiano Fitzgerald signed for US collegiate side Maryland Terrapins

Thursday, 29th August
Gavin Kilkenny joined former international Mark Kennedy's Swindown Town, signing a two year contract with the Robins

Friday, 30th August
Luke McNally signed a four year contract with Bristol City

Forest Green Rovers announced the signing of Joe Quigley

Following his loan spell at West Brom in the second half of the 2023/24 season, Mikey Johnston returned to the Hawthorns on a permanent deal, signing a four year contract with the Baggies

Former Galway and Athlone Town Reuben Egan signed a one year contract with Tranmere Rovers

Loans
Thursday, 1st August
West Ham defender Jessie Stapleton signed a season long loan deal with Sunderland

Friday, 2nd August
Former League of Ireland full back Sam Curtis will spend the 2024/25 season on loan with Peterborough

Friday, 9th August
Burnley midfielder Dara Costello signed a season-long loan deal with Accrington Stanley

Monday, 12th August
Cambridge United announced the signing of Blackburn defender Connor O'Riordan on a season long loan

Friday, 16th August
Waterford defender Ronan Mansfield signed a loan deal until the end of the year with Fleetwood, joining their Development squad

After signing a new contract with parent club Brighton and Hove Albion, Andrew Moran put pen to paper on a season long loan with Stoke City

Tuesday, 20th August
Nathan Fraser sign a season long loan with Belgian Challenger Pro League side Zulte Waregem

Wednesday, 21st August
St Mirren announced the season long loan of attacking midfielder Killian Phillips, with an obligation to buy at the end of the loan

Thursday, 22nd August
Michael Obafemi joined Burnley's fellow Championship side Plymouth Argyle on loan for the season

Tuesday, 27th August
Josh Seary signed for Irish Premiership side Larne FC on loan until January 2025

Wednesday, 28th August
Joe Hodge signed a loan deal for the 2024/25 season with Huddersfield Town

Friday, 30th August
Ireland U21 goalkeeper Josh Keeley signed a season long loan with Leyton Orient

Colchester confirmed the season-long loan signing of Anthony Scully from Portsmouth

Marcus Harness returned to the Championship with Derby on loan until the end of the season

Udinese's Festy Ebosele signed for sister club Watford FC on loan

Recently capped striker Tom Cannon signed a loan deal with Stoke City

Como's Liam Kerrigan join Belgian Challenger Pro League side SK Beveren for the 2024/25 season

Contracts
Thursday, 8th August
James McClean signed a new contract with Wrexham, extending his stay at the Racecourse until the end of the 2025/26 season

Friday, 16th August
Before signing for Stoke on loan, Andrew Moran extended his contract with Brighton until the summer of 2028

Friday, 30th August
Before leaving Tottenham on a season long loan, U21 goalkeeper Josh Keeley signed a three year deal with Spurs

Management
Tuesday, 6th August
Former Republic of Ireland Women's Under 17 coach Chelsea Noonan joined Birmingham City Women as their assistant head coach

Friday, 23rd August
Jamie Devitt returned to Carlisle, taking over as the professional development phase coach at Brunton Park

Further reading
Transfers, Loans, and Contracts for May/June 2024
Transfers, Loans, and Contracts for July 2024

Wednesday, 24 July 2024

Episode 74 - France, England, and a new manager

I'm joined by Mark Kennedy of Hawkeye Sidekick and Philip Flanagan of The Bottomless Pit of Football, and special guest Philip O'Connor or Reuters to discuss the final two qualifiers of the Republic of Ireland's qualifying campaign for UEFA Women's Euro 2025, and look ahead to the play offs*, and discuss what we can expect from the new manager of the Men's National Team, Heimir Hallgrímsson, as well as the ongoing issues in the FAI

*note this was recorded before the draw for the play offs took place, so we didn't know the opposition for the Women's National Team

