Waterford F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Waterford Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Blues, Blue White Army, Only Team in Munster | |||
| Founded | 1930 | |||
| Ground | Waterford RSC, Waterford, Ireland | |||
| Capacity | 5,500 (3,052 seats) | |||
| Manager | Keith Long | |||
| League | League of Ireland Premier Division | |||
| 2024 | League of Ireland Premier Division, 7th of 10 | |||
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Waterford Football Club (Irish: Cumann Peile Phort Láirge) is an Irish football club from Waterford, Ireland. They play in the League of Ireland Premier Division, which is the top football league in Ireland. The club started in 1930. They used to play at Kilcohan Park but moved to the Waterford Regional Sports Centre (RSC) in 1993. Since 2018, the club and its players have been fully professional.
Contents
History of Waterford FC
Early Days of the Club
Waterford first joined the league in the 1930–31 season. They finished ninth. After a short break, they rejoined in 1935–36. In their first season back, they won the Shield trophy.
The club won the FAI Cup for the first time in 1937. They beat St. James Gate in the final. They also won the Shield again that year.
Waterford finished second in the league in 1937–38 and again in 1940–41. In 1941, they tied with Cork United for points. However, Cork won the title because Waterford couldn't play the tie-breaker game. The original Waterford club then left the league. A new club with the same name was formed and joined the league in 1944–45.
They won the Shield again in 1952–53. Waterford was also the league runner-up in 1954–55 and 1962–63.
The club finally won its first league title in the 1965–66 season. This was under manager Paddy Coad. They set a record by winning 13 league games in a row. This title started a very successful time for the club in Ireland. The next season, they played in the Champions Cup against Vorwärts Berlin. They lost both games.
Waterford won the Shield again in 1968–69. They then won the league title three times in a row: in 1968, 1969, and 1970. Cork Hibernians won the title in 1971. But Waterford won it back in 1971–72 and again in 1972–73. The next season, Waterford won the League of Ireland Cup.
The club won the FAI Cup for the second time in 1980. They beat St Patrick's Athletic with a goal from Brian Gardner.
Waterford's success meant they played in European competitions. They faced famous clubs like Manchester United and Celtic. Famous player Bobby Charlton even played three games for the club in 1976.
From the 1980s to Mid-2010s
In May 1982, the club changed its name to Waterford United. Alfie Hale became the manager. In 1985, the league grew to 22 clubs. This led to the creation of two divisions: Premier and First. Waterford was in the Premier Division.
Waterford was moved down to the First Division in 1988–89. But they quickly won the First Division title in 1989–90 and were promoted back. However, they were moved down again the next season.
The club was promoted to the top league again in 1991–92. They finished second to Limerick. But once more, they couldn't stay in the Premier Division for more than one season.
Waterford United was promoted to the Premier Division again in 1997–98. They stayed there until 1999–2000. They lost in the playoffs and were moved down.
Jimmy McGeough became manager in 2002. In his first season, he led the club to promotion to the League of Ireland Premier Division in 2002–03.
The League of Ireland changed from a winter league to a summer league in 2003. Waterford finished 6th under Jimmy McGeough. He was later removed as manager, which many fans didn't like.
In 2004, The Blues finished 5th. They reached the FAI Cup Final for the first time since 1986. They lost 2–1 to Longford Town.
In 2006, Waterford United was moved down to the First Division. The FAI took over the league. Despite finishing 11th, Waterford had to play a playoff game. They lost to Dundalk.
In 2007, Waterford United was invited back to the Premier Division. But they were moved down again that season. They lost to Finn Harps in the playoffs.
In 2009, Stephen Henderson became the manager. His team almost made the playoffs. They reached the EA Sports Cup Final, losing to Bohemians. They also reached the FAI Cup semi-finals.
In 2010, Henderson's team finished 2nd, just behind champions Derry City. They lost to Monaghan United in the playoffs.
Henderson was removed in May 2011. Paul O'Brien, a local, became manager. Waterford United finished 5th in 2011. Paul O'Brien was then made full-time manager for 2012.
Paul O'Brien's team almost got promoted in 2012. They beat champions Limerick four times. But they still finished 4 points behind them. This meant more playoffs. Waterford beat Longford Town. Then they played Dundalk from the Premier Division. They drew the first game but lost the second. So, they stayed in the First Division.
