View source for Cobh Ramblers F.C.

{{Short description|Football club in Cobh, Ireland}}
{{more references needed|date=March 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox football club
| clubname = Cobh Ramblers
| image = Cobh Ramblers FC logo.svg
| alt = Cobh Ramblers FC crest
| upright = 0.7
| fullname = Cobh Ramblers Football Club
| nickname = ''"Ramblers"'' or ''"The Rams"'' ''"The Claret and Blue Army"''
| founded = {{start date and age|1922}}
| ground = [[St Colman's Park]], [[Cobh]], <br>[[County Cork]]
| capacity = {{circa|4,000}}<ref name="echo2018">{{cite web|url = https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/Cobh-Ramblers-land-massive-Dundalk-home-tie-in-cup-semi-final-fa04eeab-7867-41e8-b460-f76e03f9ed7e-ds | publisher = The Echo | website = echolive.ie | title = Cobh Ramblers land massive Dundalk home tie in cup semi-final |date = 14 May 2018 | accessdate = 7 December 2019 | quote = "We have a 4,000 capacity in St Colman’s Park — hopefully we could fill the place up" }}</ref>
| owner = Digital Athlete Ventures (90% stake)<ref name="pressrelease2025"/>
| chairman = Bill O'Leary
| manager = Fran Rockett
| league = [[League of Ireland First Division]]
| season = [[2025 League of Ireland First Division|2025]]
| position = [[League of Ireland First Division]], 2nd of 10
| website = {{URL|https://cobhramblers.ie}}
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'''Cobh Ramblers Football Club''' ('''CRFC''') is an [[Ireland|Irish]] [[football (soccer)|football]] club. The club, founded in 1922 and elected to the League of Ireland in 1985, hails from [[Cobh]], [[County Cork]] and play their home matches at [[St. Colman's Park]]. The club's colours are claret and blue. The club was a founding member of the [[Cork Athletic Union League]] in 1947 and is the only one of the 14 founding clubs still in existence today.

==History==

Cobh Ramblers F.C owes its formation in 1922 to the success of a challenge football match between two local [[field hockey]] clubs, 'Ramblers' and 'Cork Tramways'. Given the town's British connections at the time, hockey was relatively popular on [[Great Island]].{{fact|date=November 2024}} A desire to play football arose and the Laundry Field, at the rear of Cobh Hospital, was the venue. It was felt that an appetite existed for an official football club and preparations were made for such. At the subsequent meeting held in the Laundry, now the site of Park Road Day Centre, Cobh Ramblers A.F.C was formally established.{{fact|date=November 2024}}

The [[Munster Football Association]] (M.F.A) had also been established in 1922 and the club became affiliated with the league shortly after inception. Ramblers were too late to enter the very first season, which was a short 'shield' format and ultimately won by Barrackton. The first full season of the MFA, 1922/23, saw a number of new arrivals including Ramblers, Blackrock Rovers and Shandon. The club was entered into both the South Munster Senior and Junior Leagues, one of only five clubs to feature at both levels. Matches were played at the Laundry Field and Ramblers were permitted to use the Laundry premises for dressing rooms and committee meetings. A first ever final appearance came in the form of the 1923 Munster Junior Cup, as Ramblers lost out to Barrackton in the decider.{{fact|date=November 2024}}

The club first won the [[Munster Senior Cup (association football)|Munster Senior Cup]] in 1925.<ref name="history">{{cite web|url = http://cobhramblers.ie/club-history/ | website = cobhramblers.ie | title = Club History | accessdate = 31 August 2021 }}</ref> Additional (provincial) Munster Senior Cup titles were captured in the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and 1970s.<ref name="history"/>

At a national level, the club played (as a non-league club) in the 1976 [[FAI League Cup]], reaching the semi-finals.<ref name="honours">{{cite web|url = https://cobhramblers.ie/honours-list/ | website = cobhramblers.ie | title = Honours List | accessdate = 7 September 2025 }}</ref>

