Bray Unknowns F.C.

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Use Irish English|date=November 2020}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Bray Unknowns | image = | fullname = Bray Unknowns Football Club | nickname = | founded = | ground = [[Carlisle Grounds]] [[Bray, County Wicklow|Bray]] [[County Wicklow]] | capacity = | coordinates = | owner = | chairman = | manager = | league = [[Leinster Senior League (association football)|Leinster Senior League]] [[League of Ireland]] | season = | position = | website = | current = |}}

'''Bray Unknowns Football Club''' was an [[List of association football clubs in the Republic of Ireland|Irish association football club]] based in [[Bray, County Wicklow|Bray]], [[County Wicklow]]. During the 1920s and 1930s the Unknowns were the dominant football club in Bray, playing in the [[League of Ireland]] for nineteen seasons from [[1924–25 League of Ireland|1924–25]] to [[1942–43 League of Ireland|1942–43]]. However, in the 1950s, [[Bray Wanderers A.F.C.|Bray Wanderers]] emerged as the town's strongest team, enjoying success in both the [[Leinster Senior League Senior Division|Leinster Senior League]] and the [[FAI Intermediate Cup]]. During the 1960s both clubs were in decline. In 1973, after co-existing for nearly fifty years, the two clubs effectively merged under the Wanderers name.

==History== ===Early years=== Bray Unknowns played a few seasons at the [[Carlisle Grounds]] around [[1910 in Ireland|1910]]. The club re-formed after the [[First World War]]<ref>[http://www.braywanderers.com/showarticle.php?id=23 ''Carlisle Grounds'']</ref> and in 1921–22 were playing in the [[Leinster Senior League Senior Division|Leinster Senior League]]. Other teams in this league this season included [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]], [[Bohemian F.C.|Bohemians B]], [[St James's Gate F.C.|St James's Gate B]], [[Pioneers F.C. (Dublin)|Pioneers]], [[Shelbourne United F.C.|Shelbourne United]], [[Midland Athletic F.C.|Midland Athletic]], [[Brooklyn F.C. (Dublin)|Brooklyn]], Merrion, Glasnevin, CYMS and Richmond. <ref>{{cite book|last=Paul Doolan|first=Robert Goggins|title=The Hoops|publisher=Gill & MacmillanLtd|year=1993|isbn=0-7171-2121-6}}</ref> In 1922–23 Bray Unknowns were Leinster Senior League champions and in 1923–24 they won the [[LFA Metropolitan Cup]].<ref>[http://www.braywanderers.com/showarticle.php?id=231 www.braywanderers.com]</ref>

===League of Ireland=== [[File:Performance chart ire BRAYU.svg|thumb|Chart of yearly table positions for Bray Unknowns in League of Ireland]] Bray Unknowns joined the [[League of Ireland]] in [[1924–25 League of Ireland|1924–25]], replacing [[Midland Athletic F.C.|Midland Athletic]]. Together with [[Fordsons F.C.|Fordsons]], they became the second and third teams, after [[Athlone Town A.F.C.|Athlone Town]], from outside of [[County Dublin]] to join the league. During their time in the league, Bray Unknowns regularly finished in the bottom two. On 28 October [[1928–29 League of Ireland|1928]] Bray Unknowns lost 11–0 to [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]]. This still remains Rovers record win. Bray Unknowns best performance in the league was a fourth-placed finish in [[1936–37 League of Ireland|1936–37]]. They were [[FAI Cup]] semi-finalists in [[1924–25 FAI Cup|1924–25]], [[1925–26 FAI Cup|1925–26]] and 1939–40. At the end of the [[1942–43 League of Ireland|1942–43]] seasons Bray Unknowns failed to get re-elected.<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/ierhist.html League of Ireland], [[Rsssf]] {{Cite web |url=http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/ierhist.html |title=(Republic of) Ireland League Tables |access-date=25 October 2015 |archive-date=21 February 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080221000146/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/ierhist.html |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref><ref name="Graham">{{cite book|last=Graham|first=Alex|title=Football in the Republic of Ireland a Statistical Record 1921-2005|date=2005 |publisher=Soccer Books Limited|isbn=1-86223-135-4}}</ref><ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/iercuphistfull.html FAI Cup], [[Rsssf]] {{Cite web |url=http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/iercuphistfull.html |title=Ireland - FA of Ireland Cup 1921/22-1993/94 |access-date=25 October 2015 |archive-date=25 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150525004214/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/iercuphistfull.html |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref><ref>[http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/35-news/2605-milltown-milestones www.shamrockrovers.ie] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304202252/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/35-news/2605-milltown-milestones |date=2016-03-04 }}</ref>

===Bray Wanderers=== In 1973–74 Bray Unknowns were playing in the [[Leinster Senior League (association football)|Leinster Senior League]] and two former [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] internationals, [[Mick Meagan]] and [[Amby Fogarty]] were recruited as co-player managers. The club management also changed the club's name to [[Bray Wanderers A.F.C.|Bray Wanderers]].<ref>[http://www.braywanderers.com/showarticle.php?id=636 www.braywanderers.com]</ref>

==League of Ireland Stats== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Stat ! Opponent ! Score ! Date |- | '''Record Win''' | [[Brideville F.C.|Brideville]] | 7–1 | 28 November [[1925–26 League of Ireland|1925]] |- | '''Record Defeat'''<ref>[http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/35-news/2605-milltown-milestones www.shamrockrovers.ie] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304202252/http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/35-news/2605-milltown-milestones |date=2016-03-04 }}</ref> | [[Shamrock Rovers F.C.|Shamrock Rovers]] | 0–11 | 28 October [[1928–29 League of Ireland|1928]] |} Source: <ref name="McSweeney">{{cite book|last=McSweeney|first=Niall|title=A Record of League of Ireland Football 1921-22 to 1984-85|publisher=Association of Football Statisticians}}</ref><ref name="Graham"/>

==Ground== Between [[1924–25 League of Ireland|1924–25]] and [[1928–29 League of Ireland|1928–29]], Bray Unknowns played their home games in Woodbrook, just over the [[County Dublin]] border. In 1929 they moved back to the [[Carlisle Grounds]]. The first [[League of Ireland]] match at the ground was a 2-2 draw between Unknowns and [[Dundalk F.C.|Dundalk]] during the [[1929–30 League of Ireland|1929–30]] season .<ref>[http://www.braywanderers.com/showarticle.php?id=23 ''Carlisle Grounds'']</ref>

==Honours== *'''[[Leinster Senior League Senior Division|Leinster Senior League]]: 1''' **1922–23 *'''[[LFA Metropolitan Cup]]: 1''' **1923–24

==Notable former players== ===Ireland internationals=== The following Bray Unknowns players represented [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Ireland]] at full international level. * {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Jack Byrne (1920s footballer)|Jack Byrne]] * {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Amby Fogarty]] * {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Mick Meagan]] * {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Alf Rigby]] * {{flagicon|Ireland}} [[Joe Williams (Irish footballer)|Joe Williams]]

===Goalscorers=== *Top League Scorer ''(season)'': 21, [[Owen McNally]] ([[1930–31 League of Ireland|1930–31]]) *Top League Scorer ''(total)'': 44, Paddy Leeney (1937–41)

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:Association football clubs in County Wicklow]] [[Category:Defunct League of Ireland clubs]] [[Category:Former Leinster Senior League clubs]] [[Category:Bray Wanderers F.C.|Unknowns]] [[Category:Association football clubs established in 1910]] [[Category:Association football clubs disestablished in 1973]] [[Category:1910 establishments in Ireland]] [[Category:1973 disestablishments in Ireland]]