Johnny Byrne (footballer)

John Joseph (Johnny ) " Budgie " Byrne ( born May 13, 1939 in West Horsley, † 27 October 1999, South Africa ) was an English footballer who plays in the position of striker.

Career

Association

1956-1962: Crystal Plalace

Byrne played in youth only for Epsom Town and then at Guildford City before he was discovered by a Crystal Palace Scout and there signed a professional contract on his 17th birthday. During the next two years he became a regular player at the then fourth division, in his first season he scored a goal in 14 games, in the second then just seven goals in 29 games. 1960/61, rose Palace on to the third tier, where Byrne had 31 hits ( in 45 games) large proportion.

Shortly after his first international match, he was obliged by Ron Greenwood for the then British record fee of £ 60,000 from West Ham, Palace also received as additional compensation nor the striker Ron board.

1963/64, he won the hammer with the FA Cup ( 3-2 against Preston North End in the final ) and was elected in the same season by the fans player of the year at West Ham, and that, despite the presence of later World Champion Bobby Moore Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters. A year later, however, followed the victory in the now-defunct European Cup Winners' Cup, then one of the most important international trophies. However, Byrne could not participate in the final due to injury.

1967-1969: Return to Palace

In the winter of 1967 Byrne returned to his old club Crystal Palace and scored during the next year and a half six goals in 39 games, which he did bring his goal for Palace in a total of 101 goals in 259 games, the seventh highest value of all the Palace goal scorers.

1969/70: Fulham

For the season 1969/70 joined Byrne within London to Fulham, where he in his only season 19 games (2 goals ) completed.

1970-1972: Durban City

He then moved with his Fulham team-mate Bobby Keats and Johnny Haynes to South Africa where he played for three years at the now defunct club Durban City.

National

In November 1961 he was one of only five English to this day internationals who played outside the first two leagues when he played his first international match against Northern Ireland (1-1). In his second game for England in 1963 against Switzerland, he scored in the 8-1 win his first two goals in the national dress.

From then on, Byrne was used regularly and achieved in May 1964 in a 4-3 win against Portugal three hits, while the former England manager Alf Ramsey not called him in the squad for the World Cup 1966.

His last game for England graduated Byrne on April 10, 1965 against Scotland. From eleven internationals ( eight goals) he could win five, three ended in a draw and three were lost.

After playing career

Byrne remained for the rest of his life in South Africa and coached after his playing career several South African clubs, including his former club Durban.

With 60 years he died in 1999 in South Africa.