Cobh Ramblers joined the [[League of Ireland]] in 1985, after many years as a Munster Senior League side. One of the most successful of those teams was the team of 1983, who got to the semi-final of the [[FAI Cup]] defeating several senior clubs on the way.{{fact|date=November 2024}} They met [[Sligo Rovers]] in the semi-final that year, drawing crowds of over 20,000 to [[Flower Lodge]] for the home games as St Colmans Park was too small. There were three replays until Sligo finally won 3–2 and went on to win the cup.{{fact|date=November 2024}}

In 1985, the FAI announced that the [[League of Ireland]] would be expanding through the creation of a second league, the First Division. Ten teams were selected to join the inaugural First Division. Cobh, [[Bray Wanderers]], [[Derry City F.C.|Derry City]], E.M.F.A ([[Kilkenny City A.F.C.|Kilkenny City]]) and Newcastle United (Newcastlewest) were elected to step up from intermediate football whilst [[Monaghan United]] stepped up from the League of Ireland B Division. These six teams were joined by the bottom four clubs from the 1984/85 League of Ireland campaign, [[Drogheda United]], [[Finn Harps]], [[Longford Town]] and [[Sligo Rovers]].{{fact|date=November 2024}}
[[File:Performance chart ire COBH.svg|thumb|Chart of yearly table positions for Cobh Ramblers in League of Ireland]]

Cobh won promotion to the Premier Division in 1988, after finishing First Division runners-up to [[Athlone Town]]. Lasting just one season in the top flight, they won promotion again at the end of the 1992–93 season, this time as runners-up to [[Galway United]]. A play-off win over [[Finn Harps]] saw Ramblers retain their Premier Division status at the end of the 1993–94 season, but the club were relegated in second-last place the following year.

With Ramblers having played all but four of their League of Ireland campaigns in the LOI First Division, and local rivals [[Cork City Football Club|Cork City FC]] more frequently playing in the LOI Premier Division, the two clubs have historically only met in pre-season friendlies and cup matches. However, during the [[2022 League of Ireland First Division|2022]] and [[2024 League of Ireland First Division]] seasons, when Cork City were playing in the First Division, the two teams played in what some sources described as "derby" games.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.the42.ie/cork-city-cobh-ramblers-2-5844884-Aug2022/ | website = the42.ie | title = Cork City take huge step to First Division title with dramatic derby win over Cobh Ramblers | date = 19 August 2024 | accessdate = 1 November 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/arid-41461996.html | website = echolive.ie | title = Ruairí Keating grabs dramatic winner as Cork City break Cobh Ramblers hearts at St Colman's Park | date = 23 August 2024  | accessdate = 1 November 2024 }}</ref>

On 10 November 2007, Cobh Ramblers beat Athlone Town 1–0 in Lissywoollen to give the club their first piece of Senior Silverware and crowned them First Division Champions. During the 2007 season, they recorded a 27-game unbeaten run, keeping 22 clean sheets.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/irish-soccer-league/2007/1112/224840-cobh/ |title=Cobh boss praises promotion winners |date=12 November 2007 |publisher=RTÉ Sport |access-date=15 July 2012}}</ref> Their points tally of 77 points was also a record for the league.

However, after being relegated from the [[League of Ireland Premier Division]], Ramblers subsequently failed to obtain a licence for the First Division due to financial constraints and so compete in the [[A Championship|Newstalk A Championship]] (Ireland's third tier).

In 2010 Ramblers missed out on gaining promotion back to the [[League of Ireland]] losing to [[Salthill Devon]] in a play off.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.airtricityleague.com/index.php/matchzone/first-division/match-reports/2499/2499 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130101191159/http://www.airtricityleague.com/index.php/matchzone/first-division/match-reports/2499/2499 |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 January 2013 |title=Salthill Devon secure 1st Division Status |date=6 November 2010 |publisher=www.airtricityleague.ie |access-date=15 July 2012 }}</ref>

