Alan Mannus


Alan Mannus is a Northern Irish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper and is currently a goalkeeping coach for Larne. He began his career at Linfield, and during his time there he had spells on loan at Larne and Carrick Rangers. Mannus then signed for Shamrock Rovers and in 2011, moved to St Johnstone before finishing his career at Rovers in 2023. He has played for Northern Ireland at international level.

Club career

Linfield

Mannus began his football career at Linfield at sixteen years old and rose up through the Linfield's junior ranks. At one point of his football career, he went on trial at Everton and Fulham but it was unsuccessful. Mannus was loaned out to Larne and made one appearance against Ards, in a 1–1 draw on 22 October 2000. He was then loaned out to Carrick Rangers, and made nine appearances for the side.
In the 2001–02 season, Mannus appeared as an unused substitute in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League against Torpedo Kutaisi, as the club were eliminated from the tournament after losing 1–0 aggregate. On 24 October 2001, he made his debut for Linfield, starting the whole game, in a 3–0 win against Bangor. Following this, Mannus made his first senior squad appearance, becoming the club's first choice goalkeeper. He helped Linfield earn a place in the UEFA Cup after the club beat Omagh Town 3–2 on 28 April 2002. Mannus helped the club win the Irish Cup after beating Portadown win 2–1. After the match, he said: "This time last year I wasn't sure I would be kept on for this season, a month ago I was playing in the Swifts and now I've got an Irish Cup winners medal, it is unbelievable, a really brilliant feeling. I played two games last season and seven this season so it is a bit of a fairy tale for me." A few days later, Mannus helped Linfield Swifts win the Belfast Telegraph Intermediate Cup final to beat Donegal Celtic 1–0 to earn himself a double this season. He later reflected that the arrival of Tommy Wright as the new goalkeeper coach changed everything.
Mannus later succeeded Robert Robinson as Linfield's first choice goalkeeper at a young age at the start of 2002–03 season. However, he played in both legs of the qualification round of UEFA Cup against Stabæk, as the club loss 5–1 on aggregate and was eliminated from the tournament. In a match against Glentoran on 25 September 2002, Mannus saved a penalty from Michael O'Neill, as Linfield drew 1–1. However, during a match against Glenavon on 23 October 2002, he suffered a thigh injury and was substituted in the 66th minute, as the club won 2–0. But Mannus returned to the starting line–up, in a 2–0 win against Crusaders on 8 December 2002. He then kept five consecutive clean sheets in the league between 8 February 2003 and 22 March 2003. Mannus then kept three consecutive clean sheets between 12 April 2003 and 22 April 2003. However, good performances over the 2002–03 season, the club failed to win a single trophy and finished fourth place in the league.
In the 2003–04 season, Mannus helped Linfield go on a six match unbeaten run in the group stage of the Irish League Cup. He then helped the club kept five consecutive clean sheets between 11 October 2003 and 1 November 2003. While trying to keep a clean sheet, Mannus is one of the few goalkeepers to have scored a goal in the run of play. In a match against Omagh Town in 2003, his long goal kick bounced over the head of opposing goalkeeper Gavin Cullen and into the net. As a result of scoring his first goal, he was given the Player of the Month award for October 2003. Mannus' performances proved to be crucial factor in the team's title contender. During a 3–1 win against Glentoran on 28 December 2003, he confronted and pushed the opposition player, Andy Smith in the aftermath of a second half incident and was fortunate to not get sent–off. Mannus helped the club reach the final of the County Antrim Shield after beating Glentoran 1–0. By February, he managed to keep eleven clean sheets in twenty matches so far in the 2003–04 season. Mannus started in the County Antrim Shield final, in a 2–0 win against Ards. He, once again, then kept six consecutive clean sheets in the league between 28 February 2004 and 18 April 2004. Mannus helped Linfield win the league championship after beating Glentoran 2–1 on 25 April 2004. For his performance, he was named Team of the Season by Belfast Telegraph. Mannus was nominated for the Northern Ireland Football Writers' Association Player of the Year but he lost out to teammate, Glenn Ferguson. At the end of the 2003–04 season, Mannus signed a two-year contract with the club.
At the start of the 2004–05 season, Mannus played in both legs of the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, losing 2–0 on aggregate against HJK. Following Linfield's elimination from the tournament, he continued to help the club maintain their form to defend their league title. Mannus helped Linfield beat Cliftonville 2–1 in the Irish League Cup semi–finals. Prior to the final, he acknowledged the frustration of goals conceding since the start of the season. In the final, however, Mannus conceded two goals, as the club loss 2–1. The January transfer window of 2005 saw Mannus being mentioned as a transfer target for a number of clubs, being linked to Everton and Doncaster Rovers. He helped Linfield beat Kilmore Recreation 2–1 in the semi–finals pf the County Antrim Shield to reach the final. Mannus started in the County Antrim Shield final against Crusaders and helped the club win 2–1 to win the trophy for the second time in a row. In a match against title contender Glentoran on 23 April 2005, he started on 150th appearance for Linfield, and despite playing through injury in a collision with his skipper Noel Bailie midway through the first half, the club went on to lose 3–2. On the last game of the season, the club unsuccessfully defended their league title after Glentoran won their game to crown the league's champions. Despite losing the league title, Mannus was in goal for the Setana Cup final against Shelbourne when Linfield won 2–0 to win the inaugural tournament. Once again, Mannus was named Team of the Season by Belfast Telegraph for the second time in a row.
