Shelbourne F.C. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shelbourne

Full name	Shelbourne Football Club
Nickname(s)	Shels, The Reds, The Real Reds, The Auld Reds, The Champions
Founded	1895; 130 years ago (1895)
Ground	Tolka Park
Ground Capacity	5,700
Chairman	Vacant
Head coach	Damien Duff
League	League of Ireland Premier Division
2024	League of Ireland Premier Division, 1st of 10
Home colours Away colours

Shelbourne Football Club, often called Shels, is an Irish professional football team from Drumcondra, Dublin. They play in the League of Ireland Premier Division and are the current champions! Their main colors are red and white, and their home jerseys are mostly red.

About Shelbourne Football Club

Shelbourne F.C. was started in Dublin in 1895. They play their home games at Tolka Park in the Dublin area of Drumcondra.

In 1904, the club joined the Irish Football League, which included teams from all over Ireland. Later, in 1921, they helped create the League of Ireland. They won their first league title in the 1925–26 season. Shelbourne has won the league 14 times! They are also one of only three clubs to have won both the IFA Cup and the FAI Cup.

A big moment for Shelbourne was in the 2004–05 European season when they became the first Irish club to reach the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. This, and their former player Jason Byrne playing for the Republic of Ireland while with the club, helped Shelbourne become known around the world. In 2023, they also qualified for the Europa Conference League for the first time.

In 2007, the club faced financial difficulties and had to play in the second tier of the League of Ireland. They returned to the top division for short times in 2012, 2013, and 2020. Shelbourne was promoted back to the Premier Division in 2021 and has been playing there ever since, winning the Premier Division again in 2024.

The Club's Journey: A Look Back

Early Days and IFA Years: 1895–1920

Shelbourne Football Club was formed in 1895 in the Ringsend area of Dublin. The club got its name from the nearby Shelbourne Road. Their first football field was at Havelock Square, close to where the Aviva Stadium is today.

In their second season, Shelbourne played 28 matches, winning 25 of them! They scored 109 goals and only let in 15. They won the Leinster Junior Cup and League Championship. The club then moved up to play against senior teams in 1897–98. They reached the Leinster Senior Cup Final but lost to Bohemians.

Shelbourne won their first Leinster Senior Cup in 1899/1900, and won it again in 1901 and 1904. In 1905, they reached the final of the IFA Cup but were beaten. However, the next year, Shelbourne defeated Belfast Celtic 2–0 in the Cup Final. This made them the first team from the south of Ireland to win the IFA Cup! A Dublin newspaper reported that "Tar Barrels and bonfires were blazing across Ringsend and Sandymount that night as the Irish Cup was paraded around the district." In 1906, Val Harris became the first Shelbourne player to play for the Ireland national team.

Shelbourne reached the IFA Cup Final again in 1907 and 1908 but lost both times. They also won the Leinster Senior Cup in 1908 and 1909. In 1909, Shelbourne won the City Cup. They won the IFA Cup for a second time in 1911, and the Leinster Senior Cup again in 1913 and 1914. Shelbourne won the Gold Cup in 1915 and the Leinster Senior Cup in 1917 and 1919. Their third IFA Cup win came in 1920.

Starting the League of Ireland: 1921–1929

After Ireland was divided, the League of Ireland was created for clubs in the new Irish Free State. This happened after a disagreement over where to play an Irish Cup match in 1921. Shelbourne became one of the first clubs in the League of Ireland, along with teams like Bohemians and St James's Gate.

In the first season (1921–22), Shelbourne finished third. They were runners-up for the next two seasons and won the 1924 Leinster Senior Cup. The Reds then won the league for the first time in 1925–26. They finished second again for the next two years before winning the 1928–29 Championship.

The Thirties: 1930–1939

Shels won their third league title in 1931 and the Leinster Senior Cup that same year. In 1934, the club had a disagreement with the Irish Free State F.A. and left the League for a year. During this time, a team called Reds United, made up of some Shelbourne players, played in the League of Ireland. They finished fourth before Shelbourne returned.

