25 Facts About Rory Patterson

Rory Christopher Patterson was born on 16 July 1984 and is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a forward for Belfast Celtic He played for the Northern Ireland national team.

Rory Patterson subsequently joined up with Bradford Park Avenue before having a short spell with Droylsden.

Rory Patterson signed for intermediate side Ballymacash Rangers in September 2019.

Rory Patterson played junior football in his native Northern Ireland before becoming a trainee with Rochdale.

Rory Patterson made a further seven appearances, all in the Football League that season.

Nine first team appearances came the following season, with Rory Patterson released by Rochdale, despite being voted their 'Young Player of the Year'.

Rory Patterson signed for FC United of Manchester in 2005, and made 126 appearances and scoring 99 goals for the club in all competitions.

Rory Patterson was promoted in all of his three seasons with FC United and twice finished as top-scorer.

Rory Patterson was credited with a hat-trick during a pre-season tour game in Spain, but this later turned out to be a "wind-up" by club chairman Bob Blackburn.

Rory Patterson was on a family holiday in Majorca at the time of his game.

In 2009, Rory Patterson signed for Droylsden after a season plagued by injury, though he still managed to get into double figures for Bradford PA.

On 27 June 2009, Rory Patterson left Droylsden to sign for IFA Premiership side Coleraine.

On 4 December 2009, Rory Patterson was awarded with the Football Writers Player of the Month for November.

Rory Patterson scored his first Irish Cup goal for Coleraine against IFA Championship 2 side Dundela.

Rory Patterson joined Glentoran in the summer of 2010, having signed a pre-contract agreement with the club earlier in the year.

However, in June 2010, it was announced that Rory Patterson had joined Plymouth Argyle, after impressing at a trial in March, and that an "undisclosed fee" had been agreed with Glentoran despite him never joining the Northern Irish club.

Rory Patterson scored a late goal in the 94th minute which allowed Plymouth Argyle to draw the match.

In January 2015, Rory Patterson signed for NPL Western Australia club Cockburn City, scoring 19 goals in 20 matches for the team.

In October 2015, seven years after leaving the club, Rory Patterson returned to FC United of Manchester, for whom he remains the second highest goalscorer with 99 goals in all official competitions.

In September 2019, Rory Patterson joined Mid-Ulster Football League side Ballymacash Rangers.

However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all football activity in Northern Ireland below the NIFL Premiership was cancelled, and Rory Patterson moved to Premiership side Dungannon Swifts on 31 January 2021 without playing a competitive game for Belfast Celtic.

Rory Patterson was involved with the Northern Ireland under 19 squad in 2002, however he accepted a call up to the Republic of Ireland under 19 squad to play in the European Championships in 2003.

Rory Patterson received his first call-up to the Northern Ireland squad in February 2010, when Nigel Worthington named him in his squad to face Albania and made his debut as a substitute, earning praise from manager Nigel Worthington for his performance.

Rory Patterson was then named in the squad again in May 2010 for a two match tour and it was announced that he would play as a lone striker in a match against Turkey.

Rory Patterson scored his first international goal, a penalty, on 17 November 2010 in a friendly against Morocco to level the scores late in the game, playing the full 90 minutes.