The club's most noted past player is former Irish international and [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] star [[Roy Keane]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/english-league/2008/1204/241947-keanertimeline/|title=Memorable events in Keane's career|publisher=RTÉ Sport|access-date=15 July 2012}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> while Irish international [[Stephen Ireland]] is a product of the Youth System. [[Westlife]] singer [[Nicky Byrne]], who was also a footballer on the books at [[Leeds United]], had a spell with the club too.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.cobhramblers.com/history.htm | website = cobhramblers.com | title = Club History - Ramblers Celebrities | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080228141645/http://www.cobhramblers.com/history.htm | archive-date = 28 February 2008 }}</ref>

On 18 March 2014, the club parted company with manager [[Dave Hill (footballer)|Dave Hill]] by mutual consent after five years. He was replaced by Martin Cambridge on an interim basis. In March 2015 Martin Cambridge tendered his resignation and Stephen Henderson returned to the club as first team manager. In Oct 2015 Stephen Henderson signed a new three-year contract with the club. In 2016, Henderson guided Ramblers to Munster Senior Cup victory and to a 3rd-place finish in the first division. Cobh Ramblers were the only side to defeat first division champions Limerick that season and this coincided with a run of 5 victories in their last 5 league games to reach the playoffs. They narrowly lost 3–2 on aggregate to Drogheda Utd despite overturning a 2–0 deficit in the return leg at United Park after only nine minutes.{{fact|date=November 2024}}

In 2018, Ramblers reached the final of the EA Sports Cup Final. In the semi-final they defeated Dundalk 1–0 at home with striker Chris Hull scoring the winner. After defeating Dundalk, and denying the eventual champions a treble, Ramblers lost the final away to Derry City 3–1.

Having previously been a "member owned" club, in 2024 the club's members voted to accept a takeover by FC32,<ref name="indo2024">{{cite web|url = https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/cobh-ramblers-no-longer-member-owned-as-club-say-new-us-investors-fc32-will-be-transformative-for-cork-outfit/a2119107418.html | work = Irish Independent | title = Cobh Ramblers no longer member owned as club say new US investors, FC32, will be 'transformative' for Cork outfit | date = 21 October 2024 | accessdate = 1 November 2024 }}</ref><ref name="echo2024">{{cite web|url = https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/arid-41344976.html | website = echolive.ie | title = Cobh Ramblers not immune to wider changes in Irish soccer as investment talks loom | date = 11 March 2024 | accessdate = 1 November 2024 }}</ref> an international investment group which was also involved with Swiss club AC Bellizona and Austrian club [[SKN St. Pölten]].<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.echolive.ie/corksport/arid-41500586.html | website = echolive.ie | title = Cobh Ramblers announce financial takeover from FC32 | date = 21 October 2024 | accessdate = 1 November 2024 }}</ref> However, in June 2025, Cobh Ramblers were reportedly "on the verge of securing an investor to replace FC32" following doubts about FC32's long-term commitment.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fallon |first=John |date=30 June 2025 |title=Cobh Ramblers closing on new investor to replace FC32 |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-41661140.html |work=[[Irish Examiner]] |location= |publisher= |access-date=4 July 2025}}</ref> By July 2025, a club representative stated that it had "formally and fully parted ways with FC32 Global Investments Limited" and that the club had "returned to being solely operated by its elected committee and directors".<ref>{{cite web|url = https://frontofficesports.com/irelands-ramblers-latest-soccer-club-to-gain-u-s-owner/ | website = frontofficesports.com | title = Ireland's Ramblers Latest Soccer Club to Gain U.S. Owner | date = 11 July 2025 | accessdate = 5 September 2025 | first = Ben | last = Horney }}</ref> Later in July 2025, the club announced that a US-based company called Digital Athlete Ventures (DAV) had acquired a 90% stake in Cobh Ramblers.<ref name="pressrelease2025">{{cite press release |url = https://cobhramblers.ie/cobh-ramblers-fc-is-pleased-to-announce-agreement-with-digital-athlete-ventures-dav/ | website = cobhramblers.ie | title = Cobh Ramblers FC is pleased to announce that 90% of the club has been acquired by Digital Athlete Ventures (DAV) | date = 13 July 2025 | accessdate = 4 September 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2025/0713/1523320-cobh-ramblers-acquired-by-digital-athlete-ventures/ | website = rte.ie | title = Cobh Ramblers acquired by Digital Athlete Ventures | date = 14 July 2025 | accessdate = 5 September 2025 }}</ref>

