Greatest Irish players to play for Leeds United

7. Noel Hunt

Hunt followed his former Reading manager in joining Leeds back in 2013. Unfortunately after being handed the number ten jersey, this would not be a dream move for him. After being hit by a thigh injury, he only made 19 appearances for the Whites before leaving for Ipswich Town.

Luke Murphy, Noel Hunt and Matt Smith to Leeds pic.twitter.com/4b22h5a4Nb

— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChampo) July 3, 2013

6. Paul Green

The 38-year-old currently plies his trade for Boston United in the lower American leagues. Back in 2012, Green spent two years as a main player in the Leeds United team. He made 41 appearances in League One and Championship scoring four goals. He even managed to captain the team for one game before leaving in 2014.

Green signed for the Yorkshire club after he was called up for the Ireland team that played at Euro 2012, making a substitute appearance against Spain.

5. Liam Miller

The former traveling player lined out for 12 clubs in his career including a season-long loan spell at Leeds. In 2005, Miller was sent out from Manchester United to the Championship side for more game time.

The midfielder made 28 appearances and scored one goal during this spell. He would later move onto Sunderland and make 21 appearances for the Ireland national team.

4. Ian Harte

In 1995, Harte took the leap across the Irish sea when he moved from Home Farm to Leeds United. The Drogheda man spent eight years in Yorkshire, becoming a prolific left-back for them, often taking their penalties and free kicks.

After well over 200 appearances and 28 goals, Leeds were surprisingly relegated from the Premier League in 2004. Harte would then move further abroad as he spent three years in Spain with Levante.

3. Denis Irwin

One of Leeds’ crowning glories is their impressive youth academy. Ireland and Manchester United’s legendary left-back started out his long career at the Whites’ famed academy.

Back in the early ’80s Irwin joined the club and made over 70 appearances in the old Second Division before moving to Oldham FC IN 1986.

2. Robbie Keane

One of Ireland’s greatest ever strikers and Irish players to play in England, Keane, was shown a lifeline by Leeds in his early career. After an ill-fated move to Inter Milan in 2000, the Whites’ offered him a loan spell and subsequent permanent deal. In 18 months he scored 13 league goals before making the biggest move of his career to Tottenham Hotspur.

With 68 goals, Keane would later become Irelands leading scorer also making 148 appearances.

ON THIS DAY: In 2001, Robbie Keane scored his first ever senior hat-trick as Leeds smashed Leicester 6-0 in the League Cup.

Cue cartwheel. pic.twitter.com/IxSf0ETyGw

— Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 9, 2016

1. John Giles

Giles was more certainly the finest of the Irish players to tog out for Leeds United. His 12-year spell began after he was frozen out of Manchester United. As he promised, Giles would ‘haunt’ Busby for his decisions.

Under Don Revie, he made 383 league appearances, scoring 88 goals and becoming one of the most feared midfielders in the English top-flight. He won League and Cup titles before leaving for West Brom in 1975.

Giles would also make 59 appearances for the Boys in Green, both as a player and a player-manager.

Here's birthday boy John Giles scoring a routine screamer as West Brom's player-manager vs Manchester United pic.twitter.com/jxfTmneTbY

— Ronan Mullen (@RonanReigns) November 6, 2021

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The Sheffield United centre-back beat out his clubmate Enda Stevens and Tottenham Hotspur right-back Matt Doherty to claim the prize at the 31st FAI International Football Awards.

He takes the prize after David McGoldrick, who was the national team’s Player of the Year in 2019.

Denise O’Sullivan won the Women’s Player of the Year award for the second time in her career, edging out Arsenal’s Katie McCabe and North Carolina Courage’s Diane Caldwell (who was with German club SC Sand for the 2019-20 season).

O’Sullivan was previously the Women’s national team’s Player of the Year for 2015.

West Bromwich Albion’s Dara O’Shea was awarded the Young Player of the Year award after his breakthrough into the Irish side under Stephen Kenny.

O’Shea earned more votes than new West Brom teammate Jayson Molumby and Norwich City starlet Adam Idah to receive the award.

Former Republic of Ireland internationals John Giles and Paula Gorham were inducted into the FAI Hall of Fame.

Explaining the decisions, the FAI said on their website: “An Ireland captain and manager during his illustrious career, Giles is regarded as one of the greatest ambassadors of Irish football as he helped to transform the game as a player with 59 caps, as an international manager for seven years and as a driving force for change in the domestic game during his time as player-manager at Shamrock Rovers.

“Part of the Dundalk Ladies team who played against Corinthians Nomads in a famous ground-breaking game in 1970, Gorham scored a hat-trick on her Ireland Women’s Senior debut, the Irish team’s first official game in 1973 away to Wales. She went on to earn several more caps.”

Ellen Molloy won the Goal of the Year award for her strike against Iceland while playing for the Ireland Women’s U17s.

Jack Taylor was awarded the U21 Player of the Year award ahead of teammates Darragh Leahy and Joshua Kayode.

The SSE Airtricity League Player of the Year for the 2020 season is Jack Byrne, who has since moved to Cypriot side APOEL Nicosia.

The Special Merit Award was posthumously given to Liam Farrell, who was a founding member of North Dublin Schoolboy League and Chairman of the Schools Football Association of Ireland.

31st FAI International Football Awards

Men’s Senior Player of the Year – John Egan

Women’s Senior Player of the Year – Denise O’Sullivan

Young International Player of the Year – Dara O’Shea

International Goal of the Year – Ellen Molloy (Ireland Women’s Under-17 v Iceland)

Under 21s Player of the Year – Jack Taylor

SSE Airtricity League Player of the Year – Jack Byrne

Special Merit – Liam Farrell

Hall of Fame – John Giles / Paula Gorham

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