Introduction
Fran O'Brien was an Irish soccer player during the 1970s and 1980s. He was the first player to be capped for the Republic of Ireland playing in U.S., earning a total of four caps.
Player
He won a league winners medal with Bohemians in 1974/75. During his career with Bohs, Fran made 62 league appearances with 1 goal and 8 appearances in European competition scoring 1 goal. In 1978, O'Brien moved along with Pat Byrne and Eddie Byrne (footballer) to the Philadelphia Fury of the North American Soccer League (NASL). When the Fury moved to Montreal after the 1980 season, O'Brien went with the team and spent the next two seasons with the renamed Montreal Manic. In 1983, he signed with the Vancouver Whitecaps and spent the next two season with them. In 1984, he was a second team NASL All Star with the Whitecaps. When the NASL folded at the end of the 1984 season, O'Brien signed with the Dallas Sidekicks of Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). The Sidekicks released him on September 10, 1985 and he moved to the Tacoma Stars. He spent two seasons with the Stars before retiring and settling in Washington State.
Coach
He is the current head coach of Tacoma Tide of the amateur USL Premier Development League in the United States
He is the father of Leighton O'Brien and Ciaran O'Brien, brother of Derek O'Brien and the uncle of Mark O'Brien.
Honours
- League of Ireland: 1
- Bohemians - 1974/75
- FAI Cup: 1
- Bohemians - 1976