Paul Byrne (soccer, born 1982)

Paul Byrne (born 26 November 1982) is a South African-born former professional footballer.

Paul Byrne
Personal information
Full name Paul Byrne[1]
Date of birth (1982-11-26) 26 November 1982 (age 41)[2]
Place of birth Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Position(s) Left-back / Midfielder
Youth career
Port Vale
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2003 Port Vale 10 (0)
2003 Barry Town 0 (0)
2003–2004 Southport 31 (0)
2004–2006 Marine
2006–2010 Kendal Town
2010–2012 Skelmersdale United
2012–201? Bootle
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Byrne began his career as a trainee with Port Vale, where he completed a three-year training scheme and was then rewarded with a professional contract and made ten league appearances. He joined Barry Town in July 2003,[3] but left to join Southport in August 2003 with Barry Town struggling with debts.[4] After an unsuccessful season at Southport he left at the end of the season.[5]

He joined Marine in July 2004,[6] but played just five times the following season,[7] before being ruled out with a leg injury received in the game at home to Prescot Cables on 8 September.[8] After almost a year out of the side, he returned for the start of the 2005–06 season and went on to play 15 times in the Northern Premier League that season.[9]

He joined Kendal Town in 2006, since becoming a crowd favourite, picking up both the Player of the Season and Manager's Player of the Season awards. They finished 19th in the Northern Premier League in 2006–07, 11th in 2007–08, and fifth in 2008–09 and 2009–10. In the summer of 2010, he signed with Skelmersdale United of the Northern Premier League Division One North. United finished as the division's runners-up in 2010–11, finishing behind champions Chester on goal difference. The "Skems" went on to lose to AFC Fylde in the play-offs. He left the club for Bootle in February 2012 as Byrne suffered a serious knee injury and was not expected to return to fitness; United manager Tommy Lawson told him he was unable to guarantee him first-team football as he had signed two replacements.[10] He was appointed club captain at Bootle.[11] The "Bucks" finished third in the North West Counties League in 2011–12 and 2012–13, and then eighth in 2013–14 and seventh in 2014–15. In 2013, he helped Bootle to win the Liverpool Senior Cup by Captaining the side and converting his penalty and in the penalty shoot-out victory over A.F.C. Liverpool.[12] Byrne retired in 2016.

Career statistics

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Source:[13][14][15]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Port Vale 2000–01 Second Division 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2001–02 Second Division 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 0
2002–03 Second Division 8 0 0 0 1 0 9 0
Total 10 0 0 0 2 0 12 0
Southport 2003–04 Northern Premier League Premier Division 31 0 1 0 2 0 34 0

Honours

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Bootle

References

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  1. ^ "Paul Byrne". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. ^ a b "FootballSquads - Port Vale - 2001/02". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  3. ^ "Ovendale returns to Barry". BBC Sport. 4 July 2003. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
  4. ^ "Two more depart struggling Barry". NonLeagueDaily (archived from the original). 7 August 2003. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  5. ^ "Byrne is the latest signing at Marine". Crosby Herald. 1 July 2004. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
  6. ^ "Byrne switches to Mariners". NonLeagueDaily. 1 July 2004. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ "Player Details: Season 2004-2005". SoccerFacts UK. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
  8. ^ "Marine 0, Prescot Cables 2". 8 September 2004. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
  9. ^ "Player Details: Season 2005-2006". SoccerFacts UK. Retrieved 19 January 2009.
  10. ^ "Paul Byrne leaves Skelmersdale United for Bootle FC 'needing games'". Liverpool Echo. 18 February 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  11. ^ "Plans for New Faces at Bootle". Liverpool Echo. 19 April 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  12. ^ a b Smith, Paul. "Bootle Claim Senior Cup on Penalties". afcliverpool.tv. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  13. ^ Paul Byrne at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  14. ^ Paul Byrne at Soccerbase  
  15. ^ "Player Details". Port Online. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2017.