Bohemian F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Bohemian Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Bohs The Gypsies Dublin's Originals |
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| Founded | 6 September 1890 | |||
| Ground | Dalymount Park | |||
| Capacity | 4,500 | |||
| Owner | Fan owned | |||
| Manager | Alan Reynolds | |||
| League | League of Ireland Premier Division | |||
| 2024 | League of Ireland Premier Division, 8th of 10 | |||
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The Bohemian Football Club, often called Bohemians or Bohs, is a professional football team from Dublin, Ireland. They play in the top league in Ireland, the League of Ireland Premier Division. Bohs are the oldest club that has continuously played in the League of Ireland.
This club is one of the most successful in Irish football. They have won the League of Ireland title 11 times. They also won the FAI Cup 7 times and the League of Ireland Cup 3 times. Before the League of Ireland started, they even won the Irish Cup once. They hold a record for winning the Leinster Senior Cup an amazing 33 times!
Bohemians started on September 6, 1890. They were founded by students and other people in Phoenix Park in Dublin. They were one of the first teams to join the League of Ireland in 1921. In their early years, they were very strong, winning many titles.
For a long time, Bohs only had amateur players. This meant players did not get paid. This made it hard to keep top players. In 1969, they changed and started paying players. After that, they won more trophies in the 1970s. They won the league and cup again in 2001 and 2008.
Bohemians play their home games at Dalymount Park in Phibsborough, Dublin. The club is fully owned by its fans. Their team colours are red and black. Fans often call them "Bohs" or "The Gypsies". They have a big rivalry with another Dublin team, Shamrock Rovers.
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The Story of Bohemian F.C.
Bohemians started on September 6, 1890. They were one of the first clubs from Dublin to join the Irish Football League in 1902. Their biggest win during this time was the Irish Cup in 1908.
In 1921, Bohemians helped create the League of Ireland. They are one of only two clubs that have been in the league since it began. They are also the only club that has always stayed in the top division. In their first season, they finished second.
The club won its first league title in 1924. In 1928, they won the league again and also their first FAI Cup. Bohemians were a very strong team in the early years of the league. They won three more league titles and another FAI Cup in the next eight seasons.
After this success, the club faced challenges. They often finished low in the league. This was mostly because they were an amateur club. Players did not get paid, so it was hard to attract or keep the best players. The club went 34 seasons without winning a major trophy.
In 1969, Bohemians decided to become a professional club. This meant they could pay their players. The first player to sign a professional contract was Tony O'Connell. After this change, the club became successful again. They won two league titles, two FAI Cups, and two League Cups in the 1970s. They won more trophies than any other club that decade.
Bohemians played in European competitions for the first time in 1970. After 1979, they had another period without winning trophies. This ended when they won their fifth FAI Cup in 1992. In 2001, they won the league title again and the FAI Cup, completing a "double" win. They won another league title in 2003. In 2008, they won both the league and the FAI Cup again.
In September 2009, Bohemians won the League Cup for the third time. They beat Waterford United 3–1 in the final. On November 6, 2009, Bohemians won the league title again. This was their first time winning back-to-back league titles. They almost won a third straight title in 2010 but lost on goal difference.
Bohemians' Home Grounds
Bohemians first played their games at the Polo Ground in Phoenix Park. They kept their equipment at the Gate Lodge on North Circular Road. In 1893–94, they moved to a private ground on Jones Road. This place is now known as Croke Park. Here, the club could charge for tickets and start to earn money.
They moved again in 1895 to Whitehall Farm in Glasnevin. But this area was too far away and hard to reach. So, the club kept looking for a better home. They found their current home, Dalymount Park, which opened on September 7, 1901.
In 2006, the club's members decided to sell Dalymount Park. The plan was to build a new, bigger stadium near Dublin Airport. However, this plan did not work out. In 2015, Dublin City Council bought Dalymount Park. The Council plans to rebuild Dalymount Park. The new stadium will hold 7,880 people. It is expected to be finished around 2026. Bohemians will likely play somewhere else during the rebuilding.
Playing in Europe
Bohemians first played in European competitions in 1970. Playing against teams from other countries is always tough for Irish clubs. But Bohs have had some great moments. One of their best was in August 2000. They beat Scottish club Aberdeen in the UEFA Cup. Bohs won 2–1 away from home, scoring two late goals. This was the first time an Irish club beat a British team away from home in Europe.
