The history of the Hoops

The beginning

For many years a keen debate carried on over whether Shamrock Rovers Football Club was formed in 1899 or 1901. Most of the evidence pointed to 1901, but modern research has established that the earliest known mention of the club is 1899. What is known for sure is that Shamrock Rovers were founded in Ringsend; the name was taken from Shamrock Avenue, where the committee held its meetings.

The first honours came in 1904/05 - then playing in stripes - with the County Dublin League and the Leinster Junior Cup. The Leinster Junior League title and Cup followed a year later, but the club’s rise was perhaps too fast and they withdrew from the Leinster Senior League before the 1906/07 season began.

The club had a second coming in 1914, winning the Leinster Junior League and the IFA Junior Cup. They completed the 1915/16 season in the Leinster Senior League but again withdrew at the end of it.

Rovers revived

After two short periods in existence it was third time lucky for Shamrock Rovers as the club reformed and joined the Leinster Junior League in 1920/21. An unexpected development soon afforded Rovers a quick promotion to the Leinster Senior League: the infamous split between North and South saw the formation of the Football Association of Ireland and the League of Ireland. Not yet a senior club, Rovers would not have been able to apply for the new league - but it was not long before they took their place at the top table of Irish football.

The Ringsend club swept through the 1921/22 season, winning the Leinster Senior League and eliminating more senior opposition, including the established Bohemians, to reach the FAI Cup final. They lost the final to St James’s Gate in a replay, but with all of Dublin now awake to Shamrock Rovers the club was considered a sure bet for membership of the League of Ireland for the 1922/23 season.

On 17 August 1922 their application was confirmed successful. With little time to prepare, one of the first problems was finding a home ground. They rented land on Milltown Road, County Dublin; within a year the land passed from Mary Anne O’Neill to the Jesuit Society, beginning an association between tenant and landlord that would last until 1987.

The loss of John Joe Flood and Bob Fullam to Leeds United weakened the side, but the duo’s return for 1924/25 brought more history as Rovers won not just a second league title but also the FAI Cup, the League of Ireland Shield and the Leinster Senior Cup. This was the season the famous ‘Four F’s’ came together in the forward line - Bob Fullam, Billy ‘Juicy’ Farrell, John Joe Flood and John ‘Kruger’ Fagan. Rovers went through the entire league campaign unbeaten.

The club had outgrown its Milltown ground. Rather than leave the site, they moved to a neighbouring plot and the development of Glenmalure Park began. The first game there was against Dundalk on 11 September 1926, a 3-3 draw, with the official opening a friendly against Belfast Celtic on 19 September.

A significant moment came on 8 January 1927, when the team wore hoops for the first time. The stripes were discarded for good. The occasion was a first-round tie against Bray Unknowns; the new kit no doubt looked impressive, but Unknowns won 3-0.

The 1928/29 season was significant on and off the pitch. Bob Fullam returned from the United States, the main stand opened and the ground began to take on the look of a real stadium. The first FAI Cup final meeting between Rovers and Bohs ended scoreless at Dalymount Park on 18 March. The Hoops won the replay at Shelbourne Park - the start of a great run of FAI Cup successes.

The first great teams

The league title continued to evade Shamrock Rovers, but FAI Cups followed in 1929/30 and 1930/31 as the Hoops broke their own record. A memorable 1930/31 game was the league opener at Milltown, a 7-0 win over Jacobs in which David ‘Babby’ Byrne scored four; among the other scorers was Paddy Moore, regarded as one of the most skilful players ever to grace the League of Ireland. In 1931/32 former Sheffield United player Vincent Matthews captained the Hoops to a League, Cup and Shield treble, and goalkeeper Mick McCarthy was signed. The FAI Cup was won for a fifth time in 1933.

The mid-1930s proved bleak by the standards the club had set itself, though the FAI Cup was won in 1936 against Cork. The departure of long-serving William ‘Sacky’ Glen saw the final link with that great team of the 1920s come to an end. Off the pitch there were major changes as the Cunningham family took control; Joe Cunningham and his wife Mary Jane would rule the roost at boardroom level for almost four decades.

A new era began towards the end of the decade. The Cunninghams pulled off a major coup in enticing Jimmy Dunne back to Milltown. Dunne had been a fringe player when he left the club in 1925 to join New Brighton, going on to become one of the best forwards in the English League with Sheffield United, Arsenal and Southampton, and an Ireland international. Appointed as player/coach, his influence was instant: under Dunne the club won back-to-back league titles in 1937/38 and 1938/39, with the Shield and the Leinster Senior Cup also won in 1937/38.