Wednesday, 10 July 2024

Transfers, Loans, and Contracts for July 2024

Transfers
Tuesday, 2nd July
Harry Charsley signed for non league Oldham Athletic

Wednesday, 3rd July
21 year old winger Cian Hayes joined Peterborough

Thursday, 4th July
David Okagbue signed for Walsall until the summer of 2026

Following a successful loan spell with Bradford in the 2023/24 season, Tyreik Wright signed a two year contract with the Bantams

Friday, 5th July
Promising U21 midfielder Rocco Vata signed a four year contract with Watford, with the option of a further 12 months

Former U19 player Liam Kelly signed for MK Dons

Monday, 8th July
Gavan Holohan joined Crawley Town, signing a two year contract with the Red Devils

Drogheda United goalkeeper Andrew Wogan signed a four year contract with Stockport County, and returned on loan to the Drogs until the end of the 2024 League of Ireland season

Tuesday, 9th July
Defender Adam Alimi-Adetoro signed a two year contract with FC Halifax Town

Thursday, 11th July
After making more than 400 appearances for Preston North End, Alan Browne signed a three year contract with Sunderland

Saturday, 13th July
Following a succesful loan in the Eredivisie last season, Troy Parrott signed for AZ Alkmaar, where he will wear the number 9 jersey

Monday, 15th July
Ruari Paton signed a three year contract with League Two Side Port Vale

Goalkeeper turned centre-half AJ Doyle was announced as one of twelve scholars for Derby County's Academy

Tuesday, 16th July
Dawson Devoy returned from England to sign for Bohemians, signing a multi-year contract with the Gypsies

Following his release from Bournemouth, Ben Greenwood signed for non-league Weymouth

Wedneday, 17th July
After more than 300 games in English football, Greg Cunningham returned to his native Galway to sign for Galway United

Zach Elbouzedi returned to Ireland, signing a multi-year contract with St Patrick's Athletic

Friday, 19th July
Three-times capped Ireland striker Saoirse Noonan signed a three year contract with Celtic FC Women

Following the bankruptcy of KV OOstende, Liam Bossin returned to former club FC Dordrecht

Promise Omochere signed a three year contract with Bristol Rovers

21 year old striker Sinclair Armstrong signed for Bristol City

Saturday, 20th July
Sophie Whitehouse signed a one year contract with Charlton Athletic Women

Wednesday, 24th July
Ricardo Dinanga signed a one year contract with AFC Telford

Friday, 26th July
Freddie Turley signed a three year contract with Derby County, where he will initially line out for their U21 side

Saturday, 27th July
Erin McLaughlin signed a 12 month contract, with the option of a further year, with Portsmouth Women

Sunday, 28th July
Aidan Keena returned from England to sign for St Patrick's Athletic

Tuesday, 30th July
Recent senior international debutant Jake O'Brien signed for Everton

Corrie Ndaba signed a three year contract with Kilmarnock

Wednesday, 31st July
Rory Finneran, who set a new record as Blackburn Rovers' youngest ever player in 2023/24, signed for Newcastle

Striker Aoife Colvill signed a two year contract with Belgian side Standard Liege

Loans
Monday, 15th July
Wrexham goalkeeper Luke McNicholas signed a season long loan with AFC Rochdale

Tuesday, 16th July
Striker Luke Pearce signed for Sligo Rovers until the end of the 2024 League of Ireland season

U21 player Jack Henry-Francis signed a loan deal with Sligo Rovers for the rest of the current LOI season

Friday, 26th July
U21 defender Tayo Adaramola will spend the 2024/25 season on loan with Stockport County

Saturday, 27th July
Shrewsbury Town announced the loan signing of Rotherham striker JJ Kayode for the 2024/25 season

Tuesday, 30th July
Former Shamrock Rovers defender James Furlong signed a season-long loan with AFC Wimbledon

Contracts
Thursday, 4th July
Durham confirmed their retained player list for 2024/25, including a new contract for Eleanor Ryan Doyle

Monday, 8th July
U18 cap Joe Gibbard signed his first professional contract with Crystal Palace

