# 2006 Shelbourne F.C. season

In the 2006 season, Shelbourne were crowned League of Ireland Premier Division champions.

## Overview

Despite having battled with dire finances for much of the 2006 season, mainly due to market risk-taking in the drive for success, over-expenditure on player-purchase fees, high wages, low home attendance rates and continuing tax debts, Shelbourne actually managed to win the title. However, they had been hit with three winding-up orders by the Revenue Commissioners within a spell of nine months but just about managed to gather enough funds and investment to keep the tax collectors off their backs and keep the club running on each occasion. This was at the expense of the players, though, who had gone for weeks without their wages and it seemed that the only thing keeping them performing at the club was the season's climax and the drive for the title, as well as promises (which ultimately turned out to be empty) of a remedy. Once the season came to a close the rot set in and the general public were made fully aware of the true extent of how poor a state the club were in. Due to the finances, many found it extraordinary that Shelbourne had been awarded a Premier Division licence for 2007 by the Independent Assessment Group a few months earlier. They saw it as another chance to criticise the lack of transparency within the organisation that appointed the Group who were supposed to dispense licences to clubs who were solvent and financially stable for the foreseeable future - the Football Association of Ireland. The association has been well used to criticism of its administration in the past, but clearly, the Group could not have been said to have performed their role effectively.
Manager Pat Fenlon tendered his resignation from Shelbourne on 5 December 2006. This was in spite of Shelbourne winning the title on goal difference from Derry City. Fenlon's departure precipitated a widescale exodus from Tolka Park, as players, unhappy with the wage situation, departed to rival clubs - many having their contracts rescinded by law.

## Personnel
### Managerial/backroom staff

Manager: Pat Fenlon Assistant Manager: Eamon Collins

### 2006 squad members

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | WAL | Steve Williams |
| 2 | DF | IRL | Owen Heary (Captain) |
| 3 | DF | IRL | David Crawley |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Dave Rogers |
| 5 | DF | WAL | Jamie Harris |
| 6 | MF | IRL | Jim Crawford |
| 7 | MF | IRL | Ollie Cahill |
| 8 | MF | IRL | Stuart Byrne |
| 9 | FW | IRL | Glen Crowe |
| 10 | FW | IRL | Jason Byrne |
| 11 | MF | IRL | James Chambers |
| 12 | MF | IRL | Greg O'Halloran |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 14 | MF | IRL | Richie Baker |
| 15 | MF | IRL | Alan Moore |
| 16 | FW | IRL | Gary O'Neill |
| 17 | MF | IRL | Bobby Ryan |
| 18 | MF | CMR | Joseph Ndo |
| 19 | DF | IRL | Colin Hawkins |
| 20 | GK | IRL | Dean Delany |
| 21 | MF | IRL | David Tyrrell |
| 22 | DF | IRL | Sean Dillon |
| 23 | MF | IRL | Alan Reynolds |
| 24 | MF | IRL | Liam Kearney |
| 30 | MF | IRL | Gary Deegan |

### Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | IRL | James Chambers (was on loan to Waterford United) |
| — | MF | IRL | Gary Deegan (was on loan to Kilkenny City) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| — | MF | IRL | David Tyrrell (was on loan to Bray Wanderers) |

### Transfers In

The following players joined Shelbourne for the 2006 campaign:
| Date | Pos. | Name | From |
| 8 December 2005 | MF | Greg O'Halloran | Cork City |
| 10 January 2006 | DF | Sean Dillon | Longford Town |
| 11 February 2006 | MF | Liam Kearney | Cork City |

### Transfers Out

| Date | Pos. | Name | To |
| 19 November 2005 | MF | Alan Cawley | UCD |
| 19 November 2005 | DF | Kevin Doherty | Longford Town |
| 19 November 2005 | FW | Glen Fitzpatrick | Drogheda United |
| 19 November 2005 | DF | Curtis Fleming | |
| 19 November 2005 | DF | Derek Pender | Dublin City |
| 19 November 2005 | FW | Ger Rowe | Ballymena United |
| 19 November 2005 | MF | Hussain Yazdani | Kilkenny City |
| 30 December 2005 | MF | Wes Hoolahan | Livingston |
| | MF | Brian King | Kilkenny City |
| 12 July 2006 | MF | Alan Reynolds | Waterford United |

