Archie Rosbotham

Name: Alexander Rosbotham (Rossbotham)

Position: Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 7 Full Caps (1887-1889).

Club Honours: (with Cliftonville) Irish Cup Winner 1887/88, Runner-Up 1886/87.

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Club Career:

Cliftonville

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Biography:

To follow.

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Ireland Cap Details:

05-02-1887 England. A L 0- 7 BC

18-02-1887 Scotland A L 1- 4 BC

12-03-1887 Wales... H W 4- 1 BC

03-03-1888 Wales... A L 0-11 BC

24-03-1888 Scotland H L 2-10 BC

07-04-1888 England. H L 1- 5 BC

02-03-1889 England. A L 1- 6 BC

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Summary: 7/0. Won 1, Drew 0, Lost 6.

Edward Roper

Name: Edward Ormsby Roper
Position: Forward

Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Full Cap (1886).

Club Career:
Dublin University

Biography:
To follow.

Ireland Cap Details:
27-02-1886 Wales... A L 0-5 BC

Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.

Jack Reid

Name: John Reid
Position: Forward/Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 6 Full Caps (1883-1890).
Club Honours: (with Ulster) Irish Cup Winner 1886/87; Runner-Up 1882/83.

Club Career:
Ulster

Biography:
Twice an Irish Cup finalist and six times an international player, Jack Reid later became an international referee, Secretary of the Irish FA from 1888-1905 and a champion for the introduction of the penalty kick in 1891.

More to follow.

Ireland Cap Details:
24-02-1883 England. A L 0-7 FR
09-02-1884 Wales... A L 0-6 BC
18-02-1887 Scotland A L 1-4 BC
27-04-1889 Wales... H L 1-3 BC
08-02-1890 Wales... A L 2-5 BC
29-03-1890 Scotland H L 1-4 BC

Summary: 6/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 6.

Robert Redmond

Name: Robert Redmond
Position: Forward

Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Full Cap (1884).

Club Career:
Cliftonville

Biography:
To follow.

Ireland Cap Details:
09-02-1884 Wales... A L 0-6 BC

Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.

David Rattray

Name: David Rattray
Position: Full-Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 3 Full Caps (1882-1883).

Club Career:
Avoniel 1880/81-1882/83

Biography:
David Rattray was a member of Avoniel Football Club. The club was based at Beechfield Street, Mountpottinger, Belfast and were founder members of the Irish Football Association. The club took part in the first three editions of the Irish Cup. In the inaugral 1880/81 competition they went out 2-0 to Moyola Park, the eventual winners. In 1881/82 both Avoniel and Cliftonville progressed to the 2nd round following 2-2 and 0-0 draws. Distillery were defeated after a replay before Avoniel succumbed 2-0 to Cliftonville in a semi-final replay after a 1-1 draw. They lost 5-3 to Ligoniel the following year.

Rattray was the mainstay of the team and the only Avoniel player to gain International Honours. On the 11th February 1882 he was selected for the team to represent Ireland against England on the 18th February and Wales the following week. He played in the England match but was unable to travel for the Wales match and his place was taken by Billy Crone of Distillery. He did however make two more appearances for Ireland.

Avoniel disbanded in December 1883 with most of their players joining Glentoran and Rattray went to Glasgow in 1884 to work in the shipyards there. He returned before the end of the century and resided in the Whitewell area. Still a ship-yard man, he worked on the ill-fated Titanic.

Ireland Cap Details:
18-02-1882 England H L 1-13 FR
24-02-1883 England H L 0- 7 FR
17-03-1883 Wales.. H D 1- 1 FR

Summary: 3/0. Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 2.

By George Glass.

Rab Torrans

Name: Robert Torrans
Born: 26 November 1866, Belfast
Died: 18 March 1956
Position: Left-Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Full Cap (1893); Irish League: 1 Cap (1893).
Club Honours: (with Linfield) Irish League Champion 1891/92, 1892/93, 1894/95; Irish Cup Winner 1891/92, 1892/93, 1894/95.

Club Career:

Clubs	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
Linfield	-	-1886	Amateur	-	-	-
TOTALS		£-		-	-	-

Biography:
One of the quintet of Torrans brothers – Ra, Sa, Ta and Ja – to feature for Linfield during the latter 1800s, Rab was a highly versatile player. Alongside Sam, Rab was among the Linfield side that took to the field for their first ever match, a 6-5 friendly win over Distillery on 11th September 1886 - he marked the occasion with two goals. During his career he featured in all positions along the left side of the field, claiming three Irish League titles and three Irish Cups.

