List of Shamrock Rovers F.C. seasons

Barry Murphy holding the First Division trophy aloft in Cobh, County Cork

This is a list of seasons played by Shamrock Rovers Football Club in Irish and European football, from 1922 (year of entry into the League of Ireland) to the most recent completed season. The list details the club's achievements in all major[1] competitions, and the top scorers for each league season.

Shamrock Rovers are recognised as being founded in 1901 (some sources suggest 1899), and were elected to the League of Ireland in 1922. They reached the final of the inaugural FAI Cup in the season before their election to the league and won the league title at their first attempt the following year.[2] The club have won the League of Ireland a record 17 times, the FAI Cup a record 24 times, the League of Ireland Shield a record 18 times, the League of Ireland Cup once and have participated in European competition since 1958, when they became the first Irish side to do so.[3][4] The club have finished bottom of the league once in their 94 seasons of participation, when they had to apply for re-election in 1976.[5] The club were relegated for the first time in 2005 following an eight-point deduction and a play-off with Dublin City.[6] Shamrock Rovers are the most successful club in Irish footballing history.[7]

Seasons

Season League of Ireland FAI
Cup[B] 		Shield/
League
Cup[C] 		Europe[D] Top goalscorer(s)[E]
Division[A] P W D L F A Pts Pos Name Goals
1922–23 22 18 3 1 77 19 39 1st R2 R2[C] Bob Fullam 27
1923–24 18 7 3 8 35 32 17 7th R1 3rd Willie O'Shea 8
1924–25 18 13 5 0 67 12 31 1st W 1st Billy Farrell 25
1925–26 18 13 3 2 62 21 29 2nd RU 2nd Billy Farrell 24
1926–27 18 14 4 0 60 20 32 1st R1 1st David Byrne 17
1927–28 18 9 7 2 41 18 25 3rd R1 2nd David Byrne 7
1928–29 18 10 4 4 58 28 24 3rd W 2nd John Joe Flood 13
1929–30 18 12 2 4 44 22 26 3rd W 2nd David Byrne 11
1930–31 22 9 5 8 54 49 23 7th W 7th David Byrne 18
1931–32 22 13 6 3 70 34 32 1st W 1st Paddy Moore 18
1932–33 18 11 2 5 48 32 24 2nd W 1st Tommy Doyle 17
1933–34 18 9 4 5 28 23 22 3rd R1 2nd Jackie Coote 6
1934–35 18 5 6 7 27 33 16 6th R1 1st Synnott 6
1935–36 22 10 2 10 61 58 22 6th W 6th Paul Scully 18
1936–37 22 8 3 11 46 55 19 9th R2 3rd Matt Regan/Charlie Reid/Joe Ward 7
1937–38 22 14 4 4 71 47 32 1st SF 1st Joe Ward 18
1938–39 22 16 4 2 60 32 36 1st R1 6th Owen McNally 14
1939–40 22 13 4 5 51 39 30 2nd W 6th Jimmy Dunne 15
1940–41 20 9 3 8 48 43 21 4th SF 6th Jimmy Clark 16
1941–42 18 12 4 2 52 23 28 2nd SF 1st Davy Cochrane 11
1942–43 18 8 4 6 36 28 20 4th R2 5th Paddy Coad 12
1943–44 14 5 5 4 38 27 15 3rd W 2nd Paddy Coad 15
