Eamonn Deacy

Who was Eamonn Deacy?

Eamonn "Chick" Deacy was a professional footballer from Galway, Ireland.

After a trial at Clyde Deacy made an impressive League of Ireland debut for Sligo away to Shelbourne at Harold's Cross Stadium on 14 December 1975.

His only win in Sligo's colours came at Glenmalure Park on 4 January 1976. The next month he faced Geoff Hurst at Turners Cross.

His debut game for his home town club was in the FAI League Cup on 5 September 1976. In his third League Cup game against Sligo he was sent off.

Deacy made his debut for Limerick on 28 November 1976 at Flower Lodge. At the end of the season he was on the losing side in the FAI Cup Final. However in his last game for the Shannonsiders he won the Munster Senior Cup.

Deacy scored Galway Rovers first goal in the League of Ireland on 2 October 1977.

The 21-year-old full back left Galway Rovers for Aston Villa in February 1979, after writing 12 letters to the club requesting a trial. He went on to have an unforgettable five years at the club, during which time they won the League Championship, European Cup and European Super Cup.

He was one of only 14 players used by Ron Saunders in the 1980–81 league-winning season, making enough appearances to win a medal. He made one appearance for Villa in European competition against Juventus in the 1982–83 European Cup. He had a brief loan spell at Derby, where he played five games, before rejecting an offer of a new two-year deal from Villa to return home to Galway.