Bohemian Football Club Crest

@bfcdublin Few of the 94 first-year Accounting and Finance students at DCU can be as sure as Stephen Traynor what they'll be doing in the summer now their exams are over, Brian Trench reports.

After a brief interruption in training with the Bohemian senior squad, Traynor returned to the starting line-up against Shamrock Rovers last Monday. On that evening he started his 15th league game of 16 played. Only four players have matched or surpassed that record - all of them seasoned professionals.

"I came on against Portadown [in the Setanta Cup in March] for the last 20 minutes and Pat told me I did well and that I would be starting the first league game. Ever since I have been in the starting line-up," Traynor said.

"When I joined the senior squad I wanted to work hard and get into the starting 11. I never thought that I was going to be in it, week in, week out. I'm just delighted with how it's gone so far," he told bohemians.ie.

At 19 years of age (20 next October) and in his first season with the senior team, Traynor has already made his presence strongly felt. With over three months before he resumes lectures, he can now concentrate fully on his football.

The former Belvedere Boys player joined Bohemians two years ago, hoping to work his way into the under-20 side but he did better than that, becoming a regular in the A (reserves) team.

He was a natural choice when manager Pat Fenlon was putting together a squad blended from former under-age players and established professionals.

But Traynor has also worked hard, never missing a training session until his summer exams came around.

"I hate missing training because you fall behind, especially in pre-season," he said.

In fact, that has been the norm for the amateurs in the squad, as the manager has proudly acknowledged.

The blend of youth and experience has worked well, Traynor said. Some of his mates from last year's under-20 / A squad are with him and the senior players have been actively exercising that leadership that Fenlon sought from them.

"They're great in training, always encouraging us, and on the pitch as well."

His father is in business and his uncle is an accountant who recommended the DCU degree to him, so Traynor followed the family path in that respect.

But the chosen sport of his family and his school, Belvedere College, is rugby. Traynor took up football with Clontarf between seven and 11 and has stuck with it, even though the school "was always on to me to play rugby".

He is confident he can manage the different demands of football and finance. Lectures early in the day and training in the late afternoon have balanced well.

"I was just lucky that it fitted perfectly. I may have a few later classes next year and that might be a bit difficult. But the way Bohs have become part-time has worked in my favour."

Traynor hopes he can continue to balance these demands in the longer term.

"The course is only three years long and hopefully I can get a degree. Then, if I want to play football, I can do that, maybe take a year off."

More immediately, he is focused on footballing targets.

"We've got off to an all right start. Hopefully we can improve our position in the league, get through to the next round of the FAI Cup and get a good draw in the Europa League and into the next round."

Written by Brian Trench