| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Flanagan | ||
| Date of birth | June 15, 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | Drogheda, Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Playing position | Centre Midfield, Right back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1995-1997 | Drogheda United | 15 | (1) |
| 1997-1998 | Monaghan United | 13 | (1) |
| 1998-1999 | Home Farm | 31 | (1) |
| 1999-2003 | Dundalk | 108 | (16) |
| 2003-2004 | Drogheda United | 42 | (1) |
| 2005-2005 | Athlone Town | 16 | (0) |
| 2005-2008 | Dundalk | 111 | (14) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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John Flanagan (born 15 June 1978 in Drogheda) is an Irish former football player. He played for Dundalk, Drogheda United and Athlone Town.
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John Flanagan was a defender. He began his career with Drogheda United in 1995. In 1997 he joined Monaghan United. He spent just one season at Monaghan. He signed for Home Farm in 1998 but just one year later he joined Dundalk. He stayed at Oriel Park until 2003 when he returned to Drogheda United. In 2005 he joined Athlone Town but went back to Dundalk in the same year. He stayed there until he retired in 2008.
John Flanagan began his career with his hometown club, Drogheda United, in the 1995/96 season when he made his debut under Jim McLaughlin in their ill-fated Premier Division campaign. The following season saw Flanagan along with seven other Youth team members, work under Liam O'Brien and Anto Whelan in the second tier, and he netted his first senior goal with his sole strike in 15 outings for the Boynesiders, as they made a swift return to the top flight. John did not go with them, however, after being released by Martin Lawlor.
Flanagan joined Monaghan United in 1997. He spent just one season at Kingspan Century Park. It was the 1997/98 season and Monaghan finished second from bottom in the First Division. He left at the end of the season which was his first and last season at Monaghan.
Flanagan signed for Home Farm in the summer of 1998 after leaving Monaghan United. He spent the 1998/99 season at the Whitehall Stadium. He left after his first season with Home Farm as they finished second from bottom of the First Division.
He signed for Dundalk in 1999 after leaving Home Farm. In the 1999/2000 season which Dundalk finished fourth in the First Division, he formed a strong center-midfield partnership with David Hoey. In October 1999, he scored a memorable hat-trick in a league match away to St. Francis in a 3-0 victory. Flanagan remained with Dundalk for the 2000/01 campaign under Martin Murray. He was a key member in the Dundalk side which won the First Division that season. Flanagan stayed for a third season at Oriel Park in 2001/02 as Dundalk were now in the Premier Division. It proved a bitter sweet season as Dundalk mixed relegation with an FAI Cup triumph. Flanagan started the cup decider with Bohemians at Tolka Park and, alongside Ciaran Kavanagh in the middle of the park, played a key role in Dundalk lifting the FAI Cup for a ninth time in May 2002. Flanagan stayed with Dundalk for the 2002/03 season despite most of the squad leaving following the clubs relegation. He played both legs of the UEFA Cup Qualifying Round against Croatian side Varteks. Dundalk lost the first leg 5-0 in Croatia and the second leg at Tolka Park ended 4-0 to Varteks. The 2002/03 season saw the Lilywhites widely tipped to make a quick return to the Premier Division, but following an indifferent start and the resignation of Martin Murray, Flanagan fell out of favour under new boss Trevor Anderson. Flanagan had admitted that he was pushed out of the club he loved by Anderson, and had no choice but to make a return to Drogheda United at the beginning of 2003.
He re-joined Drogheda United in 2003. The 2003 season saw Drogheda just avoid relegation. He stayed with Drogheda for the 2004 season and it was a successful season for the Drogs as the finished an impressive fourth in the Premier Division. Flanagan was a key part of the 2004 squad but left at the end of the season because Drogheda became a full-time outfit and Flanagan was not willing to give up his teaching career. He joined Athlone Town in 2005.
He signed for Athlone Town for the 2005 season [1], who were at the time managed by his friend, Stephen Kelly. Kelly was sacked midway through the season, however, and after just 16 appearances for the midlands club, he left and re-joined Dundalk.
Flanagan returned to a Jim Gannon led Dundalk in July 2005 after a near three-year absence. He instantly became a regular in the side but Gannon departed at the end of the season as Dundalk finished sixth in the First Division. The 2006 season saw John Gill become the new Dundalk manager. Dundalk finished second in the First Division that season and played Waterford United in the Promotion/Relegation play-off. Dundalk won 3-2 over the two legs but the FAI did not grant Dundalk a Premier Division license and they stayed in the First Division for the 2007 campaign. Flanagan was named in the PFAI First Division Team of the Year for 2006. He decided to stay for the 2007 season and in March he scored on the opening day of the season in a 3-2 home win over Finn Harps. This was also Dundalk's 2,000th league match. Dundalk finished third and missed out on promotion after a defeated against Finn Harps in the play-offs. The 2008 season was Flanagan's last in football. He scored on his last ever game at Oriel Park in a 7-0 thrashing against former club Athlone Town. The final game of the season saw Dundalk thrash Kildare County 6-1. On the same night, Limerick 37 snatched a late equaliser against Shelbourne and Dundalk won the 2008 League of Ireland First Division. Flanagan lifted the trophy with Aidan Lynch. He retired from football at the end of the 2008 season.