Wednesday, 10th July
Tom O'Connor extended his contract with Wrexham AFC, signing a new deal with the Welsh side until summer 2027

Friday, 12th July
U21 goalkeeper Killian Cahill signed a 12 month extension to his contract with Brighton and Hove Albion, with the option of a further year

Monday, 29th July
Women's National Team midfielder Denise O'Sullivan signed a new contract with NWSL side North Carolina Courage until the end of the 2026 season

Management
Monday, 1st July
Brentford appointed former Republic of Ireland assistant manager Keith Andrews as their set piece coach

Thursday, 11th July
Hull City confirmed that former player David Meyler was promoted to assistant coach of their U18 side

Friday, 12th July
Stoke City announced that Liam Lawrence will be in charge of their U21 side for the upcoming season

Further reading
Transfers, Loans, and Contracts for May/June 2024
Transfers, Loans, and Contracts for August 2024

Wednesday, 3 July 2024

Transfers, Loans, and Contracts for May/June 2024

Transfers
Monday, 13th May
Chesterfield announced the signing of veteran striker Paddy Madden

Monday, 20th May
Neill Byrne joined Bradford City, signing a contract with the Banrams until the summer of 2026

Joe Rafferty left Portsmouth to sign a two year contract with Rotherham

Thursday, 23rd May
Goalkeeper Michael Kelly signed a two year contract with Accrington Stanley

Friday, 24th May
After six years with Cheltenham, Sean Long signed for non-league Forest Green Rovers

Tuesday, 28th May
Peterhead confirmed the signing of winger Cieran Dunne
Thursday, 30th May
Sean McDermott signed for Norwegian side FK Molde until the end of the 2024 Nowegian season

Shelbourne confirmed that U19 cap Finn Sherlock signed for Bundesliga side Hoffenheim

Thursday, 6th June
Conor Hourihane returned to Barnsley, where he played 134 games between June 2014 and January 2017, initially as a player, transitioning to a coaching role over the next two years

Tuesday, 11th June
Defender Tunmise Sobwale signed for Swindon Town

Thursday, 13th June
Corey Whelan signed for AFC Fylde, signing a two year contract with the Coasters

Tuesday, 18th June
Following a successful loan spell with AFC Wimbledon in the second half of the 2023/24 season, John-Joe O'Toole has signed a permanent contracy with the Dons

Thursday, 20th June
After spending last season with League Two Newport County, Ryan Delaney has signed for League Two rivals Swindon Town

Tuesday, 25th June
Defender Ciaran Brennan signed a two year contract with Newport County

Deji Sotona signed for Eastleigh for an undisclosed fee

Wednesday 26th June
Seven-times capped forward Ronan Curtis signed a three year contract with Port Vale

Following the expiration of his contract MK Dons, Warren O'Hora signed a three year contract with Hibernan

Thursday, 27th June
Timi Sobowale signed for National League North side Curzon Ashton
Friday, 28th June
Elgin City confirmed the signing of Dylan Gavin

Saturday, 29th June
Hibernian announced the siging of Ciara Grant, joining on a two year contract

Loans
Saturday, 29th June
Stephan Negru signed a season long loan deal with League Two side Salford City, linking up with former boss Karl Robinson

Contracts
Wednesday, 29th May
U19 cap Noah Jauny signed his first professional contact with Stade Brestois 29

Friday, 14th June
Republic of Ireland Men's Team captain Seamus Coleman is staying at Everton, signing a one year extension to his contact at Goodison Park

Thursday, 28th June
West Ham midfielder Jessica Ziu signed a new, long-term, contract with West Ham

Friday, 29th June
Republic of Ireland Women's Team number one Courteney Brosnan extended her stay with Everton, signing a new two year contract with the Toffees

Further reading
Transfers, Loans, and Contracts for July 2024
Transfers, Loans, and Contracts for August 2024

Friday, 31 May 2024

Episode 73 - 2023/24: A season review

Myself, Mark Kennedy of Hawkeye Sidekick, and Philip Flanagan of The Bottomless Pit of Football look back at the positives and negatives for Irish players over the 2023/24 season - what players impressed us, what events could shape the future of the game here, and what needs to be improved on?

