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Derek Swan

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Derek Swan
Personal information
Full name Derek Anthony Swan
Date of birth (1966-10-24) 24 October 1966 (age 57)
Place of birth Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Belvedere[1]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1986 Home Farm 9 (0)
1986–1990 Bohemians 101 (41)
1990 Port Vale 0 (0)
1990Wageningen (loan) 5 (0)
1990–1993 Shamrock Rovers 75 (25)
1993 Dundalk 3 (0)
1993–1994 Glentoran 6 (1)
1994–2000 Bohemians 136 (48)
2000–2002 UCD 16 (4)
Total 353 (119)
International career
1986–1987 Republic of Ireland U21s 2 (0)
1989 Republic of Ireland U23 1 (0)
1989 League of Ireland XI 1 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Derek Anthony Swan (born 24 October 1966) is an Irish former footballer who played as a forward. He played for Home Farm, Bohemians, Port Vale, FC Wageningen, Shamrock Rovers, Dundalk, Glentoran and UCD.

Club career

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Swan began his career with Home Farm in 1985–86, making his debut against Shamrock Rovers in November 1985. The following season he secured a switch to Bohemians, where he averaged ten league goals a year in four years with the club. In June 1987 he guested for Shamrock Rovers in a tournament in South Korea.[2]

He moved to England with Port Vale in May 1990 for a £15,000 fee. Three months later, he went out on a one-month loan to FC Wageningen. He never made the first team at Vale Park and was sold on to Shamrock Rovers for £12,500 in November 1990.[3] He scored twice on his Rovers league debut in December 1990.[4] During his three years at the club he scored 25 goals in 75 league appearances and was top club goalscorer in 1991–92 and 1992–93.

In December 1994 he returned to "Bohs" for £2,000. He spent the next six years at Dalymount, including scoring at Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi in a 1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup tie.[5] He also netted in a 1996–97 UEFA Cup tie against FC Dinamo Minsk.

In 2000, he signed for University College Dublin, where his goals helped UCD to avoid relegation as they secured their top-flight status for the following 2001–02 season, with one point to spare.[6]

International career

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Swan was capped at schoolboy, youth, under-21 and under-23 level for the Republic of Ireland. He also played for the League of Ireland XI against Al-Ahly.[7]

He played at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship.[8]

Personal life

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His father played as a goalkeeper for Bohemians and Drogheda and Athlone. His uncle, Maurice Swan, was also a goalkeeper. His cousin, former defender Tony McDonnell, had a 13-year career with UCD.[9] His son, Ryan, is also a footballer; both father and son have played for Bohemian.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "International Roll of Honour". belvederefc.com. 2 February 2016. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  2. ^ "Article". The Irish Times. 11 June 1987. p. 4. Retrieved 22 June 2009.
  3. ^ Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 284. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  4. ^ "Article". The Irish Times. 3 December 1990. p. 16. Retrieved 22 June 2009.
  5. ^ "Article". The Irish Times. 3 July 1995. p. 30. Retrieved 22 June 2009.
  6. ^ "Derry mastered by students". BBC Sport. 25 March 2001. Retrieved 22 June 2009.
  7. ^ Mackey, Liam (7 December 2019). "A tale of 'Mad Dog' and Irishmen looks back at League of Ireland players' time in Libya". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  8. ^ "FIFA Player Statistics: Derek SWAN – FIFA.com". FIFA. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  9. ^ Fennessy, Paul (9 September 2018). "Facing Zidane in Dublin, an ill-fated stint in England and becoming one of Irish football's all-time top scorers". The42. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  10. ^ "The son of a club legend will play up front for Bohemians next season". The 42. 20 December 2017. Retrieved 15 January 2018.