Pat Scully

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Pat Scully
Personal information
Date of birth	June 23, 1970 (age 36)
Place of birth	Dublin, Ireland
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	Shamrock Rovers F.C.
Youth clubs
1988 ? – ?	Arsenal
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
? – ?  ? – ?  ? – ? 1994 – 1997 1997 – 2001 2002 – 2004	Preston North End Northampton Town Southend United Huddersfield Town Shelbourne Shamrock Rovers F.C.
Teams managed
2005 2005 – present	Kilkenny City Shamrock Rovers F.C.
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. * Appearances (Goals)

Pat Scully (born June 23, 1970 in Dublin) is the current manager of Shamrock Rovers F.C. in the League of Ireland. An accomplished central defender during his playing days, Scully started his career in England, gaining one international cap and nine U21 caps for the Republic of Ireland during this spell before returning to Ireland.

Contents 1 Playing career 2 Managerial career 3 Controversy 4 Honours

[edit] Playing career

As a player, he started his career at Arsenal, where he was part of the youth team that won the 1988 FA Youth Cup. However, he never played for Arsenal's first team, and after loan spells at Preston North End and Northampton Town he moved to Southend United in January 1991. He was a regular there for three years, before moving to Huddersfield Town in 1994.

In 1997 he moved back to Ireland to join Shelbourne. Under his captaincy, Shelbourne became the dominant force in Irish football. As well as his defensive abilities, Scully was a constant threat from set pieces and would often score crucial goals for Shelbourne.^{[specify][citation needed]}}

His spell at Shelbourne ended in 2001, when a falling out with the club^{[citation needed]} led to him moving across the city to Shamrock Rovers. Scully captained Rovers during the 2002 season, when the club played in Richmond Park. He formed a partnership in defence with Terry Palmer, the Rovers central defender who would later captain the club. Scully led Rovers to the FAI Cup final that season, although he could not prevent Derry City winning the competition with a 1-0 win.

Amid rumours of a dispute with the then Rovers board of directors,^{[citation needed]} Scully moved to Drogheda United, where he played for one season before retiring.

[edit] Managerial career

He was eager to stay in the game, however, and was offered a chance by Kilkenny City to begin his managerial career. Scully took control of the unfashionable First Division club before the 2005 season. Although the season did not begin well for Scully and Kilkenny, the side performed excellently during the second half of the season, eventually just missing out on a place in the promotion play-off.

Scully's performance as manager of Kilkenny attracted the interest of Shamrock Rovers, who had undergone massive internal restructuring since Scully's playing days. Gone were the old board of directors, to be replaced by the 400 Club, a supporter's consortium who had saved the club from going under.

The 400 Club sacked Rovers manager Roddy Collins at the end of the 2005 season, which ended with the club being relegated for the first time in their history. Shortly after sacking Collins, Rovers approached Scully and asked him to take over the club.

Scully was installed as Rovers manager and immediately began reshaping the playing squad. He brought several players with him from Kilkenny, with many others signing from Kildare County and other First Division clubs.

The new-look Shamrock Rovers began their first ever season in the First Division with a late 2-1 win over Dundalk, and from there never looked back. The club eventually won the First Division title on the last day of the season, with a 1-1 away draw to Cobh Ramblers.

Scully earned himself a reputation as the best up-and-coming manager in Ireland by winning the First Division Trophy at his first attempt. He makes his Premier Division debut with Shamrock Rovers in the 2007 season.

[edit] Controversy

His spell in charge of the club has not been without its controversies, however. Scully is a ruthless professional who expects his players to follow his model, both on and off the pitch. Fallings out with some Rovers players led to a cull of the squad mid-way through the 2006 season.

The biggest controversy of his as of yet short managerial career arose out of a television interview, however. While appearing as an analyist on TV3's Eircom League Weekly, Scully observed that the league's rulebook needed to be tightened up in order to stop football matters ending up before the courts. The FAI did not take kindly to this criticism and fined Scully €5,000, suspending all but €2,000.^{[citation needed]} Scully briefly threatened to walk away from football, but this was averted when the Rovers board of directors offered to pay the fine on his behalf.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Honours

• League of Ireland Championship: 1
  

1999/2000

• FAI Cup: 1
  

2000

Preceded by Roddy Collins

Shamrock Rovers Manager 2005 - Present

Succeeded by '