Cork Celtic F.C.

Cork Celtic F.C.
Full name Cork Celtic Football Club
Ground Turners Cross
Cork
League League of Ireland

Cork Celtic F.C., originally Evergreen United F.C., was an Irish football club based in Cork. They played in the League of Ireland between 1951 and 1979 and played their home games at Turners Cross. In 1974 they were League of Ireland champions and the following season they reached the second round of the European Cup.

History

Evergreen United

The club's foundation date is unknown, but its earliest appearance in the FAI Cup was in 1936-37.[1][2] Evergreen finished as League runners-up in 1953 and 1959. In 1953 they also played in an all-Cork FAI Cup final against Cork Athletic, losing 2-1 in a replay after drawing the first game 2-2. During the 1956-57 season Evergreen’s Donal Leahy finished as joint top goalscorer in the league with 15 goals. In the following two seasons Leahy finished top goalscorer outright with 16 and 22 goals respectively. Irish international Tommy Moroney finished his playing career with Evergreen and, on October 4, 1953 in a World Cup qualifier against France, he won the last of his 12 caps while with the club. In 1959 the club changed its name to Cork Celtic.[3]

Cork Celtic

As Celtic in the 1960s they enjoyed a local rivalry with Cork Hibernians. In 1974 with a team that included Alfie Hale and Bobby Tambling, Celtic won their only League of Ireland title under manager and former player Paul O'Donovan. Tambling, a former Chelsea player and England international had initially moved to Ireland to work as a Jehovah's Witness missionary. He scored 7 league goals in his first season as he helped Celtic win the title.

Best, Hurst and Seeler

In subsequent seasons Celtic attracted several other notable players. On the back of League success in 1974, Paul O'Donovan signed George Best and then Geoff Hurst. In December 1975 George Best had a brief spell with Celtic in between equally brief spells at Stockport County and Los Angeles Aztecs. He played only three league games, against Drogheda United, Bohemians and Shelbourne, but despite attracting big crowds he failed to score or impress.[4] In 1976 Geoff Hurst spent a month with Celtic, scoring three goals during his brief stay. Uwe Seeler also played one game for Celtic during the 1977-78 season and scored twice in a 6–2 defeat to Shamrock Rovers.[5][6][7]

Honours

Source:[8][9][10][11][12]

Season placings

Season Position
1978–79 16th
1977–78 14th
1976–77 9th
1975–76 8th
1974–75 7th
1973–74 1st
1972–73 12th
1971–72 8th
1970–71 5th
1969–70 9th
1968–69 11th
1967–68 3rd
1966–67 11th
1965–66 11th
1964–65 8th
1963–64 4th
1962–63 4th
1961–62 2nd
1960–61 4th
1959–60 2nd
1958–59 2nd
1957–58 3rd
1956–57 4th
1955–56 4th
1954–55 11th
1953–54 2nd
1952–53 10th
1951–52 5th

Cork Celtic in Europe

SeasonCompetitionTeamScore
1964–65European Cup Winners' CupBulgaria Slavia Sofia
1974–75European CupCyprus Omonia Nicosia
1974–75European CupSoviet Union Ararat Yerevan

Notable former players

Notable former managers

See also

References

  1. ↑ Niall MacSweeney (n.d.), A Record of League of Ireland Football 1921/22-1984/5. Basildon:Association of Football Statisticians
  2. ↑ http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/ierhist.html RSSSF]
  3. ↑ Niall MacSweeney (n.d.). A Record of League of Ireland Football 1921/22-1984/85. Basildon:Association of Football Statisticians
  4. ↑ George Best at Celtic
  5. ↑ BionicBohs
  6. ↑ Article referring to Hurst, Best, Tambling and Seeler playing for Celtic
  7. ↑ Uwe Seeler stats
  8. ↑ www.munsterseniorleague.ie
  9. ↑ foot.ie
  10. ↑ "FAI Junior Cup Winners". stadium.aviva.ie. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  11. ↑ Mark Herbert, Donie Butler (1994–95). FAI Yearbook & Diary 1995. Dublin: Sportsworld Ltd.
  12. ↑ "FAI Umbro Youth Challenge Cup Previous Winners". www.fai.ie. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2016.

External links

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