Friday, 17 May 2024

Episode 72 - Virage Lyonnais!

We're delighted to be joined by Virage Lyonnais podcast host Vladiimir Chinoune to discuss the history of Olympique Lyonnais, their season in Ligue Un, and Jake O'Brien's performances since he joined last August.

Friday, 3 May 2024

Episode 71 - Qualifiers, the process, and promotions

I'm joined again by Mark Kennedy of Hawkeye Sidekick to discuss the women's national side's qualifiers against France and England in April, the neverending quest for a new manager, and, with the season in England reaching its conclusion, we congratulate the players who have won promotion with their sides across the leagues

Friday, 5 April 2024

Episode 70 - Meet the interim boss

I'm joined by Mark Kennedy of Hawkeye Sidekick and Philip Flanagan of The Bottomless Pit of Football to discuss the Republic of Ireland's friendlies against Belgium and Switzerland, under interim manager John O'Shea. Did the rookie boss do enough to convince the FAI, and the fans, that he's a genuine candidate for full time manager of the senior men's team?

While the U21s got their European Championship campaign back on track against San Marino, the more important result came in Italy, where a last minute goal earned a draw for Turkey. What do these do results mean for the team's chances of qualification for next year's tournament in Slovakia?

And finally, we discuss the women's team's opening fixtures in their European Championship qualifying campaign. We've earned the right to face the top teams in the world, what do we need to do to continue facing them?

Tuesday, 19 March 2024

Episode 69 - Fein op Woudestein!

Myself and Philip Flanagan of The Bottomless Pit of Football are delighted to be joined by Richard van Zijl of Excelsior Rotterdam fan podcast Fein op Woudestein to discuss the history of the club, how Troy Parrott is performing in the Eredivisie this season, and cult hero, for both Ireland and Excelsior fans, David Connolly!

Subscribe to his podcast for discussions on all things related to Exclesior on Spotify

Friday, 9 February 2024

Round Up for week of Tuesday, 6th February 2023

Tuesday, 6th February 2024
League 1
Bristol Rovers 0-2 Fleetwood Town
Harry Vaughan and Gavin Kilkenny were named in the Fleetwood Town starting XI for the first time
Kilkenny assisted a goal for the first time since July 2021

Scottish Premiership
Motherwell 5-0 Ross County
Shane Blaney's introduction was his first appearance in six weeks

Rangers 2-1 Aberdeen
Jonathan Hayes' start was his 350th appearance for Aberdeen

FA Cup
Coventry 4-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Jeff Hendrick's introduction was his first appearance in nine weeks

Southampton 3-0 Watford
Will Smallbone was booked for the first time in six weeks

Wednesday, 7th February 2024
Scottish Premiership
Hibernian 1-2 Celtic
Adam Idah marked his first start for Celtic with two converted penalties
FA Cup
Nottingham Forest 1-1 Bristol City
Jason Knight scored his fifth goal of the season
Jason Knight's first goal since Friday, 22 December 2023(49 days)

Friday, 26 January 2024

Episode 4 - Youngest Competitive Starts - Chapter 3 - SurrealDB

In the third chapter of this episode, we show how to use graph database SurrealDB to prove the statistic that Evan Ferguson is the third youngest player to start a competitive game for the Republic of Ireland Men's Team

Wednesday, 24 January 2024

Episode 67 - 2023 Women's World Cup, UEFA Nations League, and the U17 European Championships

In the second part of our review of 2023, myself and Mark Kennedy of Hawkeye Sidekick review the Republic of Ireland Women's year, the build up to their first World Cup appearance, performance at the tournament itself, and the Nations League. We also take a look at the performance of the U17 Mens Team in the UEFA Under-17 Championships in Hungary, and discuss what the experience could mean to a highly talented squad, some of which have already gone on to play first team football

