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English footballer

Michael Terrance O'Brien (10 August 1893 – 21 September 1940) was an Irish footballer and coach whose career took him to at least 17 different clubs. A well built six footer, O'Brien was highly regarded as a centre half. O'Brien was a dual international and played for both Ireland teams – the IFA XI and the FAI XI. In April 1927, O'Brien made his debut for the FAI XI, four days after he made his last appearance for the IFA XI. During the 1930s, O'Brien managed both Queens Park Rangers and Ipswich Town.

O'Brien did not play football until he was 18, when his family settled in South Shields in County Durham. He then played for several clubs in the North East of England, including Blyth Spartans, before attracting the interest of Celtic. During the First World War, O'Brien served in both the Royal Navy and the Royal Flying Corps. Between 1919 and 1933, O'Brien went on to make 370 English League appearances, scoring 19 goals, for eight different clubs. These included Queens Park Rangers, Leicester City, Hull City, Walsall, Norwich City and Watford. In 1926 he also had a brief spell playing for Brooklyn Wanderers, making 7 appearances in the American Soccer League.

During the years O'Brien played international football, there were, in effect, two Ireland teams, chosen by two rival associations. Both associations, the Northern Ireland–based IFA and the Irish Free State–based FAI, claimed jurisdiction over the whole of Ireland and selected players from the whole island. As a result, several notable Irish players from this era, including O'Brien, played for both teams. Meanwhile, many sources claim that O'Brien was from Kilcock, County Kildare. But although he may well have had family there, it has been established by the programme editor at Brentford FC (a former club) that he was born in Ushaw Moor, County Durham. There is speculation that he may have concocted the story about Kilcock in order to be eligible to represent the two Irish Associations (a parent or grandparent was not sufficient to qualify in those days, it had to be birthplace).

Between 1921 and 1927, while playing for Queens Park Rangers, Leicester City and Hull City, O'Brien made 10 appearances for the IFA XI. He made his international debut on 2 February 1921 at Windsor Park in a 2–0 defeat against Scotland.

After retiring as a player O'Brien became a coach, managing Queens Park Rangers between 1933 and 1935.