Limerick Football Club was a football club based in Limerick, Ireland. The club currently play in the First Division of the League of Ireland. The first Limerick FC was created in 1937 and has had a number of names since its creation, known at different times as Limerick FC, Limerick United, and Limerick City. Under UEFA rules, the club could not get a licence to play in the First Division in 2007.[2] A separate club, Limerick 37, was formed to replace Limerick FC in the league and competed under this name for two seasons. Limerick 37 has been renamed as Limerick FC. Although the current Limerick FC and Limerick 37 are a different club to the original Limerick FC, however there has only ever been one senior football club in Limerick City at one time since 1937.
Limerick FC won the League of Ireland title twice, in the 1959-60 and 1979-80 seasons, and the FAI Cup twice, in 1971 and 1982. They also won the League of Ireland Cup three times, 1976–77, 1992–93 and 2001-02. The club has competed in European competitions on six occasions, playing against bigger clubs such as Real Madrid and Southampton FC.
Limerick FC has used a number of stadiums around the city as their home ground over the years, including The Market's Field in Garryowen, Jackman Park on Carey's Road, Hogan Park in Rathbane, Thomond Park and Pike Rovers ground at Crossagalla. The Market's Field has always been considered to be the home of football in the city as the club enjoyed success at the venue and moving from there to Hogan Park heralded a serious decline in the club's fortunes. The club is currently using Jackman Park, which belongs to the Limerick District League (LDMC), for home games. It has a training base at Knocklisheen, on the north side of the city.[3]
Limerick F.C. in Europe
Limerick played in European competitions six times in its history. In 12 matches they scored 7 goals and while the club never won a European game, it drew twice. One of those draws was at The Dell against a Southampton team that included former European Footballer of the YearKevin Keegan and Mick Channon. In the home fixture famous rugby international Tony Ward played well against a Yugoslav international defender Ivan Golac.
Limerick first competed in 1960 in the European Cup against Young Boys Berne, but suffered their heaviest aggregate defeat. Limerick moved their 1965 Cup Winners' Cup home leg to Dalymount Park - one of only two 'home' games played outside of Limerick. Interestingly, Pat Nolan is the only player ever to have scored for Limerick in Limerick in a European game.
The most famous European game was the 'home' match against Real Madrid in the European Cup in 1980. The match was played at Lansdowne Road where Dublin football fans stayed away en masse. Only 6,000 people watched the match. The final score 2-1 to Madrid.[4]Des Kennedy scored twice in the tie, one at home and one away. English born Left winger Johnny Matthews had a 'goal' disallowed. Had it been given he would have completed a unique treble, as he had previously scored in European competition against Manchester United and Celtic while at Waterford United.
Pat Scully
Sam Allardyce
Ewan Fenton
Billy Hamilton