Billy O'Rourke

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Billy O'Rourke
Personal information
Full name William James O'Rourke
Date of birth April 2, 1960(1960-04-02)
Place of birth    Nottingham, England
Date of death    January 28, 2002 (aged 41)
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Youth clubs
1976–1978 Burnley
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1978–1984
1983
1984
1984–1987
1986
1987–1988
1988–?		 Burnley
→ Blackpool (loan)
Chester City
Blackpool
→ Tranmere Rovers (loan)
Tranmere Rovers
ICI Thornton		 14 0 0(0)
6 000 (0)
5 000 (0)
92 00 (0)
15 00 (0)
38 00 (0)
   

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.
* Appearances (Goals)

Billy O'Rourke (born 2 April 1960, Nottingham; died 28 January 2002) was an English professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He played in The Football League for four different clubs.

Contents

[edit] Playing career

O'Rourke began his career as an apprentice with Burnley, who he turned professional with in February 1978. His debut came away at QPR in October 1979, in a match shown on Match of the Day [1]. Burnley lost 7–0, with O’Rourke leaving the pitch in tears [2]. However, his performance led to the Burnley Express naming him as his side’s man of the match [3].

He went on to make 13 more league appearances for the Clarets before joining Blackpool on loan in August 1983, followed by a move to Chester City in March 1984. Just five appearances later he was back at Blackpool, this time on a permanent basis, playing every league game in the next two seasons.

In September 1986 O'Rourke joined Tranmere Rovers on loan, making a permanent switch to Prenton Park the following February. He remained with the club the following season before leaving Football League circles. He then joined ICI Thornton [4].

O'Rourke died following a brain haemorrhage on 28 January 2002 [5].

[edit] Honours

Blackpool

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Obituaries. The London Clarets. Retrieved on 2008-01-23.
  2. ^ Obituaries. The London Clarets. Retrieved on 2008-01-23.
  3. ^ Obituaries. The London Clarets. Retrieved on 2008-01-23.
  4. ^ Tranmere Rovers 1946/47-2006/07. Neil Brown. Retrieved on 2008-01-23.
  5. ^ Obituaries. The London Clarets. Retrieved on 2008-01-23.