In 2013, O'Brien left due to poor results. Waterford finished 4th. The club faced money problems again. Fans had to raise money to help the club. Tommy Griffin became manager for 2014. The financial issues caused the team to drop to 7th place.
After a tough start in 2015, Griffin stepped aside. Roddy Collins became manager. His team finished 7th in his first season. Collins brought in many players he had worked with before. He left the club with two games left in the 2016 season.
Modern Day Success
In late 2016, Swindon Town chairman Lee Power took control of the club. He decided to change the club's name back to Waterford FC. He also wanted to update the club's badge and jersey. On January 2, 2017, the club announced its new coaching team. Former player Alan Reynolds became head coach. Pat Fenlon was named director of football. On January 20, 2017, the club officially became Waterford FC again. They also showed off a new badge, which was a modern version of their first one from 1930.
With new leaders, Waterford FC signed many good players. They started running the club in a very professional way.
Waterford beat Wexford 3–0. At the same time, Cobh Ramblers lost 3–0. This meant Waterford was officially crowned league champions. They were promoted back to the Premier Division for 2018.
Waterford finished fourth in the 2018 League of Ireland Premier Division. This meant they qualified for the Europa League qualifying round. However, UEFA ruled that the club didn't meet a "three-year rule" because it was reformed in 2016. So, the spot went to the fifth-placed team, St Patrick's Athletic.
Alan Reynolds resigned as manager on June 16, 2020.
On June 4, 2021, Lee Power sold the club to R&S Holdings Ltd. This company was led by Richard Forrest.
The club finished 9th in 2021. This meant they had to play in a relegation playoff. Manager Marc Bircham was removed just before the playoff game. The team then lost 2–1 to UCD AFC. This sent Waterford back to the First Division.
On June 14, 2022, Waterford hired Danny Searle as manager.
In August 2022, Andrew Pilley, who owned Fleetwood Town F.C., bought Waterford F.C. from Richard Forrest. He became the new owner and Chairman.
In March 2023, Danny Searle was removed after only five games of the 2023 season. Two days later, Keith Long became the new manager.
In July 2023, the owner of Waterford FC, Andrew Pilley, faced legal issues in the UK. In November 2023, Waterford FC won a playoff against Cork City. This earned them promotion back to the Premier Division.
In May 2024, a company called The Willows 96 Holdings Limited took over ownership of Waterford F.C. This company is owned by Jamie Pilley, the son of the previous owner.
Players and Staff
Current Squad
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Technical Staff
| Position | Staff |
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| Manager | Keith Long |
| Head Coach | David Breen |
| Goalkeeping coach | Brian Murphy |
| Analyst | James Brennan |
| Kitmen | Michael Walsh & Richy Walsh |
| Physios | Derek O'Neill & David Browne |
| Strength & Conditioning Coach | Darragh Mulcahy |
| Head of academy | Mike Geoghegan |
| Child welfare officer | Mary Ray |
| Doctor | Simon Colquhoun |
Home Stadium
Waterford FC plays its home games at the Waterford Regional Sports Centre, also known as the RSC. They have played there since the 1992–93 season. The stadium has two stands. It can hold 5,500 people, with 3,052 seats.
The highest number of fans at the RSC was 8,500. This was for an FAI Cup semi-final game in 1997 against Shelbourne. Fans were allowed to stand on the running track then. The RSC also hosted the 2009 League of Ireland Cup final. Before moving to the RSC, Waterford played at Kilcohan Park.
Supporters and Club Rivalries
Supporters
Waterford FC gets support from Waterford City, Waterford County, and the whole South East region. Fans have formed groups to support the club.
Fan Groups
Blues Supporter Club (B.S.C) The Blues Supporters Club is the official fan group for Waterford FC. It started in December 2009. The BSC helps organize travel for fans to away games. They also run the club shop and plan many fundraising events. There is also a branch in Dungarvan for fans in West Waterford.
Ultras
Club Rivals
Waterford plays in the Munster Derby against Cork City. These games were big in the 2000s when both teams were in the top league. The rivalry became less strong around 2014. This was when Cork City was doing well and Waterford was struggling.
However, the rivalry started to come back in 2017. This was after Lee Power took over Waterford. A tough tackle by Patrick McClean on Cork's Sean Maguire caused a lot of talk. It led to arguments between players from both teams online. Even Irish international players James McClean and Shane Duffy got involved. Also, Waterford signed Kenny Browne, a Cork player from Waterford. This caused more arguments with Cork manager John Caulfield. The rivalry was recently renewed when Waterford beat Cork in the Premier Division Promotion Playoff Final.
