Jacobs Football Club was an Irish association football club based in Crumlin, Dublin. Jacobs were one of the founding members of the League of Ireland and played in the league from 1921–22 until 1931–32. Like several fellow early League of Ireland clubs, such as

St James's Gate St. James's Gate, located off the south quays of Dublin, on James's Street, was the western entrance to the city during the Middle Ages. During this time the gate was the traditional starting point for the Camino pilgrimage from Dublin to Santiag ...

, Midland Athletic, Fordsons and Dundalk, Jacobs had their origins as a factory or works team. They were originally the football team of

Jacobs Biscuit Factory Jacob's is a brand name for several lines of biscuits and crackers in the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom. The brand name is owned by the Jacob Fruitfield Food Group, part of Valeo Foods, which produces snacks for the Irish market. ...

. They remained active as a football club until at least the late 1960s, playing in the round of sixteen of the 1968–69

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 ...

History

Early years

In 1914–15 Jacobs played in the Leinster Junior League alongside

Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers Football Club ( ga, Cumann Peile Ruagairí na Seamróige) is an Irish association football club based in Tallaght, South Dublin. The club's senior team competes in the League of Ireland Premier Division and it is the most su ...

and in 1916–17 they were runners up in the

IFA Junior Cup The Irish Football Association (IFA) is the governing body for association football in Northern Ireland. It organised the Ireland national football team from 1880 to 1950, which after 1954, became the Northern Ireland national football team. ...

, losing in the final to a team representing the Royal Irish Rifles. During the 1919–20 season, played against the background of the

Irish War of Independence The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...

, a group of Jacobs players were found guilty of invading the dressing room of their opponents,

Olympia The name Olympia may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games * ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...

, after a Leinster Senior Cup game. Two Jacobs players received lengthy suspensions from the Leinster Football Association as did an Olympia player when it emerged that Jacobs had been taunted for "playing ( British Army) soldiers" in their team.

League of Ireland

In 1921–22, together with Shelbourne,

Bohemians Bohemian or Bohemians may refer to: *Anything of or relating to Bohemia Beer * National Bohemian, a brand brewed by Pabst * Bohemian, a brand of beer brewed by Molson Coors Culture and arts * Bohemianism, an unconventional lifestyle, origin ...

, Frankfort,

, YMCA and Dublin United, Jacobs became founder members of the League of Ireland. Like Jacobs, the other seven founding members had spent the 1920–21 season playing in the Leinster Senior League. In the 1921–22 Leinster Senior Cup Jacobs were finalists, losing 1–0 to eventual treble winners, St James's Gate. The highlight of their time in the League of Ireland was a third-place finish in 1923–24. They were also

semi-finalists in 1922–23 and 1925–26. After finishing bottom of the table three seasons in a row, Jacobs failed to gain re-election at the end of the 1931–32. Together with Brideville they left the league which was reduced from twelve to ten clubs.

Leinster Senior League

After leaving the League of Ireland, Jacobs rejoined the Leinster Senior League. During the 1950s they enjoyed something of a revival. In 1949–50 they won the FAI Intermediate Cup after beating

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 ...

in the final. They were also runners up in this cup competition in 1952–53, 1953–54 and 1960–61.''FAI Yearbook & Diary 1995'' Between 1952–53 and 1954–55 they were Leinster Senior League champions on three consecutive seasons. In 1967–68 they won a fourth Leinster Senior League title.

Honours

* Leinster Senior League **''Winners'': 1952–53, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1967–68: 4 * FAI Intermediate Cup **''Winners'': 1949–50: 1 **''Runners Up'': 1952–53, 1953–54, 1960–61: 3 * Leinster Senior Cup **''Runners Up'': 1921–22: 1

League of Ireland Stats

Notable former players

Ireland internationals

The following Jacobs F.C. players represented Ireland and/or the Republic of Ireland at full international level. * Frank Collins * Tommy Dunne *

Shay Keogh Seamus "Shay" Keogh (6 September 1934 – 13 April 2020) was an Irish footballer who played as a centre half. He was part of the great Shamrock Rovers teams of the 1950s in a side, popularly known as Coad's Colts, that enjoyed many memorable day ...

Goalscorers

*Top League Scorer ''(season)'': 13, Paddy Smith ( 1922–23). *Top League Scorer ''(total)'': 55, Paddy Smith (1921–23 and 1924–29).

References

{{League of Ireland clubs Association football clubs in Dublin (city) Defunct League of Ireland clubs Former Leinster Senior League clubs Crumlin, Dublin Works association football teams in Ireland Association football clubs established in the 1910s Association football clubs disestablished in the 1960s 1910s establishments in Ireland 1960s disestablishments in Ireland