Denis Irwin
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Joseph Denis Irwin[1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 31 October 1965||
Place of birth | Cork, Ireland | ||
Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[3] | ||
Position(s) | Full back[4] | ||
Youth career | |||
–1983 | Leeds United | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1983–1986 | Leeds United | 72 | (1) |
1986–1990 | Oldham Athletic | 167 | (4) |
1990–2002 | Manchester United | 368 | (22) |
2002–2004 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 75 | (2) |
Total | 682 | (29) | |
International career | |||
1986–1987 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 3 | (0) |
1989 | Republic of Ireland U23 | 1 | (1) |
1990 | Republic of Ireland B | 1 | (0) |
1990–1999 | Republic of Ireland | 56 | (4) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Joseph Denis Irwin (born 31 October 1965) is an Irish former professional footballer and sports television presenter. Irwin is the joint most successful Irish footballer in history, a record he shares with Ronnie Whelan and fellow Manchester United stalwart Roy Keane, having won 17 trophies in his career.[5]
As a player, he played as a full back from 1983 to 2004. Irwin is best known for his long and successful stint at Manchester United, where he established himself as one of the most important players in a team that won a host of domestic and European trophies including seven Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League from 1990 to 2002. He has been regarded by Alex Ferguson as, pound for pound, his greatest ever signing.[6] Earlier in his career he played for Leeds United and then Oldham Athletic, and finished his career with a two-year spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers, the club he supported as a child.[7]
Irwin was capped by the Republic of Ireland national side 56 times, scoring four goals and featuring in the side that reached the second round (last 16) at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Early life
[edit]Irwin was born and raised in Cork, County Cork and was educated at Togher Boys' National School and Coláiste Chríost Rí.[8] As a schoolboy, he excelled at both Gaelic football and hurling, and played at Croke Park more than once, on one occasion marking future teammate Niall Quinn.[9]
Club career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Irwin began his career with Leeds United in 1983, making 72 appearances in the Second Division, before moving on to Oldham Athletic on a free transfer in 1986. He helped Oldham reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup and the final of the League Cup in 1990 before he was transferred to Manchester United for a fee of £650,000.[10]
Manchester United
[edit]In 12 years at Old Trafford, he made 296 Premier League appearances and won seven Premier League title medals, as well as two FA Cup winner's medals (1994 and 1996), a League Cup winner's medal, and UEFA Champions League and European Cup Winners' Cup honours. He was comfortable in either of the full back positions and an expert at free kicks and penalties, and even in his mid thirties he was still United's first-choice left back in preference to the younger Phil Neville.[citation needed]
He scored a total of 22 league goals for Manchester United, including several penalties. The first of these came on 7 September 1991 in a 3–0 home win over Norwich City in the First Division.[11]
Notable goals came on 26 December 1991, when he scored twice in a 6–3 away league win over his old club Oldham Athletic, and his late winner against Southampton in May 1995[12] which kept the league title race open until the final match.[13]
Irwin was awarded a testimonial match for Manchester United – played on 16 August 2000 against Manchester City at Old Trafford. Despite testimonials being friendly matches, due to the match being between local rivals it was a physical affair. Irwin went off injured in the 37th minute after a bad challenge by City striker George Weah.[14]
Irwin made his last appearance for Manchester United at Old Trafford against Charlton Athletic on the final day of the 2001–02 Premier League season (11 May 2002), which ended in a 0–0 draw. For his final appearance as a Manchester United player, Alex Ferguson awarded him the captain's armband.[15]
Wolverhampton Wanderers
[edit]Irwin joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on a free transfer after the 2001–02 season, coincidentally joining the Black Country club at the same time as his former Manchester United teammate Paul Ince made the move to the West Midlands club, having previously been at Middlesbrough. Irwin scored twice in his first season at Wolves, against Burnley[16] and Grimsby.[17]
