Having returned to Ireland with his career on the brink, Jack Byrne has certainly turned things around during his two years at Shamrock Rovers.
The Dubliner struggled during spells at the likes of Wigan Athletic, Kilmarnock, and Oldham Athletic, failing to fulfil the potential he had shown during his early days at Manchester City.
It turned out a move to the League of Ireland was the best thing that could have happened to him. Byrne has thrived at the club, becoming the best player in the league and a fixture in the Ireland squad.
He was always likely to move on at the end of last season, with a move to APOEL Nicosia set to be confirmed very shortly.
The player himself had been silent on his potential departure up to this point, but he has now penned an emotional message to Shamrock Rovers.
Posting the message on his Instagram page, Byrne thanked everybody who helped him during his time in Tallaght.
When I left Scotland in December 2018 I was in a very low place. I was so unhappy and it's the lowest I've ever felt in my time in football . After a few days home in Dublin , Stephen Bradley Stephen McPhail and Glen Cronin asked myself , my mother and brother to meet them at the SRFC Training Ground in Roadstone.
They told me if I got my head down they'd do everything they could to help me get back to my myself and most importantly love the game again. They told my mother they'd take care of me and help me grow up on and off the pitch. The reality is over the past two years Stephen Bradley and his staff done far far more than what they promised.
In truth they've changed my life . They made me fitter, stronger and a much better footballer. They believed in me and helped me feel that I could not just be good but that I could compete with any player at any level. They made me relevant to the Irish international squad and helped me fulfil my dream of pulling on the green jersey , a dream that was dead before I met them...
Today , with the heaviest of hearts , I would like to announce that I've decided to leave Shamrock Rovers and the people I've come to love and I do so with a huge lump in my throat.
I'd like to thank Stephen Bradley, Stephen McPhail, Glen Cronin, Darren Dillon, Jose Ferrer, Tony Mac, the backroom team, my team mates - who are more like my brothers - the Rovers board , the best fans in Ireland and everyone at Shamrock Rovers for all they've done for me over the past two years.
I'd like to thank my mother and family for guiding me so well and I will continue to work so hard to justify everyone's faith in me. I will make an announcement on my future in the coming days.
While there has been no official announcement as of yet, Byrne looks set to link up with former Ireland boss at APOEL Nicosia in the coming weeks.
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