==Stadium==

[[St Colman's Park]], which has a capacity of over 4,000,<ref name="echo2018"/> was redeveloped during the mid-2000s. Construction of a new changing facility and press office along with a new chairman's office was completed in 2006 along with new floodlights and a 900-seater stand replacing the old shed. The east stand, too has seen improvement with 450 new seats being installed. Plans for a new 900 seater stand adjacent to the existing stand have temporarily been put on hold due to minor financial difficulties at the club. A new slick surface was also added prior to the clubs admission to the Eircom/Airtricity League Premier Division in 2009.

The stadium has hosted international underage games including games in the [[1994 UEFA European Under-16 Championship]] qualifiers.{{fact|date=November 2024}} Munster Schools Senior Cup games have also been staged at the stadium including the final which was won by local Cobh school, Coláiste Muire in 2010.{{fact|date=November 2024}}

==Current squad==
As of the 2025 season, the squad includes:<ref>{{cite web|url = https://cobhramblers.ie/squad/senior-mens/ | website = cobhramblers.ie | title = Cobh Ramblers F.C. - 2025 Senior Mens Squad }}</ref>

{{football squad start}}
{{fs player|other=|no=1|nat=IRL|pos=GK|name=Oisin Barry}}
{{fs player|other=|no=2|nat=WAL|pos=DF|name=Iestyn Hughes}}
{{fs player|other=|no=3|nat=IRL|pos=DF|name=John O’Donovan}}
{{fs player|other=|no=4|nat=IRL|pos=MF|name=Niall O’Keeffe}}
{{fs player|other=4th captain|no=5|nat=IRL|pos=DF|name=Brendeán Frahill}}
{{fs player|other=captain|no=6|nat=IRL|pos=DF|name=Shane Griffin}}
{{fs player|other=|no=7|nat=IRL|pos=FW|name=Cian Bargary}}
{{fs player|other=|no=8|nat=IRL|pos=MF|name=Barry Coffey}}
{{fs player|other=|no=9|nat=IRL|pos=FW|name=Cian Murphy}}
{{fs player|other=|no=10|nat=IRL|pos=MF|name=Jack Doherty}}
{{fs player|other=|no=11|nat=SCO|pos=MF|name=Rhys Gourdie}}
{{fs player|other=|no=12|nat=USA|pos=DF|name=Nolan Evers}}
{{fs player|other=vice-captain|no=14|nat=IRL|pos=DF|name=[[Cian Coleman]]}}
{{fs player|other=|no=15|nat=IRL|pos=DF|name=Lucas Curtin}}
{{football squad mid}}
{{fs player|other=|no=16|nat=LUX|pos=GK|name=[[Timothy Martin]]}}
{{fs player|other=|no=18|nat=FIN|pos=DF|name=Jonas Häkkinen}}
{{fs player|other=|no=19|nat=IRL|pos=MF|name=Dylan McGlade}}
{{fs player|other=|no=22|nat=IRL|pos=MF|name=Mikey Carroll}}
{{fs player|other=|no=23|nat=IRL|pos=MF|name=Shane Griffin}}
{{fs player|other=|no=27|nat=ENG|pos=MF|name=[[Harvey Cribb]]}}
{{fs player|other=|no=30|nat=IRL|pos=GK|name=Cathal O’Hanlon}}
{{fs player|other=|no=38|nat=FRA|pos=DF|name=Luka Le-Bervet}}
{{fs player|other=3rd captain|no=39|nat=IRL|pos=MF|name=Jason Abbott}}
{{fs player|other=|no=45|nat=ENG|pos=FW|name=Sam Bellis}}
{{fs player|other=|no=88|nat=IRL|pos=FW|name=Matthew Whelan}}
{{fs player|other=|no=|nat=IRL|pos=DF|name=[[Garry Buckley]]}}
{{football squad end}}

