 Red
and Blue Heaven - Launched by Legends
27th November 2007
The great and the
good of Ards Football Club gathered in the Londonderry Room of
Newtownards Town Hall on Monday evening to celebrate the launch of Ivor
Edgar's comprehensive history of Ards FC - Red and Blue Heaven.
An excellent crowd of
supporters, former players, local businessmen and town dignitaries
packed the venue to hear Ivor Edgar's story of how he became involved in
this labour of love project. Guest speakers included our Mayor, Robin
Drusdale and BBC correspondent Michael McNamee, a former pupil of Ivor's
at the Royal School in Dungannon.
The big names in
attendance however, were undoubtedly two Ards legends - former
player-manager and Northern Ireland international Billy Humphries and
prolific 1960s goal-scorer Mick Lynch. Mick, who had travelled from
Dublin for the event, spoke very fondly of his time at Ards, a place he
confessed to having known little about prior to his arrival, and also
heaped praise on Billy Humphries.
Following the official
launch, a second gathering in the social club allowed supporters at
large to speak with author Ivor and the Ards legends as well as more
recent names Darren Erskine, Paul Kee and John Bailie.
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Ivor
Edgar launches Red and Blue Heaven with help from
Billy Humphries (left) and Mick Lynch (right) |
Brisk trade was done on
the book itself, a 368-page effort published by Ballyhay Books, which
chronicles football in Newtownards from 1900 when in fact, the club we
know as Ards, might well have been formed. There is also a wealth of
information for the statistician among us too.
The book is on sale now at
£16.99 from Ards Football Club via the sports club premises, as well as
through other usual outlets.
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