Issue 6 Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Ireland v. Czech Republic

Cult hero TERRY CONROY'S career began with the Drumcondra nursery, Home Farm (with whom he gained Republic of  reland Youth and amateur international caps) when he came to the attention of Irish League side, Glentoran. He was signed by the northern club in December, 1965, and, unbelievably, had made only one appearance for the club’s reserves when chosen to play against Larne in the Steel and Sons Cup Final on Christmas Day. Conroy played at inside-left, as the Glens recorded a splendid 1-0 victory. Terry went on to make 59 appearances for Glentoran, scoring 33 goals (an incredible ratio). The slender, redheaded Dubliner enjoyed a fabulous fifteen months up North, adding Irish League, Ulster Cup and Gold Cup medals to his evergrowing collection. In March 1967, he was snapped up by Stoke manager Tony Waddington (who himself would spend a remarkable 17 years with the club) for a fee of around £12.000.

In a 12-year spell with the Potters, Conroy made 333 League and Cup appearances for the club, and earned (like fellow international Dave Langan) 26 caps with the Republic of Ireland. He will go down in Stoke City history as the scorer of their first-ever goal at Wembley Stadium (in the 1972 League Cup Final) against Chelsea, one of 66 scored in a glittering career with Stoke. A truly natural winger, he was a brilliant dribbler, blessed with blistering speed, lung-searing stamina, and a ferocious shot in either foot (attributes we couldn’t half do with now?).

He was never afraid to take on defenders, using his blinding pace to create chances for teammates, or to shoot with either foot himself. By the start of the 1970s, Stoke City were truly on the way to big things. In 1971, they reached the FA Cup semi-final, and came within a few seconds of reaching Wembley for the first time, only to be thwarted by an injury-time equaliser by Arsenal, who went on to win the replay. A year later, Arsenal again inflicted misery on Stoke, with another FA Cup semi-final replay win, but by then, Stoke had already tasted glory, and, in the process, captured their first major trophy in 109 years of trying! In March, 1972, (with the ultra-dependable Banks of England in goal) they reached the final of the League Cup (which involved playing a total of eleven games, and defeating the likes of Manchester United and West Ham on the way) where they met hot favourites, Chelsea, in front of the competition’s first-ever 100,000 attendance.

It was here we would witness Terry Conroy at his best. Cometh the hour, cometh the man: the Dubliner had an absolute ‘blinder’, scored the opener, and a second goal from the sublime George Eastham (he of Newcastle and Arsenal) was enough to secure a 2-1 victory, and set off wild celebrations never since witnessed in The Potteries. Arguments still rage to this day among Potters’ fans as to Conroy’s best goal for the club. Personally, I think it came at the Victoria Ground, two years earlier (in a remarkable 5-0 thrashing of Arsenal) a 25 yard ‘bullet’ which still enjoys regular television and video airings.

Conroy left the Potteries for the Hong Kong club, Bulova (they had him ‘watched’), on a free transfer in 1979. He returned a year later to play for Crewe Alexandra, and, in the process, scored five goals in 37 league appearances, before calling time on his excellent football career to concentrate on business. He is now back at Stoke City, working as a Marketing Executive. As one of our finest international wingers, who never gave less than his best for the Irish cause, and as a thoroughly all-round nice guy, Terry Conroy, YBIG salute you.

By Brian P Farrell