Waterford also has a local derby game against nearby Wexford since 2007. But this rivalry has not been as strong.
Waterford had a big rivalry with Shamrock Rovers in the 1960s and 70s. People sometimes call this the 'old feud' today.
Club Honours
Waterford FC has won many trophies over the years:
- League of Ireland: 6 times
- 1965–66, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73
- FAI Cup: 2 times
- 1936–37, 1979–80
- League of Ireland First Division: 4 times
- 1989–90, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2017
- League of Ireland Cup: 2 times
- 1973–74, 1984–85
- League of Ireland Shield: 5 times
- 1930–31, 1936–37, 1952–53, 1958–59, 1968–69
- LFA President's Cup: 1 time
- 1973–74
- Top Four Cup : 5 times
- 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1972–73
- Texaco Cup: 1 time
- 1974–75
- Munster Senior League: 1 time
- 1932–33
- Munster Senior Cup: 16 times
- 1934–35, 1945–46, 1947–48, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1975–76, 1980–81, 1985–86, 1986–87, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2024
- Dr Tony O'Neill Cup: 1 time
- 2000–01
- Enda McGuill Cup: 1 time
- 2001–02
European Games
Overview of European Matches
Waterford FC has played in European competitions several times. Here's a summary of their record:
| Competition | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
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| European Cup | 14 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 15 | 47 | - 32 |
| European Cup Winners' Cup | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 14 | - 8 |
| TOTAL | 22 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 21 | 61 | - 40 |
European Match Results
Here are some of the matches Waterford has played in Europe:
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Total Score |
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| 1966–67 | European Cup | PR |  Vorwärts Berlin |
1–6 | 0–6 | 1–12 |
| 1968–69 | European Cup | 1R |  Manchester United |
1–3 | 1–7 | 2–10 |
| 1969–70 | European Cup | 1R |  Galatasaray |
2–3 | 0–2 | 2–5 |
| 1970–71 | European Cup | 1R |  Glentoran |
1–0 | 3–1 | 4–1 |
| 2R |  Celtic |
0–7 | 2–3 | 2–10 | ||
| 1972–73 | European Cup | 2R |  Omonia |
0–2 | 2–1 | 2–3 |
| 1973–74 | European Cup | 1R |  Újpest |
2–3 | 0–3 | 2–6 |
| 1979–80 | European Cup Winners' Cup | 1R |  Göteborg |
1–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 |
| 1980–81 | European Cup Winners' Cup | 1R |  Hibernians |
4–0 | 0–1 | 4–1 |
| 2R |  Dinamo Tbilisi |
0–1 | 0–4 | 0–5 | ||
| 1986–87 | European Cup Winners' Cup | 1R |  Bordeaux |
1–2 | 0–4 | 1–6 |
Famous Former Players
Many talented players have played for Waterford FC. Some have even played for their national teams.
Republic of Ireland Internationals
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League of Ireland XI Players
These players represented a special team made up of the best players from the League of Ireland.
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Ireland Youth Internationals
- Republic of Ireland U23:
Derek McGrath - Republic of Ireland U21:
- Dan Connor
- Dean Delaney
- Neale Fenn
- Michael Foley
- Stephen Grant
- Liam Kearney
- Alan Kirby
- Republic of Ireland B:
- Dan Connor
- Neale Fenn
- Republic of Ireland U17: Gary Dempsey
Other International Players
These players represented other countries at an international level.
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Club Managers Through the Years
Here is a list of people who have managed Waterford FC over the years:
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Kits and Colours
Waterford FC's main colours have always been blue with white details. This has been true since the 1930s. These colours are inspired by County Waterford. The club's current kit for the 2020 season is made by Umbro. The home kit is blue, and the away kit is white. The club is sponsored by 24/7 Cardiac Cover for the Southeast.
Over the years, the away kits have mostly been white with blue details. However, the club has also had some yellow kits. The last yellow kit was in the 2016 season. For the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Waterford had a green third kit. This was similar to the Republic of Ireland national team's kit. In 2010, Waterford had a rare red away kit. Fans did not like it very much.
Some of the companies that have made kits for the club include Umbro, Adidas, Nike, Uhlsport, Macron, Azzurri, and Diadora.
See also
In Spanish: Waterford Football Club para niños
