Alan Gough

For the English cricketer, see Alan Gough (cricketer).

Alan Gough
Personal information
Date of birth (1971-03-10) 10 March 1971
Place of birth Watford, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[1]
Position Goalkeeper
Youth career
Newbridge Town
–1989 Suncroft
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–1992 Portsmouth 0 (0)
1992–1993 Fulham 3 (0)
1993 Gillingham 0 (0)
1993–1994 Galway United 27 (0)
1994–1999 Shelbourne 158 (0)
1999–2002 Glentoran 103 (0)
2002–2003 Derry City 49 (0)
2004–2007 Galway United 104 (0)
2008 Bray Wanderers 22 (0)
2009 Longford Town 4 (0)
Total 470 (0)
International career
1988 Republic of Ireland U19 1 (0)
1988–1991 Republic of Ireland U21 5 (0)
Managerial career
2009 Longford Town
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Alan Gough (born 10 March 1971) is an Irish former football player and manager. He was most recently player-manager of Longford Town.

Gough won numerous major honours both north and south of the Irish border including domestic cup and league cup medals with Shelbourne, Glentoran and Derry City. His other clubs included Portsmouth, Fulham, Galway United and Bray Wanderers.

Playing career

Alan Gough was born on 10 March 1971 in Watford, England but raised in Cutbush, County Kildare.[1][2] He first took to goalkeeping when playing Gaelic football.

I was actually a better Gaelic footballer than I was a goal keeper. I was the same height at 16 as I am now (5 feet 11 inches). If I had stayed with it I would have done a bit of damage.

Alan Gough, Irish Times [1]

His ability as a keeper saw him break into the Newbridge Town football team at fifteen years old. In his second season, the club won the Leinster Junior League Premier Division and two cup competitions.[1]

He initially began his career as an apprentice with Portsmouth before moving on to Fulham. Gough moved back to Ireland to sign for Galway United in 1993.[3][4] After eighteen months with Galway, he joined Shelbourne, where he spent five seasons. He was sent off during the 1996 FAI Cup final at Lansdowne Road, although Shelbourne went on to win the trophy. He won a second FAI Cup medal and a League Cup during his time at the club.[5][1][4]

In July 1999, Gough made the switch to Glentoran, impressing the fans with his performances in Europe and winning the Irish Cup in his first season. This was followed by an Irish Cup and League Cup double the following season.[4][6] He was in terrific form in the Irish Cup Final and played a large part in the victory. Despite being regarded as the best goalkeeper in the Irish League, he left Glentoran for Derry City in 2002, citing poor treatment by manager Roy Coyle.[7][4] Gough's time at Derry City got off to a difficult start with two losses in their first two matches, the second due to mistakes by Gough, but the team performed much better in the domestic cup.[8] After overcoming Drogheda United and Waterford United, Derry beat St Patrick's Athletic in the quarter-finals. Gough then kept clean sheets in the semi-final and final to ensure victory in the FAI Cup for Derry and another FAI Cup winners medal for Gough.[9][10]

Despite an expected return to Belfast with Linfield, Gough returned to Galway United in 2004.[11][12][13] He was made team captain of the club in 2006.[14] Gough retired at the end of the 2006 season but stayed on at Galway as assistant manager to Tony Cousins.[3] He continued to play in 2007, occasionally appearing in goal as emergency cover, in addition to his assistant manager role.[4][15][16] On 31 March 2008, he was sacked along with the rest of the Galway United management team.[17][4]

On 22 May 2008, Gough signed with Bray Wanderers.[3][18] He again came out of retirement, this time to allow Chris "Skippy" O'Connor to join the Australian national squad at the Olympics, but picked up three Player of the Month awards (for June, August and October) and retained his place for the rest of the season. His performances also earned him the Bray Wanderers Supporters Player of the Year award.[19] He left Bray in December 2008 to take charge of Longford Town.[20][21]

