Month: November 2020

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Shelbourne FC is delighted to confirm Alan Reynolds as Assistant Manager to Ian Morris at the club for the 2021 season.

Bringing a wealth of experience and success in previous roles, Alan will join Ian’s staff looking to aid the club’s promotion push in 2021.

Alan joins the Reds, while also Assistant Manager for the Republic of Ireland U21 team, where he will remain on in tandem.

Speaking to shelbournefc.ie, Ian Morris said he is “delighted to bring Rennie on my staff at Shelbourne.”

“His knowledge and experience is fantastic and we have been working tirelessly over the past couple of days planning for next season,” he added.

Morris said Alan’s “enthusiasm is infectious” and he is “a great addition to Shels.”

Reynolds, who won the League of Ireland title in 2006 with Shels, said he’ll be “looking to bring his experience to the table.”

“I’ll be going in to see how I can improve the players and make sure they’re of required standard for the boss, in Ian, so we can bounce back and help as much as I can,” Reynolds told shelbournefc.ie.

“Our relationship will be good. Through the conversations we’ve had, we both want the same thing, we want to play the right way and excite the fans.

“I’m here to help him and when I’ve had assistants myself, I’ve known what I’ve wanted from them so I’ll be bringing that to the table,” he added.

“You can see it’s building here. Shelbourne has had tough times over the years and it’s a setback this year but we’ve bounced back before and I’ve no doubt we’ll do it again,” he added.

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Shelbourne FC is delighted to announce Donegal coach and UEFA Pro Licence holder William O’Connor as new manager of our U19 League of Ireland team.

In the words of William himself: “I’ve been the Irish U18 schoolboys manager for the last the three years and was an assistant manager for the three years before that.

“I’ve been senior team coach with Finn Harps for the past 5 years. Before that I have had a coaching role with the Inishowen Academy, FAI Emerging Talent and Cockhiil Celtic, where I have also played with the senior team for over 15 years.

“I have completed the Pro Licence in June of this year and Shelbourne u19 team is a great opportunity for me further develop as a Head Coach.

“I’ve been working with the squad over the past week and have seen at first hand the quality of the players at this level.

“My main aim is to develop the players to progress into the senior team while being competitive and winning games at U19 level.

“Shelbourne is a club with huge ambition. The structures and set up of the club are first class which looks good for the future, one that I’m looking forward to being apart of.”

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Shelbourne FC is delighted to announce the signing of goalkeeper Brendan Clarke after his spell with St Patrick’s Athletic. 

The Dubliner has built up a reputation as one of the best League of Ireland goalkeepers around ahead of his move to Tolka Park for 2021. 

Clarke joins the Reds having won one League of Ireland Premier Division and two FAI Cups, including one against Shelbourne in the 2011 FAI Cup Final.

The keeper also recorded the League of Ireland record for consecutive clean sheets in 2011 after keeping nine clean sheets in a row. 

A hugely respected professional, Clarke is also Chairman of the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland. 

The goalkeeper also won Player of the Year at Richmond Park last year as he swaps life in Inchicore for Richmond Road. 

Speaking to The 1895 Podcast, Clarke said manager Ian Morris was “straight on to me with a clear plan of winning the First Division next year”

“His pursuit of me really showed that he wanted me to come to the club, and he spoke about the respect he had for me as a player and a person.

“He described to me what he wants to do at the club and bring it forward, and that is something I want to be a part of,” he added. 

Ian Morris said Brendan’s signing is “huge” for the club and “will certainly add to us as a team.”

“He’s had a huge career in the League of Ireland while being fantastically successful and he’ll help us evolve as a team,” he added.

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Shelbourne FC is teaming up with Feed Our Homeless who do critical work in helping the homeless in Dublin.

Feed Our Homeless was established in 2017 and set up by founder Tony Walsh and Co Founder Natasha Morgan in Dublin’s City Centre.

FOH are actively dedicated to making a difference to the lives of people who are affected by homelessness and are also some of the most marginalised in society.

We will be making Tolka Park a drop-off point every Thursday from 11:00 to 14:00 to help support their annual Christmas Gift Bag Appeal.

We encourage our supporters to bring down anything they have, starting this Thursday (November 26), from the following list to help those you need it most this Christmas.