The decade ended happily when Shelbourne finally won the FAI Cup in 1939. Many fans thought the club was unlucky, but they beat Sligo Rovers in a replay, thanks to a great goal. This was the first time Shelbourne won this important trophy.

The Forties: 1940–1949

The 1940s started a bit slowly for the Reds. In 1944, they won the league championship for the fourth time, along with the Shield. They won the title after an exciting 5–3 victory over their rivals, Shamrock Rovers. However, Shamrock Rovers stopped them from winning three trophies in the FAI Cup Final. Shelbourne lost 3–2. Shels won another Leinster Senior Cup in 1946.

Another league title was won on the last day of the season in 1947, again against Shamrock Rovers. The end of the 1940s marked a change. In April 1949, Shelbourne played their last game at Shelbourne Park. The club planned to build a new stadium in Ringsend. In the 1948–49 season, Shels also won their seventh Shield and 14th Leinster Senior Cup.

The Fifties: 1950–1959

In 1951, Shelbourne reached the FAI Cup final against Cork Athletic. Tommy Carberry scored in every round for the Reds, including the final, which was played in front of over 38,900 fans. The game was a draw, and Cork Athletic won the replay. Shelbourne won their sixth league title in 1953.

From 1955–56, Shels played one season at Irishtown Stadium. The stadium wasn't fully ready, so the next season, Shelbourne moved to Tolka Park. Gerry Doyle became manager, and a new time began for the team. In 1959, they won the FAI Youth Cup. Six players from that youth team became regular first-team players, including Tony Dunne, who later moved to Manchester United and won the European Cup in 1968.

The Sixties: 1960–1969

The early 1960s were great for the Reds. They won the 1960 FAI Cup Final, beating Cork Hibernians 2–0. In 1962, they won the league title after beating Cork Celtic in a play-off. Shelbourne almost won their first 'double' (league and cup in the same season) but lost to Shamrock Rovers in the FAI Cup final. They did win the FAI Cup the following year, beating Cork Hibs again 2–0.

The commemorative plaque in Tolka Park, detailing the quickest hattrick ever, as scored by Jimmy O'Connor on 19 November 1967.

With this success came the excitement of playing in European club competitions. Shelbourne played their first European match against Sporting Clube de Portugal in 1962. The next season, they played FC Barcelona in the European Cup Winners' Cup. In 1963, Shelbourne won another Leinster Senior Cup. In 1964, the club won their first European game and tie in the 1964–65 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup against Belenenses. On November 19, 1967, Shelbourne player Jimmy O'Connor set a world record for the fastest hat-trick in a top league game, scoring three goals in just two minutes and 13 seconds! Shelbourne won the Leinster Senior Cup in 1968.

Later in the 1960s, more people started watching English football on TV in Ireland. This meant fewer people went to local league games, and many clubs faced money problems.

Tough Times: The Seventies and Eighties: 1970–1989

The 1970s started well, with the Reds winning the Shield. This meant they could play in the new UEFA Cup the next season. However, this was their last trophy for a while, except for the Leinster Senior Cup in 1972. Cork Hibs beat Shels in the 1973 FAI Cup Final replay. Shelbourne was knocked out of the UEFA Cup by Hungarians Vasas SC, which was their last European game for 21 years. Two years later, Shelbourne was surprisingly beaten in the Cup final by an amateur team, Home Farm. In 1978, Jimmy Johnstone, a famous player who won the European Cup with Celtic, briefly played for the club.

In 1984, Shelbourne lost to Shamrock Rovers in the FAI Cup semi-final. The league was going to have two divisions in 1985, and the bottom four clubs would be moved down. Shels needed a win on the last day of the season and were losing 2–0 at half-time against Galway United. But they made an amazing comeback, scoring three goals to win and avoid being moved down. However, they were moved down the next year.

Shels quickly returned to the top division with Derry City. In 1989, Tony Donnelly took over the club and started to invest a lot of money. Shels moved from Harold's Cross Stadium and took over Tolka Park. Former Irish international Pat Byrne became player-manager, and many new players arrived, hoping to bring back the club's successful days.

