Andy Iro

Andy Iro

Iro with Columbus Crew in 2008
Personal information
Full nameAndy Iro
Date of birth26 November 1984
Place of birthLiverpool, England[1]
Height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)[2]
Playing positionDefender
Youth career
Kingsley United
2004–2007UC Santa Barbara Gauchos
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2008–2011Columbus Crew58(5)
2011Toronto FC13(0)
2012–2013Stevenage0(0)
2012–2013→ Barnet (loan)9(1)
Total80(6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Andy Iro (born 26 November 1984) is a retired English footballer.

Iro started playing college soccer for the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos in 2004, spending four seasons with UCSB, helping the team to the 2006 Division I Men's College Cup. In 2008, Iro turned professional when he was drafted by the Columbus Crew with the sixth overall pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. During his first season at Crew, Iro helped the side win both the MLS Supporters Shield and MLS Cup. He spent three years with the club, before being traded to Toronto FC in July 2011. He spent the 2011 season with the club, but rejected the offer of a contract extension in January 2012. In September the same year, Iro returned to England, signing for League One team Stevenage. In November 2012, he was loaned out to Barnet, and spent two months with the League Two side. He was released by Stevenage in May 2013.

Playing career

Youth and college

Iro began his career playing for youth side Kingsley United Football Club in Toxteth, England, as well as attending St. Edward's College for high school, where he played for the school team as both a forward and midfielder.[3] Iro also spent a short period of time as a trainee at Everton.[4] He moved to California to attend the University of California, Santa Barbara on a soccer scholarship in 2004.[5] At UCSB, he was coached by Tim Vom Steeg and was played as a central defender and occasionally on the left side of defence.[5] He was immediately an integral part of the 2004 UCSB team as they marched to the 2004 Division I Men's College Cup in Carson, California, where his side lost on penalties to Indiana University.[5] Iro described the defeat to Indiana as the worst moment of his career.[3]

His disappointment would not long last though as Iro and the UCSB Gauchos were crowned champions of Division I college soccer by beating the Bruins from the University of California, Los Angeles in the 2006 Division I Men's College Cup in St. Louis, Missouri.[5] This marked UCSB's first ever national championship in soccer and only second overall.[5] Iro started every game in which he appeared during his collegiate career, scoring ten times in 86 appearances over the space of four seasons.[5]

Professional

Straight out of UCSB, Iro was drafted by the Columbus Crew with the sixth overall pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft.[6] He made his debut on the opening day of the 2008 season, coming on as an 87th minute substitute in Crew's 2–0 home victory over Toronto FC on 29 March 2008.[7] After several substitute appearances,[8][9] Iro started his first match as Columbus Crew defeated Kansas City Wizards 3–0 at the CommunityAmerica Ballpark in June 2008.[10] He scored his first professional goal in a 4–0 home win against New England Revolution on 6 September 2008, heading in Guillermo Barros Schelotto's free-kick at the back post to double Crew's advantage.[11][12] During his first season with the club, Iro made 21 appearances in all competitions, scoring once.[9] The campaign was a successful one for the side, as Crew won both the MLS Supporters Shield and MLS Cup respectively.[13]

Iro with Columbus Crew

At the start of the 2009 season, Iro struggled for first-team appearances, making just one start in the opening three months.[14] The start did yield his only goal of the season, however, briefly restoring parity in an eventual 2–1 away defeat to Chivas USA.[15] During the season, with Crew winning the MLS Supporters' Shield for the second consecutive year,[16] Iro made 15 appearances, four of which coming in the CONCACAF Champions League.[14] His third successive season at Columbus Crew got off to a strong start, with Iro scoring the first goal in Crew's 2–0 opening day home win over Toronto at the Columbus Crew Stadium on 27 March 2010.[17] He netted once again in the club's 3–1 away win against New York Red Bulls, ensuring Crew maintained their unbeaten start to the season.[18] Further goals against Houston Dynamo and Municipal took Iro's seasonal goal tally to four.[19][20] He featured regularly during the campaign, playing 33 times, in a season that witnessed Crew lose on penalties to Colorado Rapids in the MLS Cup play-offs.[21][22][23] Iro made a further four appearances for the club at the start of the 2011 campaign.[24] During his three years with the club, he made 73 appearances and scored six goals.[25]

