Gareth Farrelly

Gareth Farrelly (born 28 August 1975) is an Irish former professional footballer who played for Aston Villa, Bolton Wanderers, and Everton in the Premier League, he also played six times for Ireland. He last played for Warrington Town. Following retirement from football Farrelly is now a solicitor.[2]

Gareth Farrelly
Personal information
Full name Gareth Farrelly
Date of birth (1975-08-28) 28 August 1975
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Home Farm
1992–1995 Aston Villa
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1997 Aston Villa 8 (0)
1995 → Rotherham United (loan) 10 (2)
1997–1999 Everton 27 (1)
1999–2004 Bolton Wanderers 78 (5)
2003 → Rotherham United (loan) 6 (0)
2003 → Burnley (loan) 12 (0)
2003–2004 → Bradford City (loan) 14 (0)
2004 Wigan Athletic 7 (0)
2004–2006 Bohemians 41 (7)
2006–2007 Blackpool 1 (0)
2007–2008 Cork City 21 (2)
2009–2010 Morecambe 0 (0)
2010 Warrington Town 5 (0)
Total 230 (17)
National team
1992 Republic of Ireland U17 1 (0)
1997 Republic of Ireland U21 1 (1)
1996–2000 Republic of Ireland 6 (0)
Teams managed
2004–2006 Bohemians (player-manager)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Born in Dublin, Farrelly played schoolboy football for Home Farm. Aston Villa signed him as a 16-year-old in 1992, and he made his Villa début on 20 September 1995 against Peterborough United. He moved to Everton in July 1997 for approximately £700,000, and after a season where Everton, and Farrelly personally, struggled, he scored the goal (ironically with his weaker right foot after numerous wayward efforts with left foot throughout the season) that preserved their Premier League status on the final day of the 1997–98 season against Coventry City.[3] Ironically, this goal also relegated his next club, Bolton Wanderers. He also scored once in the League Cup against Scunthorpe United.[4] However, he was soon on the move to Bolton Wanderers, initially on loan. He won promotion back to the Premier League with Bolton in 2001, scoring the opening goal for them in the play-off final,[5] but then fell out of favour. He was subsequently loaned out to Rotherham United, Burnley, Bradford City, and latterly Wigan Athletic.

Farrelly joined Bohemian F.C. in late August 2004 as player-manager, making his début as a late substitute in the 1–0 home win against Cork City on 17 September 2004.

He was sacked on 30 August 2006 following Bohemians' elimination from the FAI Cup at the hands of Shamrock Rovers, in which he missed a penalty late in the game.[6]

Farrelly then underwent a trial with Leicester City. He left the Foxes after they ended their interest in him. On 24 November 2006, he joined Blackpool on a short-term contract, which expired in February 2007.

On 15 February 2007, he agreed to sign for Eircom League of Ireland Premier Division side Cork City on a two-year contract. Farrelly was however not allowed to play for Cork until 1 July 2007 as FIFA regulations at the time allowed players to play professionally for a maximum two clubs in the period between 1 July of one year and 20 June of the next (see FIFA Two for an explanation on this case and an ensuing amendment to the regulation in question:).[7]

On 12 May 2008 Farrelly underwent a serious operation to remove a tumour from his pancreas. His manager Alan Matthews reported: "Gareth has had major surgery and remains in intensive care in Warwick hospital." The operation was an apparent success.[8] Following his illness he had spells at Morecambe and Warrington. Farrelly settled a case against Cork City for unfair dismissal in October 2009.[9]

Since retiring as a professional footballer, Gareth moved into a career in law. He undertook an LLB degree at Edge Hill University,[10] before training as a solicitor in London.[11][12] During his training he spent time on secondment in the legal team at Everton.[13]

International career

Farrelly made his full international debut for Ireland as a 21-year-old, and has six caps.

Managerial statistics
Team Nat From To Record
GWLDWin %
Bohemians Ireland 2004 2006 6627142540.91

References
  1. Rollin, Glenda, ed. (1998). Playfair Football Annual 1998–99 (51st ed.). London: Headline. p. 45. ISBN 978-0-7472-5917-6.
  2. Jarlath Regan (8 September 2019). "Gareth Farrelly". An Irishman Abroad (Podcast) (312 ed.). SoundCloud. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
  3. "Everton thank Vialli after all". BBC. 10 May 1998. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  4. "Farrelly's strike ensures troubled Everton avoid another embarrassment". London: The Independent. 17 September 1997. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  5. "Brilliant Bolton seal Premiership return". London: BBC. 28 May 2001. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  6. "Bohs sack Farrelly after Rovers defeat". RTÉ News. 30 August 2006. Archived from the original on 9 March 2008. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
  7. http://www.breakingnews.ie/archives/?c=SPORT&jp=cwsnidkfidid&d=2007-02-15
  8. "Farrelly continues to recover". Setanta Sports. 12 May 2008. Retrieved 2 June 2008.
  9. "Farrelly drops court action against Cork". Newstalk.ie. Archived from the original on 20 October 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
  10. https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/people/profiles/blue-collar-gareth-farrelly/5062981.article
  11. "Gareth Farrelly: 'I still think all the time that I am part of the 10% that live'". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  12. Conn, David (13 December 2018). "Aston Villa remove Kevin MacDonald from coaching after new bullying claims". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  13. "Gareth Farrelly: Everton footballer turned Everton lawyer". Lawyer 2B. Retrieved 30 August 2017.
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