1944–45 14 6 5 3 20 20 17 3rd W[F] 8th Paddy Coad/Liam Crowe/Tommy Eglington/Bobby Rogers 3
1945–46 14 6 2 6 40 31 14 4th RU 4th Tommy Eglington 11
1946–47 14 7 3 4 34 21 17 3rd R1 6th Paddy Coad 11
1947–48 14 4 6 4 26 24 14 4th W 2nd Paddy Coad 9
1948–49 18 6 8 4 33 25 20 4th R1 5th Paddy Mullen 9
1949–50 18 7 4 7 39 30 18 7th R2 1st Bob Duffy 11
1950–51 18 7 3 8 33 30 17 6th R2 2nd Christy Boggan 8
1951–52 22 12 5 5 43 18 29 3rd R2 1st Billy Burns 15
1952–53 22 12 3 7 40 27 27 3rd R1 9th Danny Jordan 9
1953–54 22 11 8 3 44 20 30 1st SF 3rd Paddy Ambrose 13
1954–55 22 12 4 6 63 37 28 3rd W 1st Paddy Ambrose 14
1955–56 22 15 1 6 54 30 31 2nd W 1st Paddy Ambrose 20
1956–57 22 15 6 1 68 24 36 1st RU 1st Tommy Hamilton 15
1957–58 22 15 1 6 55 26 31 2nd RU 1st European Cup PR Maxie McCann 9
1958–59 22 15 4 3 58 29 34 1st R1 2nd DNQ Liam Tuohy 10
1959–60 22 12 3 7 54 31 27 4th R2 10th European Cup PR Dermot Cross 11
1960–61 22 9 7 6 40 29 25 6th R2 5th DNQ Paddy Ambrose/Eddie Bailham 8
1961–62 22 14 3 5 51 32 31 3rd W 3rd DNQ Eddie Bailham 21
1962–63 18 7 5 6 36 25 19 5th SF 1st UEFA Cup Winners' Cup R1 Jackie Mooney 11
1963–64 22 14 7 1 68 27 35 1st W 1st Inter-Cities Fairs Cup[G] R1 Eddie Bailham 18
1964–65 22 14 3 5 40 22 31 2nd W 1st European Cup PR Jackie Mooney 16
1965–66 22 15 4 3 59 23 34 2nd W 1st Inter-Cities Fairs Cup[G] R2 Bobby Gilbert/Liam Tuohy 14
1966–67 22 8 4 10 31 31 20 7th W 3rd UEFA Cup Winners' Cup R2 Frank O'Neill 8
1967–68 22 11 5 6 44 26 27 4th W 1st UEFA Cup Winners' Cup R1 Mick Leech/Damien Richardson 10
1968–69 22 14 3 5 56 28 31 2nd W 3rd UEFA Cup Winners' Cup R1 Mick Leech 19
1969–70 26 14 8 4 55 29 36 2nd R1 Grp[C] UEFA Cup Winners' Cup R1 Eric Barber 15
1970–71 [H] 26 14 7 5 49 38 35 2nd R2 Grp[C] DNQ Damien Richardson 15
1971–72 26 12 4 10 52 41 28 5th QF Grp[C] DNQ Frank O'Neill 11
1972–73 26 12 6 8 45 32 30 5th R2 RU[C] DNQ Mick Leech 10
1973–74 26 11 5 10 31 33 27 7th R1 Grp DNQ Donal Murphy 12
1974–75 26 10 5 11 40 38 25 8th QF Grp DNQ Robbie Cooke 7
1975–76 26 4 7 15 27 49 15 14th R1 R1 DNQ Robbie Cooke 7
1976–77 26 7 3 16 26 46 17 11th R1 W DNQ Mick Leech 8
1977–78 30 14 12 4 45 22 40 4th W Grp DNQ Ray Treacy 17
1978–79 30 17 3 10 45 25 37 5th SF RU UEFA Cup Winners' Cup R2 Ray Treacy 8
1979–80 30 14 10 6 61 29 38 4th R4 SF DNQ Alan Campbell 22
1980–81 30 14 8 8 37 29 36 5th R4 R1 DNQ Liam Buckley 11
1981–82 [I] 30 21 3 6 50 23 76 2nd QF RU DNQ Liam Buckley 21
1982–83 [J] 26 10 8 8 39 25 38 6th QF Grp UEFA Cup R2 Liam Buckley 11
1983–84 [J] 26 19 4 3 64 15 42 1st RU Grp DNQ Alan Campbell 24
1984–85 30 22 5 3 63 21 49 1st W SF European Cup R1 Mick Byrne 12
1985–86 Premier 22 15 3 4 44 17 33 1st W European Cup R1 Paul Doolin 11
