Eamonn O’Keefe

Quick Facts

Full Name	Eamonn O'Keefe
Date Of Birth	Oct 13, 1953(1953-10-13)
Age	71
Birthplace	Manchester
Country	Ireland
Birth City	Manchester
Horoscope	Capricorn

Eamonn O'Keefe Biography

Eamonn O'Keefe is one of the most popular and richest Association Football Player who was born on October 13, 1953 in Manchester, Manchester, Ireland. As the Saudi affair was being resolved, Mossley manager Bob Murphy offered O’Keefe a contract at the Northern Premier League club. In December 1976, he duly signed for Mossley after the Saudi club eventually agreed to release him from his contract. Howard Wilkinson was appointed as Mossley’s manager in 1976, only for Murphy to return the following year. Wilkinson used O’Keefe as a left-back, though Murphy decided to play him an attacking midfielder due to his ‘pace, power and eye for goal’. Under Murphy, the club won the Northern Premier League and Premier League Cup double in 1978–79 – this was the club’s first significant success in seventy years. A part-time player, he also worked as a van driver for the Manchester Evening News.

In January 1981, the FAI arranged for him to be given an Irish passport; he qualified for the Republic of Ireland due to the fact that his father was born in Ireland. He made his debut in a 3–1 defeat to Wales at Tolka Park in Dublin. After the game, he was informed by FIFA that he would not be permitted to play another international games as he had voided himself from the Ireland team due to his England semi-pro appearances, and that he had voided himself from the England team due to his appearance for Ireland.

O’Keefe managed to recover in time for the club’s pre-season tour of Japan and the United States, and was rewarded with a new two-year contract. However, he found himself on the bench in the 1981–82 season under new manager Howard Kendall, and put in a transfer request. He was then transferred to Wigan Athletic for a £65,000 fee in January 1982, signing a four-year contract. Under manager Larry Lloyd the “Latics” won promotion out of the Fourth Division in third place in 1981–82. He helped Wigan to consolidate their Third Division status in 1982–83, but was transfer-listed after the club went into liquidation, his wages being too high for the club to sustain.

In November 1975 he flew out to Saudi Arabia for a trial at top-flight Al- Hilal, as manager George Smith, the man who had signed him at Stalybridge, offered him the chance to earn a tax-free contract in the oil-rich nation. He impressed on the trial and was offered a contract, this made him the first European to play professionally in Saudi Arabia. Club president Prince Abdullah bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al Saud bought O’Keefe a Pontiac Ventura, before taking the young player on a luxurious tour of Europe, visiting five star hotels in London, Paris, Cannes, and Rome, before returning to Riyadh for the start of the new Saudi season of football. However, on the trip he asked an O’Keefe to give up his football career to become his lover, and was refused. As Prince Abdullah was such as a wealthy and powerful man in Saudi Arabia (a member of the House of Saud), O’Keefe fled the country, fearing for his safety. As he needed Prince Abdullah’s permission to leave the country, O’Keefe had to convince him that he was only going to stay in England for one week so as to visit his ill father (who was in fact in good health). Upon his return he informed The Football Association, who gave him advice after forming an emergency meeting.

He moved from non-league Stalybridge Celtic to Plymouth Argyle, and back into the non-league scene with Hyde United in 1974. The next year he moved to Saudi Arabia to play for Al-Hilal, before returning to England in 1976 to sign with Mossley. His 1978–79 Northern Premier League success at the club won him a move to Everton in 1979, before he was sold on to Wigan Athletic in 1982, who were on the verge of promotion into the Third Division. He switched to Port Vale the next year, before penning a deal with Blackpool in 1985. His goals took the club out of the Fourth Division in 1984–85. In 1987, he was appointed player-manager at Cork City, where he won the Munster Senior Cup and League of Ireland Cup in 1988. He moved to Chester City in 1989, after a spell with St Patrick’s Athletic. He joined Bangor City the next year, before retiring in 1991.

O’Keefe became an England semi-pro international, playing against Scotland and the Netherlands in a tournament in May 1979, scoring the winning goal against the Dutch in the final.

As of December 11, 2023, Eamonn has a net worth approximately $5 Million.

Eamonn O'Keefe Net Worth

Eamonn is one of the richest Association Football Player from Ireland. According to our analysis, Wikipedia, Forbes & Business Insider, Eamonn O'Keefe 's net worth $5 Million. (Last Update: January 13, 2024)

O’Keefe was born and raised in Blackley, in the city of Manchester. He went to school with Mike Pickering, who later found fame as a musician. As a youth he was a ball boy at Old Trafford, and was on course to join the Manchester United youth team when he broke his leg in a collision with David Allison, son of Malcolm Allison, in a regional schoolboy game. Upon his recovery he joined Stalybridge Celtic of the Cheshire County League, and playing as a right-back he won the club’s Player of the Year award. This won him a chance in the Football League, and he turned down Crystal Palace to instead sign with Third Division club Plymouth Argyle in February 1974. He was told by manager Tony Waiters that he would never be anything more than a fringe player in the professional game, who then allowed him to leave Home Park on a free transfer. He returned to Manchester and signed with Hyde United for the 1974–75 Cheshire County League season.

Height, Weight & Body Measurements

Eamonn O'Keefe height 5 ft 7 in Eamonn weight Not Known & body measurements will update soon.

Who is Eamonn O'Keefe Dating?

According to our records, Eamonn O'Keefe is possibily single & has not been previously engaged. As of January 13, 2024, Eamonn O'Keefe’s is not dating anyone.

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In July 1983, John McGrath’s Port Vale paid £10,000 for his services. With eleven goals in 43 games, he was the club’s top scorer and Player of the Year in his debut season. The day after picking up his award he put in a transfer request because Vale had been relegated. O’Keefe had also taken a dislike towards new manager John Rudge, as well as the lengthy daily commute from his home to Vale Park. During the following season he played less regularly, but carried two children to safety when a perimeter fence collapsed during an FA Cup 2–1 win at Macclesfield Town on 17 November 1984. On 25 March 1985, he refused to play for the “Vale” against Wrexham because he was due to play for his country the following night.

Facts & Trivia

Eamonn Ranked on the list of most popular Association Football Player. Also ranked in the elit list of famous people born in Ireland. Eamonn O'Keefe celebrates birthday on October 13 of every year.

Upon the recommendation of Harry McNally, O’Keefe was appointed as manager of Cork City, a club in the League of Ireland Premier Division. He appointed former Blackpool coach Billy Haydock as his assistant, and signed Blackpool goalkeeper Phil Harrington for a small fee. Also coming out of retirement as a player, his team won the pre-season Munster Senior Cup. He then signed former Stoke City defender Alan Dodd on a month-long deal. O’Keefe also doubled up as the club’s commercial manager, and he arranged four Sportsman’s Dinner events, with special guests as Jack Charlton, Sir Alex Ferguson, Tommy Docherty, and Emlyn Hughes. The club finished in seventh place in 1987–88 and lifted the League of Ireland Cup. Cork were heading to another mid-table place finish in 1988–89 when O’Keefe was sacked. Cork terminated his contract to cut costs, as the directors were forced to subsidise the club out of their own pockets. Following his dismissal he turned out for Brian Kerr’s St Patrick’s Athletic in a handful of games.