Mick Meagan dies at 88

2022-11-27

Former Ireland - and Bray Wanderers - manager Mick Meagan died today after a long battle with illness. He was 88.

In 1969, the FAI appointed Meagan as the first permanent manager of the national side. His two years in charge were marked by exceptionally poor results, with the team losing five out of six matches and gaining just one point in their 1970 World Cup qualification, and doing no better in the UEFA Euro 1972 qualifiers, leading to his dismissal.

Meagan was a Dublin man who had signed for Everton at 18, and spent 12 years at Goodison Park and four with Huddersfield Town, appearing for Ireland 17 times in that period. He returned to Ireland in 1969, and attempted to combine the national team management with running LOI side Drogheda FC, an arrangement which may not have been to the benefit of either.

In July 1973, a newly elected Bray Wanderers committee announced the appointment of Meagan, together with Amby Fogarty, as "co-playing managers" for the team, which after a period under other names was about to return to its Wanderers roots. True to their possibly unique titles, both men played regularly, although not always in the same matches.

Early in 1974, however, Meagan signed for Shamrock Rovers as a player, and would be their manager for the following season.

In the 1975/6 FAI Cup campaign he and his son Mark made history by becoming the first father and son combination to line out in a match in that competition, playing together for Rovers in a drawn game with St Patricks Athletic at Inchicore.

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