Although Rab had to play second-fiddle to brother Sam, three years his junior, for much of his playing career the pair did find themselves performing together on the highest stage on a few occasions. Rab won his only cap, on the day Sam one his tenth, in a 6-1 defeat by Scotland in March 1893. A month later the pair took the field for the Irish League’s first representative match, and for once Rab made the bigger mark, scoring the final goal in a 3-0 victory over the Scottish League.

Torrans also fulfilled the role of Linfield club secretary and was later trainer of the sides that won the Irish Cup in 1898 and 1899 – taking his personal involvement in Irish Cup successes to five. “Determined and circumspect” as a trainer, he was also appointed as Ireland’s coach for their Home Nations clash against Wales on 24 February 1900 – the Welsh were 2-0 victors. Over the next few decades he fulfilled the role of international team trainer on at least five occasions.

Ireland Cap Details:
25-03-1893 Scotland A L 1-6 BC

Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.

Reg "Paddy" Ryan

Name: Reginald Alphonso Ryan
Born: 30 October 1925, Dublin
Died: 13 February 1997, Sheldon, Birmingham
Height: 5.08 ft
Weight: 11.09 st
Position: Left-Half

Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Full Cap (1950); Eire: 16 Full Caps / 3 Goals (1949-1955); Football League Division Three North representative (1955).
Club Honours: (with West Brom) Football League Division One Runner-Up 1953/54; Football League Division Two Runner-Up (promoted) 1948/49; FA Cup Winner 1953/54; FA Charity Shield Shared 1954; (with Derby) Football League Division Three (North) Champion 1956/57; (with Coventry) Football League Division Four Runners-Up (promoted) 1958/59.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	FL Cup	Other
Blackpool Boys	-	-	Youth	-	-	-	-
Claremont Juniors	-	-	Youth	-	-	-	-
Sunbeam Cars	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sheffield United	-	-41	Trial	0/ 0	-	-	-
Jaguar Cars	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Nuneaton Borough	-	-	Guest	-	-	-	-
Nottingham Forest	-	-42	Trial	-	-	-	-
Coventry City	-	Apr-43	Amateur	-	-	-	-
West Bromwich Albion	46/47-54/55	Apr-45	£750	234/28	20/2	-	18/1
Derby County	55/56-58/59	Jul-55	£3,000	133/30	6/1	-	-
Coventry City	58/59-60/61	Sep-58	-	65/ 9	3/0	1/0	1/0
TOTALS	-	£3,750		432/67	29/3	1/0	19/1

Biography:
Dual international wing-half Paddy Ryan remains one of the most revered names in the history of West Bromwich Albion. Having played Gaelic football for the Marino School in Dublin whilst growing up, Ryan took to soccer after moving to Blackpool in the early years of the Second World War. He played with Claremount School before earning selection for Blackpool Boys and earned trials with Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest. After playing works-football and War-Time non-League with Nuneaton Borough, Ryan was offered amateur terms by Coventry City in April 1943, signing professional in August 1944.

In April 1945 Ryan arrived at the Hawthorns to sign for West Brom. He made his Baggies debut in the transitional Football League South against Millwall in November 1945. Described as stocky but mobile, it took time for him to make his mark (he didn't make his League-proper debut until April 1947) but when given regular run-outs he put in remarkably consistent and impressive performances from either wing-half position or at inside-forward.

A bit-part player in West Brom’s 1948/49 promotion campaign, Ryan came to relish First Division football. By the end of his first topflight campaign he had been awarded caps by both the FAI and the IFA. His debut for Eire came in a 3-1 World Cup Qualification defeat by Sweden at Dalymount Park and his debut for the Belfast-based association came as left-half against Wales in March 1950 on the last occasion on which southern-born players were selected (he was joined on the field by fellow southerners Con Martin, Davy Walsh and Bud Aherne). Ryan remained a regular for Eire for six seasons, his versatility used to great effect.

On the domestic front Ryan was the hub of West Brom’s engine room as the club went close to a League and Cup Double. Although they had to make do with just the FA Cup, defeating Preston 3-2 in the Wembley final, as they finished four points behind local-rivals Wolves in the race for the League title. Still, the following season opened with an exhilarating Charity Shield clash with Wolves which ended in a 4-4 draw with Ryan on the scoresheet.

Nicknamed “Rubberneck” due to his prodigious heading ability, Ryan was not much of a goal-getter, but more of a goal creator. When employed as a forward he played in, what would now be described as, “the hole” behind the main strikers, linking defence to attack. When he did score they were often spectacular, rasping drives against Manchester United and Blackpool among his best.

