Matt Britton
| Matt Britton | ||
|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | |
| League | 33(30) | 1 |
| FAI Cup | 3(2) | 0 |
| Europe | 2 | 0 |
| League Cup | 6(4) | 2 |
| Leinster Cup | 11(1) | 4 |
| Others | 1 | 0 |
| Totals | 56(37) | 7 |
| 92-93 | 3(2) | 0 |
| 93-94 | 12(9) | 2 |
| 94-95 | 15(18) | 4 |
| 95-96 | 26(8) | 1 |
| Totals | 56(37) | 7 |
| Date Of Birth: | 29-Nov-73 |
| Total Appearances: | 93 |
| Total Goals: | 7 |
| Nationality: | IRE |
| Debut: | 8-Aug-1992 Leinster Cup (s) Lusk Utd, 1-0 |
Bio:
Coming from Dublin Schoolboy’s club St Josephs to Dundalk under Turlough O’Connor, in his first Oriel Park season his senior team duty was confined essentially to Leinster Cup games. He made his club debut in an opening day Leinster Cup game, but it was the following February before he first saw League action when lining out in a 1-0 win over Bohemians at Dalymount.
Dermot Keely made more use of him during the following year. For the 1994-95 Championship assault he lost his place to Stephen Kelly in October and thereafter was on the bench, except for a couple of starts, covering for injured players. His twenty League games secured a League Championship medal.
He stayed for a fourth term, playing in both legs of the UEFA Cup tie against Malmo and left at the end of the 1995-96 season, joining St James’s Gate. But the withdrawal of the Gate’s sponsor resulted in an offloading of most of the club’s professional staff and Matt ended up with Ards in the newly-inaugurated Irish Premier league.
While Matt had a decent year, just five League wins doomed the club to the play-offs against Bangor and there was a very nervous season end before the Premier ticket was made secure.
In spite of finishing last in the League, Ards applied for and were nominated to compete in the Inter-Toto Cup. However Matt was saddled with a carry-over suspension from his Malmo ties and he missed the first of Ards three European games.
Shortly afterwards he left for Shamrock Rovers on a Bosman free-transfer. But the homeless Hoops, wandering between Tolka Park and Morton Stadium and with regular management changes, were in the doldrums, never breaking out of a mid-table spot. Matt, however, had the distinction of picking up the fan’s Player of the Year Award for 1997-98.
He left after three Rovers’ seasons, spending a couple of years with Bray Wanderers before closing his 11-season National League career with Kildare County. He was involved in the Bray-based family flooring business.
Honours:
1 Win: League 1994-95
4 Runners Up: League Cup 1994-95; Leinster Cup 1993-94 and 1994-95; Presidents Cup 1995-96.
Career Stats
| League Games Career | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Gls | ||
| Dundalk | 1992-96 | 63 | 1 |
| Ards | 1996-97 | 25 | |
| Shamrock Rovers | 1997-01 | 67 | 1 |
| Bray Wanderers | 2000-03 | 72 | 1 |
| Kildare County | |||
| League Games | 227 | 3 | |
| European Competition Player Stats | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ap(Sb)Gl | |||
| Dundalk | 1995-96 | UFC | 2 (0) 0 |
| Ards | 1997-98 | ITC | 2 (0) 0 |
| Shamrock Rovers | 1998-99 | ITC | 2 (0) 0 |
| Total | 6 (0) 0 | ||
| UFC=UEFA Cup; ITC=Inter Toto Cup | |||