John Murphy Player Profile

  1. Home
  2. Players
  3. John Murphy (b. 1898)

Player Details



Playing History

Season Win % Draw % Loss %
1931-1932 28 7 0 0 53.6% 17.9% 28.6%
1930-1931 37 36 0 0 51.4% 21.6% 27.0%
1929-1930 33 13 0 0 51.5% 6.1% 42.4%
Totals: 98 (0) 56


 Apps = First Team Appearances (Sub Appearances) | Gls = Goals
 GtGR = Goals to Games Ratio | W/D/L - Games won, drawn or lost as percentage of games played in
 Yel = Yellow Cards/Cautions | Red = Red Cards/Dismissals

 Recent First Team Starts
 23/04/32 vs. Newry (H) 3 - 0
 16/04/32 vs. Linfield (A) 0 - 4
 09/04/32 vs. Ards (H) 4 - 1
 02/04/32 vs. Cliftonville (A) 3 - 2
 29/03/32 vs. Derry City (H) 2 - 2

 Recent First Team Goals
 19/03/32 vs. Larne (H) 3 - 1
 13/02/32 Irish League vs. Glentoran (H) 5 - 0
 28/11/31 Round 1 vs. Distillery (H) 3 - 1
 24/10/31 Irish League vs. Bangor (H) 6 - 4
 10/10/31 Irish League vs. Glenavon (A) 4 - 0

 List of Goals Scored (click to expand)
 19/03/32 vs. Larne (H)  3 - 1
 13/02/32 Irish League vs. Glentoran (H)  5 - 0
 28/11/31 Round 1 vs. Distillery (H)  3 - 1
 24/10/31 Irish League vs. Bangor (H)  6 - 4
 10/10/31 Irish League vs. Glenavon (A)  4 - 0
 03/10/31 Irish League vs. Coleraine (H)  7 - 0
 26/09/31 Irish League vs. Newry (A)  1 - 1
 02/05/31 vs. Bangor (H)  6 - 1
 02/05/31 vs. Bangor (H)  6 - 1
 02/05/31 vs. Bangor (H)  6 - 1
 02/05/31 vs. Bangor (H)  6 - 1
 25/04/31 vs. Larne (A)  4 - 3
 18/04/31 vs. Glenavon (H)  5 - 1
 18/04/31 vs. Glenavon (H)  5 - 1
 11/04/31 vs. Coleraine (A)  3 - 2
 11/04/31 vs. Coleraine (A)  3 - 2
 21/03/31 vs. Ards (A)  3 - 3
 14/03/31 vs. Distillery (A)  2 - 4
 28/02/31 vs. Portadown (H)  4 - 4
 11/02/31 vs. Cliftonville (H)  4 - 2
 21/01/31 Irish League vs. Glenavon (H)  6 - 1
 06/12/30 Irish League vs. Coleraine (H)  2 - 3
 29/11/30 Round 1 vs. Cliftonville (H)  2 - 1
 08/11/30 Irish League vs. Belfast Celtic (H)  4 - 1
 08/11/30 Irish League vs. Belfast Celtic (H)  4 - 1
 08/11/30 Irish League vs. Belfast Celtic (H)  4 - 1
 25/10/30 Irish League vs. Larne (H)  3 - 1
 11/10/30 Irish League vs. Derry City (H)  4 - 1
 11/10/30 Irish League vs. Derry City (H)  4 - 1
 11/10/30 Irish League vs. Derry City (H)  4 - 1
 27/09/30 Irish League vs. Linfield (H)  2 - 2
 20/09/30 Irish League vs. Ards (A)  6 - 3
 20/09/30 Irish League vs. Ards (A)  6 - 3
 20/09/30 Irish League vs. Ards (A)  6 - 3
 13/09/30 Irish League vs. Glentoran (H)  2 - 4
 06/09/30 Irish League vs. Portadown (H)  7 - 1
 06/09/30 Irish League vs. Portadown (H)  7 - 1
 03/09/30 Round 1 vs. Newry (H)  7 - 0
 03/09/30 Round 1 vs. Newry (H)  7 - 0
 03/09/30 Round 1 vs. Newry (H)  7 - 0
 23/08/30 Irish League vs. Distillery (H)  4 - 0
 23/08/30 Irish League vs. Distillery (H)  4 - 0
 20/08/30 Irish League vs. Cliftonville (A)  3 - 4
 26/04/30 vs. Glentoran (A)  4 - 4
 21/04/30 vs. Glenavon (H)  1 - 3
 12/04/30 vs. Belfast Celtic (H)  3 - 0
 12/04/30 vs. Belfast Celtic (H)  3 - 0
 22/02/30 vs. Cliftonville (A)  4 - 0
 15/02/30 Irish League vs. Glentoran (H)  2 - 1
 08/02/30 Semi final vs. Newry (N)  3 - 1
 29/01/30 Round 1 vs. Bangor (H)  1 - 5
 28/12/29 Irish League vs. Cliftonville (H)  7 - 1
 28/12/29 Irish League vs. Cliftonville (H)  7 - 1
 28/12/29 Irish League vs. Cliftonville (H)  7 - 1
 14/12/29 Irish League vs. Derry City (H)  4 - 0
 16/11/29 Irish League vs. Glentoran (A)  2 - 1

