Billy Jordan was an Irish association football player during the 1930s.

Club career

Jordan began his footballing life at St Francis who played in the St Dominic's Boys Sodality League. He joined Bohs from Villa Rangers in 1928/29. Jordan was a skilful inside left but had to bide his time in the Bohemian "B" and "C" teams before he made his first team début in December 1931 when

Fred Horlacher Fred Horlacher (March 1910 – 17 March 1943) was an Irish footballer who played for Bohemians in the League of Ireland during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. As an international, Horlacher represented both Ireland teams. He played as a senior for ...

was away on inter-League duty with the

League of Ireland The League of Ireland ( ga, Sraith na hÉireann), together with the Football Association of Ireland, is one of the two main governing bodies responsible for organising association football in the Republic of Ireland. The term was originally us ...

in Wales. He became a permanent name in the starting line up from the 1933/34 season on as either inside or outside left. Jordan's "arrival" that 33/34 season coincided with another Billy being appointed coach - Bill Lacey. It was Lacey who shrewdly gave

a new lease of life by moving him back to left half (what might be regarded as a defensive midfield position nowadays) and installed Jordan at inside left. It would prove Jordan's best scoring season, for he scored 16 goals in all competitions as Bohs won the

Shield A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry or projectiles such as arrows, by means of a ...

and then the League. Jordan stayed on the left wing during 34/35 and played in a dramatic FAI Cup final against Dundalk though suffering from a knee injury. Bohs were reduced to ten men several times during the match, permanently so with over half an hour to play as the injured

Paddy Farrell Paddy Farrell (1913-19 March 1987) was an Irish footballer who played for Bohemians and Hibernian during the 1930s. He was born in Athlone, Ireland. As an international he also played for both Ireland teams - the FAI XI and the IFA XI. At ...

couldn't continue, but they held on with their backs to the wall for a 4-3 win and it still remains the highest scoring final in its long history. Jordan scored two goals within a minute during the first half to help Bohs on their way. Jordan gave Bohemians ten seasons as a first-teamer. He clocked up exactly 100 League appearances from which he scored 37 goals, bowing out at the end of the 1940/41 season. In all he made 192 first team appearances in all competitions, scoring 67 goals. He came from a sporting family as his brothers Andy and Danny also had long spells at Bohemians.

International career

Jordan earned his first full international cap for the

Irish Free State The Irish Free State ( ga, Saorstát Éireann, , ; 6 December 192229 December 1937) was a state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-year Irish War of Independence between th ...

on 8 April 1934 against

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

in a 5-2 defeat. Unfortunately for Jordan, he was injured and had to be replaced by fellow Bohemian

. This was the first substitution ever to take place in an Irish international match. His second cap came in October 1937 in a World Cup tie that ended 3-2 to

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

Oslo Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...

Death

Jordan died on 8 October 2000, aged 91.

Honours

: 2 ** Bohemians - 1933/34, 1935/36 *

FAI Cup The Football Association of Ireland Senior Challenge Cup (FAI Cup), known as the Extra.ie FAI Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland (as well as Derry ...

: 1 ** Bohemians - 1935 *

League of Ireland Shield The League of Ireland Shield ( ga, Sciath Sraithe na hÉireann) is a defunct Irish football tournament which was introduced when the League of Ireland started in 1921 and ran uninterrupted until 1972. It was played before the league season began ...

: 1 ** Bohemians - 1934 *2 Full Irish International Caps

References

;Sources * {{DEFAULTSORT:Jordan, Billy Republic of Ireland men's association footballers Irish Free State men's international footballers League of Ireland players Bohemian F.C. players Year of birth missing Year of death missing Association footballers from Dublin (city) Irish Free State men's association footballers Men's association football forwards