1986–87 Premier 22 18 3 1 51 16 39 1st W RU European Cup R1 Mick Byrne 12
1987–88 Premier 33 16 9 8 53 30 41 4th R4 RU European Cup R1 Mick Byrne 11
1988–89 Premier 33 8 13 12 34 42 29 7th SF QF DNQ Roddy Collins 8
1989–90 Premier 33 16 8 9 45 37 40 4th R2 Grp DNQ Vinny Arkins 9
1990–91 Premier 33 14 9 10 51 37 37 6th RU SF DNQ Vinny Arkins 14
1991–92 Premier 33 9 15 9 33 30 33 6th R1 Grp DNQ Derek Swan 7
1992–93 Premier[K] 32 8 12 12 39 35 28 8th QF DNQ Derek Swan 8
1993–94 Premier 32 21 3 8 62 30 66 1st R1 DNQ Stephen Geoghegan 23
1994–95 Premier 33 14 9 10 45 36 51 6th QF QF UEFA Cup PR Derek Tracey 8
1995–96 Premier 33 14 8 11 32 32 50 5th QF DNQ Mark Reid 10
1996–97 Premier 33 10 13 10 43 46 43 7th R2 DNQ Tony Cousins 16
1997–98 Premier 33 14 10 9 41 32 52 4th R2 Grp DNQ Tony Cousins 15
1998–99 Premier 33 9 13 11 34 40 40 8th R1 RU UEFA Intertoto Cup R1 Jason Sherlock 8
1999–00 Premier 33 13 11 9 49 36 50 5th R2 QF DNQ Billy Woods/Sean Francis 7
2000–01 Premier 33 10 12 11 50 47 42 7th SF QF DNQ Sean Francis 13
2001–02 Premier 33 17 6 10 54 32 57 2nd SF SF DNQ Sean Francis 14
2002–03 Premier 27 12 7 8 42 29 43 3rd RU[L] N/A[L] UEFA Cup QR Noel Hunt 11
2003 Premier 36 10 14 12 45 46 44 7th R2 QF UEFA Intertoto Cup R2 Trevor Molloy 9
2004 Premier 36 10 8 18 41 47 38 9th R3 Grp DNQ Stephen Grant 6
2005 Premier 33 9 8 16 33 52 27 11th QF R2 DNQ Paddy McCourt 7
2006 First 36 21 12 3 53 13 72 1st SF QF DNQ Tadhg Purcell 11
2007 Premier 33 14 9 10 36 26 51 5th R2 SF DNQ Tadhg Purcell 12
2008 Premier 33 8 13 12 33 35 37 7th R4 R2 DNQ Padraig Amond 9
2009 Premier 36 21 10 5 51 27 73 2nd QF QF DNQ Gary Twigg 24
2010 Premier 36 19 10 7 57 34 67 1st RU SF Europa League QR Gary Twigg 20
2011 Premier 36 23 8 5 69 24 77 1st QF R2 Europa League Grp Gary Twigg 15
2012 Premier 30 14 10 6 56 37 52 4th QF RU Champions League QR Gary Twigg 22
2013 Premier 33 13 13 7 43 28 52 5th SF W DNQ Gary McCabe/Ronan Finn 8
2014 Premier 33 18 8 7 43 26 62 4th SF RU DNQ Gary McCabe/Eamon Zayed 8
2015 Premier 33 18 11 4 56 27 65 3rd 2R SF Europa League QR Michael Drennan 12
2016 Premier 33 16 7 10 46 34 55 4th QF SF Europa League QR Gary McCabe 10
2017 Premier 33 17 3 13 49 34 54 3rd SF RU Europa League QR Gary McCabe 15
2018 Premier 36 18 8 10 57 27 62 3rd R1 R2 Europa League QR Graham Burke 13
2019 Premier 36 23 6 7 62 21 75 2nd W R2 Europa League QR Aaron Greene 11
2020 Premier 18 15 3 0 44 7 48 1st RU N/A Europa League QR Jack Byrne 9
2021 Premier 36 24 6 6 59 28 78 1st 2R N/A Champions League QR Danny Mandroiu 15
2022 Premier 36 24 7 5 61 22 79 1st QF N/A UEFA Europa Conference League Grp Graham Burke 11
2023 Premier 36 20 12 4 67 27 72 1st R1 N/A Champions League R1 Graham Burke 12