Back to Winning Ways: 1990–1999

The money invested in the club quickly paid off. Shelbourne won their eighth league title at the end of the 1991/92 season, their first in 30 years! They won 3–1 against the champions Dundalk. The next season, they lost the league title after play-offs but won the FAI Cup for the first time in 30 years, beating Dundalk.

The club returned to European competitions in 1992, playing Ukrainian club SC Tavriya Simferopol in the new UEFA Champions League. They drew 0–0 in Dublin but lost 2–1 in Ukraine. The next season, Shelbourne won their first European game in 30 years, beating FC Karpaty Lviv of Ukraine. They then played Greek giants Panathinaikos but lost. Later that season, the Reds won another Leinster Senior Cup.

In 1996, under manager Damien Richardson, Shelbourne won both the League Cup and the FAI Cup in exciting ways. They won the League Cup, for the first time, in a penalty shootout against Sligo Rovers. In the FAI Cup Final against St. Patrick's, Shels had their goalkeeper sent off early, and a midfielder had to play in goal for 70 minutes! Despite being 1–0 down, Tony Sheridan scored a stunning goal late on to force a replay. In the replay, Shels won the trophy. Shelbourne became only the third club to win the FAI Cup two years in a row, beating Derry City 2–0 in the 1997 final.

The scoreboard in Prenton Park, just before the hour mark.

The 1997–98 season was tough. Shels lost the League Cup Final, the FAI Cup Final, and missed out on the league title on the very last day. They were also knocked out of the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. Dermot Keely became the new manager. In 1998, Shelbourne played Rangers from Glasgow in the 1998–99 UEFA Cup. Because of safety concerns, Shelbourne's home game was played in England at Prenton Park. Shelbourne was leading 3–0 in that game but ended up losing 5–3.

Years of Success and Challenges: 2000–2006

After a quiet first season, Dermot Keely led Shels to a historic first-ever League and FAI Cup 'double' in 1999–2000. They won the league with only one loss, and then won the FAI Cup by beating Bohemians in a replay. The next season, Shels lost the league title on the last day. They beat a team from Macedonia in Europe but were then knocked out by a Norwegian team.

The 2001–02 season had some drama. Another team, St. Patrick's Athletic, had points taken away because they played a player who wasn't properly registered. This led to Shelbourne winning their 10th league title. They were knocked out of the UEFA Cup by a Danish club that season.

Shelbourne team before their game with SC FC FCSB SA in the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds.

Under new manager Pat Fenlon, Shelbourne missed out on the title in 2002–03 and were knocked out of the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League by a small Maltese team. But then, for the first time ever, the club won back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004.

In the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds, Shelbourne beat a team from Iceland and then faced the Croatian champions HNK Hajduk Split. After losing the first game 3–2, Shelbourne won 2–0 at home, winning 4–3 overall! This made them the first Irish club to reach the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, which was a huge surprise! However, their amazing Champions League journey ended when they were beaten by Spanish club Deportivo La Coruña. They drew 0–0 at home in front of 25,000 fans, which was a great achievement. That season, the club also set a record for the longest European run by an Irish team. After leaving the Champions League, Shels played in the UEFA Cup. They met French team Lille and lost, but they managed a good draw at home. Shelbourne went on to win the League in 2004.

In 2005, Shels brought in famous players but only finished third in the league. They were knocked out of the Champions League by a Romanian club.

Shelbourne line-out against Odense BK in the second round of the 2006 Intertoto Cup.

2006 was a better year for Shelbourne. The Reds won the title on the last day of the season. They also reached the Intertoto Cup semi-finals, beating a Lithuanian club 5–0 overall, which was their biggest win in European competitions! They were then knocked out by a Danish team. Shelbourne remained unbeaten at home in Europe for eight games, an Irish record. In 2006, Shelbourne also reached the League of Ireland Cup final but lost on penalties.

