Patrick Dolan (born 20 September 1967 in Galway, Ireland) is a former football player, manager, and executive. He is also a former soccer analyst on RTÉ Sport. He is currently a FIFA-registered players' agent and has represented a number of players based in the English Premier League and English Football League Championship divisions. He also writes articles in the Irish Daily Star and acts within an ambassador role for a small number of Dublin hotels.
Early life
Dolan, and his twin Eamonn Dolan, moved to Chelmsford as children and both began life as trainee footballers with West Ham United. They both played for the Republic of Ireland at the 1985 FIFA World Youth Championship and Under 21 level. Both had made their Irish international debut at Republic of Ireland national under-17 football team level against Northern Ireland in the first ever fixture between the two nations at Seaview in a 6–1 friendly win in January 1985.
Early career
Dolan signed YTS forms with Arsenal when he turned sixteen and made numerous appearances for both the youth and reserve team. Paul Merson recalls playing with Dolan together in the Arsenal youth team and even how Dolan would regularly be invited to stay over at his parents' house .
In 1988, he was loaned out to Walsall to gain experience and soon made the move permanent. The following year, having failed to make the impact expected of him, he was loaned out to League of Ireland side St. Patrick's Athletic. He made his League of Ireland debut at Richmond Park on 28 February 1988.
After a handful of appearances he returned to Walsall but was promptly released. He signed for Paul McGee at Galway United for the 1989–90 League of Ireland Premier Division season where he missed only two league games as the Tribesmen finished 8th.
Dolan made his Galway debut on 10 September at Terryland Park
His first ever club goal came against his former club on 1 October as Dolan headed in the equaliser
The following season he moved to Shamrock Rovers. He scored on his first start at Turners Cross (where he had also scored his only Ireland U21 goal) on 28 October. He was an unused substitute in the 1991 FAI Cup Final when Rovers lost to Galway United. After Rovers maiden season in the RDS Arena (3 goals in 23 total appearances) he joined St Patrick's Athletic on a full-time deal in 1991.
St Patrick's Athletic
Dolan joined St Pats when the club was in a state of poverty. They were playing in Harold's Cross Stadium while they tried to raise enough funds to return to Richmond Park. As St Pats could not justify his salary purely on footballing grounds, Dolan was employed as Commercial Manager. Within months he had ignited the local business community and new sponsors came on board.
Dolan played in the 1992/93 FAI League Cup Final and his last game was the 1993 FAI Cup semi final at Dundalk on 18 April. As Dolan's injuries got worse he retired from football and was appointed chief executive.
Dolan worked closely with manager Brian Kerr and new chairman Tim O'Flaherty (a respected local businessman), and in December 1993 St Pats returned to Richmond Park.
Over the next 3 years the club went from strength to strength as Dolan's marketing and Kerr's team building saw the Saints win the league title in 1996. In the December of that year Kerr was appointed Director of Coaching by the FAI. Chairman O'Flaherty surprised most with his appointment of Dolan for team manager with most commentators believing that Kerr's assistant Liam Buckley would get the job. In January 1997 Dolan was appointed manager of Pats. At 28 he was the youngest manager in the history of the club.
Buckley resigned in protest but crucially, Dolan kept respected coach Noel O'Reilly on his staff. After a disappointing finish to his first season, Dolan spent relatively large sums on securing the top young Irish players available and signed three of the Ireland team that finished third in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship. His large squad won the 1997/98 League championship on the last day of the season as arch rivals Shelbourne lost a 2-point lead. After leading St Pats to a credible performance in the Champions League against Celtic in September 1998 Dolan resigned as manager to concentrate on his new roles as managing director and Director of Football. He had also purchased a major shareholding in the club.