Everyone connected with Glentoran Football Club were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Billy McClure. Billy was a fixture around the Oval for many, many years and, despite ill health, was in attendance earlier this year. Early last week Billy suffered a stroke and unfortunately passed away on Friday.
Billy McKeag & Billy McClure
Former Gazette editor, Sam Robinson, paid the following tribute to Billy:
Farewell to the last of the boot room boys....legendary characters around the Oval for decades...Ching Morrison, Reggie Clarke, Teddy Horner and Billy McClure amongst others...back in the nineties if I had a morning to myself I would often spend it with Teddy and Billy in the bowels of the Oval kit room...they bickered like a married couple but they turned out teams infused with red, green and black....
Teddy Horner & Billy McClure
...they were Glentoran to the core and their boot room under the stairs was a sight to behold....I might be an old sentimentalist but in my humble opinion that lineage is what is missing at Glentoran nowadays. Older heads who know the Glentoran Way....who know the story every brick and clothes hook in the dressing room....sometimes now I believe that we could be Anyone FC....the appointment of Billy Sinclair as a member of the coaching staff is a huge move which will go a long way to redressing the remembrance of the heritage which our players have to buy into..Billy's passing marks the end of an era on Mersey Street. He will be missed and remembered just like Teddy...even though every time has saw me he called me Billy. Come to think of it he called everybody Billy.... Rest in Peace.
On behalf of the President, Chairman, Board of Directors and everyone connected with Glentoran Football Club, we extend our deepest sympathy to Billy's family and friends at this sad time.
Paul Leeman & Billy McClure