Philip Hughes (footballer, born 1981)

Philip Hughes (born 12 September 1981)[1] is an Irish footballer who plays as a forward for St. Mochta's in the Leinster Senior League. He was selected on the Professional Footballers' Association of Ireland Team of the Year on several occasions,[2][3] as well as being selected as the overall "Player of the Year".[4] As of 2018, Hughes had played with eleven different League of Ireland teams, including Dundalk, Monaghan United and Shelbourne for several spells.[5][6]

For other people named Philip Hughes, see Philip Hughes (disambiguation).

Philip Hughes
Personal information
Date of birth (1981-09-12) 12 September 1981
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 St. Mochta's
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2000 Tolka Rovers 22 (9)
2000–2001 St. Francis 10 (3)
2001–2003 St Patrick's Athletic 14 (3)
2001–2002 → Kilkenny City (loan) 20 (15)
2003 Kildare County 33 (10)
2004 Dublin City 20 (3)
2004 → UCD (loan) 12 (3)
2005 Monaghan United 35 (8)
2006–2007 Dundalk 63 (27)
2008 Shelbourne 8 (0)
2008 Kildare County 13 (1)
2009 Phoenix FC ? (?)
2009 Kildare County 19 (7)
2010 Monaghan United 31 (14)
2011–2013 Shelbourne 58 (31)
2013 → St Patrick's Athletic (loan) 0 (0)
2014 Drogheda United 13 (1)
2014 → Bray Wanderers (loan) 13 (0)
2015 Shelbourne 11 (6)
2015– St. Mochta's F.C. 69 (23)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Early career

Hughes, a much travelled player, began his football career with Tolka Rovers during the 1999–2000 season, scoring nine goals in 22 appearances. Initially playing at intermediate level, he made the step up to League of Ireland football with St. Francis at the beginning of the 2000–01 season. Hughes was signed by St. Patrick's Athletic later that season. First team opportunities at Richmond Park became difficult to obtain for Hughes resulting in his departure on loan to First Division Kilkenny City during the 2001–02 season. Hughes scored 15 goals in 20 games for Kilkenny that season. His performances with Kilkenny saw him recalled to St. Patrick's Athletic, but yet again first team opportunities were limited for Hughes.

Kildare County, Dublin City and UCD

Hughes departed St. Pats at the end of the 2002–03 campaign, to join Kildare County for the first summer soccer season of 2003. He became a regular in the county side that season helping them to a fifth-place finish in the First Division with a contribution of 10 goals in 33 league appearances. Hughes departed County after that season to join Dublin City, who had achieved promotion to the League of Ireland Premier Division for the 2004 season. It was a difficult season for Hughes as scored just three goals in 20 appearances for the struggling Vikings, and he was initially released along with 14 other players by new Dublin City manager Roddy Collins in a mid-season cull.[7] Hughes joined First Division UCD on loan for the remainder of the 2004 season, where he scored three goals in 12 appearances to help the UCD to promotion to the Premier Division.

Monaghan United and Dundalk

Hughes' next destination was First Division Monaghan United for the 2005 season.[8] He scored eight goals in 25 appearances that season for Monaghan United before joining his former manager at Kilkenny, Kildare and Dublin City, John Gill at First Division promotion chasing Dundalk. Hughes made his Dundalk debut on the first day of the 2006 League of Ireland First Division season in a 2–1 defeat away to Shamrock Rovers at Tolka Park on 10 March 2006.[9] He went on to score 21 goals that season for Dundalk, helping them to a second-place finish and a play-off victory over Waterford United. Despite that victory, Dundalk did not achieve promotion as they failed to qualify on criteria for the FAI's revamped Premier Division. Hughes' 2006 season attracted interest from several Premier Division clubs including Bohemians, but despite this interest, Hughes chose to remain at Dundalk for the 2007 First Division season. The 2007 campaign started brightly for Hughes and Dundalk as they set the pace in the First Division up to the mid-season point. Hughes lost form and struggled for fitness for the remainder of the season and his goal tally was only at six goals by the end of the season.

