Michael Byrne (footballer, born 1880)

Michael Patrick Byrne (20 March 1880 – 1931) was an Irish footballer who played as a goalkeeper for various clubs in the 1900s.

Michael Byrne
Personal information
Full name Michael Patrick Byrne[1]
Date of birth 20 March 1880[2]
Place of birth Bristol, England
Date of death 1931 (aged 50–51)[1]
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[3]
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1902–1903 Bristol Rovers
1903–1905 Southampton 5 (0)
1905–1907 Chelsea 4 (0)
1907–1908 Glossop 11 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Football career

Byrne was born in Bristol and after serving in the Grenadier Guards and the Gloucestershire Regiment,[4] joined Bristol Rovers of the Southern League in 1902.[3] The following season, he moved to join the Southern League champions, Southampton as cover for George Clawley. He made his debut in a 2–0 victory over Swindon Town on 23 January 1904, and followed this with a clean sheet in the next match before Clawley's return.[5] He made three further appearances (all victories, with two further clean sheets)[6] before a move to Chelsea in August 1905, for their inaugural season in the Football League.[2]

At Chelsea, he was at first the understudy to William "Fatty" Foulke, making four appearances in the 1905–06 season.[2] Following Foulke's departure at the end of the season, Bob Whiting was promoted to the first-choice 'keeper, helping Chelsea gain promotion to the First Division at the end of the season, in which Byrne made a single appearance.[2]

Byrne then moved on to join Glossop, where he made 11 Second Division appearances before retiring in 1908.[1]

Later career

Byrne later returned to Bristol to settle and took up employment with the Imperial Tobacco Company.[3] He served as a private in the Royal Defence Corps during the First World War.[4]

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References
  1. Joyce, Michael (16 October 2012). Football League Players' Records 1888–1939 (3rd Revised ed.). Tony Brown. p. 48. ISBN 9781905891610.
  2. "Michael Byrne Player Profile on Stamford-Bridge.com". Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  3. Holley, Duncan; Chalk, Gary (1992). The Alphabet of the Saints. ACL & Polar Publishing. p. 59. ISBN 0-9514862-3-3.
  4. "Michael Patrick Byrne | Service Record | Football and the First World War". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  5. Chalk, Gary; Holley, Duncan (1987). Saints – A complete record. Breedon Books. pp. 34–35. ISBN 0-907969-22-4.
  6. Chalk & Holley 1987, p. 36-37.
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