Dublin midfielder Paul Byrne had an interesting career. He spent roughly half his career on the island, playing in either the League of Ireland or the Irish League.
However, he played with clubs across the water, including Oxford United, Arsenal (though he never got his game) and Southend United. Most famously of all, he played two seasons with Celtic in the mid-1990s.
He arrived there having shone for Bangor City in the Irish League.
It was a traumatic time for Celtic. In his first season there, the Celtic supporters boycotted home games in protest at the stewardship of the families in charge of the club.
On one dramatic evening towards the end of the 1993-94 season, Celtic were understood to be hours away from bankruptcy when Canada-based Glasgow businessmen Fergus McCann arrived in at the final moment and rescued the club. From that moment on, the club was on the road to happier times. While it would be a few years yet before they unseated Rangers at the top of Scottish football, they were set fair for the future.
Byrne played for Celtic from 1993 to 1995. He played roughly 30 games for the club and scored four goals.
Two of them came against Rangers, both in the 1994-95 season. Byrne swung in a goal against Rangers in the 3-1 home loss in October.
But two months later, he would steer home this absolute beaut to earn a draw for Celtic at Ibrox.
It is now 22 years to the day that Paul Byrne scored this goal at Ibrox. One of the most underrated finishes you'll ever see.. pic.twitter.com/5IJ0wdGgxq
— Glasgow Is Green (@GIGPOD) January 4, 2017
It was his final goal in Glasgow.
Tommy Burns was Celtic manager now and Byrne departed to join up with Liam Brady at Brighton before moving onto Southend. In his later career, he would enjoy decent spells at Bohemians and St. Pat's, winning a league title with the former in 2000-01.
