This is the third in a new series where notable Glentoran players of the past name the team they would pick from the players they played alongside during their careers in the Irish League.
3. BILLY CASKEY
Our last team was picked by our all-time record appearance maker and medal winner, Colin Nixon and spanned the years 1995-2013. Unless Elliott Morris beats Nicky’s record 794 appearances, it’s highly unlikely it will ever be surpassed. But today’s team has been picked by one man who would have had a very chance of setting the record had he not had his time at Glentoran interrupted twice by spells at Derby County and Tulsa Roughnecks, together totalling eight seasons away from the Oval – the legendary Billy Caskey.
Casko’s three spells at Glentoran traversed an incredible nineteen years. Joining us from East Belfast in the Amateur League, he made his first team debut in a 3-1 away win over Bangor in a Gold Cup semi final in October 1974, with his last game a home match with Crusaders in January 1993! An incredible senior career of over eighteen years.
In total Billy played 440 games for the Glens, scoring 110 goals from either centre midfield or in his earlier days centre forward. Among his haul of 22 medals with the Glens were three championship medals and four Irish Cups. Billy also played in the English top division with Derby County, won eight caps for Northern Ireland and won the full set of Northern Ireland Player of the Year Awards. It’s fair to say that this is the only team picked from the 70s or 80s that Billy Caskey won’t be in!
So, as you can imagine, Billy is in a great place to pick a top Glens eleven, having played in two great, trophy laden eras for the club.
Alan Paterson (Goalkeeper)
So many of these were touch ang go between two players and that’s how it was between Paddy and Dennis Matthews in goal. They were both great keepers in league winning teams but very different lads. I went for Paddy because he was a great professional and I played with him for a lot longer.
Rab McCreery (Right Back)
Again, a toss-up between Rab and George Neill. As well as being a great player, Rab was a great player and great leader. We played together in a great team but Rab was always one to shake us all up at half time if we weren’t doing what we should. I learned from Rab how to look after myself and he was always there to look after me if I was kicked on the pitch. We all needed that as it was a very tough game in those days.
Billy McKeag (Left Back)
When I came into the team, I was just young, and Billy was a long serving senior pro. Among other things he taught me how to tackle, He was another great leader (I’ve picked a lot of leaders in this team) who was brilliant all over the pitch and was a great example to all of us. When I was an older player Jim Cleary was captain, but I did the sort of job Rab and Billy did in the changing room in my younger days.
Victor Moreland (Centre Back)
Everyone would expect me to pick Victor because he and I have always been so close. But he was a fantastic player which is why he had the career he did. He had great skill with both feet and could read a game superbly whether in midfield early in his career or at the back where he settled down. I played with Victor for a decade and he’s like a younger brother to me.
Terry Moore (Centre Half)
This was a close one between Terry and Alex Robson. I also played with Terry in the USA where he did very well. Another great professional and as tough as nails, Although Terry was a Christian, he took no nonsense from anyone. I called him “the Yard” because the way he ran was like he was walking to work at the shipyard.
Barney Bowers (Midfield)
Barney was a great player and a real unsung hero at the Oval. He was so consistent, and he rarely had a bad game for us, He was the same as a skinny kid playing against us for Cliftonville. Barney was very skilful and also a great competitor and a great goalscorer from midfield.
Raymond Morrison (Midfield)
“The one and only”. We played together in centre midfield for years and he was a dream to play with. People often overlooked Raymond when talking about our players, but he was never overlooked by me. He was everywhere you wanted him to be, never shirked a tackle and when we needed an important goal in a big match, he was always there with it.
Johnny Jamison (Midfield)
Probably the best player I ever played with and the reason I got to the Oval In the first place. I played against him in the Shankill Summer League when senior players would turn up for a match. I marked Johnny and kicked him all over the pitch. After the match he told me he’d get me to the Glens. A few weeks later a scout watched me play for East Belfast and the rest is history. Johnny had an incredible amount of skill and vision and he was captain when I won my first league medal.
Jim Cleary (Midfield)
Jim was a cert for this team. He Was a fantastic Irish League player for well over a decade, even when he played against us for Coleraine. He was captain when we won the double. He was a quiet leader, but everyone respected him. A wonderful player and I’m sure he would be in everyone’s team if they got a chance to watch him.
Johnny Jameson (Right Wing)
Jamie is in the team because always fit, had a great attitude, and always wanted to play. He set up some great goals for the strikers over the whole of that era and he also scored a lot of great goals too. Loved scoring against the Blues too.
Gary Macartney (Striker)
This was the hardest decision when you look at the number of great strikers on my subs bench. But I really couldn’t overlook him because I played with him a lot longer than Blackie. He was areal goal machine who could score any sort of goal. But he was also a great worker and was always ready to help the midfield out. That was a great attribute.
Subs
Dennis Matthews (Goalkeeper)
Dennis was a great friend of mine for a long time and if it was down to characters, he’d be first in the team. Great keeper but he just misses out to Paddy.
George Neill (Right Back)
One of my favourite players. I loved playing with him. He was always available for a pass and the way he linked up with Jamie was always a massive threat.
Alex Robson (centre back)
I played with Alex on my debut for the seconds. He scored a hat trick at Solitude. He was a centre forward then, but Bobby McGregor moved him to centre half. I don’t know what made him do that, but it was a great move. One of the great centre halves at a time when there were plenty of good ones around.
Roy Walsh (centre back)
He was a Rolls Royce and when he was playing with Alex not a lot got past them. He was great on the ball and had pace to burn. Great to see him back from Australia and a regular at the Oval.
Gary Blackledge (Striker)
Blackie didn’t get in just because I didn’t play with him for very long. He was as good a goalscorer as you’ll ever see. Great footballer too and had the nasty streak a top centre forward needs.
Ron Manley (Striker)
Yorkie was a very similar centre forward to the way I played there. He was another great lad who didn’t get enough credit because of the guys he worked with up front. But he was very skilful, very strong, got through a mountain of work and also scored a lot of good goals for us.
Gerry Mullan (Striker)
Gerry was a pleasure to play with. He was always hyperactive before matches. Really up for anyone we had to play. Another one with a phenomenal workrate and his record for scoring in Irish Cup Finals and big matches was unbelievable.