In July 2011, Iro was traded to rival MLS side Toronto FC along with Crew's Léandre Griffit, in exchange for Tony Tchani.[26][27] He made his debut a week after signing in a 1–0 home loss to FC Dallas on 20 July, playing the whole match.[28] Iro was almost ever-present from joining Toronto mid-season until the end of the 2011 season; making 13 appearances for the club in the MLS, as well as playing in a further five games in the CONCACAF Champions League.[29] Despite playing regularly during his time at the club, Iro declined the offer of a contract extension at Toronto, subsequently ending his brief association with the club,[30] leaving as a free agent in January 2012.[30]

Following his departure from Toronto, Iro returned to England and later signed for League One side Stevenage in September 2012, joining the club on a free transfer.[31][32] The move meant that Iro would be playing under Stevenage manager Gary Smith, who he had known during his time playing in the MLS.[33][34] Iro revealed that Smith had previously tried signing him for Colorado Rapids, although ultimately no move materialised.[35] In November 2012, having failed to make any first-team appearances for Stevenage, Iro joined League Two side Barnet on loan until January 2013, to regain match fitness.[36] He made his debut for Barnet in a 3–2 home win against Burton Albion on 21 December 2012.[37] Iro scored his first goal for Barnet in only his third appearance, netting an injury-time equaliser in the club's 2–2 draw away to Exeter City.[38] Iro's loan was extended for a further month on 11 January 2013.[39] He went on to make nine appearances for Barnet, scoring once, during the two-month agreement.[40] He returned to Stevenage in February 2013,[41] although did not play any first-team games for the club during the season.[42] He was released by Stevenage when his contract expired at the end of the campaign.[43][44]

Personal life

He is the son of Paul and Rose Iro, and has seven brothers and one sister.[5] He grew up in Wavertree, England.[45] Iro left school at the age of 16, and stated a desire to "work on his own schedule".[45] His mother took £1,000 she had saved from working as a nurse, and gave it to Iro to invest.[45] He subsequently used the money to renovate a run-down property next to his family home and open a grocery store.[45] At this time in his life, Iro, who had excelled in football, rugby and boxing, admitted that sport was an "afterthought" — due to the capital his business was generating.[45] However, Iro was shot in the thigh during a robbery in his store, and this served as the catalyst for him to find another career to pursue.[45] He handed over ownership of his store to a relative, and briefly worked in a bank.[45]

In 2004, after sending several hundred emails to colleges throughout the US, he used the money he had saved from working to take up the offer of a scholarship at the University of California, Santa Barbara.[45] Iro stated he wished to go to university in the US solely for educational purposes, and described playing football alongside his studies as a "bonus".[35] He graduated from UCSB with a degree in sociology and a minor in sports management.[5]

Iro supports Newcastle United, as well as Italian Serie A side Juventus.[5] He states that his favourite players are Fabio Cannavaro and Steven Gerrard.[5] He enjoys watching television, and lists his three favourite programmes as Family Guy, Entourage, and South Park, as well as stating his favourite movie is Gladiator.[5]

Honours

UC Santa Barbara
Columbus Crew
Individual

Career statistics

As of 9 February 2013.
Club Season League[A] FA Cup League Cup MLS Cup Other[B] Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Columbus Crew
2008[46]
 18100003000211
2009[47]
11100000040151
2010[48]
 25300001071334
2011[49]
 400000000040
Total 585000040111736
Toronto FC
2011[24]
 13000000050180
Total 13000000050180
Stevenage
2012–13[50]
 000000000000
Total 000000000000
Barnet (loan)
2012–13[51]
 910000000091
Total 910000000091
Career totals 8060000401611007
A. ^ The "League" column constitutes appearances and goals (including those as a substitute) in the MLS and the Football League.
B. ^ The "Other" column constitutes appearances and goals (including those as a substitute) in the CONCACAF Champions League.

