Ned Weir
Encyclopedia
Ned Weir was an Irish footballer
who played for several clubs in the Scottish Football League
. Weir was also a dual Irish international
and played for both Ireland teams - the IFA XI
and the FAI XI. After retiring as a player he managed Dundalk
.
and began playing football with his local church side, St Joseph's in Bonnybridge
, before joining Camelon Juniors F.C.
where he developed his skills as a left-half. He spent three seasons with Falkirk
but was largely a bit-part player. He then joined St Bernard's
of the Scottish Second Division
, initially on loan.
During the 1937-38 season, he was spotted by a Dublin
football fan, Matt Murtagh. Murtagh subsequently recommended him to both the IFA
and the FAI
. Before the following season he was transferred to Clyde
and in 1939
he helped them win the Scottish Cup
. Weir put in a man of the match performance as Clyde beat Rangers
4-1 in the third round.
Clyde then went onto win the cup, beating Motherwell
4-0 in the final. On April 28, 1940, while still at Clyde, Weir also played for a Scottish League XI
in a 3-2 win against a League of Ireland XI
at Dalymount Park
.
- based IFA
and the Irish Free State
- based FAI
claimed jurisdiction over the whole of Ireland
and selected players from the whole island. As a result several notable Irish players from this era, including Weir, played for both teams.
on March 15, 1939 in a 3-1 away defeat against Wales
. This was his one and only appearance for the IFA XI.
at the Mardyke
. He then went on a European tour with the FAI XI and played in the teams last two internationals before the Second World War. The first of these was a return game against Hungary on May 18 which again finished as a 2-2 draw. He made his last appearance for the FAI XI on May 23 in a 1-1 draw with Germany
.
as a player-coach but only played a few pre-season friendlies. However he went onto manage Dundalk for two seasons, guiding them victory in both the FAI Cup
and the Dublin City Cup
in 1949.
He is largely credited with bringing a new level of professionalism to Dundalk, employing Scottish backroom staff and recruiting four Scottish players.
Clyde
Manager
Dundalk
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played for several clubs in the Scottish Football League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
. Weir was also a dual Irish international
Dual Irish international footballers
Dual Irish international footballers are a group of Irish international footballers who, between 1908 and March 1950, played for the international teams selected by both the Irish Football Association and the Football Association of Ireland...
and played for both Ireland teams - the IFA XI
Ireland national football team (IFA)
The Ireland national football team represented Ireland at association football, it was organised by the Irish FA , and is the fourth oldest international team in the world. It mainly played in the British Home Championship against England, Scotland and Wales...
and the FAI XI. After retiring as a player he managed Dundalk
Dundalk F.C.
Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...
.
Club career
Weir was raised in ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and began playing football with his local church side, St Joseph's in Bonnybridge
Bonnybridge
Bonnybridge is a small town in the Falkirk council area of Scotland. It is west of Falkirk, north-east of Cumbernauld and south-southwest of Stirling. The town is situated near the Bonny Water which runs through the town and lies north of the Forth and Clyde Canal...
, before joining Camelon Juniors F.C.
Camelon Juniors F.C.
Camelon Juniors F.C. are a Scottish Junior football club based in Camelon, in Falkirk district.The club, founded in 1920, currently play in the Scottish Junior Football Association's East Region Super League after winning the Lothians League Division 1 in 2005–06.Camelon parted company with...
where he developed his skills as a left-half. He spent three seasons with Falkirk
Falkirk F.C.
Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Falkirk. It is one of two professional football teams from the town, the other being East Stirlingshire...
but was largely a bit-part player. He then joined St Bernard's
St Bernard's F.C.
St Bernard's F.C. were a Senior Scottish football club based in Edinburgh from 1878 to 1943....
of the Scottish Second Division
Scottish Football League Second Division
The Scottish Football League Second Division is the second highest division of the Scottish Football League and the third highest overall in the Scottish football league system....
, initially on loan.
During the 1937-38 season, he was spotted by a Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
football fan, Matt Murtagh. Murtagh subsequently recommended him to both the IFA
Irish Football Association
The Irish Football Association is the organising body for association football in Northern Ireland, and was historically the governing body for Ireland...
and the FAI
Football Association of Ireland
The Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...
. Before the following season he was transferred to Clyde
Clyde F.C.
Clyde Football Club are a Scottish professional football team currently playing in the Third Division of the Scottish Football League. Although based for the last fifteen years in the new town of Cumbernauld, they are traditionally associated with an area that covers Rutherglen in South...
and in 1939
Scottish Cup 1938-39
The 1938–39 Scottish Cup was the 61st staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The Cup was won by Clyde who defeated Motherwell in the final.-First round:-Replays:-Second round:-Replays:-Third round:-Replays:...
he helped them win the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
. Weir put in a man of the match performance as Clyde beat Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
4-1 in the third round.
