▁Stock port ▁County ▁providing ▁his ▁only ▁first - team ▁action ▁for ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁He ▁stayed ▁on ▁the ▁pay roll ▁at ▁Manchester ▁City ▁until ▁ret iring ▁as ▁a ▁player ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁He ▁afterwards ▁played ▁veter ans ▁football ▁for ▁Great ▁W ak ering ▁Ro vers . ▁ ▁International ▁career ▁He ▁was ▁c apped ▁at ▁international ▁level ▁for ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Ireland ; ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁Ireland ' s ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁World ▁Cup ▁squad ▁though ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁tournament . ▁ ▁Management ▁career ▁After ▁ret iring ▁as ▁a ▁player , ▁he ▁had ▁short ▁sp ells ▁as ▁manager ▁of ▁Cor by ▁Town ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁and ▁Bash ley ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁ ▁Prior ▁to ▁becoming ▁player - manager ▁at ▁Cor by ▁Town ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁brief ▁spell ▁as ▁the ▁club ' s ▁commercial ▁manager . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁he ▁was ▁confirmed ▁as ▁the ▁under - 1 4 s ▁manager ▁at ▁North am pton ▁Town . ▁During ▁the ▁following ▁year ▁he ▁stepped ▁up ▁to ▁become ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁club ' s ▁youth ▁team . ▁ ▁However , ▁after ▁a ▁spell ▁at ▁North am pton , ▁McG old rick ' s ▁old ▁club ▁Cry stal ▁Palace ▁sought ▁to ▁appoint ▁him ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁their ▁youth ▁team ▁man agers ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁However , ▁in ▁that ▁year ▁he ▁instead ▁opt ed ▁to ▁establish ▁a ▁football ▁a cademy