in a game that finished 2–2. He signed for Notts County from Shelbourne in September 1995, joining the recently departed Shelbourne manager Colin Murphy at Meadow Lane. In February 1997 he joined Portadown for £10,000 and scored on his debut at home to Coleraine. He made his European bow against PFC CSKA Sofia in the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup. On his only appearance representing the Irish League he scored against the League of Ireland XI at Terryland Park in November 2000. He was a prolific goalscorer, scoring 248 goals in 404 appearances during his nine-year spell with Portadown. He was an Irish League winner with Portadown in 2001/02. Arkins was the top scorer in the Irish League on five occasions. He remains the only player from the Republic of Ireland to be top scorer in the Northern Irish Premiership. In July 2002 he scored at FC Belshina Bobruisk in the 2002–03 UEFA Champions League. Arkins scored in the 2005-06 UEFA Cup against Viking FK. He made 10 appearances in European competition for the Ports. In January 2006 he signed for Bohemians. His last senior goal was scored for Bohs against Bray on 12 May 2006 and his last senior appearance was on 29 August in a losing 2006 FAI Cup tie against his first LOI club Shamrock Rovers where he sustained a long-term injury that forced him eventually into retirement. He did subsequently sign for St Patrick's Athletic on a short-term deal but never actually appeared in a competitive game for the Saints due to his growing family. International career Arkins won representative honours with the League of Ireland XI and the Irish League XI, as well as eight Republic Ireland U21, one B, four schoolboy and three youth caps. Arkins scoring the winner against Turkey in October 1990. Honours Irish League Portadown 2001/2002 Irish Cup: 2 Portadown 1998/99, 2004/05 Mid-Ulster Cup: 3 Portadown 1997/1998, 2001/2002, 2002/2003 Irish FA Charity Shield Portadown 1999/2000 LFA President's Cup: Shelbourne 1993 PFAI Young Player of the Year: Shamrock Rovers – 1989/1990 SRFC Player of the Year: Shamrock Rovers – 1989/1990 Ulster Footballer of the Year Portadown 1999/2000 Northern Ireland Football Writers' Association Player of the Year:2 Portadown 1999/2000, 2001/2002 Notes References 1970 births Shamrock Rovers F.C. players Expatriate association footballers in Northern Ireland Expatriate footballers in England Expatriate footballers in Scotland League of Ireland players Association football forwards Irish expatriate sportspeople in England Irish