"After 23 years as a professional footballer, I now feel it's the right time for me to retire from the game that I have loved being a part of for all these years".
Those are the thoughts of Brian Murphy who has brought down the curtain on his playing career.
The 39-year-old began his career as a youth player with Boh's before making the move across the channel to Man City where he would spend three years battling for a starting jersey, while also being out on loan to Oldham and Peterborough.
🥊 Goalkeeper Brian Murphy has announced his retirement from football.
We are delighted that Brian will remain at the club as a First Team coach & Head of Academy Goalkeeping.
More info 👉 https://t.co/mNqINcpye2#WaterfordFC pic.twitter.com/yoQvbga7F3— Waterford FC (@WaterfordFCie) January 6, 2023
His first taste of senior football came with Swansea when he was signed on a free transfer in 2003. Making 13 appearances for the Welsh side.
Coming home to Bohemians, Murphy would find his feet over the next two years where he made 97 appearances for the Gypsies. He would be part of the Boh's team that won back-to-back League Of Ireland titles in 2008 & 2009 as well as picking up an FAI Cup in the double-winning year of 2008. That FAI Cup win was in no small part to Murphy's performance in the penalty shootout with Derry City. The Waterford native saved two penalties and would go on to be named the SWAI Player of the month for November. He would also be named goalkeeper of the year in 2008 to regain the honour he had been given in 2007.
Stints are Ipswich, QPR and Portsmouth would follow before joining Cardiff City in 2016.
In February 2020 it was announced that the hometown boy would stand between the sticks at the RSC, but Murphy would have to wait for proper game time with the covid pandemic looming over the returning League Of Ireland season. He has spent these past two years as one of the driving forces on the training ground with the Blues.
At the start of the 2021 campaign, he was sidelined by then-manager Kevin Sheedy following a training ground bust-up where it's understood that Murphy was not happy with the standard and quality of the training. Following the departure of Sheedy and Mike Newell, Murphy would return to fill the starting role as the club fought for a place in the Premier Division. The campaign ultimately ended in relegation with the club playing in the First Division for 2022.
This past season has seen Murphy struggle for fitness with Paul Martin filling in for the senior player.
While the veteran shot-stopper has decided to hang up his gloves, he will still be involved with the club as he makes the switch to the coaching staff where he will continue as a First Team Coach and Head of Academy Goalkeeping.