However, after money problems in 2006, Pat Fenlon left as manager, and most players also left the club.

Moving to the Second Tier: 2007–2011

Shelbourne had to withdraw from the 2007 Setanta Sports Cup and were moved down to the First Division by the FAI. The club announced they would not apply for a UEFA licence to play in the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds. The club's main owner, Oliver Byrne, became ill, and Joe Casey became chairman. Former manager Dermot Keely returned and quickly put together a team for the 2007 League of Ireland First Division. They finished in a respectable fifth place.

In 2008, they were expected to win the First Division, but a last-minute goal meant Dundalk won the title and promotion instead. In 2009, they missed out on promotion again.

In 2010, former Reds player Alan Mathews became the new manager. Under Mathews, Shelbourne won the 2010 Leinster Senior Cup. They just missed out on promotion play-offs that year.

2011 was a mixed year for Shelbourne. New rules meant the top two teams in the First Division would automatically be promoted. The Reds secured promotion back to the Premier Division with a 4–0 home win against Finn Harps on October 25. 2011 was also a memorable Cup year. Shelbourne reached the 2011 FAI Cup Final but lost on penalties to Sligo Rovers.

Back and Forth: 2012–2019

In 2012, Shelbourne finished eighth in their return to the Premier Division. They also reached the Cup semi-finals. However, the Reds only stayed in the top division for two seasons, finishing last in 2013. Alan Mathews was replaced by Johnny McDonnell as manager. In 2014, Shelbourne finished second in the First Division and went to a promotion play-off, but they lost and stayed in the First Division.

At the end of 2014, McDonnell left, and Kevin Doherty took over. The 2015 season saw the club finish fourth. A disappointing 2016 season ended in sixth place. Former player Owen Heary became manager during the season. In 2017, Heary's first full season ended with a fourth-place finish. In 2018, the team qualified for a promotion play-off but lost. However, in 2019, Shelbourne won the First Division and were promoted back to the Premier Division for the first time since 2013! They won the title with a 3–1 away win over Drogheda on September 14, 2019.

Recent Years: Premier Division, Promotion, and Title Win: 2020–2024

In 2020, Shelbourne played in the Premier Division again. They were moved back to the First Division at the end of 2020 after a play-off. But they quickly secured a return by winning the 2021 First Division championship on October 1, 2021.

In June 2023, a Turkish media company, Acun Medya, which owns EFL Championship side Hull City, announced they had bought Shelbourne. However, in November 2023, the club announced a change in ownership, with long-time supporter Mickey O’Rourke taking over the shares from Acun Medya.

On November 1, 2024, Shelbourne won the 2024 League of Ireland Premier Division after a 1-0 win against Derry City. This was a great achievement for Damien Duff's team!

Home Ground: Tolka Park

Aerial view of Tolka Park since redevelopment in 1999.

In 1989, Shelbourne took over the lease for Tolka Park from Dublin Corporation. Before this, Shels had played at other stadiums like Harold's Cross Stadium, Shelbourne Park, Irishtown Stadium, and Dalymount Park. Shels had played home games at Tolka regularly in earlier decades. Before Shelbourne, Tolka Park was home to Drumcondra F.C. from 1953 until 1972.

When Shelbourne moved into Tolka Park, they invested a lot of money to improve it. They made it Ireland's first all-seater stadium and built a new stand in 1999. The first-ever League of Ireland match shown live on TV was a game between Shelbourne and Derry City at Tolka Park in the 1996–97 season.

In 2015, the club announced plans to move and share Dalymount Park with another team once it was redeveloped. In 2021, the redevelopment was planned to finish by 2025. However, in May 2024, the council gave Shelbourne a 250-year lease on Tolka Park, meaning they will stay there!

Supporters and Club Rivalries

Most of Shelbourne's fans come from the northside of Dublin. However, there are also many supporters from the Southside, especially the Ringsend area where the club began.