  • Selection boxes
  • Scarves/hats/gloves
  • Socks/underwear
  • Toothbrush/toothpaste
  • Shower gel
  • Roll on deodorant
  • Wet wipes
  • Hairbrush/bobbins/clips
  • Chocolate/sweets
  • Hand warmers
  • Mini battery radio
  • Travel mugs

If you have further questions or want to help out, email slo@shelbournefc.ie

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Shelbourne defender Luke Byrne has re-signed for next year’s 2021 campaign at Tolka Park.

The Howth man has become a fan-favourite over the last two years with the Reds and despite a disappointing end to 2020, remains as determined as ever to bring the Reds back to the top flight.

Speaking to shelbournefc.ie, Byrne said: “I’m obviously gutted how the season ended but the important thing now is we do what we have done the last two years – stick together and work together.

“The fans and other people involved in the club have sent me supportive messages since Sunday and I really appreciate it,” he added.

“I love playing for this club and now the focus has to turn to getting ready for the new season and getting promoted back to where we want to be,” he added.

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To our supporters,

Firstly, we would like to commend every single fan and volunteer for their incredible support throughout our 125th year. Whether it was buying a Season Ticket, purchasing merchandise in the Shels Club Shop, subscribing to our Patreon, putting in hours of your free time or the many truly brilliant displays we have seen all year, our fans have once more shown themselves to be the best in the country.

We’re devastated that our first season back in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division ended the way it did. From our strong start in sold out stadiums to utterly unprecedented behind closed doors games, it was most definitely not how we envisaged it. Of course, returning to the First Division is a huge setback for our men’s senior team and we want to assure our supporters that planning is already underway to ensure we’re best-placed to challenge for promotion back to where we belong in 2021.

Ian Morris and his backroom team have been hurt deeply by the season’s end and are determined to bring the Reds back to Ireland’s top flight. Ian will appear on a special edition of The 1895 Podcast on Tuesday next week, and this will be available to all supporters to listen to for free. We would also like to invite supporters to send in their questions for Ian to the1895podcast@gmail.com.

Though obviously a disappointment, our long term planning remains in place and we are buoyed by the success we’re seeing within our Academy and our Women’s National League team. Our WNL team face their biggest game of the season on Saturday against Peamount United, where a win will bring the league title and we are starting to see the fruits of our Academy with players progressing successfully into our senior teams.

Off the field planning is well underway with exciting new merchandise, kits and season ticket options to be announced in the coming days and weeks. As ever, your incredible support is greatly appreciated through the highs and lows this great Dublin institution has been through. Thank you for keeping the red flag flying high.

Board of Management

Shelbourne FC

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Eoin Deane

Shelbourne faced Longford Town on Sunday in the relegation/promotion playoff.


It was effectively a cup final which many Shels fans would have loved the sound of if it wasn’t for a place in the Premier Division next season.


Longford would have been licking their lips when they seen they’d play Shels as the reds looked low on confidence and very tired from the drawn out season.


Shels fans gathered adhering to social distancing regulations on Saturday afternoon to show solidarity with the players and staff before the vital clash on Sunday.


Shels were dealt a huge blow when Luke Byrne was sent off and gave away a penalty that Rob Manley skied over Brady’s goal.


Shels were very lucky to go into the break 0-0 after Longford were the better and hungrier of the two sides and Shels needed a huge second half.

Shels fell behind in the 54th minute after Rob Manley found some space in the box and his deflected shot had enough to get by Jack Brady.


Shels were nearly two behind after a scrappy piece of defending seen the ball drop to a Longford player who was blown offside as he turned the ball home.


Defeat for shels in Richmond Park means Shels are relegated to the First Division after promotion last season.

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Shelbourne FC would like to confirm this month’s game in aid of the Beaumont Hospital Foundation is currently postponed until further notice.

We were thrilled to receive such great backing from our supporters and the sporting world for the initiative which is continuining to raise much needed support for our medical heroes at Beaumont Hospital.

As you will know, we have entered a second stage of Level 5 restrictions in the Republic of Ireland, thus meaning no crowds are allowed attend sporting events which has forced us to make to disappointing decision to postpone the game until a later date in 2021 when guidelines around sporting events become clearer.

