Fergus Crawford (1934–1985) was an Irish professional footballer. Crawford was brought up on the Phibsboro Road in Dublin, Ireland, in the shadow of Dalymount Park.

Career

Crawford's football career started when he was instructed by the local constabulary to stop playing football on the roads. The local Phoenix Park provided a safer place to kickabout and he was soon spotted there by scouts from Bulfin United, a feeder club for

St Patrick's Athletic St Patrick's Athletic Football Club ( ga, Cumann Peile Lúthchleas Phádraig Naofa) is a professional Irish association football club based in Inchicore, Dublin, that plays in the Irish Premier Division. Founded in May 1929, they played origin ...

. Crawford soon moved on to St.Patricks and whilst there he achieved several major honours including LFA President's Cup, FAI Intermediate Cup, two League of Ireland winners medals ( 1954–55 and 1955–56), and an

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 ...

runners up medal in 1954. He played many times for the

League of Ireland XI The League of Ireland XI, more recently referred to as the ''Airtricity League XI'' for sponsorship reasons, is the representative team of the League of Ireland, the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. For much of it ...

in games that at that time were regarded as the equivalent of full internationals. After a 1952 game against the

Football League XI The English Football League XI was a representative side of the Football League. The team regularly played against the Scottish Football League XI and other national league select teams between 1891 and 1976. For a long period the annual fixture be ...

, when as a 19-year-old he marked Stanley Matthews, he received excellent reviews for his mature performance and refusal to be drawn to the tackle. Matthews himself heaped praise upon the young Crawford. He was picked for the full international squad on more than one occasion but did not receive a full international cap despite having "warmed the bench", most notably against Yugoslavia in 1955. He was incredibly unlucky in that regard as at that time only one substitution was allowed. Crawford founded the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland with the help of the legendary English footballer Jimmy Hill during the 1950s. This association remains active today in promoting the welfare of Irish soccer players. Following a contractual dispute with St.Pats that kept him out of football for almost two years he returned to League of Ireland football for the 1959 - 1960 season with Limerick F.C. This was despite offers from big English clubs including

Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...

. It proved a great move for Limerick as, for the first of only two times in their history, they won the League championship. Crawford is fondly remembered by many soccer fans as a cultured and lightning fast fullback, regarded by many to the best Irish player in that position never to play a full international. He lived quietly in his native Dublin following the end of his career and died at home aged 51 in Dublin in August 1985 following a long illness and in the presence of his family.

References

1933 births 1985 deaths Association footballers from County Dublin Republic of Ireland men's association footballers St Patrick's Athletic F.C. players League of Ireland players League of Ireland XI players Limerick F.C. players Men's association football defenders {{Ireland-footy-defender-stub