Benny Rooney

Bernard Rooney (born 3 May 1943) is a Scottish former football player and manager.

Benny Rooney
Personal information
Full name Bernard Rooney
Date of birth (1943-05-03) 3 May 1943
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1959–1963 Celtic 0 (0)
1959–1960[1] → Cambuslang Rangers (loan)
1960–1961[2] → Petershill (loan)
1961–1962[3] → Dumbarton (loan) 6 (0)
1963–1966 Dundee United 22 (4)
1966–1973 St Johnstone 222 (12)
1973–1976 Partick Thistle 62 (3)
Teams managed
1976–1983 Greenock Morton
1983–1986 Partick Thistle
1986 Albion Rovers
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Rooney played for Celtic as a youth and was a contemporary of the group of players who would form the core of their Lisbon Lions team, but was unable to break into the team in the face of such stiff competition for a place, and after being loaned out to the junior leagues and to Dumbarton, he was allowed to sign for Dundee United on a free transfer in 1963.[4] He was frequently relegated to United's reserve team, however, and he was eventually sold to St Johnstone in 1966 for £3,500.[4] Rooney served the Perth club for nearly a decade during a very successful period for the club under the management of Willie Ormond.[1] Rooney was the club's captain during their UEFA Cup run of 1971–72, when they defeated Hamburg and Vasas Budapest.[5]

Managerial career

Rooney was appointed manager of Morton in 1976. Morton were part-time and competing in the First Division at the time. In his second season in charge he led the club to promotion to the Scottish Premier Division. In the 1979-80 season Morton famously topped the Premier Division in the middle of the season, and ultimately finished in 6th place, quite an achievement for a part-time club.[6]

Rooney is also revered by Morton fans for assembling a memorable squad, including fan favourite Andy Ritchie, who was brought to Cappielow from Celtic in 1976.[7][1]

Rooney left Morton in 1983, and went on to manage Partick Thistle and Albion Rovers, before returning to his first club Celtic briefly as a coach.[8]

Personal life

Benny has two children with wife Marion. His son Kevin is an actor,[1][9] whilst his father Bob had been physiotherapist at Celtic in the successful Jock Stein managerial era at the club.[1][10]

Rooney’s great nephew Shaun Rooney currently plays for Benny’s former club, St. Johnstone.

References
  1. Golden Years: Benny was never far away from the Lisbon Lions, David Walker, Sunday Post, 21 December 2019
  2. "History". Petershill F.C. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  3. McAllister, Jim (2002). The Sons of the Rock - The Official History of Dumbarton Football Club. Dumbarton: J&J Robertson Printers.
  4. Extract from Section 2 of The Rise of the Terrors Archived 19 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine, Arabest Publishing.
  5. History - The European campaigns Archived 6 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine, St Johnstone official website
  6. "Chick Young's view". BBC Sport. BBC. 10 November 2009. Retrieved 11 November 2009.
  7. "Andy Ritchie". MortonOnline.co.uk. Archived from the original on 4 February 2009. Retrieved 11 November 2009.
  8. "Season 93-94 Part 1". The View. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  9. "A striking role is nothing new for this guy". The Herald. 4 July 1997. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  10. "Ibrox Disaster: Survivors and former players remember stadium horror". Dailly Record. 29 December 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  • Benny Rooney at Post War English & Scottish Football League A–Z Player's Database
  • Profile at Sons Archive
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