Eamonn O'Keefe facts for kids

Eamonn Gerard O'Keefe (born 13 October 1953) is a former professional football player. He started as a forward, scoring goals for his team. Later in his career, he often played in midfield.

Eamonn began his career in non-League football with Stalybridge Celtic. He then moved to Plymouth Argyle. After that, he returned to non-League football with Hyde United in 1975. In 1976, he played for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia. He came back to England later that year to join Mossley.

His success at Mossley in the 1978–79 Northern Premier League led to a move to Everton in 1979. In 1982, he was sold to Wigan Athletic. Wigan was about to be promoted to the Third Division. The next year, he joined Port Vale. In 1985, he signed with Blackpool. His goals helped Blackpool get promoted from the Fourth Division in the 1984–85 season.

In 1987, Eamonn became a player-manager at Cork City. There, he helped the team win the Munster Senior Cup and the League of Ireland Cup in 1988. After playing for St Patrick's Athletic, he moved to Chester City in 1989. He then joined Bangor City in 1990 before retiring in 1991.

Eamonn also played for his country. He represented the England Semi-Pro team twice, scoring one goal. He also played four times for the Republic of Ireland U21 team, scoring four goals. Between 1981 and 1985, he earned five caps for the senior Republic of Ireland team, scoring one goal.

Early Life and First Steps in Football

Eamonn O'Keefe was born and grew up in Blackley, a part of Manchester. He went to school with Mike Pickering, who later became a famous musician.

Eamonn's father ran a football school for the local church. Eamonn would often go with him to matches to help set up the equipment. He also played for his school's football team. He was one of three boys from his school chosen to play for Manchester Boys. One day, Joe Armstrong, the main scout for Manchester United, visited Eamonn's home. Armstrong wanted Eamonn to be a ball boy for the club. Two weeks later, Eamonn was a ball boy in front of the famous Stretford End at Old Trafford.

Club Career Highlights

Eamonn was on track to join Manchester United's youth team. However, he broke his leg during a schoolboy game. After he recovered, he joined Stalybridge Celtic in the Cheshire County League. He started as a right-back but then moved to midfield. He was named the club's Player of the Year.

This award gave him a chance to play in the Football League. He chose to sign with Third Division club Plymouth Argyle in February 1974. His manager, Tony Waiters, told him he might not become a top professional player. Eamonn then left Plymouth Argyle on a free transfer. He returned to Manchester and signed with Hyde United for the 1975–76 season. He scored 19 goals in 36 games for Hyde United.

In November 1975, Eamonn went to Saudi Arabia for a trial with Al-Hilal. The team was managed by George Smith, his former coach. Eamonn impressed them and was offered a contract. This made him the first European to play professionally in Saudi Arabia. However, Eamonn soon felt unsafe and needed to leave the country quickly. He managed to convince the club president he needed to visit his ill father in England. Once back in England, he told FBA about his situation.

While the issue with the Saudi club was being sorted, Mossley A.F.C. manager Bob Murphy offered Eamonn a contract. In December 1976, Eamonn signed for Mossley after the Saudi club finally let him go. Howard Wilkinson became Mossley's manager in 1976, but Murphy returned the next year. Murphy played Eamonn as an attacking midfielder because of his speed and goal-scoring ability. Under Murphy, Mossley won the Northern Premier League and the Premier League Cup in 1978–79. This was a big success for the club. Eamonn was a part-time player and also worked as a van driver.

Playing for Everton

Gordon Lee signed Eamonn for First Division team Everton for £25,000. He received a red card in a game against Liverpool. He played in another derby game on 24 January 1981, in an FA Cup match. He helped set up a goal for Everton in their 2–1 win. He then scored the only goal in the next round against Southampton. However, Manchester City knocked Everton out in the quarter-finals. Eamonn also broke his leg in a game against Manchester United.

Eamonn recovered and went on a pre-season tour with Everton in Japan and the United States. He signed a new two-year contract. But under the new manager, Howard Kendall, he often sat on the bench. He asked to be transferred.

Moving to Wigan and Port Vale

In January 1982, Eamonn moved to Wigan Athletic for £65,000. He signed a four-year contract. Under manager Larry Lloyd, Wigan won promotion from the Fourth Division in 1981–82. He helped Wigan stay in the Third Division in 1982–83. However, Wigan faced financial problems, and Eamonn was put on the transfer list because his wages were too high.