International career

Gough represented the Republic of Ireland at under-19 and under-21 level in the late 1980s and early 1990s.[22][23] He won five under-21 international caps in total with the Republic of Ireland, including a Euro 92 under-21 qualifier against England in 1991.[24][25]

Managerial career

On 22 December 2008, Gough was announced as the new manager of Longford Town.[26][21] He stated his initial aims were to return the club's training base to Longford and to restructure their youth setup.[27] During his time as manager, Gough was forced to don the goalkeeping gloves on more than one occasion due to the lack of a regular custodian.[28]

Gough resigned as manager of Longford Town on 24 May 2009 following a poor run of results.[17]

On 6 February 2025, Kiltimagh Knock United announced Gough's appointment as first team manager.[22] By July 2025, he had stepped away from the role.[29]

In September 2025, Gough succeeded Eoin O’Brien in charge of Newmarket Celtic.[30]

Honours

Shelbourne

Glentoran

Derry City

  • FAI Cup: 2002

Bray Wanderers

  • Supporters' Player of the Year: 2008[19]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Combination of legend, maturity and confidence". The Irish Times. 11 May 1996. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  2. ^ "Alan Gough Stats, Goals, Records, Assists, Cups and more". FBref.com. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "Bray Wanderers Sign Alan Gough". extratime.com. 23 May 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Alan Gough | History | Career Details | Images | extratime.com - The Home of Irish Football". www.extratime.com. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  5. ^ [1]
  6. ^ "Football: Gough to relish Big Two clash". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 23 July 1999. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Gough joins Derry City". BBC Sport. 18 May 2002. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  8. ^ "Derry lose at home to Rovers". 12 July 2002. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  9. ^ "Ireland Cups 2002/03". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  10. ^ Jeffrey, David (19 August 2023). "Heatley and McAllister to Linfield. . . those two just slipped through the net". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  11. ^ "Swifts land Chines deal". BBC Sport. 3 August 2003. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  12. ^ "OVER THE LINE: Alan Gough (Monday, 29th August 2022)". GalwayBayFM. 30 August 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  13. ^ "Irish League Lives: There was no chance I was going to join Linfield after memorable time at Glentoran, insists Oval favourite Alan Gough". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 6 November 2022. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  14. ^ "Hawkins keeps United under wraps – Galway Advertiser Archive". archive.advertiser.ie. 9 February 2006. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  15. ^ "BRAY WANDERERS AFC – Galway United 0-1 Bray Wanderers". www.braywanderers.com. 20 July 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  16. ^ "City unable to find a way past Galway". RTÉ Sport. 16 March 2007. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  17. ^ a b Alan Gough resigns as Longford Town manager – extratime.ie, archived from the original on 27 May 2009, retrieved 24 May 2009
  18. ^ Bray Sign Gough, retrieved 28 April 2009
  19. ^ a b "Bray Wanderers Supporters' Club". Irish Independent. 26 November 2008. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  20. ^ "Wanderers player profiles". Irish Independent. 11 February 2009. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  21. ^ a b "Gough takes over at Longford Town". RTÉ Sport. 23 December 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2026.
  22. ^ a b "Mayo football club announces new manager". Connaught Telegraph. 6 February 2025. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  23. ^ "About Us". Newbridge Town FC. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
  24. ^ "Gough to stay for rest of season". Irish Independent. 28 May 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  25. ^ "Alan Gough » Statistics: International Matches". www.worldfootball.net. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  26. ^ Alan Gough appointed new Longford Town manager, retrieved 28 April 2009
  27. ^ O'Flaherty, Deniese (7 March 2009). "Longford Town in safe hands with Gough". extratime.com. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  28. ^ Longford Town 0 – 1 Athlone Town, archived from the original on 23 July 2011, retrieved 28 April 2009
  29. ^ "Mayo soccer club withdraw from top division - sport - Western People". westernpeople.ie. 5 January 2026. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  30. ^ McMahon, Páraic (12 September 2025). "Fresh and familiar faces to strengthen Newmarket Celtic's challenge". Clare Echo. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
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