Key

Champions Runners-up Promoted Relegated

Division shown in bold when it changes due to promotion or relegation. Top scorers shown in bold are players who finished the season as top scorer of their division.

Notes

A. ^ Prior to 1985 there was just one division. Six new teams were introduced for the 1985–86 season and the league was split into two divisions.

B. ^ Shamrock Rovers reached the final of the inaugural FAI Cup in 1921–22 as a Leinster Senior League side and lost to St. James's Gate in a replay.

C. ^ a b c d e The League of Ireland Shield was introduced in 1921 with the League of Ireland as League and FAI Cup fixtures were insufficient to last a full season. The club didn't compete in the inaugural Shield competition as it wasn't a member of the League. The competition usually comprised one round of fixtures, though it was also played over two rounds and on a knockout basis during certain seasons. The Shield was played on a sectional basis from 1969 to its abolition in 1973. The League of Ireland Cup replaced the Shield in 1973.

D. ^ Prior to UEFA's foundation in 1954, European competition was restricted to a number of different tournaments with limited entry which are not recognised as European Cups.

E. ^ Only League goals are counted, goals scored in other competitions are not included.

F. ^ Largest recorded attendance for a FAI Cup final of 44,238, Shamrock Rovers F.C. 1–0 Bohemian F.C., April 22 1945, Dalymount Park, Dublin.

G. a b While the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup is considered to be the predecessor to the UEFA Cup, UEFA do not consider the tournament to be an official UEFA contest.

H. ^ Shamrock Rovers and Cork Hibernians were level on points at the end of the 1970–71 season. Cork Hibs won the resultant play-off for the title. The statistics above do not include that play-off.

I. ^ An experimental points system was operated for the 1981–82 season whereby a team was awarded four points for an away win, three points for a home win, two points for an away draw and one point for a home draw.

J. a b In 1982–83 three points were awarded for a win and one point for a draw. The system reverted the following season to the pre-1981–82 system, i.e. two points for a win and one point for a draw.

K. ^ In 1992–93 the Premier Division 'split' into two sections of six after the 22nd series of games had been played on 17 January. Rovers did not qualify for the top six and finished in second place of the bottom six (Group 'B') or eighth place overall.

L. a b The Premier Division was cut to 10 teams and shortened in length by maintaining only 3 rounds of fixtures in the 2002–03 season. The FAI Cup final was played in October '02 making it two FAI Cup finals in one year. The League Cup competition was not played. These measures were aimed at easing the transition from a "Winter schedule"(Autumn-Summer) to "Summer Soccer"(Spring-Winter).

References

Specific
  1. ^ Major competitions include the League of Ireland, the FAI Cup, the League of Ireland Shield/League Cup and all European competitions. Regional competitions like the Leinster Senior Cup and President's Cup, All-Ireland ones like the Intercity Cup and other minor tournaments in both junior and senior football are not included.
  2. ^ "eircom League history". FAI. Retrieved 2 February 2009.
  3. ^ "Roll of Honour". Shamrock Rovers Football Club. Archived from the original on 17 March 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2009.
  4. ^ "Rovers invited to Munich commemoration". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2009.
  5. ^ "(Republic of) Ireland League Tables". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 21 February 2008. Retrieved 3 February 2009.
  6. ^ "Misery for Rovers as City clinch promotion". BreakingNews.ie. 25 November 2005. Archived from the original on 27 June 2007. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  7. ^ "Shamrock Rovers". eircom league of ireland. Archived from the original on 24 February 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2009.
General