By Rory McGrath
Since being formed in 1895, Shelbourne F.C. have been one of the most successful teams in Irish football history with thirteen leagues and 10 FAI cups. Despite this the club has had its very existence threatened on multiple occasions, none more so than in 2006 when the club was relegated for cash flow problems and mounting debts, despite having won the league.
Shelbourne then spent five years in the doldrums of the first division, returning to the top flight in 2011 only to be relegated once more in 2013.
In 2019 under the management of former Leeds Utd player Ian Morris, who assembled a young and talented side, Shelbourne were once again promoted to the top flight. However, the team was again relegated following the conclusion of the 2020 season, before bouncing straight back up to the Premier Division after again winning the First Division title in 2021.
The club then made the decision to replace Morris with Irish footballing legend Damien Duff before the start of the 2022 season. A period of steady progress has since ensued, with the club obtaining qualification to European football for the first time in 20 years at the conclusion of the 2023 season.
At the time of writing Shelbourne now sit on top of the Airtricity Premier Division ahead of Derry City, in second. If Shelbourne do go on to win the League it would represent one of the great comeback stories in sporting history. Truly an escape from the jaws of death.
Throughout this, a hardcore of supporters have stood by the club whether by travelling to all corners of the country, raising funds through various events, or volunteering time to the club. Thus demonstrating the importance of the supporter in football.
Another element of Shel’s success was the creation of Shelbourne Women’s Senior Team and underage teams. Following an amalgamation with Raheny United’s highly-successful women’s team in 2015, the club entered the Women’s National League for the first time. In that first season, Shelbourne F.C. won the WNL Cup and finished runners-up in the League, Cup and Shield competitions. In the years since, the club has won the League three times, the FAI Cup twice and has never finished outside the top three places in the League.
Much of Shelbourne’s success can be attributed to its underage academy, both men’s and women’s senior teams have seen players from Shelbourne’s academy play and excel at the top level of Irish football.
The future is bright for Shelbourne F.C. with a thriving underage programme, steady finances and two prospering senior teams. But the sad fact remains that unless the Football Association of Ireland takes the League of Ireland seriously and makes serious investments to improve the league we are likely to see more professional football clubs struggle with finances and possibly cease to exist.
