We are sorry to report the death of Eric Graham, a long standing member and past Chairman of the Cookstown Glentoran Supporters’ Club.
The Tyrone men are a fantastic example of committed supporters, making a minimum 90 mile round trip to East Belfast, week in and week out in all conditions and irrespective of team form. Eric has always been prominent among them and will be sadly and deeply missed by all of his travelling friends.
Current Cookstown GSC Chairman, Michael RJ Wilson said today:
“In 1996, with Cookstown Glens struggling for members, I put an advert in the local Tyrone papers and it was the best move I ever made. At our next meeting two lads from Omagh landed up and one of them was to shape the future of our Supporters club for two decades, Mr Eric Graham. A quiet, unassuming young man, Eric was a fervent Glenman where few existed and within a few years he became vice chairman, then chairman of Cookstown Glens with his infectious enthusiasm drawing many to our ranks. Eric couldn't make a lot of games due to work commitments but he rarely missed a club meeting and was our financial backbone as he extracted blood from many a stone in his desire to keep CGSC afloat and to encourage kids to come along to games. Indeed Eric's two daughter's Hannah and Rachel joined ten of our other kids in doing mascot at a Derry City Setanta game and again the next year Eric's kids and Eric himself revelled in the attendance of 14 Glentoran players at our end of season dinner. Eric also loved attending functions at other supporters clubs, especially the darts competition run by Kitchey in Ards. But it was the Shelbourne game when we stayed in Roganstown Golf and Country Club which earned Eric immortality as the quiet man transformed into one of the funniest actors any of us had ever seen. A trip never to be forgotten. Eric's last outing with Cookstown Glens was on Boxing Day when he made a rare escape from family commitments to join us at the National Stadium where he was as vocal as any of the youngsters as he enjoyed a great performance from his beloved Glentoran. On Sunday at half 5 in the afternoon, God decided that Eric's 51 years was enough. None of us know why he was called home but the heartbreak and devastation left behind has swept throughout Tyrone and far further afield as Eric's family and friends are left bewildered and bereft. To Susan his soul mate and wife, to his beloved daughters and to all his family and friends, we in Cookstown Glens send our thoughts, prayers and tears. To his best buddy and fellow Glenman Simon Wild, the baton of Green, Red and Black is passed to you. Eric will want you to hold it high in Omagh.
Goodbye Eric our dear and much loved friend, our club will never see your like again”.
The Chairman, Directors and all at Glentoran offer deepest condolences to Susan, Hannah and Rachel and to all of Eric’s family and friends.
Le Jeu Avant Tout.