==Supporters==
Cobh Ramblers' fanbase, sometimes known as the "Claret and Blue Army",<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.finalwhistle.ie/soccer/event/football-association-of-ireland/fai-cup/owngoal/2021-07-25/ | website = finalwhistle.ie | title = Liffey Wanderers v Cobh Ramblers - Soccer | date = 25 July 2021 | accessdate = 1 November 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://traleetoday.ie/kerry-fc-to-kick-off-season-with-munster-derby/ | website = traleetoday.ie | title = Kerry FC To Kick Off Season With Munster Derby | date = 12 December 2022 | accessdate = 1 November 2024 }}</ref> used to locate in the East stand, behind the goal. Nowadays they locate at the far end of the South stand.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}} There is also a Cobh Ramblers Supporters Club, who are involved in fundraising for the club.

In 2019, Cobh Ramblers changed the ownership structure of the club and became a fully supporter-owned entity.{{fact|date=November 2024}} This changed in 2024, when the club members voted to "pass [ownership] into the hands of international investors".<ref name="indo2024"/><ref name="echo2024"/> As of July 2025, the club was no longer supporter-owned.<ref name="pressrelease2025"/>

==Honours==
*'''[[League of Ireland First Division]]: 1'''
**[[2007 League of Ireland First Division|2007]]
*'''[[League of Ireland Cup]]'''
**Runners-up: 1
*'''[[Munster Senior League Senior Premier Division|Munster Senior League]]: 15'''
** 1925–26, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1943–44, 1956–57, 1971–72, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85
*'''[[Munster Senior Cup (association football)|Munster Senior Cup]]: 8'''
** 1924–25, 1943–44, 1978–79, 1982–83, 2015–16,<ref name="mfa_prevwinners">{{cite web|url=http://www.munsterfa.com/previouswinners.html|title=Munster Football Association&nbsp;– Previous Winners|website=Munster Football Association|url-status=usurped|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20190305104940/http://www.munsterfa.com/previouswinners.html | archive-date=5 March 2019 }}</ref> 2021–22, 2022–23, 2024–25
*'''[[FAI Intermediate Cup]]: 2'''
** 1979–80, 1982–83
*'''[[Enda McGuill Cup]] (U19s): 1'''
** 2013–14<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.sseairtricityleague.ie/news/35-underage-league/5285-cobh-ramblers-u19s-win-enda-mcguill-cup  | website = sseairtricityleague.ie | title = Cobh Ramblers U19s win Enda McGuill Cup | date = 26 March 2014 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20161018010242/http://www.sseairtricityleague.ie/news/35-underage-league/5285-cobh-ramblers-u19s-win-enda-mcguill-cup | archivedate = 18 October 2016 }}</ref>

==Notable former managers==
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Alfie Hale]] (1988–1989)
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Damien Richardson (footballer)|Damien Richardson]] (1995)
* {{flagicon|England}} [[Ian Butterworth]] (1998)
* {{flagicon|England}} [[Dave Hill (footballer)|Dave Hill]] (2009–2014)
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Stephen Henderson (footballer born 1966)|Stephen Henderson]] (2004–2008 & 2015–2019)
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Shane Keegan]] (2022–2023)

==Notable former players==
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Roy Keane]] 
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Nicky Byrne]] 
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[David Meyler]] 
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Jaze Kabia]] 
* {{flagicon|England}} [[Jason Kabia]] 
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Colin Falvey]] 
* {{flagicon|England}} [[John Hollins]] 
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Stephen Ireland]] 
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Graham Cummins]]
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Michael Devine (footballer)|Michael Devine]]
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Gabriel Otegbayo]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{official website}}

{{League of Ireland First Division}}
{{League of Ireland clubs}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cobh Ramblers F.C.| ]]
[[Category:Association football clubs established in 1922]]
[[Category:Association football clubs in County Cork]]
[[Category:Former League of Ireland Premier Division clubs]]
[[Category:A Championship teams]]
[[Category:1922 establishments in Ireland]]
[[Category:Cobh]]
[[Category:League of Ireland First Division clubs]]
[[Category:Former Munster Senior League (association football) clubs]]
[[Category:Former Cork Athletic Union League clubs]]