Joe O'Brien (footballer)

Joseph O'Brien (27 December 1875 – after 1906) was a Scottish professional footballer who played as a full back in the Football League for Blackburn Rovers, in the Northern League for Aberdeen, and in the Southern League for Reading, Swindon Town and Brighton & Hove Albion.[1] While a Reading player, he was selected for the Southern League representative XI.

Joe O'Brien
Personal information
Full name Joseph O'Brien[1]
Date of birth (1875-12-27)27 December 1875[2]
Place of birth Shettleston, Scotland
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[3]
Position(s) Full back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Baillieston Thistle
Clitheroe
Sheffield
1896–1900 Reading
1900–1901 Blackburn Rovers 3 (0)
1901–1902 Aberdeen 11 (2)
1902–1903 Swindon Town 29 (0)
1903–1904 Reading
1904–1905 Brighton & Hove Albion 28 (0)
1905–1906 Swindon Town 21 (0)
Stalybridge Rovers
Haslingden
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

O'Brien was born in Shettleston, Lanarkshire, in 1875.[1] He played football for Baillieston Thistle, Clitheroe and Sheffield[1] before signing for Southern League club Reading in 1896.[3] He earned a "big reputation" with Reading,[4] was selected for the Southern League representative XI to face the London Association in 1899,[3] and signed for Football League First Division club Blackburn Rovers in April 1900.[4] In the absence of Allan Hardy, he went straight into the team for the league match against Sheffield United on 13 April, which finished as a 3–3 draw.[5] Hardy's return for the visit of Derby County "materially strengthened" the team, according to the Blackburn Standard, whose reporter thought O'Brien had been "of little use" the day before.[6] He made two more league appearances before returning to Scotland where he spent the 1901–02 season with Aberdeen, for whom he scored twice from eleven Northern League matches.[7]

For his next club, Swindon Town, he played in all five FA Cup ties and all but one Southern League fixture in 1902–03.[8] He spent the folliwng season back with Reading, before joining another Southern League club, Brighton & Hove Albion, for 1904–05. He was a regular in their side, partnering Tom Robertson at full back, before returning to Swindon Town for 1905–06.[3] This time he was less of a first-team regular, appearing in 21 Southern League matches and 14 in the United League, a secondary competition.[9] He finished his football career in the north-west of England with Stalybridge Rovers and Haslingden.[2]

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 198. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. "Playing record: Joe O'Brien". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Richard Banyard. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  3. Carder, Tim; Harris, Roger (1997). Albion A–Z: A Who's Who of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. Hove: Goldstone Books. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-9521337-1-1.
  4. "Player for Blackburn Rovers". Manchester Courier. 10 April 1900. p. 9.
  5. "Blackburn Rovers v. Sheffield United". Blackburn Standard. 14 April 1900. p. 5.
  6. 'Sportsman' (21 April 1900). "Sports & pastimes". Blackburn Standard. p. 12.
  7. "XXX O'Brien". Aberdeen FC Heritage Trust. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  8. "Playing record: Joe O'Brien: Season 1902–1903". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Richard Banyard. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  9. "Playing record: Joe O'Brien: Season 1905–1906". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Richard Banyard. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
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