Another great chat with Longford Town legend Alan Kirby. At 16 Alan went to England to join Premier League club Aston Villa. He spent four years with the club! Returning home, he signed for League of Ireland Premier Division club Waterford United in 1999, and two-and-a-half years later moved on to Longford Town. During his six seasons with Longford, Kirby won two FAI Cups, in 2003 and 2004, and the 2004 League of Ireland Cup, and was nominated for the 2003 PFAI Players' Player of the Year award. Alan went on to enjoy further success with St Patrick's Athletic, Sporting Fingal, and Sligo rovers before returning to finish his career with Longford Town in 2012. Alan was capped for Ireland at levels from under-16 to under-21, and was a member of the under-20 team that won the bronze medal at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship. He played for the League of Ireland XI that faced Manchester United in a match to mark the opening of the Aviva Stadium in 2010. Thank you for your time Alan!
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