Joe Haverty

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Joe Haverty (born February 17, 1936 in Dublin) is an Irish former football player.

Haverty first played for St Patrick's Athletic, before signing for English First Division side Arsenal in July 1954. He almost immediately made his debut, while still only 18, against Everton on August 25, 1954, though he only managed another seven matches that season, and eight the one after that.

His breakthrough in the Arsenal side came in 1956-57, as he became the Gunners' first choice left-winger, playing 32 times and scoring 9 goals. By now he had also made his debut for the Republic of Ireland, against the Netherlands on May 10 1955, having previously starred for the Irish U21 side.

Haverty also played in the London XI that contested the first Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1955/58; although he played against Lausanne Sports in the semi-finals (and scored a goal in the 3-2 aggregate win), he did not make the cut for the final against FC Barcelona.

Back trouble meant he missed some of Arsenal's matches during this time, but put in 37 appearances and 8 goals in 1959-60, his best season for the club. However, the next season he was made to share the left wing position with Alan Skirton. Haverty was unhappy with the lack of a regular first-team place, and put in a transfer request; he was sold to Blackburn Rovers in August 1961 for £25,000. In all, he played 122 matches for Arsenal, scoring 26 goals.

Haverty spent a single season with Blackburn, before having spells in the lower divisions with Millwall and Bristol Rovers, before moving back to his native Ireland to play for Shelbourne with who he won the last of his seven full international caps. He saw out his career at American side Kansas City Spurs in the NASL.

In 2000 he was inaugurated into the Football Association of Ireland's Hall of Fame.