George O'Boyle

Football player infobox
playername = George O'Boyle


fullname = George O'Boyle
nickname =
height =
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1967|12|14|mf=y
cityofbirth = Belfast
countryofbirth = Northern Ireland
currentclub = Carnoustie Panmure
clubnumber =
position = Striker
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1987-1988
1988-1989
1989-1994
1994-2001
2001
2001
2001-2002
2003
2003
2004
2006
2006-
clubs = Linfield
Bordeaux
Dunfermline Athletic
St. Johnstone
Raith Rovers
Brechin City
Queen of the South
Glenavon
Ards
Bo'ness
Kelty Hearts
Carnoustie Panmure
Total
caps(goals) = 022 0(12)
003 00(0)
095 0(29)
146 0(64)
005 00(0)
005 00(2)
007 00(3)
00? 00(?)
00? 00(?)
00? 00(?)
00? 00(?)
00? 00(?)
283 (110)
nationalyears = 1994-1998
nationalteam = flagicon|Northern Ireland Northern Ireland
nationalcaps(goals) = 013 00(1)
manageryears =
managerclubs =
pcupdate = February 28, 2007
ntupdate = February 16, 2007

George O'Boyle (born December 14 1967 in Belfast) is a Northern Irish former professional footballer.

O'Boyle, a striker, began his career with Linfield. He left Northern Ireland in 1988 to join French club Bordeaux. The following year, he joined Dunfermline Athletic for £250,000. In 1994, he was signed by St. Johnstone manager Paul Sturrock for a £200,000. He reached both the high and low points of his career during his seven years at McDiarmid Park. In 1998, he played in St. Johnstone's League Cup Final defeat to Rangers. He was named Scottish First Division Player of the Year in 2001. On January 5 2001, O'Boyle and St. Johnstone teammate Kevin Thomas were sacked following drug-taking allegations. The two players, it was alleged, were found using cocaine at the club's Christmas 2000 party. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/northern_ireland/1102136.stm O'Boyle sacked by St. Johnstone - BBC Sport] ] The Scottish Premier League attempted to overturn the sacking but it was overruled by the Scottish FA. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/st_johnstone/1371689.stm O'Boyle and Thomas lodge court appeal - BBC Sport] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/scotland/1354639.stm Sacked pair talk of drug scandal - BBC Sport] ]

After leaving the Perth club, O'Boyle joined Raith Rovers for a short spell, before moving on to Brechin City and Queen of the South, with whom he finished his professional career.

He returned to Northern Ireland to play for Glenavon [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/northern_ireland/2827125.stm BBC Sport's Northern Ireland page] ] and Ards, only to return to Scotland in 2004 to play for junior clubs Bo'ness and Kelty Hearts. O'Boyle is now player/assistant manager at junior side Carnoustie Panmure.

International career

O'Boyle's international career spanned four years. In 1996, he scored his only Northern Ireland goal in a 1-1 draw with Germany in his hometown of Belfast.

References

External links

* [http://www.soccerbase.com/players_details.sd?playerid=11200 O'Boyle's profile at Soccerbase]
* [http://www.qosfc.com/01prof.htm Profile at Queen of the South]
* [http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/dunfermline/dunfermline.htm Stats for Dunfermline]
* [http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/stjohnstone/stjohnstone.htm Stats for St. Johnstone]