Association Football
With Bohs winning everything bar the FAI Cup in the 1974-75 League of Ireland season 18 year old Moran did not have an opportunity for much game time and only made one League of Ireland appearance in the last game of the season on the 17th of April 1975 . After Bohs he moved to UCD where in December 1975 he won the Collingwood Cup . In February 1976 Moran won the Universities Championship when he scored the winner for the Irish Universities against their Scottish counterparts . Moran started playing as a full back with Bohemians F.C. and then Pegasus. He was spotted by Billy Behan, a Manchester United scout, who reported to United manager Dave Sexton, and Moran signed for Manchester United in 1978. He made his senior debut on 20 April 1979 against Southampton, and was a regular player in the first team by the time Ron Atkinson had succeeded Sexton as manager in June 1981.
Playing as a centre back, he won FA Cup medals with the club in 1983 and 1985.
Moran is notable for receiving a red card in the 1985 FA Cup Final against Everton, the first player ever to be sent off in an FA Cup final. TV cameras revealed that he had gone for the ball, and not for Peter Reid in the offending tackle. He was later presented with the winner's medal that had at first been withheld.
After 10 years with United, Moran left Old Trafford as a 32-year-old in the summer of 1988, having played his final 18 months at the club under the management of Alex Ferguson. His first team opportunities had been limited since the arrival of Steve Bruce in December 1987.
He transferred to Sporting Gijón, where he remained for two seasons, making 33 appearances without scoring. During his time at Sporting Gijón, Moran roomed with promising youngster and future Real Madrid and Barcelona star Luis Enrique.
In 1990, he returned to England to join Second Division Blackburn Rovers. He was an automatic choice in the first team, but endured a disappointing first season at Ewood Park as Rovers finished 19th in the Second Division. The following season was a huge success, however, as playoff victory ended the club's 26-year exile from the top division and secured their place in the new Premier League. Moran helped Rovers finish fourth in 1992-93 and runners-up in 1993-94, and finally retired at the end of the 1993-94 season - one year before Rovers won their first league title in 81 years. In both seasons preceding Moran's retirement, Rovers were beaten to the title by his old club Manchester United.
Moran made his debut for the Republic of Ireland against Sweden in 1980 and played a key role in Ireland's unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the 1982 FIFA World Cup finals in Spain. He played 71 times for Ireland between 1980 and 1994, including UEFA Euro 1988 in Germany and the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy, and scored 6 goals. He was also a member of the Irish squad at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, but did not play.
Read more about this topic: Kevin Moran (footballer)
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