Clyde then went onto win the cup, beating Motherwell
Motherwell F.C.
Motherwell Football & Athletic Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. The club compete in the Scottish Premier League and are one of only seven teams to have remained in this league since it was founded in 1998...
4-0 in the final. On April 28, 1940, while still at Clyde, Weir also played for a Scottish League XI
Scottish League XI
The Scottish League XI is a representative side of the Scottish Football League. The team regularly played against the Football League and other national league select teams between 1892 and 1980. For a long period the annual fixture between the English and Scottish leagues was only second in...
in a 3-2 win against a League of Ireland XI
League of Ireland XI
The League of Ireland XI, known as of 2010 as the Airtricity League XI for sponsorship reasons, is the representative select team for the League of Ireland which operates in the Republic of Ireland.The select first played the Scottish League XI in 1938....
at Dalymount Park
Dalymount Park
Dalymount Park is an Irish football stadium situated on Dublin's Northside. It is the home of Bohemian F.C., who have played there since the early 20th century. Affectionately known as 'Dalyer' by fans, it was also historically the "home of Irish football" holding Irish internationals and FAI Cup...
.
Irish international
When Weir played international football during 1939 there were, in effect, two Ireland teams, chosen by two rival associations. Both associations, the Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
- based IFA
Irish Football Association
The Irish Football Association is the organising body for association football in Northern Ireland, and was historically the governing body for Ireland...
and the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
- based FAI
Football Association of Ireland
The Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...
claimed jurisdiction over the whole of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and selected players from the whole island. As a result several notable Irish players from this era, including Weir, played for both teams.
IFA XI
Weir made his international debut with the IFA XIIreland national football team (IFA)
The Ireland national football team represented Ireland at association football, it was organised by the Irish FA , and is the fourth oldest international team in the world. It mainly played in the British Home Championship against England, Scotland and Wales...
on March 15, 1939 in a 3-1 away defeat against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
. This was his one and only appearance for the IFA XI.
FAI XI
Weir also made 3 appearances for the FAI XI, all in 1939. Four days after playing for the IFA XI, he made his debut for the FAI XI on March 19 in a 2-2 draw with HungaryHungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
at the Mardyke
Mardyke
The Mardyke is an area in Cork city, on the northern half of the long western part of the island formed by the two channels of the River Lee near the city centre. It comprises several large open spaces...
. He then went on a European tour with the FAI XI and played in the teams last two internationals before the Second World War. The first of these was a return game against Hungary on May 18 which again finished as a 2-2 draw. He made his last appearance for the FAI XI on May 23 in a 1-1 draw with Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
.
Coaching career
In 1948 Weir joined DundalkDundalk F.C.
Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...
as a player-coach but only played a few pre-season friendlies. However he went onto manage Dundalk for two seasons, guiding them victory in both the FAI Cup
FAI Cup
The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...
and the Dublin City Cup
Dublin City Cup
The Dublin City Cup is a defunct Irish football tournament which was played for by all League of Ireland sides . It ran from 1933 and ran uninterrupted until 1973. In season 1975/76 it was revived and played for by sides who did not reach the League of Ireland Cup quarter finals...
in 1949.
He is largely credited with bringing a new level of professionalism to Dundalk, employing Scottish backroom staff and recruiting four Scottish players.
Honours
PlayerClyde
- Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
- Winners 1939Scottish Cup 1938-39The 1938–39 Scottish Cup was the 61st staging of Scotland's most prestigious football knockout competition. The Cup was won by Clyde who defeated Motherwell in the final.-First round:-Replays:-Second round:-Replays:-Third round:-Replays:...
: 1
- Winners 1939
Manager
Dundalk
- FAI CupFAI CupThe Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...
- Winners 1949: 1
- Dublin City CupDublin City CupThe Dublin City Cup is a defunct Irish football tournament which was played for by all League of Ireland sides . It ran from 1933 and ran uninterrupted until 1973. In season 1975/76 it was revived and played for by sides who did not reach the League of Ireland Cup quarter finals...
- Winners 1949: 1
- Dublin and Belfast Intercity CupDublin and Belfast Intercity CupThe Dublin and Belfast Inter-city Cup was a soccer competition that ran for eight seasons in Ireland between and including 1941/42-1948/49. Each season's competition consisted of 6 teams from each of the 2 jurisdictions on the island of Ireland, the Irish Football Association and the Football...
- Runners Up 1949: 1