Trevor Croly appointed as Bohemians academy director

The Dubliner has been at the Phibsboro club since 2017, having assisted former Bohs boss Keith Long until 2022 before he then moved on to become the club’s U-20/U-19s manager as well as lead academy coach.

The 50-year-old made over 300 League of Ireland appearances during his playing career as a defender, across spells at Drogheda United, St Patrick’s Athletic and Shamrock Rovers, before moving into the coaching sphere.

From there he served as assistant at St Pat’s and Shamrock Rovers, before he became Hoops boss in 2012. He departed Tallaght Stadium in August 2014 and after a brief spell in charge of Bray Wanderers (a job he resigned from after two months due to players’ wages being paid late), he then arrived at Dalymount in 2017.

Now in his new role, the club say Croly will be a key part of a new strategic footballing group made up of three senior staff members of both Bohemians and local club St Kevin’s, with the group working closely with new players joining the academy as well as the U-13 and U-14 sides.

“I am really looking forward to the role of Academy Director. The objective of the role from a player’s perspective is to provide young players with the best expertise, environment and opportunity to maximise their talent,” said Croly this evening.

“The objective from the club’s perspective is to provide the first team with the best young talent in the country who can play in the Bohemian first team, and with the potential and ambition to play at the very highest level.

“I am in the privileged position to understand a rich part of Bohemian Football Club’s history has always been providing talented young footballers with first team opportunities that later lead to the potential of at the highest level and of receiving international recognition.”

Bohemians director of football Pat Fenlon added: “The club have invested resources into getting back to a place where we can now be confident that we can attract the best young talent in the country to the club’s academy and have the right structures in place to ensure that they have the coaching expertise, support and facilities to help them push on as footballers capable of establishing themselves in our first teams.

“The work going on in the background by the club to develop the facilities at the Oscar Traynor Centre cannot be overstated and will provide the club with the strongest possible platform to develop our academy system into one of the best in the country.

“Not only does Trevor have years of experience as a coach operating at the highest level in this league, but he knows what it takes for young players to transition from underage and academy football to senior football.

“He has a proven track record in this regard, and I believe that his knowledge and experience will be of enormous benefit as the club looks to realise our aims in the coming years.”

Meanwhile, Drogheda United have confirmed that Hayden Cann and Oisin Gallagher have both returned to League One side Lincoln City following their loan spells with the Louth club.

Centre-half Cann made 17 appearances under Kevin Doherty, scoring his only goal in a Louth derby win over Dundalk last month, while midfielder Gallagher featured 18 times and found the net against Shelbourne in April.