Chris Lyons joins Shelbourne

Shelbourne manager Owen Heary has once again added to his squad ahead of the 2017 First Division season, this time in the form of forward Chris Lyons.

Although just 23, Lyons boasts five League of Ireland clubs on his footballing CV.  Out of the five, three of them were with clubs based in the capital.

Lyons arrived on the League of Ireland scene in late 2011, when Martin Russell, then manager of UCD gave the striker his debut in a game away to Derry City. Lyons continued to progress in Belfield, before making the move to Bohemians after 28 league appearances with the Students.

2013 was a decent season for Lyons in the black and red of the Gypsies, Lyons made 20 league appearances before swapping Dalymount for Tallaght Stadium and Bohs’ arch-rivals Shamrock Rovers.

Upon arriving in South Dublin, it became clear that Lyons’ role with the Hoops would be as a striker with the “B” ore First Division team.  In a season of 28 games, Lyons played 20 for the Hoops, finishing as the team’s top goalscorer, finding the net 20 times.

2015 would see another move for the young attacker, as Alan Matthews and Bray Wanderers came calling Lyons started his first of two spells with the Seasiders. Before leaving at the end of 2015, Lyons, who made 30 league appearances scoring twice in the process would help Bray to an eighth placed finish.

2016 would see Lyons on the move again, this time he would head to Sligo, where he made just six appearances before joining Bray for a second time this past summer, at a stage when he was expected to join Drogheda United.

The arrival of Lyons at Tolka Park sees the Shels squad tally at ten, after nine players, including Lorcan Shannon and Adam Evans, committed their futures to the Reds this past weekend.