Eamon Dunphy - Irish Footballer

Eamon Dunphy

Former Irish international soccer player Eamon Dunphy, from Drumcondra in Dublin, Ireland, was discovered as a schoolboy by the famous Manchester United football scout, Billy Behan. Behan also discovered other Irish players such as John Giles, Kevin Moran, and Paul McGrath amongst others. Having played for both Dublin and the Ireland under-15's he came to Billy Behan's attention and was invited over to Old Trafford for a trial. This was a dream come true for the young Eamon Dunphy who had watched the 'Busby Babes' in 1957 destroy Shamrock Rovers 6-0 in Dublin in the European Cup.

Dunphy signed for Manchester United in 1962. In those days Old Trafford competition for places in the team was fierce and the young Dunphy found it impossible to make an impact and couldn't make it into the first team. In 1965 the midfielder left Old Trafford and signed for York City.

Eamon Dunphy's Football Career

In August 1965 Eamon Dunphy signed for York City in the former Third Division for £4,000. He only made 22 appearances for York scoring three goals during his time with the club.

Eamonn Dunphy at Millwall FC

In January 1966 Dunphy signed for Millwall FC for a transfer fee of £8,000 and made his debut against Workington on the 28th January 1966. Although he had a reputation for avoiding the rough and tumble of the game Eamon Dunphy was a favourite with the Millwall fans because of his inventive and skilful play in midfield. He often found the incisive pass to open up stubborn opposition in tight matches. During his career at Millwall Eamonn Dunphy played for the club on 303 occasions - eight as substitute - and he scored 25 goals. Also in his time at Millwall he won 23 international caps for the Republic of Ireland thus making Eamon Dunphy the most capped international to have ever played for Millwall FC.

Eamon Dunphy at Charlton Athletic & Reading FC

In December 1973 Dunphy transferred to Charlton athletic for a transfer fee of £20,000. He played 44 times for Charlton and scored three goals during his time with the club. The club also won promotion to the old Second Division while Dunphy was with Charlton. Eamonn Dunphy's last English football club was Reading FC. He joined Reading in 1975 and went on to play for the club 77 times and scored three goals. For the third time in his career he won promotion with his club in the 1976-77 season.

Eamon Dunphy - Republic of Ireland Career

Eamon Dunphy won 23 caps for the Republic of Ireland senior international team. He did not manage to score any goals while wearing the Irish jersey. He won his first senior cap on the 10th November 1965 against Spain in a 1966 Word Cup qualification play-off match at a neutral venue. Spain beat Ireland 1-0 in Paris. During his international playing career he only tasted victory twice, against Turkey and Czechoslovakia (as it was then). His playing record with Ireland is: Won 2; Drew 5; Lost 16. Eamon Dunphy's last match in the green of Ireland was a 4-1 defeat to Austria in a 1972 European Nations Cup qualifier.

Eamon Dunphy Makes League of Ireland Debut

In 1977 Johnny Giles returned to Ireland following a highly successful football career in England with Leeds United as a player and with West Brom as a manager. He returned to manage Shamrock Rovers with a grand plan to establish Rovers as the dominant team in Ireland and as a force in European soccer. Giles made Rovers the full-time set up in the League of Ireland and he appointed two qualified player coaches, Ray Treacy and Eamon Dunphy. Dunphy helped to coach the Rovers youth players.

Unfortunately for all involved and the fans of Shamrock Rovers Giles' and Dunphy's ambitions were not realised. After three years of trying all they had to show for their efforts was an FAI cup victory - a 1-0 win over Sligo Rovers on 30th April 1978. This was Eamon Dunphy's one and only winners medal in senior football and although he went on to play in two European Cup Winners Cup ties he soon quit football to concentrate on journalism.

The disappointed and disillusioned Dunphy claims that he has never been to a League of Ireland ground since then and he gave his FAI Cup winners medal the person that helped him to secure his National Union of Journalists (NUJ) card.

Eamon Dunphy Family & Background - Eamon Dunphy's Autobiography - Eamon Dunphy & Saipan
Eamon Dunphy Quotes

References :

Who Stole Our Game: The Fall and Fall of Irish Soccer; Daire Whelan (2006); Gill & Macmillan Ltd
The Team that Jack Built; Paul Rowan (1994); Mainstream Publishing Company (Edinburgh) Ltd
Eamon Dunphy Wikipedia Entry
TV Interview; Eamon Dunphy & Ursula Halligan (2010); TV3, Dublin, Ireland

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