After Wolves won promotion to the Premier League in 2003, Irwin was applauded by the Manchester United supporters when he walked onto the pitch at Old Trafford for an early season league match which United won 1–0.[citation needed]
Wolves were relegated at the end of the 2003–04 season, and the 38-year-old Irwin then announced his retirement.[18]
International career
[edit]Irwin played for the Republic of Ireland national under-19 team that qualified for the 1983 UEFA European Under-18 Championship and the 1984 UEFA European Under-18 Championship. He was capped 56 times for the Republic of Ireland between 1990 and 1999, and scored four goals. His first appearance came on 12 September 1990 (just after his move to Manchester United), when he helped them beat Morocco 1–0 in a friendly at Dalymount Park. He made his competitive international debut on 17 October 1990, when the national side began their UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying campaign with a 5–0 win over Turkey at Lansdowne Road. He scored his first international goal on 29 April 1992 in a friendly against the United States at Lansdowne Road. His final international appearance came on 17 November 1999, at the age of 34, when Republic of Ireland lost to Turkey in the UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying play-off second leg in Bursa.[19]
Irwin made his only international tournament appearance for Republic of Ireland at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States. He started at right back in the team's first two group matches; a 1–0 defeat of Italy and a 2–1 loss to Mexico. He was then suspended for Republic of Ireland's final group game (0–0 draw vs. Norway) and was an unused substitute in the 2–0 loss to the Netherlands in the Round of 16.[20]
Media career
[edit]Since 2004, Irwin has worked as a presenter on MUTV.[21] Irwin has been involved in coverage of several football tournaments on RTÉ. He is also a columnist with Ireland's Sunday World newspaper. He contributed to RTÉ Sport's coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[22][23]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Leeds United | 1983–84 | Second Division | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | ||
1984–85 | Second Division | 41 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 45 | 1 | |||
1985–86 | Second Division | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2[a] | 0 | 24 | 0 | ||
Total | 72 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 82 | 1 | |||
Oldham Athletic | 1986–87 | Second Division | 41 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 0 | 49 | 1 | |
1987–88 | Second Division | 43 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | — | 0 | 0 | 49 | 3 | ||
1988–89 | Second Division | 41 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 46 | 2 | ||
1989–90 | Second Division | 42 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 1[a] | 0 | 60 | 1 | ||
Total | 167 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 204 | 7 | ||
Manchester United | 1990–91 | First Division | 34 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 6[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 52 | 0 |
1991–92 | First Division | 38 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 51 | 4 | |
1992–93 | Premier League | 40 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2[f] | 0 | — | 48 | 5 | ||
1993–94 | Premier League | 42 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 3[g] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 62 | 4 | |
1994–95 | Premier League | 40 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 5[g] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 6 | |
1995–96 | Premier League | 31 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | — | 39 | 1 | ||
1996–97 | Premier League | 31 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8[g] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 43 | 1 | |
1997–98 | Premier League | 25 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6[g] | 2 | 1[d] | 0 | 37 | 4 | |
1998–99 | Premier League | 29 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12[g] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 48 | 3 | |
1999–2000 | Premier League | 25 | 3 | — | 0 | 0 | 13[g] | 0 | 4[h] | 0 | 42 | 3 | ||
2000–01 | Premier League | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7[g] | 2 | 1[d] | 0 | 30 | 2 | |
2001–02 | Premier League | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10[g] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 23 | 0 | |
Total | 368 | 22 | 43 | 7 | 31 | 0 | 75 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 529 | 33 | ||
Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2002–03 | First Division | 43 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 3[i] | 0 | 52 | 2 | |
2003–04 | Premier League | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 0 | |||
Total | 75 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | 85 | 2 | |||
Career total | 682 | 29 | 64 | 7 | 57 | 3 | 75 | 4 | 22 | 0 | 900 | 43 |
- ^ a b c Appearance(s) in Full Members' Cup
- ^ One appearance in Full Members' Cup, two in Second Division play-offs
- ^ a b Appearances in European Cup Winners' Cup
- ^ a b c d e f g Appearance in FA Charity Shield
- ^ Appearance in European Super Cup
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in UEFA Cup
- ^ a b c d e f g h Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- ^ One appearance in FA Charity Shield, one in Intercontinental Cup, two in FIFA Club World Championship
- ^ Appearances in First Division play-offs
International
[edit]National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Republic of Ireland | 1990 | 2 | 0 |
1991 | 6 | 0 | |
1992 | 8 | 1 | |
1993 | 8 | 0 | |
1994 | 7 | 0 | |
1995 | 8 | 0 | |
1996 | 4 | 0 | |
1997 | 4 | 1 | |
1998 | 3 | 1 | |
1999 | 6 | 1 | |
Total | 56 | 4 |
- Republic of Ireland score listed first, score column indicates score after each Irwin goal[26]
No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 29 April 1992 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland | 10 | United States | 2–0 | 4–1 | Friendly | [27] |
2 | 29 October 1997 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland | 47 | Belgium | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification | [28] |
3 | 5 September 1998 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland | 49 | Croatia | 1–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 2000 qualifying | [29] |
4 | 10 February 1999 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland | 51 | Paraguay | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly | [30] |
Honours
[edit]Oldham Athletic
- Football League Cup runner-up: 1989–90[31]
Manchester United
- Premier League: 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01[32]
- FA Cup: 1993–94,[33] 1995–96;[34] runner-up: 1994–95[35]
- Football League Cup: 1991–92;[36] runner-up: 1990–91,[37] 1993–94[38]
- FA Charity Shield: 1990 (shared),[39] 1993,[40] 1996,[41] 1997[42]
- UEFA Champions League: 1998–99[43]
- European Cup Winners' Cup: 1990–91[44]
- European Super Cup: 1991[45]
- Intercontinental Cup: 1999[46]
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Individual
- PFA Team of the Year: 1989–90 Second Division,[48] 1993–94 Premier League,[49] 1998–99 Premier League,[50] 2002–03 First Division[51]
- PFA Team of the Century (1997–2007): 2007[52]
- English Football Hall of Fame: 2016[53]
References
[edit]- ^ "Denis Irwin". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
- ^ "Denis Irwin: Overview". ESPN. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "D. Irwin: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Denis Irwin". Manchester United F.C. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Most Decorated Fottballers : Ireland : Honours : Trophies". soccer-ireland.com.
- ^ Campbell, Paul (8 May 2013). "Sir Alex Ferguson: his 10 best and worst signings for Manchester United". The Guardian.
- ^ "Irwin: 2003 Play-off final winners are part of history". wolves.co.uk.
- ^ Traynor, Mikey (12 May 2015). "Just When We Thought Denis Irwin Couldn't Get Any More Amazing, We Discover A Fact Like This". Balls.ie. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- ^ Irish Times, 9 July 2008
- ^ "TRANSFER TALES: DENIS IRWIN". Manchester United F.C. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
- ^ "Manchester United Results 1991-1992, Division One, FA Cup, League Cup, European". Archived from the original on 15 May 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
- ^ "Manchester United need a new Denis Irwin for penalty duties". Manchester Evening News. 4 May 2015.
- ^ Collins, Nick (May 2018). Fifty Cup Finals: My Life in Football. ISBN 9781785314193.
- ^ "Irwin's affair turns sour". Irish Times. 17 August 2000. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- ^ "Charlton hold Man Utd". BBC Sport. 11 May 2002. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
- ^ "Wolves 3–0 Burnley". BBC Sport. 17 August 2002. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
- ^ "Wolves 4–1 Grimsby". BBC Sport. 26 October 2002. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
- ^ "Irwin confirms retirement plans". BBC Sport. 22 August 2003. Retrieved 25 May 2008.
- ^ "Denis Irwin : Manchester United : Irish Footballer : Cork". soccer-ireland.com.