References

  1. ↑ "Iro signs on for Stevenage". The Football League. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  2. ↑ "Andy Iro – ESPN". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "UCSB – Andy Iro". UCSB Gauchos. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  4. ↑ "Ferdinand backed to be new face of MLS". Daily Mirror. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 "MLS – Andy Iro". MLS Soccer. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  6. ↑ "MLS SuperDraft 2008". MLS Net. 18 January 2008. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
  7. ↑ "Columbus Crew 2–0 Toronto". ESPN Soccernet. 29 March 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  8. ↑ "Andy Iro – Game Log – 2008". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Columbus Crew – Stats – 2008". Columbus Crew. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  10. ↑ "Kansas City 0–3 Columbus Crew". ESPN Soccernet. 15 June 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  11. ↑ "Schelotto carries Crew past Revolution". ESPN. 6 September 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  12. ↑ "Columbus Crew 4–0 New England Revolution". ESPN Soccernet. 6 September 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  13. ↑ "Columbus Crew wins MLS Cup". Washington Post. 24 November 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "Andy Iro – Game Log – 2009". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  15. ↑ "Chivas USA 2–1 Columbus Crew". ESPN Soccernet. 6 April 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  16. ↑ "Columbus Crew Win Supporters' Shield". Goal.com. 23 October 2009. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  17. ↑ "Columbus Crew 2–0 Toronto FC (2010)". ESPN Soccernet. 27 March 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  18. ↑ "New York 1–3 Columbus Crew". ESPN Soccernet. 21 May 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  19. ↑ "Columbus Crew 3–0 Houston Dynamo". ESPN Soccernet. 24 July 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  20. ↑ "Municipal 2–1 Columbus Crew". ESPN Soccernet. 29 September 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  21. ↑ "Andy Iro – Game Log – 2010". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  22. ↑ "Colorado Rapids 1–0 Columbus Crew". Soccerway. 29 October 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  23. ↑ "Columbus Crew 2–1 Colorado Rapids". Soccerway. 6 November 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Andy Iro – Game Log – 2011". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  25. ↑ "Andy Iro – Game Log". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  26. ↑ "Toronto trades for Columbus pair". Toronto FC. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  27. ↑ "Toronto FC acquires Andy Iro, Griffit from Columbus". The Globe And Mail. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  28. ↑ "New-Look Reds Sunk By Strike From Shea". Toronto FC. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
  29. ↑ "Andy Iro – Toronto FC". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 "Iro & Marosevic Decline Offers". Toronto FC. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  31. ↑ "Stevenage recruit defender Iro". Stevenage F.C. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  32. ↑ "Andy Iro: Stevenage deal for former MLS defender". BBC Sport. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  33. ↑ "Gary Smith to continue dipping into US for Stevenage". BBC Sport. 28 September 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2012.
  34. ↑ "Andy Iro on his return to England". Stevenage F.C. 4 October 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 "Player: Iro on Stevenage". Stevenage F.C. 4 October 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  36. ↑ "Iro and Cowan out on loan". Stevenage F.C. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  37. ↑ "Barnet 3–2 Burton Albion". BBC Sport. 21 December 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  38. ↑ "Exeter 2–2 Barnet". BBC Sport. 29 December 2012. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
  39. ↑ "Iro extends Bees loan". Barnet F.C. 11 January 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  40. ↑ "Iro and Sekajja depart". Barnet F.C. 14 February 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  41. ↑ "Iro grateful for opportunity". Barnet F.C. 14 February 2013. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
  42. ↑ "Games played by Andy Iro in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  43. ↑ "Four released and three listed". Stevenage F.C. 20 May 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  44. ↑ "Stevenage release three and put three on the transfer list". BBC Sport. 20 May 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  45. ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 45.3 45.4 45.5 45.6 45.7 "Soccer lifts Crew's Iro from hard life". The Columbus Dispatch. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  46. ↑ "Statistics – Columbus Crew – 2008". Columbus Crew. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  47. ↑ "Statistics – Columbus Crew – 2009". Columbus Crew. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  48. ↑ "Statistics – Columbus Crew – 2010". Columbus Crew. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  49. ↑ "Statistics – Columbus Crew – 2011". Columbus Crew. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  50. ↑ "Stevenage 2012/2013 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  51. ↑ "Barnet 2012/2013 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 22 November 2012.

External links

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