An Interview - Alan Kirby

Winning five domestic cup finals, a bronze medallist with the Irish U-20s and League of Ireland representation – Alan Kirby achieved this and more throughout his playing career and recently shared some footballing memories with ExtraTime.ie.

In 1994, Alan joined Aston Villa and after two years at youth level, found the next couple of seasons difficult to make the first team: “I was playing every reserve game and had just gotten my first Irish U-21 cap, when I was released. Looking back, I could have made an impact at a lesser club with better coaches.”

While also at Villa Park, Kirby was part of Ireland’s squad that finished in third place during 1997’s FIFA World Youth Championship: “We possibly didn’t appreciate it at the time. In Malaysia for weeks, a lot of the lads were looking forward to getting home, but we kept bloody winning. I marked (Esteban) Cambiasso in the semi-final – he was 16, with long hair ... Who knew he’d end up balder than me. Public interest grew as we advanced, putting pressure on RTE, who’d shown zero coverage up to then.”

Back in Ireland, the young midfielder joined his hometown side Waterford United and after relegation from the Premier Division in 1999/00, the Blues were unable to return at the first attempt, prompting Alan to look elsewhere: “Not many reasons to stay other than it being my local team, who I would’ve loved to have been successful. There wasn’t much by way of training facilities, wages were poor, the club only offered lads one-year deals and I wanted a change.”

That desire for variety resulted in Alan signing for Longford Town prior to the club’s most successful period to date. Losing the 2003 League Cup final to St Patrick’s Athletic, tables were turned, as the  Town defeated the aforementioned opposition in that year’s FAI Cup decider, capturing their first senior trophy.

“You want to win any final, regardless of what happened previously. It wouldn’t have been nice to lose two cup finals to the same team, but it didn’t motivate me to any greater extent.”

The following season, Longford secured both domestic cups, with the Waterford native scoring a controversial late equaliser in the FAI Cup final, which ultimately denied his hometown side from bringing the trophy back to Suirside: “As I was being set up, another ball had been thrown onto the pitch. I was focused on the ball in play and didn’t have time to think about rights and wrongs.”

Kirby played every game for Longford in 2006, finishing as his side’s highest scorer, but still got released due to budget cuts: “I was happy living and working in Longford, but the bubble was bursting. Good players moved on and the club and I owed each other nothing.”

Switching to St Patrick’s Athletic, Alan slotted into a considerable and full-time set-up: “They tried to do things properly and at one stage, the squad was ridiculous. I loved training, so to have it as your job was ideal.”

Narrowly missing out on the Premier Division title in successive years, Kirby’s contribution was limited in 2008 and extended terms weren’t forthcoming: “While it wasn’t my best season, the squad was very strong. Big money had been spent and we were only runners-up two seasons in a row, so anyone out of contract was released and Johnny McDonnell got shafted too.  We were all given false promises of new deals once the club got money for Keith Fahey. It’s not pleasant when you tell your family what you’ve been told and then Richie Sadlier rings to ask if you want to collect your P45 from the office or by post. From what I remember, Pat’s finished fourth from bottom the following season.”

Linking up with Sporting Fingal in 2009, Alan’s new club won that year’s FAI Cup and advanced to the Premier Division, in only their second year as a League of Ireland side: “We had an energetic squad with youth and experience. Promotion was at the expense of Shels, who were comfortably ahead of Fingal for most of the season, only to be beaten by us in the play-off … That seemed unfair, but we weren’t complaining.”

The following year, Kirby and a League of Ireland X1 took on Manchester United in the opening fixture at the refurbished Aviva Stadium: “Selection felt like an honour. The pitch is special to play on – especially with 40,000 there. Unfortunately, it seemed like we were the away team, but it was still a unique and proud day.”

During a solitary season with Sligo Rovers, Alan was an unused sub for the 2010 FAI Cup final victory – his winner’s medal with Sporting Fingal also attained under similar circumstances: “I felt part of it, but it wasn’t the same. It doesn’t bother me now, considering the previous highs I had in the competition. For Fingal, I was injured in the semi-final, so was only ever going to be brought on if I was badly needed. With Sligo, I was supposed to go on as third substitute, but the more it looked like going to penalties – Paul Cook wanted to bring on Ciaran Kelly, who was an expert spot-kick saver. It worked, so it’s hard to argue with that.”

Kirby finished his League of Ireland career back at Longford, scoring his last goal in a play-off defeat to Waterford: “I remember warming up, thinking – I can’t believe this will be my last senior game, some 15 seasons after my debut. It’s ironic that it was against my hometown team, but not many people knew that I was about to call it a day.”     

Currently not involved in the game, Alan ends by voicing his priorities: “I never made the conscious decision to have nothing more to do with football and haven’t missed playing, bar big European nights. Having two kids, when it comes to weekends, I’m making up for lost time, but wouldn’t mind coaching a local underage team in the future.”