Benny Rooney

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Benny Rooney

| image =

| fullname = Bernard Rooney

| birth_date = {{birth date|1943|5|3|df=y}}

| birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland

| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|7|28|1943|5|3|df=y}}

| height =

| position = Defender

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1959–1963

| years2 = 1959–1960[https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/golden-years-benny-was-never-far-away-from-the-lisbon-lionsgolden-years/ Golden Years: Benny was never far away from the Lisbon Lions], David Walker, Sunday Post, 21 December 2019

| years3 = 1960–1961{{Cite web|url=http://www.petershillfc.co.uk/page2.html |title=History |publisher=Petershill F.C. |accessdate=13 October 2018}}

| years4 = 1961–1962{{cite book | last = McAllister | first = Jim | title = The Sons of the Rock - The Official History of Dumbarton Football Club | publisher = J&J Robertson Printers | year = 2002 | location = Dumbarton}}

| years5 = 1963–1966

| years6 = 1966–1973

| years7 = 1973–1976

| clubs1 = Celtic

| clubs2 = → Cambuslang Rangers (loan)

| clubs3 = → Petershill (loan)

| clubs4 = → Dumbarton (loan)

| clubs5 = Dundee United

| clubs6 = St Johnstone

| clubs7 = Partick Thistle

| caps1 = 0

| caps2 =

| caps4 = 6

| caps5 = 22

| caps6 = 222

| caps7 = 62

| goals1 = 0

| goals2 =

| goals4 = 0

| goals5 = 4

| goals6 = 12

| goals7 = 3

| manageryears1 = 1976–1983

| manageryears2 = 1983–1986

| manageryears3 = 1986

| managerclubs1 = Greenock Morton

| managerclubs2 = Partick Thistle

| managerclubs3 = Albion Rovers

}}

Bernard Rooney (3 May 1943 – 28 July 2023)[https://www.funeralguide.co.uk/obituaries/114363 Bernard Rooney] was a Scottish football player and manager.

Playing career

Rooney played for Celtic as a youth and was a contemporary of the group of players who would form the core of their Lisbon Lions team, but was unable to break into the team in the face of such stiff competition for a place, and after being loaned out to the junior leagues and to Dumbarton, he was allowed to sign for Dundee United on a free transfer in 1963.[http://arabestpublishing.co.uk/1911.aspx Extract from Section 2 of The Rise of the Terrors] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219062619/http://arabestpublishing.co.uk/1911.aspx |date=19 December 2008 }}, Arabest Publishing. He was frequently relegated to United's reserve team, however, and he was eventually sold to St Johnstone in 1966 for £3,500.

Rooney served the Perth club for nearly a decade during a very successful period for the club under the management of Willie Ormond. Rooney was the club's captain during their UEFA Cup run of 1971–72, when they defeated Hamburg and Vasas Budapest.[http://www.perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk/history-saints-in-europe.php History - The European campaigns] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106053727/http://www.perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk/history-saints-in-europe.php |date=6 January 2009 }}, St Johnstone official website He also had the honour of being captain for Saints' first ever national final when they were unlucky to lose 1–0 to a Celtic side who were among the very best in Europe at the time in the Scottish League Cup Final at Hampden Park in 1969. As a key member of the Ormond era, Rooney has a place in St Johnstone history and will always be well remembered by the fans.

Managerial career

Rooney was appointed manager of Morton in 1976. Morton were part-time and competing in the First Division at the time. In his second season in charge he led the club to promotion to the Scottish Premier Division. In the 1979–80 season Morton famously topped the Premier Division in the middle of the season, and ultimately finished in 6th place, quite an achievement for a part-time club.{{cite news

|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/8353673.stm

|title= Chick Young's view

|accessdate=2009-11-11

|publisher=BBC |work= BBC Sport

| date=2009-11-10

}}

Rooney is also revered by Morton fans for assembling a memorable squad, including fan favourite Andy Ritchie, who was brought to Cappielow from Celtic in 1976.{{cite web

|url= http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.scott2/pastplayers/andyritchie.html

|title= Andy Ritchie

|accessdate= 2009-11-11

|publisher= MortonOnline.co.uk

|url-status= dead

|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090204143818/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/c.scott2/pastplayers/andyritchie.html

|archivedate= 4 February 2009

|df= dmy-all

}}

Rooney left Morton in 1983, and went on to manage Partick Thistle and Albion Rovers, before returning to his first club Celtic briefly as a coach.{{cite web | url=http://www.ntvcelticfanzine.com/the%2090s/90s9394pt1.htm | title=Season 93-94 Part 1 | publisher=The View | accessdate=22 July 2014}}

Personal life

Benny Rooney had two children with wife Marion. His son Kevin is an actor,{{cite web | url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12316712.a-striking-role-is-nothing-new-for-this-guy/ | title=A striking role is nothing new for this guy | work =The Herald | date=4 July 1997|accessdate=13 October 2018 }} whilst his father, Bob, had been physiotherapist at Celtic in the successful Jock Stein managerial era at the club.{{cite web | url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/ibrox-disaster-survivors-and-former-players-1079388.amp | title=Ibrox Disaster: Survivors and former players remember stadium horror | work =Dailly Record | date=29 December 2010|accessdate=13 October 2018 }}

Rooney's great-nephew Shaun Rooney is also a footballer. He emulated his great uncle by playing for St Johnstone in the February 2021 Scottish League Cup Final, scoring the only goal of the game;[https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/betfred-cup/2011000/st-johnstone-hero-shaun-rooney-on-his-family-ties-to-saints-and-celtic-sides-who-squared-off-in-1969-league-cup-final/amp/ St Johnstone hero Shaun Rooney on his family ties to Saints and Celtic sides who squared off in 1969 League Cup final], Eric Nicholson, The Courier, 28 February 2021 he also scored the winning goal in the 2021 Scottish Cup Final three months later.{{Cite web|last=Lindsay|first=Clive|date=22 May 2021|title=Perth side complete domestic cup double|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57125203|access-date=10 July 2021|website=BBBC Sport}}

Rooney died in July 2023, at the age of 80.{{cite web |url=https://www.perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk/news/article/benny-rooney-tribute |title=Benny Rooney Tribute |publisher=St Johnstone FC |website=perthstjohnstonefc.co.uk |date=30 July 2023 |accessdate=30 July 2023}}