'Briogáid Dearg' (Red Brigade) is the club's main fan group, formed in 2003. 'Reds Independent' is another supporters group started in 1998. They publish Red Inc., one of the longest-running fan magazines in the world. The 'Shelbourne Supporters' Development Group' was founded in 2006 to help raise money for the club. In 2012, the "The 1895 Trust" was launched by fans to give them an official voice in the club.

Shelbourne has a big rivalry with Bohemians because both clubs are located very close to each other in Dublin. They also have strong rivalries with other Dublin teams, especially St Patrick's Athletic. Games against them are always exciting and fill the stadiums! Shels also have a rivalry with Shamrock Rovers, sometimes called the Ringsend derby.

Shelbourne in European Football

Shelbourne has a long and interesting history playing against teams from other countries in Europe. They have played against famous clubs like Sporting Lisbon, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Panathinaikos, Rangers, Rosenborg, Brøndby, Hajduk Split, Deportivo de La Coruña, Lille, FCSB (formerly Steaua Bucharest), and FC Zürich.

Shelbourne first played in Europe in the 1962-63 season against Sporting Lisbon in the European Cup. From 1995 to 2006, Shelbourne played in European competitions every year and had a lot of success. After a period of not playing in Europe, they have now returned to the UEFA Team Rankings in 2024-25.

European Competition Overview

Players

No. Position Player 1 GK Conor Kearns 2 DF Sean Gannon 3 DF Tyreke Wilson 4 DF Kameron Ledwidge 5 DF Shane Griffin 6 MF Jonathan Lunney 7 MF Harry Wood 8 MF Mark Coyle (captain) 9 FW Seán Boyd 10 FW John Martin 11 FW Matty Smith 14 MF Ali Coote 15 DF Sam Bone 16 MF John O'Sullivan 19 GK Lorcan Healy 22 FW Dean Williams

No. Position Player 27 MF Evan Caffrey 29 DF Paddy Barrett 33 DF Derinsola Adewale 41 DF Luca Cailloce 42 MF Cian Doyle 44 FW Daniel Ring 45 MF Taylor McCarthy 48 FW Aiden O'Brien 50 GK Ali Topcu 77 MF Rayhaan Tulloch FW Gavin Hodgins GK Daithi Folan DF Harvey Warren MF Sean Cummins

Players on Loan

No. Position Player 24 DF Lewis Temple (at Wexford until November 2024)

Technical Staff

Club Officials

Other Staff

Famous Former Players

Famous Former Managers

Other Shelbourne Teams

Women’s Team

In 2015, Shelbourne Ladies joined with Raheny United's senior women's team. This meant Shelbourne Ladies took over Raheny United's spot in the Women's National League. In the 2015–16 season, Shelbourne Ladies finished second in several competitions. However, they did win the WNL Cup! In 2016, Shelbourne won the FAI Women's Cup, beating Wexford Youths 5–0. Leanne Kiernan scored three goals in that game and was named player of the match.

The team won their first league championship in the 2016 season. This win qualified them for the 2017–18 UEFA Women's Champions League. In 2019, Shelbourne announced they would drop "Ladies" from the women's team name to show more equality. They also moved their home games to Tolka Park. The WNL team won the WNL again in 2022.

U-19 Team

In 2011, the Football Association of Ireland announced a new League of Ireland U19 Division. This gives young players in Ireland a chance to play for the main teams of League of Ireland clubs.

Schoolboy Teams

Shelbourne has seventeen schoolboy teams that play in the Dublin & District Schoolboy Leagues. These teams have played in youth cups around the world, like the Milk Cup. They also have a new U13s League of Ireland SSE Airtricity schoolboy team.

Shelbourne also works with Larkin Community College in Dublin on a football scholarship program. This program has helped more students stay in school.

Amateur Team

Shelbourne also has an amateur team that plays in the United Churches Football League. They started in a lower division and moved up to Division 1 in 2008. They reached the Premier Division a year later. In 2013, they won the Premier Division! In 2014, they won the Maher Cup. In 2015, the team moved to the United Churches Football League, where they still play today.