Shelbourne and Kildare County

Hughes was released by Dundalk immediately after the conclusion of the 2007 season, but he did not wait long to find a new club when he joined Shelbourne on 29 November 2007.[10] He made his Shelbourne debut in a scoreless draw against his former club Dundalk at Tolka Park on 7 March 2008.[11] Hughes once again struggled for fitness at Shelbourne and as a consequence he was restricted to mainly substitute appearances. He departed the club on 14 July 2008, after just half a season to rejoin his former club Kildare County. Following the conclusion of the 2008 season, Hughes departed Kildare County to join Leinster Senior League Senior Division outfit Phoenix F.C. but the striker returned to County on 4 June 2009 for a third spell. In his third spell at Kildare County, he scored 7 goals in 19 league appearances. Kildare County went into liquidation shortly before their final game of 2009 against Shelbourne and following the resignation of Kildare manager Joey Summerville, Hughes took the managers role for the club's final game in football.

Return to Monaghan United and Shelbourne

On 21 December 2009, it was announced by Monaghan United that Hughes would be returning to the club for a second spell in the 2010 season. Hughes carried forward his recaptured form in 2009 to Monaghan, and scored 22 goals in 44 competitive games. Monaghan narrowly missing out on promotion to the Premier Division after a play-off defeat to Bray Wanderers.

At the end of 2010 season, Hughes once again moved club this time joining Monaghan United teammate Barry Clancy at Shelbourne for his second spell at the Tolka Park club.[12]

Hughes signed a new contract with Shelbourne in November 2012 despite being offered more money by Drogheda United and Bohemians.

At the end of the 2012 League of Ireland season Hughes was joint seventeenth in the all-time League of Ireland goalscoring list with 130 league goals[13]

St Patrick's Athletic loan

Hughes was announced as St Patrick's Athletic second summer signing on 2 July 2013 on loan from Dublin rivals Shelbourne.[14] Hughes was given the number 27 shirt and made his first appearance since his return to the club on 4 July, in the Europa League away to Žalgiris at the LFF Stadium in Vilnius, Lithuania.[15]

Drogheda and Bray Wanderers

Hughes agreed to join Drogheda United for the 2014 League of Ireland season, but midway through the season he signed for Bray Wanderers.

Honours
St Patrick's Athletic

References
  1. "Player profile – Philip Hughes". shelbournefc.com. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011.
  2. "Hoops and Sligo dominate PFAI nominations". rte.ie. RTÉ. 21 October 2010.
  3. "PFAI Player of the Year nominations". rte.ie. RTÉ. 7 November 2011.
  4. "Award winner Hughes speaks to Bohemians". The Argus. 7 December 2006.
  5. "Which footballers have played for the most teams in one division?". The Guardian. 6 July 2016.
  6. "In my eyes, I was doing enough to warrant a night-out on a Saturday with my mates". Journal Media Ltd. 17 July 2018.
  7. "Roddy swings axe at City". RTÉ.ie. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  8. "Monaghan add trio to squad". IrishFootballOnline.com. Irish Football Online. 31 January 2005. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  9. "Rovers leave it late". IrishFootballOnline.com. Irish Football Online. 10 March 2006. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  10. "NEWSFLASH Dermot signs twelve for 2008". Shelbournefc.com. Shelbourne F.C. 29 November 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  11. "Shelbourne 0–0 Dundalk". RTÉ.ie. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 7 March 2008. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  12. "Shelbourne Signings for 2011". Shelbournefc.com. Shelbourne F.C. 14 December 2010. Archived from the original on 17 August 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  13. "Ireland – List of Topscorers". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 6 April 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
  14. "Hughes Signs for Saints".
  15. "Match tracker – Zalgiris Vilnius 2 – 2 St. Patrick's Ath". extratime.ie. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
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