Jonathan Speak

Who is Jonathan Speak?

Jonathan Speak is a former Northern Irish footballer and manager.

Speak started his playing career at Ballymena United in 1983 where he was top scorer with 11 league goals. He then signed for Dundalk F.C. and made his League of Ireland debut on 16 September 1984. After one season he moved back to Ballymena where in 2 seasons he was their top scorer.

He joined Derry City in August 1987. He was the league's top scorer in the 1987–88 season with 24 goals to his name. Six of these goals came in one game in a 7–2 win over Sligo in April 1988.

Speak also helped Derry to a domestic treble in the 1988–89 season.

After 5 years at the Brandywell he moved back to Ballymena. In the 1993/94 season he again topped their scorers chart with 13 league goals.

He moved back to the League of Ireland to join Finn Harps in August 1994 for £14,000.

He led the Harps gallop to promotion in 1995–96, weighing in with 17 goals that season. Indeed, he was the club's top scorer for the next three seasons. Speak played 209 times for Harps in all competitions and scored 81 goals, 64 league goals in 152 matches. He also scored the winner in the 1999 FAI Cup semi-final in Terryland Park against Galway to send Harps to their first Cup Final in 25 years and scored again in one of the FAI Cup Final replays in Tolka Park.