John Fagan
John "Kruger" Fagan (born in Dublin) is a former Irish football player who played as a forward.
He joined Shamrock Rovers F.C. in 1922 and won the title in the club's first season in the League of Ireland. He rejoined the Hoops in the 1924/25 season and together with Bob Fullam, John Joe Flood and Billy Farrell formed a part of a legendary forward-line known as the Four F's. During the 1924-25 season they helped Rovers win a League of Ireland / League of Ireland Shield / FAI Cup treble. They won the FAI Cup after beating Shelbourne 2-1 at Dalymount Park before an attendance of 25,000.
Rovers went through that 1924/25 season undefeated and thus became the first side in the brief history of the League to win the title twice. They proved they were the best side on the island when they beat Glentoran 2-0 in Belfast for the unofficial title of 'Champions of All Ireland' in May 1925 [1].
On March 13, 1926 Fagan was one of five Rovers players in the first ever League of Ireland XI to play an Irish League XI at Dalymount Park. The League of Ireland won 3-1.
On St Patrick's Day he scored in the FAI Cup final defeat to Fordsons F.C..
Four days later he won his only cap for the Irish Free State against Italy in Turin.
He won five League of Ireland XI caps while at Glenmalure Park between 1924 and 1927 and scored a total of 31 League goals at Milltown.
He suffered a serious illness during the summer of 1929 and departed the club. However he recovered enough to play in the Leinster Senior League. His son Paddy Fagan played for his country in the 1950s and 1960s.
Honours
- League of Ireland: 3
- FAI Cup: 1
- 1925
- League of Ireland Shield: 2
- 1924–25, 1926–27
- Leinster Senior Cup: 2
- 1923, 1927
Sources
- The Hoops by Paul Doolan and Robert Goggins (ISBN 0-7171-2121-6)