At the start of the 2005–06 season, Mannus' performance against Rangers in a friendly match was praised by both managers, David Jeffrey and Alex McLeish, with suggestions that he should turn professional. He played in both legs of the first qualifying round of the UEFA Cup against FK Ventspils, as Linfield went through away goal. However, Mannus played in both legs of the second qualifying round of the UEFA Cup against Halmstads BK, as the club loss 5–3 on aggregate. Following Linfield's elimination from the tournament, he stated the club's aim was to win four trophies this season. Mannus helped the club dominate the league at the start of the season that saw them at the top of the table. He helped Linfield kept three consecutive clean sheets in the league between 22 October 2005 and 5 November 2005. On 10 December 2005, Mannus helped the club win their first trophy of the season by beating Glentoran 3–0 to win the Irish League Cup. The second half of the season saw him kept five consecutive clean sheets in the league between 2 January 2006 and 4 February 2006. He helped Linfield win their second trophy of the season by beating Ballymena United 2–1 to win the County Antrim Shield. By March, Mannus have started forty–seven matches for the club so far in the 2005–06 season. He later helped the club win their third trophy of the season by beating Armagh City 1–0 win to win the league title on 18 March 2006. Mannus helped Linfield win their fourth trophy of the season, successfully fulfilling his target by beating Glentoran 2–1 to win the Irish Cup. At the end of the 2005–06 season, he finished the season by making fifty–seven appearances, kept thirty–one clean sheets and conceded forty–one times.
In the 2006–07 season, Mannus played in both legs of the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League against ND Gorica, as Linfield loss 5–3 on aggregate. Following the club's elimination from the tournament, he made a warning to the Northern Irish teams that Linfield's form was blistering prior to the first league match of the season. The following month saw Mannus turned professional at Linfield, signing a three-year deal. He kept six consecutive clean sheets in the league between 21 October 2006 and 25 November 2006. Mannus said about getting six consecutive clean sheets, saying: "The reason we have done so well defensively is down to 11 players, not just me as the goalkeeper or the back four in front of me. I suppose I get a lot of attention because I am the goalkeeper and it is my job to keep the other team out, but it goes the other way too. When goals are being conceded I am the one everyone looks at, even if I feel that I am playing well at the time, so it is good to get praise as well. I do think that I am becoming a better goalkeeper." He made his 250th appearance for the club before his 25th birthday, coming against Drogheda United on 26 February 2007, which resulted in a 4–0 win in the group stage of Setanta Sports Cup. Mannus appeared in every matches for Linfield until he missed one match, due to international duty. He made his return to the starting line–up in the quarter–finals replays of the Irish Cup against Ballymena United, as the club won 4–2 to advance to the semi–finals. Mannus helped Linfield win the league for the second time in a row by beating Glentoran 2–1 on 14 April 2007. He helped the club win the Irish Cup final after beating Dungannon Swifts on penalties following a 2–2 draw by saving three penalties spot kick. However, Mannus was unable to help Linfield win the treble after losing the Setanta Sports Cup final against Drogheda United on penalties, which he saved a penalty from Damian Lynch twice in the second half and in the penalty shootout.
In the 2007–08 season, Mannus played in both legs of the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League against IF Elfsborg, as Linfield loss 1–0 on aggregate. In the semi–finals of Irish Cup against Newry Town, he played all the way to the penalty shootout in a 1–1 draw and saved a penalty from Lee Feeney, as the club won 4–3 on penalties to reach the final. Mannus helped Linfield kept four consecutive clean sheets in the league between 24 November 2007 and 15 December 2007. He started in the Irish League Cup final, and helped the club to win 3–2 against Crusaders, winning his first trophy of the season. On the last game of the season, Mannus helped Linfield win the league title after the club win 3–0 win against Crusaders. A week later, on 3 May 2008, he started in the Irish Cup final against Coleraine and helped the club win 2–1 to win the tournament, marking the third trophy of the season. For his performance in April, Mannus was named the 2007–08 Ulster Footballer of the Year.
Ahead of the 2008–09 season, manager David Jeffrey said Linfield would not be selling Mannus in the summer transfer window. He played in both legs of the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League against IF Elfsborg, as Linfield loss 3–1 on aggregate. Despite having dental problems, Mannus started in goal for a match against Newry City, as the club won 1–0 on 23 August 2008. He followed up by keeping his second clean sheet of the season, in a 7–0 win against Institute. Following Linfield's poor form at the beginning of October, Mannus said his aim was to win another trophy this season. However, he turned down the offer of a new contract by Linfield. This led to interests from Scottish Premier League side Motherwell. Amid to his future at the club, Mannus kept three consecutive clean sheets in the league between 20 December 2008 and 1 January 2009. By January, Linfield's winning form saw them back at the top of the table. The following month saw Mannus conceded only two goals in all competitions for the club. On 27 April 2009, Linfield Manager David Jeffrey said he expected Mannus would leave the club and try to get a move to a club in England or Scotland. He made a comparison to Linfield's expectations to a robot, due to the club's never-ending demands and expectation that is placed on every player. However, Linfield's poor results eventually saw the club unsuccessfully their league title for the third in a row after surrendered it to Glentoran on the last game of the season.
During his career at Linfield, Mannus was a fan favourite among the club's supporters, having helped them win trophies, such as the Irish League/Irish Premier League, Irish League Cup and County Antrim Shield. At the end of his contract, he was linked with a move to Welsh side Swansea City and was reported to be training with Scottish Premier League side Falkirk. In July 2009, Mannus was given a trial with English League Two side Bradford City, but after playing three games without conceding a goal, he was released and returned home.