In July 1983, John McGrath's Port Vale paid £10,000 for him. Eamonn scored eleven goals in 43 games. He was the club's top scorer and Player of the Year in his first season. The day after getting his award, he asked to be transferred because Vale had been relegated. He also did not like the new manager, John Rudge, or the long daily trip from his home to Vale Park.

During the next season, he played less often. In an FA Cup game on 17 November 1984, a fence collapsed. Eamonn helped carry two children to safety. On 25 March 1985, he refused to play for Port Vale because he was scheduled to play for his country against England the next night. He played in the international game.

Success at Blackpool

Three days later, on 28 March, Eamonn joined Sam Ellis's Blackpool for £17,500. He made his debut for Blackpool two days later, scoring a goal in a 4–2 win. He scored against the league leaders, Chesterfield, in his second game. He scored four more goals in ten games before the end of the season. Blackpool then won promotion to the Third Division.

In the following season, Eamonn scored 17 goals in 19 league starts. This included a hat-trick in a 4–0 home win. He finished the season as the club's top scorer with 17 goals. After only two games in 1986–87, Eamonn announced he was retiring from professional football due to injury. His last game for Blackpool was on 6 September 1986. He had a special match held in his honor, with Everton visiting Blackpool. In August 1987, Eamonn helped raise £15,000 for Blackpool F.C., which was facing financial difficulties.

Player-Manager at Cork City

Eamonn was appointed manager of Cork City in the League of Ireland Premier Division. He also played for the team. His team won the pre-season Munster Senior Cup. He also worked as the club's commercial manager, organizing events with famous football guests. The club finished seventh in 1987–88 and won the League of Ireland Cup. Eamonn was sacked during the 1988–89 season as Cork City needed to cut costs. After this, he played a few games for St Patrick's Athletic.

In March 1989, he came out of retirement to sign for Chester City. He also became the club's commercial manager. His Chester debut was against his former club, Blackpool, on 18 March 1989. He came off the bench and scored in a 1–1 draw. He played in every game until the end of the season and became the team's penalty taker. However, he only played three more matches in 1989–90. He then joined Bangor City before fully retiring.

International Career

Eamonn became an England semi-pro international. He played against Scotland and the Netherlands in a tournament in May 1979, scoring the winning goal against the Dutch.

In January 1981, the FAI helped him get an Irish passport. He could play for the Republic of Ireland because his father was born there. He made his debut in a 3–1 loss to Wales. After the game, FIFA told him he could not play for Ireland because he had already played for England semi-pro. They also said he could not play for England because he had played for Ireland.

In the summer of 1983, FIFA allowed him to play for Ireland again. He played as an older player for the Republic of Ireland under-21 team in a friendly tournament in France. He scored four goals against the Chinese team, making him the top scorer in the competition. His good performances earned him a spot on the senior team.

He was chosen to play for the Ireland senior team in the 1984 Kirin Cup. He scored the only goal in the semi-final against China. However, Ireland lost 2–1 to a Brazilian team in the final. He also played in a 1–0 win against the Soviet Union in a World Cup qualifier on 12 September 1984. On 26 March 1985, he played for Ireland in a friendly against England at Wembley. England won 2–1. This was his last of five senior international games.

Life After Football

Eamonn O'Keefe was added to the Hall of Fame at Bloomfield Road in April 2006. Blackpool fans voted for their favorite players from each decade. Eamonn was chosen for the 1980s.

After retiring from football, he became a social worker. He helped adults with disabilities and children in care. Eamonn lived in Vilamoura, Portugal, with his wife, Lorna. He worked for a property company there. His son, Paul, played in the youth team at Manchester United, but he did not become a professional player.

As of April 2019, Eamonn O'Keefe was semi-retired. He lived near Manchester and worked part-time for his former club, Everton.

In 2010, he released his autobiography, titled ... I Only Wanted to Play Football. His wife, Lorna, encouraged him to write the book and also edited it.

Career Statistics

Club Statistics

International Statistics

Honours and Awards

Individual Awards

• Stalybridge Celtic F.C. Player of the Year: 1974
• Port Vale F.C. Player of the Year: 1984

Team Achievements

• Mossley
  • Northern Premier League: 1978–79
  • Premier League Cup: 1979
• Wigan Athletic
  • Football League Fourth Division promotion (third place): 1981–82
• Blackpool
  • Football League Fourth Division promotion (runners-up): 1984–85
• Cork City
  • Munster Senior Cup: 1988
  • League of Ireland Cup: 1988