Jimmy Dunne and the war years

The club went close to winning a record third league title in a row in 1939/40 but had to settle for runners-up. There was success in the FAI Cup after the Hoops beat Sligo Rovers at Dalymount Park before a new record attendance and record gate receipts. The outbreak of war in Europe imposed hardship, but wartime crowds saw venues packed to capacity across the country. Glenmalure Park was no different, and the fans were rewarded in February 1942 with the arrival of the highly-rated Paddy Coad. The Cunninghams pulled off another of their famous coups in getting Coad to sign for Rovers after a dispute saw his native Waterford expelled from the league. It was a marriage made in heaven.

Sadly Jimmy Dunne saw the need to leave Rovers at the end of the 1941/42 season, with Bob Fullam taking over the reins as coach (Dunne would return in 1947). There was no league success through the 1940s, but the Hoops enjoyed more success in the cups - most notably the FAI Cup, won in 1944, 1945 and 1948. The 1944 final was a repeat of 1925 against Ringsend rivals Shelbourne. The following year an all-time FAI Cup record attendance of 41,238 saw Rovers beat Bohs 1-0, and the Cup was won for a third time in the decade in 1948 against Drumcondra.

The All-Ireland Inter-City Cup, played between clubs north and south, was the brainchild of chairman Joe Cunningham and proved rewarding for the Milltown club, who brought the trophy to Glenmalure Park three times. Dunne set about rebuilding the team from scratch, bringing some of the best young players in the country to Milltown. He knew it would take time, but sadly he was never to see the fruits of his work, passing away suddenly on 14 November 1949. Paddy Coad was considered the natural successor and only accepted the role after a great deal of persuasion by the Cunninghams.

Coad’s Colts

Terracing was completed around Glenmalure Park. On the pitch things moved along slowly, but the inauguration of a ‘C’ team meant some very fine young players graduated within a short time. The first team began to gel, and in 1953/54 the league title was won for the first time in fifteen years. The side was so young that the much-respected Irish Independent soccer writer W.P. Murphy gave them the nickname ‘Coad’s Colts’.

They went on to dominate the League of Ireland throughout the 1950s. Grounds across the country were packed to capacity whenever they visited; they were undoubtedly the team to beat. The league title was won again in 1956/57 and 1958/59. The FAI Cup had not been won since 1948, but that changed in 1955 when the Hoops beat city rivals Drumcondra to claim a 12th title. They were back at Dalymount Park a year later and, trailing Cork Athletic 2-0 with just thirteen minutes to go, produced one of their famous comebacks to win the final 3-2.

Shamrock Rovers created another piece of Irish football history in 1957 when they became the first club from Ireland to participate in European competition. They were drawn with Matt Busby’s young Manchester United side. United won the first leg in Dublin 6-0 as superior fitness told in the second half, but the Hoops gave United the game of their lives at Old Trafford before going down 3-2 on the night. Jimmy ‘Maxi’ McCann scored Rovers’ first - and the first goal for a League of Ireland club in European competition.

The late Billy Lord, associated with the club for most of his senior life as a trainer and physio, once said: “O’Callaghan, Burke, Mackey, Nolan, Keogh, Hennessy, McCann, Hamilton, Coad, Ambrose, Peyton, Tuohy - in my opinion these twelve men are very likely the best team ever.”

In 1959/60 Rovers made their second venture into Europe, hosting French side OGC Nice. They lost the away tie 3-2 and had a great chance to claim a major scalp in the second leg at home, but could only manage a 1-1 draw thanks mainly to the brilliant form of Nice goalkeeper Lamia.

The Cup kings

The team of the 1950s began to break up as the decade closed and the era of ‘Coad’s Colts’ came to an end. Paddy Coad returned to his native Waterford as coach, and Sean Thomas was appointed manager. After a major tournament in the United States at the end of the 1960/61 season, Rovers signed promising youngsters Frank O’Neill (Arsenal) and Johnny Fullam (Preston NE).

Rovers’ arch rivals Shelbourne won the league in 1961/62 but were denied the double when beaten 4-1 by the Hoops in the FAI Cup final before a crowd of 32,000 at Dalymount Park. The league was won in 1963/64, but it would be another twenty years before the Hoops achieved the honour again.