- ^ "World Cup Connections: Denis Irwin". Oldham Athletic. 12 June 2018. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
- ^ "MUTV – – Presenters Profiles Manchester United Official Web Site". Archived from the original on 3 September 2017. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
- ^ Black, Fergus (2 June 2010). "RTÉ hopes Ossie and squad will spur fans to back home team". Irish Independent. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
- ^ O'Malley, Carl (2 June 2010). "RTÉ roll out big guns for their 56 live games". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2010.
- ^ "Player Details: Denis Irwin". English National Football Archive. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ^ "Denis Irwin: Internationals". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- ^ "Denis Irwin". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Republic of Ireland v USA, 29 April 1992". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Republic of Ireland v Belgium, 29 October 1997". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Republic of Ireland v Croatia, 06 September 1998". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Republic of Ireland v Paraguay, 10 February 1999". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Nottingham Forest v Oldham Athletic, 29 April 1990". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Denis Irwin: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 17 April 2018.
- ^ Ridley, Ian (15 May 1994). "Football / FA Cup Final: Cantona's Double take: Rampant United realise the dream after Chelsea pay the penalty for missed chances". The Independent. London. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Manchester United v Liverpool, 11 May 1996". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ Moore, Glenn (22 May 1995). "Limpar's three steps to heaven". The Independent. London. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Manchester United v Nottingham Forest, 12 April 1992". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Manchester United v Sheffield Wednesday, 21 April 1991". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ Lovejoy, Joe (28 March 1994). "Football / Coca-Cola Cup Final: Saunders destroys United's dream: Aston Villa's master plan puts paid to Ferguson's malfunctioning Big Red Machine as Kanchelskis is dismissed". The Independent. London. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Liverpool v Manchester United, 18 August 1990". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Arsenal v Manchester United, 07 August 1993". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Manchester United v Newcastle United, 11 August 1996". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Charity remains at home". The Irish Times. Dublin. 4 August 1997. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "United crowned kings of Europe". BBC News. 26 May 1999. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "1990/91: United put England back on the map". UEFA. 1 June 1991. Archived from the original on 3 May 2010.
- ^ "Man. United 1–0 Crvena zvezda: Line-ups". UEFA. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Man Utd crowned world champions". BBC News. 30 November 1999. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Wolves back in big time". BBC Sport. 26 May 2003. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ Lynch, Tony (1995). The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes. London: Random House. p. 148. ISBN 978-0-09-179135-3.
- ^ Lynch, Tony (1995). The Official P.F.A. Footballers Heroes. London: Random House. p. 150. ISBN 978-0-09-179135-3.
- ^ Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1999). The 1999–2000 Official PFA Footballers Factfile. Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. p. 352. ISBN 978-1-85291-607-7.
- ^ McKechnie, David (28 April 2003). "Henry lands PFA award". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- ^ "Team of the Century: 1997–2007 – the Premiership's finest of the last decade". Give Me Football. 5 September 2007. Archived from the original on 21 October 2008. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- ^ "National Football Museum Hall of Fame". April 2020.
External links
[edit]- Denis Irwin at Soccerbase
- Biography at ManUtd.com
- 1965 births
- Living people
- Association footballers from Cork (city)
- Republic of Ireland men's association footballers
- Men's association football fullbacks
- People educated at Coláiste Chríost Rí
- Leeds United F.C. players
- Oldham Athletic A.F.C. players
- Manchester United F.C. players
- Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players
- Premier League players
- English Football League players
- UEFA Champions League–winning players
- English Football Hall of Fame inductees
- Republic of Ireland men's youth international footballers
- Republic of Ireland men's under-21 international footballers
- Republic of Ireland men's under-23 international footballers
- Republic of Ireland men's B international footballers
- Republic of Ireland men's international footballers
- 1994 FIFA World Cup players
- Republic of Ireland expatriate men's association footballers
- Irish expatriate sportspeople in England
- Expatriate men's footballers in England
- Irish columnists
- Irish sportswriters
- 20th-century Irish sportsmen