The ex-midfielder made just five appearances for Manchester United before eventually swapping football for the Catholic priesthood
Abbie Meehan Sports Writer U-35s
08:00, 11 Jan 2026
Former Manchester United player Philip Mulryne giving communion during his inaugural mass at St Oliver Plunkett Church in West Belfast following his ordination.
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The ex-Manchester United star is now a priest(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
Philip Mulryne has become a revered figure in the Catholic community, trading his footballing career for a life of priesthood.
The Northern Irishman had a three-year stint at Manchester United, although he only made five appearances for the club. Rising through the youth ranks at Old Trafford, Mulryne showcased his versatility by playing as a striker, midfielder or right-winger.
However, breaking into a team that boasted stars like David Beckham and Paul Scholes proved to be a tough task. He eventually parted ways with Sir Alex Ferguson's side and moved to Norwich City for £500,000, where he made 170 appearances and scored 20 goals from midfield.
Manchester United's Philip Mulryne during a pre-season friendly match against Birmingham City at St Andrew's in Birmingham.
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Philip Mulryne made just five appearances for United(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
His career also included spells at Cardiff City and Leyton Orient. He earned 27 caps for Northern Ireland, scoring three times for his country.
In 2008, Mulryne hung up his boots and chose a drastically different path, opting not to pursue coaching or television punditry like many of his peers. At the age of 31, the former footballer embarked on his journey towards becoming a Catholic priest, following a revelation in his final year at Norwich.
In a 2018 interview with the club's official website, Mulryne said: "It's hard to pin down a particular moment. I would say it started in my last year at Norwich, not explicitly and I wasn't thinking about it at that time but I started to get dissatisfied with the whole lifestyle.
Nigel Quasie of Portsmouth goes around Philip Mulryne of Norwich during the Nationwide Division One match at Fratton Park, Portsmouth.
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The Northern Irishman also played for Norwich City(Image: Craig Prentis/ALLSPORT)
"We have a wonderful life as a footballer and I was very privileged, but I found with all the surrounding stuff that eventually there was a kind of emptiness with it. I was quite shocked - why am I not happy when I have everything that young men want?
"It started me on a journey towards exploring my faith again, the faith that I had as a young man. I took a decision to come home for a year and it was really during that year that everything turned upside down.
"I volunteered at a homeless shelter for a while. I started going back to mass and I started praying again on a regular basis. I just found a real sense of fulfilment with it. Football was huge highs and lows and here was something that was giving me a steady sense of contentment."
Former Manchester United player Philip Mulryne during his inaugural mass at St Oliver Plunkett Church in West Belfast following his ordination.
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Mulryne was also declared bankrupt(Image: Liam McBurney/PA Wire)
The former midfielder, now Reverend Father Philip Mulryne, was first ordained as a deacon in 2016 and subsequently became a priest for the Dominican Order in 2017.
During this period, the former United player was declared bankrupt at Belfast's High Court. The Mail reported that it was understood the 47-year-old had invested in a fund that exploited a legal loophole, offering tax advantages to those investing in the film industry.
This arrangement was reportedly utilised by numerous other football stars, as it offered them substantial reductions to their tax bills. Before being declared insolvent, Mulryne held membership of Tudor Films LLP and Zeus Films LLP.
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Former Manchester United player Philip Mulryne during his inaugural mass at St Oliver Plunkett Church in West Belfast following his ordination.
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Mulryne holds no regrets in choosing the Catholic Church(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
The priest referred to this bankruptcy as a "self-adjudication", hinting that he might have declared the issue himself. Now, Mulryne presides over a congregation at St Mary's Priory Church in Cork and has no regrets about his decision to devote himself to God.
He added: "My vocation to priesthood and religious life came later in the course of that year - I felt this strong desire for this way of life and I stayed with it for a few months and then got the courage up to explore it. I took the decision and it's now eight years later."