Friday, 19 January 2024

Episode 4 - Youngest Competitive Starts - Chapter 2 - MongoDB

In the second chapter of episode four, I again show that Evan Ferguson is the third youngest player to start a competitive game for the Republic of Ireland men's team, this time using document-based database MongoDB

Further reading
MongoDB
MongoDB Certification

Friday, 12 January 2024

Episode 4 - Youngest Competitive Starts - Chapter 1 - NodeJS

In the first of a three-part episode in our programming tutorial series, I use nodeJS to show how to prove that Evan Ferguson's start against France in March 2023 made him the third youngest player to start a competitive game for the Republic of Ireland

Wednesday, 3 January 2024

Episode 66 - The Year That Was 2023 In Irish Men's Football

I'm joined by Mark Kennedy of Hawkeye Sidekick and Philip Flanagan of The Bottomless Pit of Football to review the performances of the Republic of Ireland Senior Men's team in 2023, from the opening friendly against Latvia in March, through the qualification campaign for Euro 2024, to the final game of Stephen Kenny's time in charge against New Zealand in November. What were the highs and lows, and that, if anything, was learned from each game?

Monday, 1 January 2024

January 2024 Transfer Window

Transfers
Wednesday, 3rd January
Bristol City signed former St Patrick's Athletic midfielder Adam Murphy on a three and a half year contract

Conor Wilkinson signed an 18 month contract with League Two's Colchester United

Thursday, 4th January
Jay McGrath returned to Doncaster, where he spent time with their academy, signing a contract until the summer of 2026

Friday, 5th January
Finn Azaz left Aston Villa to sign a contract with Middlesbrough until the summer of 2029

After 18 months in France with SM Caen, Killian Cailloce returned to Drogheda United

Tuesday, 9th January
Partick Thistle announced the signing of Daniel O'Reilly on an 18 month contract

Friday, 12th January
Conor Coventry left West Ham to sign a contract with Charlton Athletic until July 2027

Ireland U19 midfielder Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh has joined Southampton until 2027, and will play for their U21 side

Kyle Robinson signed for Scottish Championship side Arbroath

Defender Zak Delaney left Inverness Caledonian Thistle to sign for fellow Scottish side Arbroath

Derrick Williams signed a two year contract with Atlanta United, with the option of a further 12 months

Saturday, 13th January
Serie A side AS Roma confirmed that Kevin Zefi has joined I Giallorossi Shamrock Rovers confirmed that, following his loan at the Hoops last season, Trevor Clarke signed a permanent contract at Tallaght Stadium

Wednesday, 17th January
15 year old Grady McDonnell, who played for the Republic of Ireland U15s, U16s, and U17s in 2023, signed a three year contract with Canadian side Vancouver FC

Friday, 19th January
Ronan Curtis signed a deal until the end of the season with AFC Wimbledon

Tuesday, 23rd January
U21 winger Ollie O'Neill signed a two and a half year contract with League One side Leyton Orient

Wednesday, 24th January
Liam Kinsella signed an 18 month contract with Cheltenham Town

Connor O'Riordan jumped two divisions to sign a long term contract with Blackburn Rovers

Thursday, 25th January
Sam Curtis, one of the standout players from the League of Ireland, has signed a long term contract with Sheffield United

Friday, 26th January
U19 midfielder Darius Lipsiuc signed a two and a half year contract with Stoke City

18 year old Charlie Cummins signed League One side Exeter City

Crystal Palace signed Shelbourne defender Luke Browne, who will play in the Eagle's U18 side

Saturday, 27th January
Izzy Atkinson signed a two year contract with Crystal Palace Women

Monday, 29th January
After a year in Denmark with Fortuna Hjorring, Roma McLaughlin returned to Ireland, signing for Shelbourne
Tuesday, 30th January
Cristiano Fitzgerald signed for Primera Liga side CF Estrela da Amadora, in their first season in the Primera Liga

Wednesday, 31st January
Twice-capped defender Tara O'Hanlon signed a contract with Manchester City's Womens team until 2027

