Peter Fitzgerald (footballer) facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 16 June 1937 | ||
| Place of birth | Waterford, Ireland | ||
| Date of death | 29 June 2013 (aged 76) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1959 | Waterford Bohemians | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1956–1959 | Waterford | 41 | (25) |
| 1959—1960 | Sparta Rotterdam | 14 | (7) |
| 1960—1961 | Leeds United | 8 | (0) |
| 1961—1963 | Chester | 80 | (12) |
| 1963–1967 | Waterford | 50 | (10) |
| 1965 | → Cork Hibernians (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| Total | 199 | (54) | |
| National team | |||
| 1960–1961 | Republic of Ireland | 5 | (2) |
| 1963–1964 | League of Ireland XI | 3 | (0) |
|
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Peter Joseph Fitzgerald (born June 16, 1937 – died June 29, 2013) was an Irish professional football player. He was known for playing as a forward, which means he helped score goals for his team.
Contents
Peter Fitzgerald's Football Journey
Starting with Family and Waterford
Peter Fitzgerald came from a famous football family! He was one of six brothers who all played for the Waterford Blues team. His brothers were Tommy, Jack, Ned, Denny, and Paul.
Peter started his professional career with Waterford. He scored in his very first game on St. Patrick's Day in 1957. His brother Jack even helped set up that goal!
Peter and two of his brothers played in the 1959 FAI Cup Final. He scored in both the first game and the replay. However, his team, the Blues, lost the replay 2-1.
Playing in Europe and England
In May 1959, Peter Fitzgerald moved to the Netherlands. He joined Sparta Rotterdam, who were the Dutch champions. He even played in the 1959–60 European Cup, which is a big competition for top European clubs. His team played against Rangers in the quarter-finals.
After his time in the Netherlands, Peter moved to England. He joined Leeds United in 1960. He was part of the first team chosen by the famous manager Don Revie.
In July 1961, Peter moved to Chester City F.C.. He had two good years there, scoring 12 goals in 80 games.
Returning Home and National Team
In September 1963, Peter returned to Ireland. He rejoined his old team, Waterford.
The next month, Peter played for the League of Ireland XI. This was a special team made up of the best players from the Irish league. They achieved a great result, beating their English opponents 2-1. This English team included the legendary player Bobby Moore.
Peter also played for the Republic of Ireland national team five times. He scored two goals in his second game, which was against Norway.
His brother Jack Fitzgerald was also a very successful player. He scored 130 goals in the League of Ireland. Peter's father, Michael, was even the Chairman of the Waterford football club.
Later in his career, Peter Fitzgerald briefly became a caretaker manager for Waterford United. This means he took charge of the team for a short time at the end of the 1995-96 season.
Achievements and Awards
Peter Fitzgerald won some important trophies during his career:
- With Cork Hibernians:
* Munster Senior Cup: 1964–65
- With Waterford:
* League of Ireland: 1965–66 * Munster Senior Cup: 1965–66