The 1960s will always be remembered for Shamrock Rovers and the FAI Cup. The Hoops beat their own record of the 1930s, winning six FAI Cup titles in a row from 1964 to 1969. Having also won the Cup in 1962, they might even have made it eight in a row had they not been knocked out at the semi-final stage by Shelbourne in 1963. European football was a major feature throughout the decade, the Hoops hosting top sides Valencia, Rapid Vienna, Real Zaragoza and Bayern Munich. Having drawn 1-1 at home to Bayern Munich in the 1966 Cup Winners’ Cup, Rovers came agonisingly close to knocking the crack German side out in the away leg, only for a late controversial goal to deny them. The star-studded Munich side went on to win the competition that year.

Tough times

The 1970s proved a frustrating time. The decade began brightly - the club came close to the 1970/71 title, tying with Cork Hibs at the top of the table but losing the play-off 3-1. It was the end of an era in 1972 when the Cunningham family sold their interest to the relatively unknown Kilcoyne brothers. Crowds in the League of Ireland dwindled to alarming proportions; the Kilcoynes appeared uninterested in investing, and Glenmalure Park fell into a sad and sorry state.

European football, once an annual attraction, had been absent for much of the decade, though the club did go on a prestigious tour of Japan during 1975.

Fortunes swung the other way as the Kilcoynes made the bold decision to appoint former Manchester United, Leeds and West Brom midfielder Johnny Giles as player/manager. Giles set about restoring Rovers as a force, bringing in experienced players from England such as Ray Treacy, Eamonn Dunphy and Paddy Mulligan, and introducing an Irish version of the English YTS scheme. Players such as Alan Campbell, Liam Buckley and Richie Bayly graduated quickly to the first team.

Glenmalure Park was given a facelift. The Hoops beat Sligo Rovers 1-0 in the 1978 FAI Cup final and qualified for Europe for the first time in eight years, drawn against Cypriot side APOEL Nicosia in the first round of the Cup Winners’ Cup - the home leg a piece of history as the first European game hosted at the Milltown ground. League success continued to evade the club as the decade ended, but Giles’ dual role as Republic of Ireland manager saw several Hoops named in the international squad.

Four in a Row

The Hoops came close to capturing the league title in 1981/82 but were pipped by a Dundalk side managed by Jim McLaughlin. During the summer of 1983 it was announced that McLaughlin had been appointed manager of Shamrock Rovers. His Midas touch was soon to bring handsome rewards: the league was won in 1983/84, the first time in twenty years. McLaughlin stayed for two more seasons and oversaw two consecutive doubles, the club winning both league and FAI Cup in 1984/85 and 1985/86. Dermot Keely, who had played under McLaughlin at Rovers, took the reins for the 1986/87 season and carried on where McLaughlin had left off, the Hoops winning the league and FAI Cup for a third season in succession. Overall, Rovers had won the league title four times in a row - the first time any club had managed it in the history of the League of Ireland.

The club’s followers were naturally on cloud nine as the Hoops seemed almost unbeatable, but serious trouble was brewing off the pitch. In April 1987 it emerged that the Kilcoynes had entered into a secret deal with Home Farm to move Shamrock Rovers to Tolka Park and sell off Glenmalure Park for property development. Despite fierce opposition they proceeded, and the fans boycotted all home games, forcing the Kilcoynes to sell out completely. Club patron John McNamara bought Shamrock Rovers and agreed a deal with the fans to take the club out of Tolka Park and support the efforts to save Glenmalure Park.

Under the new ownership the club moved to Dalymount Park. Former player Noel King was appointed manager and, with fans beginning to come through the turnstiles again, matters began to look up for Rovers.

The homeless years

Shamrock Rovers moved back to the Southside when the club took up residence at the RDS on 30 September 1990. The traditional show-jumping arena had never been used as a football venue, and the move was a progressive one. It looked like the good old days were back when the Hoops reached the 1991 FAI Cup final, but a late winner for Galway United saw the trophy go west instead.

The 1991/92 season stalled and Noel King was sacked; former Hoop Ray Treacy took over but matters initially worsened, and a 1992/93 relegation dogfight was only narrowly survived. Treacy strengthened the squad considerably - the return of goalkeeper Alan O’Neill particularly welcomed by the fans - and 1993/94 proved memorable as the Premier Division title was won, Rovers’ first league success since the fateful 1986/87 season at Milltown.

