Full name | Galway United Football Club |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | The Tribesmen |
Founded | 1937 |
Ground | Eamonn Deacy Park |
Capacity | 5,000 (3,300 seats) |
Chairman | Jonathan Corbett |
Manager | Shane Keegan |
League | League of Ireland Premier Division |
2016 | League of Ireland Premier Division, 9th |
Website | Club home page |
Galway United Football Club (Irish: Cumann Peile Ghaillimh Aontaithe) is an Irish association football club based in Galway. They play in the League of Ireland Premier Division. They were founded as Galway Rovers F.C. during the 1930s. They made their League of Ireland debut in 1977–78 and changed their name to Galway United in 1981–82. After suffering financial difficulties, the club dropped out of the League of Ireland after the 2011 season but in 2014 Galway United returned after initially playing as Galway F.C. for a season.
Galway United F.C. were founded as Galway Rovers F.C. in the Claddagh district of Galway. The clubs website claims the club was founded in 1937. However, according to a Galway Advertiser report, the club was active in 1933, winning a local junior competition known as the Celtic Shield. By 1937 Rovers were fielding youth teams as well as a junior side. Rovers won the Connacht Junior Cup in 1958 and they also played in the Western League. Rovers first gained national attention when they were invited to play in the 1976–77 League of Ireland Cup. In 1977–78 they made their debut in the League of Ireland. They played their first League of Ireland game on 28 August 1977 at Terryland Park against St. Patrick's Athletic. Eamonn Deacy scored Rovers' first League of Ireland goal on 2 October 1977. In 1980–81 Rovers reached the final of the League of Ireland Cup, but lost on penalties to Dundalk.