 List of Games Played (click to expand)
 23/04/32 vs. Newry (H)  3 - 0
 16/04/32 vs. Linfield (A)  0 - 4
 09/04/32 vs. Ards (H)  4 - 1
 02/04/32 vs. Cliftonville (A)  3 - 2
 29/03/32 vs. Derry City (H)  2 - 2
 28/03/32 vs. Glenavon (A)  3 - 1
 19/03/32 vs. Larne (H)  3 - 1
 12/03/32 vs. Glentoran (A)  3 - 2
 27/02/32 vs. Bangor (A)  0 - 2
 24/02/32 Quarter final vs. Belfast Celtic (A)  0 - 2
 20/02/32 vs. Belfast Celtic (A)  1 - 2
 13/02/32 Irish League vs. Glentoran (H)  5 - 0
 29/12/31 Irish League vs. Ards (A)  1 - 1
 25/12/31 Irish League vs. Larne (H)  2 - 0
 19/12/31 Irish League vs. Cliftonville (A)  1 - 1
 12/12/31 Irish League vs. Portadown (H)  2 - 3
 09/12/31 Final vs. Coleraine (N)  0 - 3
 28/11/31 Round 1 vs. Distillery (H)  3 - 1
 21/11/31 Irish League vs. Derry City (A)  2 - 2
 14/11/31 Irish League vs. Glentoran (A)  0 - 3
 07/11/31 Irish League vs. Distillery (H)  4 - 0
 31/10/31 Irish League vs. Belfast Celtic (A)  1 - 2
 24/10/31 Irish League vs. Bangor (H)  6 - 4
 21/10/31 Semi final vs. Linfield (N)  3 - 0
 10/10/31 Irish League vs. Glenavon (A)  4 - 0
 03/10/31 Irish League vs. Coleraine (H)  7 - 0
 26/09/31 Irish League vs. Newry (A)  1 - 1
 19/09/31 Irish League vs. Ards (H)  6 - 2
 02/05/31 vs. Bangor (H)  6 - 1
 25/04/31 vs. Larne (A)  4 - 3
 18/04/31 vs. Glenavon (H)  5 - 1
 11/04/31 vs. Coleraine (A)  3 - 2
 07/04/31 vs. Glentoran (H)  1 - 5
 06/04/31 vs. Newry (A)  0 - 1
 28/03/31 Final vs. Linfield (N)  0 - 3
 21/03/31 vs. Ards (A)  3 - 3
 14/03/31 vs. Distillery (A)  2 - 4
 07/03/31 vs. Belfast Celtic (A)  2 - 2
 28/02/31 vs. Portadown (H)  4 - 4
 14/02/31 vs. Derry City (A)  1 - 5
 11/02/31 vs. Cliftonville (H)  4 - 2
 07/02/31 Semi final vs. Derry City (N)  2 - 1
 21/01/31 Irish League vs. Glenavon (H)  6 - 1
 10/01/31 Quarter final vs. Bangor (A)  2 - 2
 25/12/30 Irish League vs. Ards (H)  5 - 1
 20/12/30 Irish League vs. Glentoran (A)  2 - 2
 13/12/30 Irish League vs. Portadown (A)  1 - 3
 06/12/30 Irish League vs. Coleraine (H)  2 - 3
 29/11/30 Round 1 vs. Cliftonville (H)  2 - 1
 22/11/30 Irish League vs. Distillery (A)  2 - 1
 08/11/30 Irish League vs. Belfast Celtic (H)  4 - 1
 01/11/30 Irish League vs. Bangor (A)  6 - 2
 25/10/30 Irish League vs. Larne (H)  3 - 1
 18/10/30 Irish League vs. Glenavon (A)  1 - 1
 11/10/30 Irish League vs. Derry City (H)  4 - 1
 04/10/30 Irish League vs. Newry (A)  1 - 0
 27/09/30 Irish League vs. Linfield (H)  2 - 2
 20/09/30 Irish League vs. Ards (A)  6 - 3
 17/09/30 Quarter final vs. Linfield (A)  0 - 5
 13/09/30 Irish League vs. Glentoran (H)  2 - 4
 06/09/30 Irish League vs. Portadown (H)  7 - 1
 03/09/30 Round 1 vs. Newry (H)  7 - 0
 30/08/30 Irish League vs. Coleraine (A)  1 - 1
 23/08/30 Irish League vs. Distillery (H)  4 - 0
 20/08/30 Irish League vs. Cliftonville (A)  3 - 4
 14/05/30 vs. Distillery (A)  3 - 2
 10/05/30 vs. Bangor (H)  0 - 2
 03/05/30 vs. Larne (A)  1 - 2
 26/04/30 vs. Glentoran (A)  4 - 4
 22/04/30 vs. Derry City (A)  0 - 2
 21/04/30 vs. Glenavon (H)  1 - 3
 19/04/30 vs. Newry (A)  2 - 1
 12/04/30 vs. Belfast Celtic (H)  3 - 0
 05/04/30 vs. Ards (A)  0 - 2
 29/03/30 Final vs. Linfield (N)  3 - 4
 08/03/30 vs. Coleraine (A)  2 - 2
 22/02/30 vs. Cliftonville (A)  4 - 0
 19/02/30 Irish League vs. Bangor (A)  1 - 3
 15/02/30 Irish League vs. Glentoran (H)  2 - 1
 08/02/30 Semi final vs. Newry (N)  3 - 1
 29/01/30 Round 1 vs. Bangor (H)  1 - 5
 25/01/30 Irish League vs. Distillery (H)  6 - 3
 22/01/30 Irish League vs. Larne (H)  3 - 1
 18/01/30 Irish League vs. Coleraine (A)  1 - 2
 11/01/30 Quarter final vs. Belfast Celtic (A)  3 - 2
 28/12/29 Irish League vs. Cliftonville (H)  7 - 1
 26/12/29 Irish League vs. Linfield (A)  7 - 4
 25/12/29 Irish League vs. Ards (H)  1 - 3
 21/12/29 Irish League vs. Belfast Celtic (A)  3 - 4
 14/12/29 Irish League vs. Derry City (H)  4 - 0
 07/12/29 Irish League vs. Newry (H)  3 - 0
 30/11/29 Round 1 vs. Derry City (A)  4 - 1
 23/11/29 Irish League vs. Portadown (A)  3 - 5
 16/11/29 Irish League vs. Glentoran (A)  2 - 1
 09/11/29 Irish League vs. Bangor (H)  4 - 0
 02/11/29 Irish League vs. Distillery (A)  1 - 3
 26/10/29 Irish League vs. Coleraine (H)  0 - 1
 12/10/29 Irish League vs. Larne (A)  2 - 1


