Thanks to Dave Rowntree for many of the player images after 1984.
Can you help? This page is the result of the best endeavours of all concerned. If you spot a mistake or know of facts to add, or have a better photo, please get in touch using 'Contact Us' (top, right).
Back to Season Appearance Chart
RORY PATTERSON
Full Name: Rory Christopher Patterson
Born: 16 July 1984
Came from: Coleraine Went to: Released
First game: 07 August 2010 Last game: 07 May 2011
Appearances: 35 (21/14) Goals: 4
Patterson began his career in junior football in Northern Ireland, playing for Derry clubs Moorfield Celtic and Townsend United, and Sion Swifts in his native Strabane. He had trials with several English clubs as a teenager, including Everton, Newcastle United and Charlton Athletic, and north of the border with Celtic, before finally joining Rochdale.
He spent three years at Spotland but made only a handful of starts, failing to score for the club. Despite being voted the club's young player of the year he was released when his contract expired and joined non-league Radcliffe Borough, soon moving on to Mossley and then FC United of Manchester. He scored over 100 goals in three seasons with FC United, helping the club achieve three successive promotions, before joining Bradford Park Avenue.
Less than a year later, after an injury-disrupted stay in Yorkshire, he moved to Droylsden but had only a brief spell with the club before returning to Northern Ireland to sign for Coleraine. Patterson scored 41 goals in all competitions in his only season at Coleraine and was named the Ulster Footballer of the Year and Northern Ireland Football Writers' Player of the Year. Before the end of the campaign, he signed a pre-contract agreement to join Glentoran and received his first international call-up, making his debut for Northern Ireland against Albania.
His prolific goalscoring record brought him to the attention of Argyle and he spent a few days training at Home Park in March 2010. It did not appear possible that he would move to Home Park though, due to the Glentoran arrangement, but a deal was struck and he joined Argyle without ever appearing for the Belfast club. Patterson had a mixed first season at Home Park, scoring on his home debut, but was unable to win a regular starting spot in the first team as the club’s downward spiral continued with a predictable second successive relegation.
Patterson, capped five times, scored his only goal for Northern Ireland from the penalty spot at Windsor Park in a friendly against Morocco in November 2010, whilst on the books at Home Park. In doing so, he secured a place in Argyle's history books by becoming the first Argyle player in over 85 years to score for one of the home nations. Welshman Moses Russell was the previous Pilgrim to do so, also from the spot, ironically against Northern Ireland at Windsor Park in March 1924.
Following months of missing or reduced wage payments, his time at Home Park came to a bitter end when he was threatened with the sack by administrators for refusing to sign a further salary deferral. Patterson stated he could not afford to return to Plymouth for pre-season training. Shortly afterwards he joined Linfield on loan, a deal that was cancelled in January 2012 following a protracted transfer saga, after which he was released by Argyle to enable him to sign for Derry City. Patterson, one of the most prolific goalscorers in the Irish League, racked up 61 goals for The Candy Stripes in 92 competitive games before having his contract cancelled as part of cost-cutting measures at the Brandywell. In February 2015 Patterson moved 'Down Under' to play for National Premier League (NPL) Western Australia side Cockburn City, also becoming the club’s Junior Director of coaching, responsible for the MiniRoos at The Burn.
Eight months later he returned to the UK with FC United of Manchester for a brief spell back at the club before returning to his homeland to sign for Derry City (also for a second time), scoring 29 goals in 73 games before moving to IFL Premiership champions Crusaders in August 2018.
YOUR CONTRIBUTION
If you can add to this profile, perhaps with special memories, a favourite story or the results of your original research, please contribute here.
APPEARANCE DETAILS [reselect competitions]
The details below reflect appearances in all first-team competitions.
I'm very grateful to many who have helped write GoS-DB's player pen-pictures, and to Dave Rowntree, the PAFC Media Team and Colin Parsons for their help with photos. Thanks also to staff at the National Football Museum, the Scottish Football Museum and ScotlandsPeople for their valuable assistance.
The following publications have been particularly valuable in the research of pen-pictures: Plymouth Argyle, A Complete Record 1903-1989 (Brian Knight, ISBN 0-907969-40-2); Plymouth Argyle, 101 Golden Greats (Andy Riddle, ISBN 1-874287-47-3); Football League Players' Records 1888-1939 (Michael Joyce, ISBN 1-899468-67-6); Football League Players' Records 1946-1988 (Barry Hugman, ISBN 1-85443-020-3) and Plymouth Argyle Football Club Handbooks.
Greens on Screen is run as a service to fellow supporters, in all good faith, without commercial or private gain. I have no wish to abuse copyright regulations and apologise unreservedly if this occurs. If you own any of the material used on this site, and object to its inclusion, please get in touch using the 'Contact Us' button at the top of each page.