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Legend Munroe back in town by Adrian Monaghan Three
Ards legends, namely Liam ‘Mousey’ Munroe, Billy Humphries and
Tommy Walker were guests of the club for the recent Carnegie First
Division game at home to Coagh United. Liam, now living in Canada, was recently invited by the Football Association of Ireland to their historic first ever soccer game at Croke Park against Wales and while he was in the ‘auld sod’ he decided to meet up with his long time buddy from his Ards playing days, Jamesie Meredith who lives in the Glen Estate. Jamesie
made Ards aware that ‘Mousey’ would be in town and was keen to
take in an Ards match while he was here.
Ards were then left with the simple pleasure of inviting him
to Clandeboye Park where he met up with former playing colleagues
Tommy Walker and Billy Humphries. I had a brief chat with Liam before the Coagh game and it was instantly noticeable that the garrulous Dubliner had many fond memories of his time at the club. “I
signed for Ards in January 1956 after George Eastham and Leo Maher
landed on my doorstep in Dublin one day, totally out of the blue,
and convinced me that Ards were the team to play for.
I
was at Shamrock Rovers at the time but was just recovering from a
bad injury so I decided, why not.” Liam's
early career blossomed at school level and he was picked to play for
the Republic of Ireland schoolboy's team, in fact he was given the
captain’s armband against England.
It was during a representative game for Dublin Schools
against Liverpool Schools in 1952 that Liam came to the attention of
Shamrock Rovers. “Ronnie
Nolan, Shay Keogh and myself were the half backs during the home and
away games, I was playing half back at that time, and we all signed
for Shamrock Rovers at the same time.”
The
highlight of Liam’s career came early in his tenure at Shamrock
Rovers when in 1953 he was capped by the Republic of Ireland at
senior level in a World Cup qualifying match against
Luxembourg. “I
had been in good form for Rovers and gained three Inter League
appearances against the English, Welsh and Scottish Leagues for the
League of Ireland, then came the call for the international team.” Things
were a little different back in those days when you represented your
country. None of this
meeting up with the squad three or four days before the game, or
going off to some camp to prepare tactics, Liam explains: “The
game was played at Dalymount Park on a Wednesday afternoon. I
worked in the railway and my dad worked in the railway and my dad
retired because he was told he couldn’t go to football or
anything. That killed my dad. “My wife Sarah’s dad took a day off to go to the game and he never ever took a day off work. That was a big thing for him. Anyway, the game was on a Wednesday afternoon and we had one afternoon’s training, actually it wasn’t so much training as a get together. We then met on the day of the game then straight out to play. None of your meeting three days before the game, or half an hours warming up and half an hour warming down! Changed times. “Jackie
Carey was the manager and we won four
nil. At the FAI banquet
after the Wales game there were only three players present from that
game, goalkeeper Jimmy O’Neill, Arthur Fitzsimons and myself.
Where the rest are I do not know.” After
the international match Liam continued to show good form for
Shamrock Rovers until a bad knee injury against St. Patrick’s
Athletic put him out of the game for a long spell. “My
knee was in bad shape and I was out for a while.
When I got better I struggled to regain my place in a very
good Rovers team and that is when Ards came knocking.
They literally arrived on
my doorstep unannounced and I can only assume that Dubliner Leo
Maher through his contacts found out about my situation.” After
a bit of gentle persuasion from mssrs Eastham and Maher, Liam signed
forms for Ards in early 1956 and made his debut on the 21st January
of that year, and what a debut it was too. “I remember my first game for Ards well. There were three Southerners in the team, Tony Gildea, Jody Barnet and myself. We were playing Crusaders at Castlereagh Park, I scored three and we went on to win easily. It was a good start and things just went on from there. "We
had a great team of characters back then.
I remember them well. We
had Billy Smith in goals, Wardy Fulton was there too.
Jimmy Moore was the other full back with Wardy.
The half back line was Tommy Forde, Jimmy Wilson and Rab
Newberry. Myself and
Archie McQuilken,
who also played cricket for Ireland, Tony Gildea, young Geordie [Eastham]
and of course Tommy Walker who is with us today.” Liam
also has vivid memories of Ards' historic 4-1 County Antrim Shield
win over Linfield at The Oval in 1956. “That
Shield win was amazing. Linfield
pounded us with everything, it was unreal. We
got a penalty which Tommy scored. Young Geordie got one as well,
Tony Gildea got one and I am nearly sure I got the last one." Liam
remembers coming back to Ards that night and parading around the
town in a flat top truck. “I
don’t know where they got the truck but it was a big night for
Ards as it was the first time that they had won the County Antrim
Shield. I
still have a framed photograph of that team that won the County
Antrim Shield in my house in Canada.” Mention of Tommy Walker brought back a fascinating memory for Liam and that Antrim Shield win. “Tommy never made it into that photograph. He was put forward as the player’s spokesman to ask the club for a few quid extra for winning the Shield and next thing he knew he was shown the door. Never played for Ards again and wasn’t even asked to make an appearance for the official team photograph. Dessie Hunter took his place.” Liam
stayed another two seasons at Ards and the following 1956/57 season
was probably his best as he bagged an impressive 37 goals in 38
appearances. They just
don't make goal a game forwards anymore!
