WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
ANDY MORAN
Andy Moran joined City on loan from Tranmere Rovers in the 1999/2000, arriving in the City with Perry Taylor. Both were highly thought off, with Moran having scored over thirty goals for Tranmere reserves the year before Moran featured sporadically in the side playing as a striker and a right winger. Moran was originally here for three months, but his loan was extended for the entire season. In all Moran played 25 times for City, scoring once in the League.
From my memories Moran most significant contribution was scoring a penalty at the Brandywell in the 2-1 defeat of Athlone in the second leg of the League Cup final. I can also remember him missing a penalty against Shels in the Brandywell that season against Shelbourne, but a Liam Coyle wonder goal did the trick that day. You remember it, Shels were unbeatean all season and Coyle lobbed Williams from outside the box
Moran's depature from the Brandywell was controversial as the player went AWOL late in the season. The story was that he returned to Tranmere to seek reassurances about his future there. However that didn't seem to work as he was released by Tramere in 2000 and joined Hereford. However he made just one susbstitute appearance for Hereford and was released in February 2001.
Moran returned to Ireland, turning out for Ards in the First Division championship winning season of 2000/01. Moran fail to make his mark in ten appearances with Ards and he returned to England, joining Unibond League side Bamber Bridge. Moran moved to Rhyl in the League of Wales from Bridge and it was from here that his career started taking a rapid ascent.
Moran discovered his shooting boots in the League of Wales scoring fifteen in 2001/2. He then hit 27 in 2002/3 and an amazing 47 in all competitions in the 2003/4 season. This made him the top scorer in the League of Wales that year and he was voted Player of the Year. However Moran was embroiled in controversery in August 2004 when it was announced that he had tested positive for nandrolene. The steriod is commonly associated with sprinters and the Welsh FA accepted that Moran had not knowingly taken it but still handed out a seven month ban. Moran protested his innoncence and blamed contaminated food supplements.
Moran returned in March 2005 and continued where he left off, scoring freely in Rhyl. Moran came back into the radar as he scored for Rhyl against FK Suduva in the UEFA Cup the same night City defeated IFK in the Ullevi.
Rhyl currently lead the Welsh Premier, and with Shels ongoing struggling, Moran could be facing the Candystripes in July 2007!
