Name: Alfred KearnsBorn: 7 February 1877, Belfast
Died:
Height:
Weight:
Position: Inside/Outside-Left
Representative Honours: Ireland: 6 Caps (1900-1902); Irish League: 3 Caps (1900-1901).
Club Honours: (with Distillery) Irish League Champion 1900/01, 1902/03; Irish Cup Winner 1902/03, Runner-Up 1901/02; Co. Antrim Shield Winner 1899/00, 1902/03, Runner-Up 1901/02, 1907/08; Belfast Charities Cup Winner 1899/00.
Club Career:
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Teams
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Seasons
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Signed
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Fee
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League
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FA Cup
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Other
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Rosebank
Thistle
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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Belfast
Celtic
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97/98-98/99
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-
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-
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-
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-
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-
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Distillery
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99/00-03/04
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Aug-1900
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Glossop
Reserves
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-
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May-1904
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Trial
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-
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Blackpool
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04/05
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May-1904
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-
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15/ 3
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St
Helens Recreation
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May-1905
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(Lancashire Combination)
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St
Helens Town
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05/06
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Mar-1906
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(Lancashire Combination)
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Distillery
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06/07-08/09
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Jun-1906
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*191/53
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TOTALS
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£-
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-
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-
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Biography:
Originally with Belfast Celtic, Alfie Kearns came to the fore with Distillery during their most successful years at the beginning of the 20th Century. A regular at either inside-left or outside-left, he also on occasion played on the right of attack.
Kearns marked the 1899/1900 season, his first with Distillery, with two goals in a 5-0 Charities Cup Final win over Linfield. He also helped the Whites to the Co. Antrim Shield, and won his first Inter-League and International honours.
1902/03 proved to be Kearn’s most successful season - on the domestic front at least. He scored in Irish Cup and Co. Antrim Shield successes, and claimed his second League winner’s medal. In 1904 he moved to Blackpool, but made just fifteen appearances in the English Second Division, returning to Distillery for the 1906/07 campaign.
Kearns played on for a further three seasons, but his career was ended by a bad tackle which broke his leg in a match against Linfield on 19th December 1908. Permanently crippled by the injury he was awarded a benefit match the following August in which Linfield defeated Linfield 2-0.
Ireland Cap Details:
24-02-1900 Wales... A L 0-2 BC
03-03-1900 Scotland H L 0-3 BC
17-03-1900 England. H L 0-2 BC
22-02-1902 Wales... A W 3-0 BC
01-03-1902 Scotland H L 1-3 BC
22-03-1902 England. H L 0-1 BC
Summary: 6/0. Won 1, Drew 0, Lost 5.
With thanks to Martin O'Connor.
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