Fitzgerald: Peter Joseph (Peter)

1960-1961 (Player Details)

Centre Forward

Born: Waterford, Ireland: 17-06-1937

Debut v Liverpool (a): 20-08-1960

5’10” 11st 7lb (1960)

Fitzgerald won an FA of Ireland Cup runners-up medal with Waterford in 1959 before joining St Patrick’s Athletic. He made four appearances for the League of Ireland XI. He linked up with Northern Ireland International Inside-Forward John Crossan at Dutch Club Sparta Rotterdam, before Leeds paid £7,000 for him in August 1960. He was signed by Leeds Manager Jack Taylor as his final signing before the start of the 1960-61 season. He was chosen at Inside-Left in the first game of the season at Liverpool, in a forward line that comprised Billy Bremner at Outside Right, Don Revie at Inside Right, John McCole at Centre Forward and Colin Grainger at Outside Left. Despite making little impression for United, due to the good form of John McCole and Noel Peyton, he was capped three times during his eleven months stay, by the Republic of Ireland. He made his debut against wales at Dalymount Park on 28th September 1960, with Leeds' Noel Peyton and Johnny Giles, then of Manchester United, as teammates in a 2-3 defeat by Wales. He had still only managed the one game with Leeds, but he had a lucky break when John McCole had to miss several games with injury and on 22nd October 1960 he was at Centre-Forward as Billy Bremner scored twice, but Leeds still lost 2-3 at Norwich City, but had better luck the following game on 29th October 1960 when Colin Grainger's goal was enough to collect full points against Charlton Athletic at Elland Road. His second International appearance came on 6th November 1960 in a 3-1 win over Norway at Dalymount Park, in which he scored twice, and he again filled in at Centre Forward for John McCole as Leeds were beaten 0-1 by Stoke City at Elland Road. He did not make the Leeds team again until the final game of Jack Taylor's reign, when he was chosen at Outside Right for the Elland Road encounter with Norwich City on 11th March 1961, which was won when Eric Smith scored the only goal of the game. He was in the first-ever team selected by Don Revie. On 18th March 1961, Fitzgerald was at Inside Right, with Jack Charlton the emergency Centre Forward, but despite a goal from the would-be striker it did not stop United going down 1-3 to Portsmouth at Fratton Park. His two final games for Leeds came as he deputised for Gerry Francis at Outside Right. Revie continued with his experiment with Jack Charlton Centre-Forward and he scored twice in each game as Leeds lost 2-3 at Scunthorpe United on 3rd April 1961 and five days later drew 2-2 at home to Swansea Town. His third Irish cap came on 7th May 1961, again at Dalymount Park, at Centre Forward as the Republic went down 0-3 to Scotland in the World Cup Qualifing Tournament. He moved to Chester City in July 1961 for £3,000, where he scored twelve goals in eighty appearances and picked up two further Irish caps, both against Czechoslovakia in the World Cup Qualifying Tornament. He was at Outside Right on 8th October 1961, at Dalymount Park in a 1-3 defeat, and he was at Centre Forward in Prague on 29th October 1961 as Czechoslovakia won at a canter, 7-1. In November 1963 he completed the circle by re-signing for Waterford United. He won a League of Ireland Championship medal with Waterford in 1966, in his final season there. He was also loaned to Cork Hibernians in 1965 and made six appearances for them. He finished his playing days with Hyde United where he played for for seasons before retiring in 1970.