Reserve Team

The Shelbourne A team played in the 2010 A Championship, finishing sixth in their group. This competition no longer exists.

Club Achievements

• League of Ireland/Premier Division 14 times:
  • 1925–26, 1928–29, 1930–31, 1943–44, 1946–47, 1952–53, 1961–62, 1991–92, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2024
• League of Ireland First Division 2 times:
  • 2019, 2021
• Irish Cup: 3 times
  • 1905–06, 1910–11, 1919–20
• FAI Cup: 7 times
  • 1938–39, 1959–60, 1962–63, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1999–2000
• League of Ireland Cup: 1 time
  • 1995–96
• League of Ireland Shield: 8 times
  • 1921–22, 1922–23, 1925–26, 1929–30, 1943–44, 1944–45, 1948–49, 1970–71
• LFA President's Cup: 8 times
  • 1929–30, 1939–40, 1947–48, 1960–61, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2002–03
• FAI Super Cup: 1 time
  • 2001–02
• Dublin City Cup: 4 times
  • 1941–42, 1946–47, 1962–63, 1964–65
• City Cup: 1 time
  • 1908–09
• Gold Cup: 1 time
  • 1914–15
• Top Four Cup: 1 time
  • 1961–62
• Leinster Senior League: 12 times (a record!)
  • 1902–03, 1903–04, 1906–07, 1907–08, 1908–09, 1910–11, 1915–16, 1916–17, 1918–19, 1923–24, 1942–43, 1943–44
• Leinster Senior Cup: 21 times
  • 1899–1900, 1900–01, 1903–04, 1905–06, 1907–08, 1908–09, 1912–13, 1913–14, 1916–17, 1918–19
    1923–24, 1930–31, 1945–46, 1948–49, 1962–63, 1967–68, 1971–72, 1993–94, 2010, 2017, 2018
• FAI Intermediate Cup: 1 time
  • 1932–33
• Enda McGuill Cup: 1 time
  • 2003

Club Records

Game Results

• Biggest League Win:
  • 9–0 vs Pioneers, December 16, 1922
  • 9–0 vs Bray Unknowns, September 4, 1926
• Biggest League Defeat:
  • 0–9 vs Dundalk, November 27, 1980
• Biggest FAI Cup Win:
  • 9–0 vs Bray Unknowns, January 6, 1923
• Biggest European Win:
  • Single game: 4–0 vs Vėtra (home), June 24, 2006
  • Overall: 5–0 vs Vėtra, June 2006

Goals and Scorers

• Most League goals in a season:
  • 72 (1922–23)
• Most League goals in one game:
  • 6, John Ledwidge vs Jacobs, 9–1 home, October 10, 1929
  • 6, Alex Hair vs Jacobs, 7–0 home, September 6, 1930
• Most FAI Cup goals in one game:
  • 5, Stephen Doyle vs Bray Unknowns 9–0 home, January 6, 1923
• Top League scorer:
  • In one season: 29, Alex Hair, (1930–31)
  • Overall: 126, Eric Barber, (1958–66), (1971–75), (1978–80)
• Top European scorer:
  • In one season: 5, Jason Byrne, (2004–05)
  • Overall: 8, Jason Byrne, (2003–06)

International Players

Players who played for their country while with Shelbourne:

•  Ireland (IFA): 5 players
  • First: Val Harris vs England (home), February 17, 1906.
  • Last: Ed Brookes vs Scotland (away), March 13, 1920.
  • Most: Val Harris (6 games), (1906–08).
•  Irish Free State/Republic of Ireland (FAI): 23 players
  • First: Mick Foley and Fran Watters vs Italy (away), March 21, 1926.
  • Last: Jason Byrne vs Chile (home), May 24, 2006.
  • Most: Joe Haverty (7 games), (1965–66).

Other international players who played for Shelbourne:

• Alvarito (1964–1965)
• Joseph N'Do (2004–2006)
• Avery John (2000–2001)

See also

In Spanish: Shelbourne Football Club para niños