## Final League

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Shelbourne (C, R) | 30 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 60 | 27 | +33 | 62 | Demotion to League of Ireland First Division |
| 2 | Derry City | 30 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 46 | 20 | +26 | 62 | Qualification to Champions League first qualifying round |
| 3 | Drogheda United | 30 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 37 | 23 | +14 | 58 | Qualification to UEFA Cup first qualifying round |
| 4 | Cork City | 30 | 15 | 11 | 4 | 37 | 15 | +22 | 56 | Qualification to Intertoto Cup first round |
| 5 | Sligo Rovers | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 33 | 42 | −9 | 40 | |
* ↑ Shelbourne were demoted to the First Division for financial irregularities.

### League results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 17 November 2006. Source: League of Ireland Premier Division Fixtures

### League Form/Results by Round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Ground | A | H | A | A | A | A | H | A | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | A | A | H | A | A | H |
| Result | D | D | D | W | W | D | W | L | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | D | L | W | W | W | D | W | D | W | L | D | W | L | W |

### UEFA Intertoto Cup
#### First round

Shelbourne won 5 - 0 on aggregate

#### Second round

OB Odense won 3 - 1 on aggregate

### Setanta Sports Cup
#### Group B
##### Final Group B Table

| Pos | Team v t e | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Linfield (A) | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 4 | +8 | 10 | Advanced to the semi-finals |
| 2 | Shelbourne (A) | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 9 | Advanced to the semi-finals |
| 3 | Derry City | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 7 | |
| 4 | Glentoran | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 18 | −13 | 4 | |

#### Semi-Finals
### Friendlies
## 2006 season Statistics
### Player appearances/goals

As of 17 November 2006.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | League | League | Cup | Cup |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | WAL | Steve Williams | 22 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | IRL | Owen Heary | 36 | 3 | 21 | 2 | 15 | 1 |
| 3 | DF | IRL | David Crawley | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Dave Rogers | 39 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | WAL | Jamie Harris | 28 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | IRL | Jim Crawford | 15 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | IRL | Ollie Cahill | 45 | 5 | 28 | 4 | 17 | 1 |
| 8 | MF | IRL | Stuart Byrne | 42 | 7 | 27 | 6 | 15 | 1 |
| 9 | FW | IRL | Glen Crowe | 46 | 16 | 29 | 12 | 17 | 4 |
| 10 | FW | IRL | Jason Byrne | 39 | 23 | 26 | 15 | 13 | 8 |
| 11 | MF | IRL | James Chambers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | MF | IRL | Greg O'Halloran | 25 | 3 | 15 | 2 | 10 | 1 |
| 14 | MF | IRL | Richie Baker | 30 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | IRL | Alan Moore | 22 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | IRL | Gary O'Neill | 29 | 8 | 22 | 8 | 7 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | IRL | Bobby Ryan | 35 | 4 | 20 | 2 | 15 | 2 |
| 18 | MF | CMR | Joseph Ndo | 35 | 4 | 24 | 2 | 11 | 2 |
| 19 | DF | IRL | Colin Hawkins | 39 | 3 | 26 | 3 | 13 | 0 |
| 20 | GK | IRL | Dean Delany | 29 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | IRL | David Tyrrell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | IRL | Sean Dillon | 45 | 1 | 29 | 0 | 16 | 1 |
| 23 | MF | IRL | Alan Reynolds | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | IRL | Liam Kearney | 16 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| 30 | MF | IRL | Gary Deegan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |

### Top goalscorers

| Position | Goalscorer | Total Goals | League Goals | Cup Goals |
| 1 | Jason Byrne | 23 | 15 | 8 |
| 2 | Glen Crowe | 16 | 12 | 4 |
| 3 | Gary O'Neill | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 4 | Stuart Byrne | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| 5 | Ollie Cahill | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| 6 | Joseph Ndo | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| | Bobby Ryan | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 8 | Colin Hawkins | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| | Owen Heary | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| | Greg O'Halloran | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 11 | Jamie Harris | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| | Richie Baker | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| | Sean Dillon | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| | Liam Kearney | 1 | 1 | 0 |