Alan Kirby signs for Sligo Rovers

 Sligo Rovers have today confirmed the signing of midfielder Alan Kirby.

Photo courtesy of DCU.ie

A well experienced player in the League of Ireland, Alan has won 3 FAI Cups and 1 League Cup. He is Rovers second signing this season after the club secured the signature of Bohs defender Jason McGuinness earlier in the week. 

Kriby first started his career at Aston Villa in 1994 as a youth, but after 4 years he was let go after failing to break into the first team. He returned home to play for local League of Ireland side Waterford United where he enjoyed a 3 year spell. In 2001, Longford Town signed up Kirby who had been impressing at Waterford United, and after a a successful 5 year stay at the club, where he won back to back FAI Cups in 2003 and 2004, as well as the League Cup in 2004 and scored 17 goals , he is still a popular figure at the Midlands club.

His next stop was at Inchicore where he spent two years in at St. Pats' Athletic and was part of a team that finished second in the league and came close to causing an upset against German side Hertha Berlin in the UEFA Cup first round, omly for the post to deny Pats on a few occasions. After being released by Pats, Kirby chose to stay in Dublin and joined the newly formed 1st Division side Sporting Fingal. He was part of the team who got promoted and beat Sligo Rovers 2-1 in the FAI Ford Cup Final in 2009. He stayed with Fingal after promotion, and helped them to a 4th place finish in their first ever season in top flight football. Due to financial difficulties faced by the club, Kirby was released and now finds himself at Sligo Rovers.  

As mentioned, he will bring much experience to the team and is expected to provide cover for the wings.

He is Sligo Rovers 14th player to sign for next season.

Team so far:

Ciaran Kelly

Alan Keane

Gavin Peers

Derek Foran

Jason McGuinness

Iarfliath Davoren

Danny Ventre

Richie Ryan

John Russell

Joseph Ndo

John Dillon

Alan Kirby

Eoin Doyle

Matthew Blinkhorn