Billy Woods (Irish footballer) explained

Billy Woods
Fullname:William Woods
Birth Date:24 October 1973
Birth Place:Cork, Ireland
Position:Winger
Youthyears1:–1991
Youthclubs1:Midleton
Years1:1991–1993
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:1993–1995
Clubs2:Cork City
Caps2:35
Goals2:10
Years3:1995–1997
Caps3:1
Goals3:0
Years4:1996–1997
Clubs4:Blackpool (loan)
Caps4:3
Goals4:0
Years5:1997–1998
Clubs5:Portadown
Caps5:27
Goals5:5
Years6:1998–2002
Caps6:119
Goals6:14
Years7:2002–2008
Clubs7:Cork City
Caps7:170
Goals7:14
Years8:2010
Clubs8:Cork City
Caps8:14
Goals8:0
Totalcaps:369
Totalgoals:43
Nationalyears1:1991
Nationalteam1:Republic of Ireland U17
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:1
Nationalyears2:1995
Nationalteam2:League of Ireland XI
Nationalcaps2:1
Nationalgoals2:1
Nationalyears3:1995–1996
Nationalteam3:Republic of Ireland U21
Nationalcaps3:6
Nationalgoals3:0
Club-Update:18:21, 21 June 2013 (UTC)

William Woods (born 24 October 1973 in Cork) is an Irish former professional footballer. He is now the Under 15s Coach with Cork City.

Woods played all his schoolboy football with Midleton before spending two and a half years at Coventry City.[1] He joined Cork City in 1993 and made his debut in October, playing under manager Damien Richardson during his first stint as manager when City played in Bishopstown.

He joined Tranmere Rovers in July 1995 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1995/0705/Pg021.html#Ar02104:114A09136A210E8A0910DA21. After plying his trade there he returned to Ireland and signed for Portadown F.C. for one season in 1997.

Woods signed for Shamrock Rovers in 1998 in time to make his debut away to Altay S.K. in the UEFA Intertoto-Cup on 21 June. He made two appearances for the Hoops in Europe.

A few weeks later he won a FAI Super Cup medal.

In the 1999–00 season he was the club's joint-top goalscorer and even appeared in goal on one occasion.https://web.archive.org/web/20080506093335/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/reports/rep9.html. Woods scored a very memorable goal in the FAI Cup quarter final replay in 2001 https://archive.today/20120213190946/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/reports/vshels4.htm. His last game for the club was against Galway United on 31 March 2002.

After Richardson left the club at the end of the 2002 season, Woods rejoined his hometown club.

Woods won the League of Ireland Championship in November 2005. Cork City beat Derry City 2–0 on 18 November 2005 to secure the title in the last game of the season. Although Woods did not play in that game, he had been an integral part of the squad through the year.

After the departure of Liam Kearney to Shelbourne in the 2006 season, Woods filled the gap left by Kearney at left wing.

Woods scored Cork City's winning goal in the UEFA Champions League qualifier in July 2006 against Cypriot champions Apollon Limasoll https://archive.today/20130102232101/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/match?id=203341&cc=5739. Woods was a key player in City's run to the second qualifying round, in which Cork City were beaten by Serbian and former European and World Club Champions Red Star Belgrade 4–0 on aggregate.

Woods agreed to stay with Cork City for another year in February 2007. Once again, he signed a part-time contract with the club so as to dovetail his job as car salesman with training and playing for City.

In February 2008 he signed a new contract to remain at Cork City, but retired in October 2008.http://www.setantasports.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/10/15/SSCup-Derry-v-Cork-City-LIVE/

In June 2010, Billy returned to play for Cork City. He made 14 appearances for City that season and was appointed as First Team Coach in December 2010. He is currently doing the UEFA 'B' licence and will be enrolling on the course to do his 'A' Licence in the coming year.

Woods scored in the final qualifier for the 1992 UEFA European Under-18 Championship against Northern Ireland in October 1991.

Honours

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 'You look back and think 'F**k it, I underachieved a small bit – I don't have the medals I should have'. the42.ie.