After we completed the loan signing of 21-year-old Republic of Ireland international Aaron Connolly, we take a look at 11 more Boro players to have represented the Boys In Green.
Born in Dublin in 1929, inside forward Arthur Fitzsimons was signed by Boro from Shelbourne FC in 1949 as part of a joint deal that also included Peter Desmond. Over the next decade, Fitzsimons was a teammate to the likes of Wilf Mannion and later Brian Clough, and would make more than 200 league appearances, scoring 49 times. He was capped on 26 occasions by his country in the same period, and in 2009 was inducted into the FAI Hall of Fame.
One of the best bargains in Boro’s history, Bernie Slaven (pictured top) joined Boro from Albion Rovers in 1985 for a paltry sum of £25,000. Part of the now-legendary Bruce Rioch side that came back from the brink, Slaven was promoted three times in total with Boro and scored 146 goals in the process, including the first by an Irish player in the Premier League. The Paisley-born forward qualified to play for the Boys in Green through his Irish grandfather, and was capped seven times by another Boro great, Jack Charlton, also travelling to Italy for the 1990 World Cup.
Alan Kernaghan was born in Otley, West Yorkshire, and moved to Bangor in County Down as a youngster - but was back on these shores to begin his footballing career with Boro as an apprentice. Like Slaven, Kernaghan was part of Boro’s ‘Spirit of 86’ generation as the club fought back from the threat of extinction. Though he started life as a defender, Kernaghan was on occasion utilised as a forward - and notched a memorable 12-minute hat-trick against Blackburn in November 1989. The Northern Irish FA declined the opportunity to call up Kernaghan as his parents were not born in the country - but the Republic did, and he was capped a total of 22 times between 1992 and 1996, including being part of their squad for USA ’94.
Reliable right-back Curtis Fleming joined Boro in the summer of 1991, and was promoted with the club in his first season under Lennie Lawrence. He’d win promotion with the Teessiders again under Bryan Robson in the final season at Ayresome Park, and was involved in Boro’s three Wembley cup finals between 1997 and 1998. Fleming earned a third and final promotion with Boro in 1998, and having played more than 250 times for Boro, was honoured with a testimonial against Athletic Bilbao in 2001. He returned to the club as a coach under Tony Pulis, and is now assistant to former Boro teammate Nigel Pearson at Bristol City.
Dublin-born midfielder Graham Kavanagh made just shy of 50 appearances in his five years spent with Boro after joining from Home Farm in 1991, but was much more of a regular for his subsequent clubs; Stoke City, and after that Cardiff City. Kavanagh was capped 16 times by his country, while son Calum is now a striker with Boro’s Academy and has represented the Republic at youth level.
Tricky winger Alan Moore was compared to the likes of George Best and Ryan Giggs as a youngster, and burst onto the scene for Boro in the early '90s. He provided a memorable turn in his full debut with a goal and two assists in a 3-2 win over Notts County on the opening day of the 1992/93 season. Moore spent a decade on Teesside, one of the most rollercoaster periods in our history, and was capped eight times for his country during that time, an honour which he later described as the pinnacle of his career.
A Scottish league and cup winner with Celtic, defender Chris Morris was part of the Republic of Ireland’s first major tournament in Euro ’88 and the side that famously beat England there (though neither side would qualify for the next stage). Morris joined Boro in 1992, and was a regular until injury forced his retirement at the end of the 1996/97 season.
Andy Townsend was a relative latecomer to the professional game, already 22 when he made his senior debut with Southampton in 1985. But by the time he joined Boro in 1997, he was an experienced midfield operator, having enjoyed success with Norwich, Chelsea and Aston Villa - and was an astute acquisition for Bryan Robson to help Boro earn promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking. Qualifying through family heritage, Townsend was capped 70 times by the Irish and played at both the 1990 and '94 World Cups, and was inducted into the FAI Hall of Fame in 2015.
Among a select few to have turned out for Newcastle United, Sunderland and Boro, goalkeeper Shay Given made a big impression in a short loan stay on Teesside in the 2013/14 season, keeping ten clean sheets in 16 games. Indeed, many a Boro fan hoped the glovesman would return at the end of the season, but he instead joined Stoke City and head coach Aitor Karanka turned to Greek stopper Dimi Konstantopoulos. Given is one of the most capped players in the Republic’s history with 134, second only to former Boro coach Robbie Keane’s 146.
Another Irish goalkeeper that was a favourite with Boro, Darren Randolph joined Boro from West Ham United in the summer of 2017 and was near enough an ever-present between the posts over the next two seasons. Showcasing particularly good form in the second of those two campaigns, Randolph was Boro’s Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year for 2018/19 as Boro narrowly missed out on making the Championship play-offs. Now back at West Ham, the keeper has been capped 50 times, including four appearances at Euro 2016.
Full-back Cyrus Christie joined Boro the same window as international team-mate Randolph, and on the same day as current captain Jonny Howson. He made a total of 26 appearances in a red shirt, scoring once against Fulham - the club he would join in early 2017 when he fell out of favour with new boss Tony Pulis. Eligible through his Irish grandmother, Christie has been capped 29 times, with two goals to his name.