Other famous results include wins against Rangers and Kaiserslautern. They also had draws against Newcastle United and Sporting CP. In total, Bohs have beaten 11 different teams from 9 countries. In 2008, they had their biggest wins in Europe. They beat Rhyl from Wales 5–1 in one game and 9–3 overall.
In 2009, Bohs played in the UEFA Champions League. They drew 1–1 away to Red Bull Salzburg from Austria. But they lost the second game 1–0 and were knocked out. In 2010, they played in the Champions League again. They beat The New Saints from Wales 1–0 at home. However, they lost the away game 4–0, which was a very disappointing result.
After almost ten years, Bohs returned to European football in 2020. They played against Fehérvár from Hungary in the 2020–21 UEFA Europa League qualifiers. They lost in a penalty shootout. In 2021, Bohs played in the new Europa Conference League. They sold out their home matches at Aviva Stadium. They had great 3–0 wins against Stjarnan FC and F91 Dudelange.
Their 2021 European journey ended against PAOK from Greece. Bohs won the first game 2–1 at Aviva Stadium. This was a fantastic win for an Irish team. PAOK had a much bigger budget than Bohemians. Bohs lost the second game 2–0 and were knocked out 3–2 on aggregate.
European Performance Summary
| Competition | Games Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| European Cup / UEFA Champions League | 18 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 13 | 29 |
| UEFA Cup / UEFA Europa League | 31 | 3 | 10 | 18 | 17 | 57 |
| UEFA Europa Conference League | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 4 |
| European Cup Winners' Cup | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 |
| UEFA Intertoto Cup | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 20 |
| TOTAL | 73 | 17 | 17 | 39 | 61 | 123 |
Fans and Rivalries
Bohs fans mostly come from the north side of Dublin. They have a strong rivalry with Shamrock Rovers, a team from the south side. The two teams have very exciting matches. Bohs also have a rivalry with their nearby neighbours, Shelbourne. This is because both clubs were important in early Dublin football.
Some Bohs fans have formed an "ultra" group called The Notorious Boo-Boys (NBB). They use flags and displays to make the atmosphere exciting at home games. Bohs fans also have friendly connections with other clubs. These include Bohemians 1905 in Prague, Wrexham AFC in Wales, and Malmö FF in Sweden. They are also friends with FC United of Manchester, another fan-owned club.
Many famous people support Bohemians. These include singer Johnny Logan and actor Samuel L. Jackson. Musicians like Christy Dignam from Aslan and novelist Irvine Welsh are also fans.
Bohemians Women's Team
On November 27, 2018, Bohemians started an Under-17 Women's National League team. The goal was to grow women's football at the club. They hoped to eventually have a team in the Women's National League. Their first Under-17 game was on April 13, 2019, against Cork City. They lost 0–2.
Just one year later, on February 18, 2020, Bohemians joined the Women's National League. Their first match was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland. It finally happened on August 8, 2020. They lost 4–1 to Wexford Youth. Chloe Darby scored Bohs' first-ever goal in the Women's National League.
Bohemians Academy
Bohemians has youth teams that play in the national leagues. These include Under-19, Under-17, Under-15, and Under-14 teams for boys. They also have Under-17 and Under-19 teams for girls.
Beyond these elite teams, Bohemians has over 500 boys and girls playing football. They are part of more than 35 teams in local leagues.
Academy Staff
| Role | Staff Member |
|---|---|
| Academy Director | Vacant |
| U19 Manager |  T. Croly |
| U17 Manager | D. Molloy |
| U15 Manager | K. Keogh |
Bohemian Futsal
Bohemian Futsal is the club's futsal team. Futsal is a type of indoor football. They play in the AUL Futsal Premier Division. The winners of this league get to play in the UEFA Futsal Champions League. Bohs also have a 'B' team. They are the only League of Ireland club with a futsal team.
Training Ground and DCU Partnership
In 2021, Bohemians started an 18-year partnership with Dublin City University (DCU). This partnership covers football, community work, and education. As part of this, DCU Sports Campus became Bohemians' main training base. Bohemians plans to invest about €1.5 million into the facilities. The training complex has many all-weather pitches and grass pitches. It also has a gym, club offices, meeting rooms, and physio rooms.
Players
First Team Squad
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Players on Loan
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Player Statistics
Team Captains
| Years | Name |
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| 2012–2013 | Owen Heary |
| 2014 | Dave Mulcahy |
| 2015–2019 | Derek Pender |
| 2020–2021 | Keith Buckley |
| 2022 | Conor Levingston |
| 2023– | Keith Buckley |
Player of the Year Award
Bohemian's Player of the Year award is chosen by the club's fans at the end of each season.
