[2] Byrne was a highly regarded player at Dundalk, forming an outstanding combination in central midfield with Leo Flanagan.
Perhaps the highlight of his career was in Dundalk's 1981–82 European Cup Winners' Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur when Byrne successfully curtailed the influence of English superstar Glenn Hoddle and Argentinian international Ossie Ardiles - despite Spurs claiming a 2-1 aggregate victory.
Byrne made his full All Whites debut in a 2–1 win over Fiji on 18 October 1984 [3] and ended his international playing career with five A-international caps to his credit,[2][4] his final cap an appearance in a 5–1 win over Taiwan on 5 October 1985.
He was named in the midfield of the Falcons' "Team of the State League era" squad, which was announced in 2011.
Byrne remained in the Latrobe Valley for the remainder of his life, and took on the role of manager at Morwell Pegasus in 1995, leading the club to a string of promotions in the subsequent years as they rose from the Latrobe Valley Soccer League and quickly progressed up the Victorian State League pyramid.