SHAMROCK ROVERS FC PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 08.09.06

Shamrock Rovers Legends 2006 Announced

Shamrock Rovers today announced the list of the club's 2006 Legends, ahead of the Legends awards ball at the Burlington Hotel on Saturday, September 16. Following the huge success of last year's inaugural black tie event - established to honour the many great Rovers players and teams - five more Legends are being inducted. In 2005, Frank O'Neill, Jim McLaughlin, Paddy Coad, Mick Leech and Liam Tuohy became the first recipents - and this year's quintet is equally impressive.

Pat Byrne signed for Rovers from Hearts in 1983 to become skipper and on-field inspiration of the Four-in-a-Row side that also won three consecutive League-FAI Cup doubles during the mid-1980s. Byrne became player-coach at Shelbourne in 1988 before returning to the Hoops on an administrative level and was then appointed first team manager during the club's early post-RDS phase. His Irish cap total would surely have been considerably higher than eight were it not for the presence of a certain Liam Brady. Byrne also played for Bohemians and Leicester City.

Along with fellow Hoop William 'Sacky' Glen, Johnny Fullam shares the record of eight FAI Cup winners' medals, a hefty total that will probably never be beaten. A pivotal member of the Six-in-a-Row side that dominated the FAI Cup during the 1960s, he left Rovers for Bohemians before returning to Milltown and played a key role during the John Giles era of the late 1970s. A classy defender, Fullam won his final FAI Cup winners' medals in the 1-0 win over Sligo Rovers at Dalymount Park in 1978 before retiring from the game in 1980.

This year's posthumous award goes to Paddy Moore, who is widely regarded as one of the true greats of Irish football - and also one of the game's greatest tragedies. An Irish international, he famously scored all four goals in Ireland's 4-4 draw against Belgium in a World Cup qualifier, Ireland's first ever, at Dalymount Park in 1934. During his time at Rovers, Moore played and scored in three of the Hoops' FAI Cup wins of the 1930s. He also played for Shelbourne, Cardiff City and Aberdeen. Injury and alcoholism combined to blight his career and life, and he passed away on July 24th, 1951. He was only 41. Paddy Moore's son Pat and daughters Nuala and Anne will attend the Legends Ball to receive the award on their late, great father's behalf.

Alan O'Neill remains one of the Hoops' most popular figures, He joined the club in 1973 and established himself as the best goalkeeper in the country before being sensationally transferred in 1983 by then new boss Jim McLaughlin. Having missed out on the Four-in-a-Row he returned to feature in the Hoops' 15th and last championship win, in 1994. He susequently finished his playing career at Sligo Rovers. O'Neill also managed Rovers in 1996, during the club's final season at the RDS, and was the Hoops' special adviser towards the end of the 2005 season. He is currently Ireland's Under-21 goalkeeping coach.

A special presentation is being made to Shamrock Rovers' 1956 FAI Cup-winning team. The Hoops have won the FAI Cup a record 24 times, but the 13th victory remains the most talked-about in the club's history, 50 years after the event. 2-0 down with 13 minutes to go, the never-say-die Hoops fought back to beat Cork Athletic in a pulsating finale, capped by a last-minute winner from Ronnie Nolan. The side, popularly known as Coad's Colts, saw many great days during the 1950s, but the FAI Cup final of 1956 was surely that super side's most dramatic.

''Rovers have a fantastic history, and it gives us great pleasure to honour some of those who have contributed to the club's rich heritage,'' says Rovers' chairman, Jonathan Roche. ''Pat Byrne wasn't just great captain, he also had a superb touch and could split a defence with his lethal left foot. Johnny Fullam was equally a top quality defender who just oozed class. ''Paddy Moore's career and life ended tragically, but we are all aware that he was a fantastic footballer and he's still talked about and held in awe by the supporters. ''The same can be said of Alan O'Neill, who was an inspirational goalkeeper, while we are privileged to acknowledge Coad's Colts on the 50th anniversary of their remarkable 1956 FAI Cup win. ''It's a stunning line-up of Rovers Legends that covers eight decades of the club's history,'' he adds. ''Getting all these super Hoops together guarantees a great night for them and the fans.''

Shamrock Rovers Legends 2006
Burlington Hotel, Dublin
Saturday September 16

ENDS

For all press related matters please contact Shamrock Rovers Press Officer John Byrne by mobile on 087-768-1408 or by emailing byrnejoh@gmail.com.

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