Reds United FC


Some clubs have original names, some do not, and some clubs come from original origins and some don’t. Like this next club we are going to write about. Even back in the 1930’s the League of Ireland was creating headlines for the wrong reasons. Yes, scandal is never far away from ‘The problem child’ of Irish football, but that is what makes it one of the most interesting leagues in the world right? What other league in the world can say they have had their title winners relegated in the same season? Or have a club banned for not paying a fine, only for it to be replaced by the original club’s supporters. Can you guess what club they replaced or was? Of course, it was Shelbourne FC, and as we just covered Shelbourne United it only feels right that we continue with the theme connected with the ‘Reds’. A club with so much history and surely one with the most controversial clubs to ever play in the League of Ireland. Their supporters, like in modern times, simply would not listen to the FAI and would not be excluded from the League of Ireland. So when Shelbourne FC were banned for a year the only thing their supporters could do was create a new club and enter them into the League. That club was simply called Reds United FC. Here we go…

Reds United were a football club set up in Ringsend in 1934, by members of Shelbourne Football Club after a row with the FAI saw Shelbourne banned from all football activities for a year at least. In the 1933-34 season, Shelbourne were brought before the FAI after allegations were made against the club for poaching players from other clubs in and around where Shelbourne were based. They were found guilty by the FAI and had a fine imposed on them. Shelbourne at the time responded with a letter to say they wouldn’t be paying the fine and were withdrawing from the League of Ireland and the League of Ireland shield, and would be applying for membership to the IFA (Northern Irish football association). At the time, the two associations didn’t see eye to eye or speak to each other, so the FAI responded by suspending Shelbourne for one year, and all the board members were banned from joining boards of other clubs affiliated with the league. Shelbourne were also banned from competing in the league and Waterford took their place.



Willie Ouchterlonie, Reds United FC top goalscorer, mentioned in a newspaper article for players signed by Barrow.

Later that year, some members, and players of Shelbourne, probably annoyed at the ban and the actions the club had taken, decided to form their own football club. They put forward an application to join the Leinster Senior League which were successful. That season, they were champions of the Leinster Senior League with a team that included John Joe Flood one of only two Reds United players to play for the Republic of Ireland (he didn’t play for them at the time), also entered the 1934-35 FAI cup where they held Bohemians to a 3-3 draw but lost the replay 4-3. After being crowned Leinster senior League champions they, along with Brideville, also from Dublin, were elected to join the League of Ireland the next season.

Reds United played their home games at Glenmalure Park, the home of Shamrock Rovers, but when they played Rovers, they played in Dalymount Park for their home fixture against them. Their first ever League of Ireland game was in The Mardyke, the home of University College Cork against Cork FC who would later go on to be renamed as Fordsons FC. Reds United went on to win 2-0. With ex-players from League of Ireland teams like Shamrock Rovers and even teams from Scotland, most notably top goal scorer for them and third top goalscorer in the league that year, Willie Ouchterlonie. (20 goals). They finished 4th in their first season in the league, finishing 11 points behind champions Bohemians with a record of 12 wins 1 draw and 9 defeats. They also reached the quarterfinals of the FAI Cup losing 2-1 away to Dundalk who were beaten in the semi-finals by eventual winners Shamrock Rovers who beat Cork in the Final.

Shelbourne, who had spent the year they were banned playing in the Athletic Union League, applied for re-election to the League of Ireland and, with the support of Shamrock Rovers were re-elected to the League of Ireland. While Shelbourne got back into the league, Reds United agreed to step aside and duly left the league.


John Joe Flood, one of Reds United's Irish International Players.

There’s not much documented about Reds United after that season in the League of Ireland, but there is some evidence as two players that played in the League of Ireland, Tommy Godwin and Ossie Nash, were documented to have played Amateur football for Reds United in the 40’s, but for one season at least, Reds United, it was fair to say had a decent go in the League of Ireland.

 It is an interesting story and one that I’m sure modern-day Shelbourne fans can relate to, having gone through difficult times, fighting for survival and fighting against the hierarchy to remain a League of Ireland club, like their past comrades. It goes to show that even back in the 1930’s football belonged to the fans and always will.