His last season was the unforgettable 1957/58 one when Ards
won their one and only Irish League Championship. Munroe
only played in 15 games for Ards that season before he was
transferred to Bristol City in December 1957 for £1,500.
City were then a Football League Division Two side and
competed alongside such luminaries as Liverpool, West Ham United,
Fulham and Middlesborough. “Sarah
[Liam’s
wife]
and I moved over to Bristol where a fellow called Pat Beesley was
the manager. It was a
bit frustrating though because I couldn’t play in the cup as I
hadn’t been signed in time.
My
debut was memorable as it was against Middlesborough who had Brian
Clough in their team.” Beesley
was sacked towards the end of that season and his replacement, Irish
legend, Peter Doherty and Liam did not see eye to eye which resulted
in Liam moving to Scunthorpe United. At Scunthorpe Liam broke
all his toes in one foot which limited his appearances for the club.
After his brief sojourn in England it was back to Northern
Ireland where he signed for Maurice Tadman at Distillery. “Maurice
signed me for Distillery and then George Eastham came in and he knew
me from my Ards days."
From Distillery, Liam had a fairly successful stint south of the
border with Dundalk before returning to Ards in the 1962/63 season
for a brief spell. Liam
only stayed a short while this time, playing in only 12 matches. “I
liked Newtownards and if I remember right Jimmy Todd was at the club
at the time, so I had no hesitation in signing again.” Liam in his two spells at Ards still cherishes many happy memories of the town and the club: "We used to sit in Cafolla’s before the matches, Tony Gildea, young Geordie Eastham and myself. If I was staying overnight I would have stayed with the Eastham’s in Movilla Street.”
Asked
who the top players were in his time at Ards Liam was reluctant to
single any one player out of some very good teams but he did give
special mention to George Eastham junior, Tommy Forde, goalkeepers
Billy Smith and Tommy Moffatt and Rab Newberry. The
best player he ever played against goes to Manchester United's Roger
Byrne. “I
played in an Inter League match for the League of Ireland against
the Football League and Byrne was just sheer class, such a wonderful
player. A real pity he
passed away in the Munich air disaster.” When
asked who the hardest player was that he had ever played against and
the terse reply was: “Wilbur!"
The Wilbur in question was none other
than the diminutive but hard as nails Wilbur Cush of Northern
Ireland, Leeds United, Glenavon and Portadown fame. “Wilbur
used to kick lumps out of me, I think I still have a few of the
scars to prove it!” Mention
of Cush sends Liam's memory racing back to a game against Portadown
at Castlereagh Park in his second spell at the club. “When
I came back to Ards in the early sixties big Mick Lynch had just
left and there were a few other Dubliners in the side like Vinny
Maguire and Jim Lowe. Anyway,
during this match Wilbur was booting me all over the park and Jimmy
[Lowe] said, 'Wilbur,
that’s enough'. “Wilbur paid no heed and kept on kicking me, next thing I knew Jimmy and Wilbur were at it in the centre. Jimmy didn’t even wait for the red card, he walked straight to the changing rooms.” Most
people would assume that the historic County Antrim Shield win over
Linfield at The Oval in 1956 would have been Liam’s most memorable
match in an Ards shirt, but no.
Liam plumped for another game against Linfield.
This one played on the 3rd November 1956 at Windsor Park
ended in a 2-2 draw. “We were two nil down and then I pulled a goal back. I scored another ‘goal’ in the second half but referee Arthur Holland disallowed it - it was a perfectly good goal. Old George Eastham was so incensed by the decision that he came charging down from the stand near the final whistle to confront the referee, he was going to throttle him. Little did he know though that I had equalized while he was on his way down. We eventually got him calmed down.” He was delighted to learn that a poem to commemorate that particular match had been penned at the time and the author Billy Graham recently furnished him with a copy. Liam actually reproduced the poem on a souvenir menu card that was produced for a family get together in Dublin. Liam
emigrated from his native Dublin to Toronto in Canada in 1990 where
he has been domiciled ever since. Although
he is happily settled in land of the maple leaf he still keeps in
touch with happenings on the local and international football scenes
and still watches out for any Ards result he can pick up in Canada. He was particularly distressed to learn of the demise of Castlereagh Park and when offered the chance to go visit the spectre that was once the famous old ground, he declined, reasoning that it was better to cherish his still vivid memories of the lush, verdant lawn that he graced with great style. Thanks
for the memories Liam. first published 10th April 2007
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