After working in a bank on leaving school, Irvine began his professional career with
Falkirk in 1983, aged 18. During his spell with the
Bairns, he became an
evangelical Christian. Aberdeen won the
Scottish Cup in
1990, with Irvine scoring the winning penalty in a 9–8
shootout win against
Celtic in the final, having also scored in the quarter-final and semi-final. and five runners-up finishes in the
Scottish Premier Division (losing out to
Rangers on every occasion), as well as helping the club avoid what would have been a first-ever relegation via a
play-off in 1995. He
took over in goals in emergencies (if the goalkeeper was injured or sent off) on several occasions, saving a penalty in a match against
Hibernian in 1991. In June 1995 he was diagnosed with
multiple sclerosis, and moved to
Dundee, featuring nearly 70 times in two years. In 1999, Irvine moved to
Ross County, where he finished his playing career in 2003. ==Coaching career / later work==