Success did not last, as the club was not prepared to overspend to match some of its rivals. Key players including top goalscorer Stephen Geoghegan were lost, the title defence fell away and RDS attendances dwindled. McNamara sold out his interest in early 1996; in April the club agreed a return to Tolka Park with Shelbourne, and in December 1996 plans were unveiled for a brand new purpose-built stadium in Tallaght. With the full backing of South Dublin County Council, no snags were envisaged.

Tallaght Time

The consortium that had taken over in 1996 had all but gone as progress on the stadium stalled. Avid fan, patron and businessman Joe Colwell stepped in with a rescue deal, taking the brave decision to hire Morton Stadium in Santry for home games. It was not ideal - Sunday-afternoon kick-offs saw attendances slump - and the arrangement ended after just two seasons. Former player Damien Richardson was appointed manager and matters on the pitch took a turn for the better.

Success continued to evade the Hoops. Their best chance of a trophy came in the truncated 2002 season, when they reached the FAI Cup final against Derry City, but despite plenty of opportunities they failed to find the net and lost 1-0.

Off the pitch, the formation of the 400 Club was a major development. Trustees were elected as fans took control, and in April 2005 Shamrock Rovers went into examinership with debts totalling several million euro. The High Court process took only a couple of months, with the 400 Club taking complete control at the end of it all. The future of the club was secured - and it was now in the hands of the fans. On the pitch, though, the Hoops lost a two-legged play-off with Dublin City at the end of the 2005 season and were relegated to the First Division.

Pat Scully replaced Roddy Collins for the 2006 season and won the First Division title and promotion back to the Premier Division. He was succeeded in 2009 by Michael O’Neill. With the High Court having dismissed efforts by the GAA to prevent Tallaght Stadium being used mainly as a soccer facility, the way was clear. On 13 March 2009 Shamrock Rovers welcomed Sligo Rovers to Tallaght for the very first game at the stadium - a 2-1 win thanks to goals from Gary Twigg and Dessie Baker, with Sligo’s Gavin Peers scoring the first opposition goal there.

Champions again

The Hoops flourished under Michael O’Neill. The Premier Division title was won in 2010, though the chance of a double was thwarted by Sligo Rovers, who beat the Hoops in the FAI Cup final at the Aviva Stadium following a dramatic penalty shoot-out. The title was won again in 2011, in what proved one of the most historic years in the club’s history. Having dropped out of the Champions League qualifiers, the Hoops earned a play-off for the Europa League, went to Belgrade and recorded a dramatic away win to knock Partizan out of Europe. Shamrock Rovers became the first club from Ireland to reach the group stages of a major European competition, drawn with Tottenham Hotspur, Rubin Kazan and PAOK.

Michael O’Neill departed after the 2011 season to manage Northern Ireland. The seasons that followed proved disappointing, but a new approach took hold as the club invested in its youth structures. In April 2016 the members agreed to sell a half interest to board member Ray Wilson to fund an ambitious facilities plan.

By the end of 2016 the success of 2010 and 2011 seemed a lifetime away. Pat Fenlon departed mid-season and on 6 July Stephen Bradley was appointed caretaker manager. A clear-out of the squad began, with the first team supplemented by players from the underage section.

Back to the top

Stephen Bradley was appointed to the permanent role of head coach. Roberto Lopes and Graham Burke came in, and the biggest signing - a major coup - was the return of Ronan Finn from Dundalk. The 2019 season brought Aaron McEneff and Jack Byrne, the latter the biggest signing the club had made in decades.

Shamrock Rovers qualified for Europe in each of 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, pushing AIK Stockholm and Apollon Limassol close. 2019 proved a turning point: a 2nd-place finish and an FAI Cup win over Dundalk, decided in a tense penalty shoot-out, closing a 32-year gap back to 1987.

The 2020 season began in style. When Rovers beat Dundalk 3-2 at Tallaght Stadium on 28 February they did so in front of 7,522 spectators - a record attendance for a League of Ireland game at the venue. The Covid-19 lockdown then brought everything to a sudden halt, and the squad played out the shortened season in near-empty stadiums. They captured the 18th league title regardless, going through the entire campaign unbeaten to emulate the Milltown teams of 1924/25 and 1926/27.

2021 and 2022 brought further titles, with 2022 seeing qualification for the group stages of the UEFA Europa Conference League against Gent, Molde and Djurgarden. In 2023 a historic second ‘Four In a Row’ was completed, the team emulating their legendary forebears of the 1980s.

Following a Conference League progression in 2024 that reached the play-off round, the Hoops went on to win a League and FAI Cup double in 2025.