Trip to seaside brings cup success

Turn back the pages of history, study the stastistics and one fact emerges - the Irish cup has eluded Glentoran on many occassions...they....were knocked out in 1910 for playing an ineligible player against Bohemians, who won on protest.  Indeed not until 1914-15 did they first win the trophy.

Who better to beat than Linfield? The venue Grosvenor Park.  Glentoran directors decided before the game this was to be their big chance so the team was packed off to Newcastle Co.Down for special training and a deviation from the normal routine tedium.

Rumour however swept Belfast that two players had been drowned.  Happily this was untrue.  Back came the Glens to Belfast for a 3-1 triumph over the Blues.

George Ferrett, Johnny Scraggs and Billy Emerson comprised the middle trio.  That was a renowned half back line.  No matter when you discuss great Glentoran players, Ferrett, Scraggs and Emerson are considered amongst the most outstanding. 

This cup success was followed by a number of Glentoran stars being transferred to cross channel football - Lyner (Kilmarnock and Man Utd), Emerson (Burnley), Moore (Falkirk) and Scraggs (Clydebank).

On now to season 1919-20 and Glentoran find themselves in the centre piece of an incident unprecedented in the local game.  A riot broke out following revolver shots in an Irish Cup Semi final against Celtic at Cliftonville.  Celtic left back Fred Barrett was ordered off and in the resulting excitement and tension a spectator dashed on to the field of play, firing shots into the crowd, creating pandemonium.  That match was never finished.  Celtic held responsible for their fans conduct, were dismissed from the compeitition.  They protested by quitting football for several years.

Glentoran did not reach the final either.  Celtic reported they had selected a man not on the list submitted to them.  The appeal was upheld and with both semi-finalists out, Shelbourne had no opposition in the final.  They were awarded the trophy, the last occassion on which it went to Dublin.

Many noted players have worn the club colours.  Ponder a moment on these names, Ezekiel, Johnston, Jack Benton, Dr Leslie Skene - he was studying at Queen's University - Jimmy Lewis, Leslie Murphy, Alex Hattie, John Burnett, George McMaster, Tommy ching Morrison, he was given the nickname of Ching for he was as tricky with the ball at Bret Harte's "Heathen Chinee", English McConnell, Sam Napier, George Hall, Wattie Johnston, Willie Crooks, Davey and Roly Lyner, Billy McArthur, Robbie Duncan, Tom Somerset, Jimmy Kelly, James McKnight, Hugh Davey, Willie Andrews, Walter Moore,  "Hookie" Gibson, Alfie Allen, Tony Wilkin, Sammy Allen, Tony Wilkin, Sammy Nimmick, Bertie Wright, Archie Coates, Johnny Leathem, Harold McCaw, Ted Hinton, Clancy McDermott, Tom Pearson the Derbyshire born goalkeeper who was killed in World War II, Arthur Douglas, Jackie Robinson, Bobby Irvine, Billy Bradford, Jimmy Todd, Joe Scott, Syd McIlroy, Paddy Watters, Jimmy Lawler, Len Kane, Tommy McCormick, Tommy Hughes and Jimmy McFarlane.

One of Glentoran's shining stars was centre forward Fred Roberts who in 1930-31 scored 96 goals in competitive matches 107 in all games, including 55 in the Irish League, a record never surpassed.  In later years the only one to approach him was Sammy Hughes, another Oval idol, truly the superlative fabulous can be given to Roberts.

Success accompanied everything the club undertook at this stage.  They secured the services of a flame haired youth who was not wanted by Coleraine.  His name - Peter Doherty, a young bus conductor from Magherafelt Co.Derry.

An immortal of inside forward play, Peter was transferred in 1933 to Blackpool.  He had been introduced to the Glens by Billy McSevenny, a brother of full back Alan McSevenny.

Yes the hungry thirties were the glamour years of Irish football, with Glentoran always having their fair share of personalities.  Supporters were devoted and erected a new pavilion and dressing rooms, in October 1933 an event which was marked by a match between Chile and Glentoran.  The result - a goal each.  A year earlier they had celebrated their jubilee.

And so to May 3 1941 eve of that night a bomb devastation.  Glentoran's team which defeated Cliftonville 6-3 Elliott (Wolves), Gray, Cooper, O'Boyle, Irvine, Grice, Douglas, McKennan, Robinson, Weir, Lavery.

Few realised they would be looking at the Oval for the last time as they knew it.  By morning it was a heap of rubble.

With victories over Distillery and Linfield the team finished the season kit borrowed from Crusaders, the crossroads had been reached.