We are currently planning further initiatives to help support the Beaumont Hospital Foundation and any monies paid for tickets thus far will be 100% for the foundation’s support, so thank you very much for your incredible support of such an amazing cause.

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As we approach what we all hope will be our last game of the season I would like to make a personal statement.


I have been Financial Director of the Club for the last 22 years and honoured to be Chairman for 14 of these and, with most of you, have shared some great highs and some terrible lows but I would like it to be known that I intend on stepping down from both of these these roles at the end of this current season/financial year (November.)

Meeting Ollie Byrne 22 years ago and him asking me to come onto the Board as Finance Director was an exciting prospect but it came with a cost.

Nevertheless, if the truth be known I probably wouldn’t have had it any other way. It gave me the opportunity to meet some wonderful people and make some great friends and although it was a rollercoaster journey its one I thoroughly enjoyed.


There were times over the course of the years that we didn’t always see eye to eye and no doubt some of  you disagreed  with decisions I myself and the Board made but rest assured we made all those decisions with the best interests of Shelbourne Football Club in mind and on occasions did not have any alternative even though you the Supporters may have seen things differently.


When Ollie passed away and I took over as Chairman, and , with the help of the then nine members of the Board of Management we managed to steer the Club back to a level of existence that some thought we may not have been possible.

To those people I give a special word of thanks for their support and help.

We all played our part in this and it would not have happened without hard work and sacrifice from everyone. 


When we eventually removed the shackles that were left behind we set about the task of looking for new investors. Myself and other Directors of the Club met a number of people, one of whom was Andrew Doyle. We immediately had a great rapport and it wasn’t long before we came to an agreement.  It was my intention at that stage to step away and let someone else take up the reins but Andrew asked me to stay on in my role and oversee things for a couple of years which I was happy to do.


As we have now reached a strong  level of stability I feel its the right time to take this course of action and pass the responsibilities over to new people. Andrew is putting together a lot of new blood brimming with enthusiasm and raring to go and I have no doubt that I pass over the keys of this great club to very safe hands.  Shelbourne FC is bigger than any one of us and will remain an institution long after myself and all the rest of us have moved on.

I will be remaining on the Board of Management and am available to offer any advice and support that I can in that capacity but for the time being I just want to reiterate my thanks to all the supporters of the club for your help and loyalty over the last 22 years, thank you for your friendship and look forward to sitting in the stands with you to watch the Mighty Reds go from strength to strength.


Joe Casey, Chairman 


It’s been great.
See you around Tolka (hopefully!!!!)

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Shelbourne’s Jessica Ziu has won the Barretstown FAI Women’s National League Player of the Month for October.

The Dubliner has been in fantastic form of late, scoring a hat-trick away to Wexford Youths, and her performances have helped elevate Shels to the top of the Women’s National League.

Ziu was presented with the Barretstown / Women’s National League Player of the Month award for October and she was quick to ensure that her team-mates got a share of the spotlight.

“When I first heard about winning the award I was happy as it’s my first one and I’ve been working hard but without sounding too cliche it’s a team effort,” said Ziu.

“There are 24 of us in it together, along with the staff, and even if you look at the hat-trick I scored I wouldn’t have been able to do that if it wasn’t for Ciara Grant playing me in. It’s very much a group effort and I think that I was fortunate enough to get the award ahead of some of the other players.”

Teamwork has been one of the reasons why Shels remain in the title race with two games left to play as they are clearly fighting for each other. But it took a set-back to fire them on.

“I think the 6-0 loss to Peamount was almost a blessing in disguise for us because since then we have been playing great. We had a rocky start but since beating Wexford our hopes are higher than ever,” she said.

“We have two more games to go against two of the toughest teams in the League in Galway and Peamount. They are like two Cup Finals for us.

“We’ve spoken about it as a team, we all want to win the League. Of course it would’ve been nice to get the FAI Cup Final, but the League was always our aim. And now that we’re not involved with the Cup we can just focus on the League and prepare for that.”

If Shels are to win the League for the second time in their history then it will be a team effort that gets them over the line. But it’s also not that bad having someone as talented as Ziu being part of that collective.


2020 Barretstown / Women’s National League Player of the Month
August: Ellen Molloy (Wexford Youths)
September: Saoirse Noonan (Cork City)