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Coaching Staff
| Role | Staff Member |
|---|---|
| Manager | Alan Reynolds |
| Assistant coach | Derek Pender |
| Goalkeeping coach | Chris Bennion |
| Academy manager | Trevor Croly |
| Strength & Conditioning Coach | Graham Norton |
| Sports scientist | Cathal Murtagh |
| Equipment and Logistics Manager | Colin O'Connor |
| Kitman | Aaron Fitzsimons |
Trophies and Wins
Bohemians have won many important trophies throughout their history:
- League of Ireland/Premier Division (Top League Title): 11 times
- 1923–24, 1927–28, 1929–30, 1933–34, 1935–36, 1974–75, 1977–78, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2008, 2009
- FAI Cup (Main National Cup): 7 times
- 1927–28, 1934–35, 1969–70, 1975–76, 1991–92, 2000–01, 2008
- Irish Cup: 1 time
- 1907–08
- League of Ireland Cup: 3 times
- 1974–75, 1978–79, 2009
- League of Ireland Shield: 6 times
- 1923–24, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1933–34, 1938–39, 1939–40
- Setanta Sports Cup: 1 time
- 2010
- LFA President's Cup: 13 times
- 1965–66, 1967–68, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2001–02
- Dublin City Cup: 1 time
- 1935–36
- Dublin and Belfast Inter-City Cup: 1 time
- 1944–45
- Top Four Cup: 1 time
- 1971–72
- Aciéries d'Angleur Trophy: 1 time
- 1929
- Leinster Senior League: 8 times
- 1899–1900, 1900–01, 1901–02, 1904–05, 1912–13, 1913–14, 1917–18, 1931–32
- Leinster Senior Cup: 33 times (a record!)
- 1893–94, 1894–95, 1895–96, 1896–97, 1897–98, 1898–99, 1901–02, 1902–03, 1904–05, 1906–07, 1909–10, 1910–11, 1911–12, 1914–15, 1915–16, 1925–26, 1927–28, 1939–40, 1946–47, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1988–89, 1992–93, 1997–98, 2015–16, 2022–23
- FAI Intermediate Cup: 1 time
- 1931–32
- FAI Youth Cup: 3 times
- 1969–70, 2001–02, 2014–15
Club Records
- Most League Points: 85 points in the 2008 season.
- Biggest League Win: 10–1 against University College Dublin (August 16, 2019).
- Biggest Leinster Senior Cup Win: 11–0 against Grangegorman (December 26, 1946).
- Biggest League Loss: 0–5 against St Patrick's Athletic (December 6, 1996).
- Record League Goal Scorer: Glen Crowe with 133 goals.
- Most League Goals in One Season: Glen Crowe with 25 goals in 2000–01.
- Most Appearances (Player): 575 games by Tommy Kelly.
- Most Goals (Player): 192 goals by Turlough O'Connor.
- Youngest Player: Evan Ferguson at 14 years and 337 days (September 20, 2019).
- Oldest Player: Gary Matthews at 40 years old.
- First Goal Scorer: Joseph Whelan against Britannia (November 1, 1890).
- Quickest Red Card: Gareth Fleming in 8 minutes against St Patricks Athletic (2001).
Manager History
- Seán Thomas (1964–67)
- Pat Murphy (May 1967 – April 68)
- Seán Thomas (1968–73)
- Billy Young (1973–89)
- Padraig O'Connor (1989–90)
- Eamonn Gregg (1990–93)
- Turlough O'Connor (1993–98)
- Joe McGrath (1998)
- Roddy Collins (1998–01)
- Pete Mahon (2001)
- Stephen Kenny (2001–04)
- Gareth Farrelly (2004–06)
Sean Connor (2006–07)- Pat Fenlon (2007–11)
- Aaron Callaghan (2012–13)
- Owen Heary (interim) (2013)
- Bobby Browne (2013)
- Owen Heary (2014)
- Keith Long (2014–2022)
- Derek Pender (interim) (2022)
- Declan Devine (2022–2024)
- Derek Pender (interim) (2024)
- Alan Reynolds (2024 – present)
Images for kids
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Panoramic view of inside Dalymount Park
See also
In Spanish: Bohemian Football Club para niños