Biography

Ballymena’s first star Scottish striker John Murphy came to the Showgrounds and scored with regularity during the early 1930’s.

Born in Govan, John was late to the senior game having served in the Army during the First World War through his early adulthood. Aged 21, Murphy returned to his homeland and in the summer of 1919, he joined junior league side St Anthony’s in Govan, a club renowned for producing a host of senior players and Scottish internationals. In fact, he was brought in to replace forward John Gilchrist who had just transferred to Celtic for the 1919/1920 campaign.

After just a handful of games for St. Anthony’s, John impressed so much that he had the pick of no less than four senior clubs vying for his signature. In September, the forward signed for Heart of Midlothian and made no time in impressing the Tynecastle crowd by scoring twice on his debut against Clydebank in a 4-2 home win in front of 17,000 fans. It was the start of a remarkable debut season as John scored 14 goals in 19 appearances for the Edinburgh club during the 1919/1920 season, despite Hearts finishing in deep the bottom half of the final standings.

The 1920/1921 season started in the same style that the previous one finished, as Murphy scored in a memorable 5-1 win over rivals Hibernian at Tynecastle and followed it up with his first senior hat-trick against Ayr United the following the week. It sparked a massive upturn in Hearts’ fortunes as they finished third in the table, with Murphy an ever present in the team that narrowly missed out in a place in the Scottish Cup Final, losing the semi-final to eventual winners Partick Thistle after a second replay.

After the instant impact in his first two seasons, the third season (1921/1922) proves more difficult through both injury and a loss of form as John only managed eight appearances, scoring three goals as the club barely avoided relegation to the Second Division. The forward was also loaned out to St. Mirren for a short spell in March 1922, but did not make any first team appearances for the Paisley side.

Career
(1919) St. Anthony’s; (Sep 1919) Heart of Midlothian; (Mar 1922) St. Mirren – loan; (Mar 1925) Hamilton Academical – loan; (Dec 1925) Motherwell; (Dec 1926) Kilmarnock; (Sep 1928) Coleraine – loan; (Oct 1929) Ballymena

Honours
(with Ballymena)
Irish Cup: (finalist) 1929/1930

Last updated: 25 November 2023



Debut

October 12th, 1929
Larne 1 - 2 Ballymena United

League (Irish League)


Timeline