In 1955 Ryan left West Brom for Derby County in a £3,000 deal. He was seen as the man to instill some spirit into the Rams who had reached the lowest point in their history. They just missed out on promotion to Division Two in 1956 but in 1957 Ryan captained them to the Division Three (North) title. With Derby Ryan also found a rich vein of goalscoring form, finishing as the club’s topscorer in their return to Division Two in 1957/58. During his time with Derby Ryan also represented Division Three (North) against their southern counterparts.

Ryan finished his long career back at Coventry, then a club in despair. Immediately appointed captain, he led the team from the bottom half when he joined to promotion from Division Four in 1959. His experience, ability and attitude rubbed off on those around him as City maintained their Division Three status. He retired from playing in November 1960, but remained with the club as pools organiser until 1961. He then took a similar position back at West Brom where he later became chief scout from September 1962 to October 1976. He remained an active scout for Aston Villa, Derby, Hereford United and Leeds United until 1994, just three years before his death.

Ireland Cap Details:

08-03-1950 Wales....... A D 0-0 BC/WCQ

Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 0.

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Eire Cap Details:

13-11-1949 Sweden...... H L 1-3 WCQ

10-05-1950 Belgium..... A L 1-5 FR

26-11-1950 Norway...... H D 2-2 FR

13-05-1951 Argentina... H L 0-1 FR

30-05-1951 Norway...... A W 3-2 FR

17-10-1951 West Germany H W 3-2 FR

04-05-1952 West Germany A L 0-3 FR

07-05-1952 Austria..... A L 0-6 FR

01-06-1952 Spain....... A L 0-6 FR

16-11-1952 France...... H D 1-1 FR

25-03-1953 Austria..... H W 4-0 FR

04-10-1953 France...... H L 3-5 WCQ 1 Goal

28-10-1953 Luxembourg.. H W 4-0 WCQ 1 Goal

25-11-1953 France...... A L 0-1 WCQ

07-11-1954 Norway...... H W 2-1 FR. 1 Goal

27-11-1955 Spain....... H D 2-2 FR

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Summary: 16/3. Won 5, Drew 3, Lost 8.

Dave Rollo

Name: David Rollo
Born: 26 August 1890, Belfast
Died: 17 February 1963, Blackpool (England)
Height:
Weight:
Position: Half-Back/Full-Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 16 Full Caps (1912-1926), 2 Victory Caps (1919); Irish League: 5 Caps (1913-1919).
Club Honours: (with Linfield) Irish League Champion 1913/14; Irish Cup Winner 1912/13, 1914/15, 1915/16, 1918/19, Runner-Up 1913/14, 1917/18; Belfast & District League Champion 1915/16, 1917/18.

Club Career:

Clubs	Seasons		Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup		Other
Brantwood		-	-	-	-	-		-
Cliftonville		-	-	-	-	-		-
Distillery West End			-	-	-	-		-
Mountpottinger		-	-	-	-	-		-
Linfield		-	c/s-11	-	-		-	-
Blackburn Rvrs		19/20-26/27	Dec-19	-	207/5		18/0	-
Port Vale		27/28	Aug-27	-	2/0	-		-
Fleetwood Windsor Villa			-	-	(West Lancashire League)
TOTALS				-	209/5	18/0		-

Biography:
Multi-honoured as a Linfield player, Dave Rollo went on to play First Division football and play on to his late-thirties in a War-interrupted career. His earliest caps were won as stand-in for the unavailable Val Harris, but after the Great War he established himself in the Ireland team on merit.

With his playing days behind him, Rollo settled in Blackpool where he became a licensee and hotel owner. Prior to moving to England he had followed in his father's footsteps in becoming a boilermaker, as did at least one of his brothers.

More to follow.

LinfieldFC.com

Ireland Cap Details:
13-04-1912 Wales... A W 3-2 BC
18-01-1913 Wales... H L 0-1 BC
19-01-1914 Wales... A W 2-1 BC
14-02-1914 England. A W 3-0 BC
14-02-1920 Wales... H D 2-2 BC
13-03-1920 Scotland A L 0-3 BC
23-10-1920 England. A L 0-2 BC
26-02-1921 Scotland H L 0-2 BC
09-04-1921 Wales... A L 1-2 BC
22-10-1921 England. H D 1-1 BC
21-10-1922 England. A L 0-2 BC
01-03-1924 Scotland A L 0-2 BC
15-03-1924 Wales... H L 0-1 BC
18-04-1925 Wales... A D 0-0 BC
24-10-1925 England. H D 0-0 BC
20-10-1926 England. A D 3-3 BC

Summary: 16/0. Won 3, Drew 5, Lost 8.

Victory Cap Details:
22-03-1919 Scotland A L 1-2
19-04-1919 Scotland H D 0-0

Summary: 2/0. Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 1.

With thanks to Martin O'Connor for the additional details on Rollo's club career.