Abbie Larkin signed a two and a half year contract with Crystal Palace Women

Following the expiration of her contract with Everton, Megan Campbell joined Women's Championship side London City Lionesses

Kate Mooney signed an 18 month contract with Hearts Women

Olamide Shodipo signed for Portuguese second division side CD Feirenses

Thursday, 1st February
Serie A side Torin confirmed the signing of midfield player Senan Mullins

Calum Kavanagh signed a two and a half year deal with Bradford City

Naj Razi signed a two and a half year contract with Serie B side Como

Georgie Kelly has signed a three and a half year contract with Carlisle United

Striker Tommy Lonergan moved to Fleetwood Town

Aaron Drinan signed a permanent contract with Swindown Town

Loans
Monday, 1st January
Burnley's Dara Costelloe signed for Dundee on loan until the end of the season

Tuesday, 2nd January
Darragh Burns returns to the League of Ireland, signing a season long loan with Shamrock Rovers

Wednesday, 3rd January
Following his return from his loan spell with St Patrick's Athletic, Conor Carty joined Doncaster Rovers for the remainder of the season in England

Thursday, 4th January
U21 defender Sean Grehan signed for Carlisle United on loan until the end of the current season

Norwich City defender Emmanuel Adegboyega signed a loan deal with Walsall until the end of the season

Josh Keeley will keep goal at The Hive Stadium, after signing a loan deal with Barnet FC

Friday, 5th January
Dawson Devoy signed for Swindon Town on loan until the end of the 2023/24 season

Monday, 15th January
After signing a loan deal until the end of the season, Tony Springett will help Northampton Town in their promotion bid from League One

Tyreik Wright returned to Bradford City, where he spent the first half of the 2022/23 season, signing a loan deal until the end of the season at Valley Parade

Lincoln City's Oisin Gallagher signed a loan deal with Drogheda United

Boston United extended the loan of Deji Sotona from Doncaster Rovers until the end of the season

Wednesday, 17th January
Swindown Town signed defender Conor McCarthy on loan for the remainder of the season

Friday, 19th January
Aaron McEneff signed for Shamrock Rovers on loan for the 2024 LOI season, with a view to a permanent move in 2025

Tuesday, 23rd January
Michael Obafemi signed a loan deal with Championship side Millwall until the end of the season

Crystal Palace defender Tayo Adaramola joined Belgian Jupiler league side RWD Molenbeek

Wednesday, 24th January
18 months after leaving Sligo Rovers for Oxford United, Ed McGinty returned to the Bit O'Red on a six month loan

Friday, 26th January
Defender Jessie Stapleton signed for Reading on loan for the rest of the season

Liam Kerrigan will continue his return from an ACL injury with a loan at Serie C side Novara

Sunday, 28th January
After spending the first half of 2023/24 on loan at wycombe Wanderers, Killian Phillips joined Aberdeen for the remainder of the season

Tuesday, 30th January
AIK's Zak Elbouzedi joined League Two side Swindon Town on loan

Thursday, 1st February
After a short loan at Rochdale earlier this season, Fleetwood's Cian Hayes returned to Spotland on loan until the end of the season

Mikey Johnston signed for West Bromwich Albion on loan for the remainder of the season

Harrogate Town announced the loan signing of Tom Bloxham for the rest of the season

Norwich City striker Aadam Idah joined Scottish giants Celtic on loan until the end of the current season

Gavin Kilkenny signed a loan deal with Fleetwood Town

Promising winger Harry Vaughn signed a loan deal with Bristol Rovers
After being named as a substitute against Manchester United, Joe Hodge signed a loan deal with QPR

John-Joe O'Toole joined AFC Wimbledon on loan for the rest of the season

Contracts
Wednesday, 31st January
Gotham FC confirmed that Sinead Farrelly will continue with the NWSL Champions for the 2024 season

Management
Friday, 12th January
Curtis Fleming joined Charlton as assistant head coach

Wednesday, 24th January
Following the departure of Michael Appleton, Fleming was promoted to interim head coach