Ipswich Town Irish

**SaucyJack** · 15/12/2004, 1:33 PM

Saw this on the 11-a-side site, the Clarke kid looks promising, although I did go to the Ipswich site and the kid is 5'7, yet another small Irish player.

http://www.eleven-a-side.com/acrosst...p?newsid=15152

Irish central to Town passage

December 14, 2004

Ipswich Town’s raft of Irish youngsters, including ace striker Billy Clarke, were in action on Monday night as the Tractor Boys booked their place in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup with victory over Portsmouth at Portman Road.

Clarke fired one of the goals in a 3-2 extra-time victory, putting his side 2-1 up with 20 minutes remaining only for the visitors to equalise to force the game to the extra half hour.

The Cork lad – who turned 17 on Monday – is just one of several Irish youngsters making progress in East Anglia.

Former Home Farm goalkeeper Shane Supple was between the sticks for the youths against Pompey, and 16-year-old Dubliner Owen Garvan and County Meath native Michael Synnott were also part of the side on Monday night.

Eighteen-year-old Gerard Nash, who has captained Irish youth teams in the past, is currently on the treatment table after a serious knee injury, while the club is monitoring another Irish under-19 star, John Paul Kelly, who left Liverpool earlier in the season.

**drummerboy** · 16/12/2004, 9:39 AM

Got very homesick at Liverpool and they agreed to let him go. Now he wants another go across channel.

**SaucyJack** · 16/12/2004, 3:44 PM

Originally Posted by Tuff Paddy

Maybe I'm being hard on this fella, but homesickness was something that we all had to get through - and that was without the arrival of cheapo Ryanair flights, access to emails and money in the pocket for regular phone calls.
Does he know that the Premiership is based in England?!!!! No point being a prospect and playing for Ballymun Celtic or Killinascully!

It's weird, what most of us would give to live that life-style, at least money wise and women wise...maybe he realized that the last Irish player to come thru the ranks was Staunton, 17 yrs ago, and looked at all the Irish kids released by the Pool and decided a smaller club might be better.

**tetsujin1979** · 16/12/2004, 3:47 PM

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure when he came home it was reported he wouldn't be able to sign for other clubs because Liverpool still held his registration?

**SaucyJack** · 16/12/2004, 3:56 PM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

I could be wrong but I'm pretty sure when he came home it was reported he wouldn't be able to sign for other clubs because Liverpool still held his registration?

no, you're right, they have his registration, but I think a couple of clubs in the past have terminated players registrations in case's like this...he'll probably end up back with Liverpool though.

**GalwayFrancis** · 16/12/2004, 6:53 PM

New signing Billy eyes first-team call

Billy Clarke is targeting a place in the first-team squad by the end of
the season after signing his first professional contract.

The striker, who turned 17 last week, put pen to paper on the deal
today that will keep him at the Club until the summer of 2007.

"It's fantastic, signing a professional contract is something I have
dreamed about since I was a toddler.

"I came over to Ipswich a couple of years ago from Ireland and have
really enjoyed my time here.

"I had a chance to go to Aston Villa, Leicester, Everton and a few
other clubs but really got on well with the staff here and was made
to feel welcome and that's what persuaded me that Ipswich was the
right club for me and it's proved the right decision.

"I've played for the reserves this season and scored a few goals and
now my next target is to try and force my way into the first-team
squad by the end of the season.

"I've seen Owen Garvan and Darryl Knights do it and that drives you on."

**tetsujin1979** · 17/12/2004, 2:29 PM

celtic definately interested in JP Kelly

CELTIC boss Martin O'Neill has joined the race to sign former Liverpool starlet John Paul Kelly. The highly-rated Irish lad has been allowed to leave Anfield by boss Rafael Benitez after failing to make the breakthrough. And the 17-year-old is interesting a number of clubs including Aston Villa and Ipswich, where he is currently training. Now Hoops gaffer O'Neill will run the rule over the Dublin-born attacking midfielder when Kelly comes to Parkhead for a trial next month. Kelly's agent Eamon McLoughlin confirmed: "John Paul had his scholarship cancelled last week and he is looking for a move. "At the moment, he is at Ipswich having a look round. They have always had a long term interest in John Paul and tried to sign him before he went to Liverpool. "But he has a few options and is set to go to Aston Villa and Celtic next month to have a look at both clubs and have talks. "John Paul is in no rush and is keeping his options open as he wants to find the right club where he can get a chance to make the breakthrough."

**RedX** · 17/12/2004, 7:16 PM

As a Cork City FC and Ipswich Town fan its great to see so many Irish lads over there..i have been over a few times and believe me the set-up there is fantastic..people sometimes are led to believe the likes of Ipswich and Coventrys take for instance are small clubs when listening to all this rubbish sky sports chatter..but if you stepped inside Ipswich Towns Portman Road and seen there facilities and ground you would then then realise how big all these clubs are..Daryll Murphy could also be on the way over to soon from Waterford and i do hope Ipswich are made pay a fee to Waterford for him..its the only way clubs here can survive and its not fair really losing your best player at that age for nothing...i have talked to a few people regarding Billy Clarke and know the scout that sent him over and he is by all acounts a fantastic prospect..i would not worry about his size at all..he could be in the first team squad this season or next so hopefully withing 3 or 4 seasons if he progresses well he could be a full Irish International...