One of the nicest, humble and most respected personality within the Welsh leagues, Steve O’Shaughnessy has built up a persona of being the approachable but toughest men in the national structure. With a wide range of experiences over 40 years in the game, what makes the “Sosh” tick.
However, at the time of writing, the Covid-19 (also known as Coronavirus) has taken over the nation and caused football to come to a halt within the Welsh game. After the Wingmakers had gained a valuable win away at Carmarthen and were due to play fellow relegation rivals Penybont.
Read: The next two games will make Airbus season
With this having a impact on the Bus, just as they were starting to find some form. Added to the fact the possible financial impact this could have on the Wingmakers and the JD Cymru Leagues, this is what the gaffer had to say on the matter.
“Everyone at the club are really disappointed with the league being suspended but they understand why. Only issue is how come leagues in England with higher attendances not.”
However, as we return to the man himself, it is said for this, if you have any symptom of the virus, please follow Government guidance. To find the latest information click here.
O’Shaughnessy was born in Wrexham back in 1967 and started out his footballing career at the Red Dragons before moving over to England when he had a stint at Leeds in their Youth setup and spent three years before moving to Bradford. But it would his next move that would be key.
In 1988, Eddie Gray who played at Leeds and had moved into management signed the 21-year-old Welshman for Rochdale. In the space of three years, he would have one of his best spells as a player. Getting the Dale to their best finish in the Fa Cup back in 1990, until they suffered a 1-0 defeat against Crystal Palace in the fifth round.
His spell at Rochdale was seen in the Gaffers eyes as being one of his best spells of his career, with him saying that his best moment in his career was “Getting to end up being top goal scorer for Rochdale in one season.”
Although, the move may have not happened, if the Bradford manager at the time Trevor Cherry hadn’t have left 3 days after signing Sosh. As the Airbus manager said this when talking about his worst time as a player, “Worst time as a player was leaving a club to sign for a Manager who I respected, I had one and half years left on my contract and three days after I signed he moved onto another club.”
But the Welshman ended his spell in the English pro leagues by moving to Exeter city for a short spell, before he moved to Darlington for two years. In that time, he became one of the more experienced players.
However, the biggest move of his career came next, as the far east. Buller Rangers (now known as Hong Kong Rangers) and although the 52 year old was only in the Far east for one season, he thought it was a key move for his life and career, as during his time in the Far East, Rangers won the Hong Kong FA Cup.
“I was captain at Darlington in the old 4th division offered a new deal but turned it down was going to come home to Wales to live and find a club around here, got offered the chance to play out there and thought why not.
“The move was very good only spent one season there due to getting mucked round with my contract but a fantastic place to live if you like it nonstop, struggled at first with the heat and humidity but you get used to it, had 10 days in Shanghai for pre-season and it was 100% humidity trying to train in that was murder. At the club with Bobby Barnes who is now doing well for himself with the PFA and a couple of other British players pus one Australian and an Argentinian.”
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