Special Guests

COLERAINE FC is pleased to announce that three special guests will be at The Showgrounds tomorrow evening…

Aaron Forgrave, John Neill and Anthony Gilmore will return to the Ballycastle Road for the game against Newry City.

The two gentlemen are guests of Honorary Vice President, Frankie Moffatt, who gave a glowing reference for the pair.

AARON FORGRAVE

It surprises me but I find it difficult to get local players to come along to the Showgrounds as my special guests as for some reason they feel they do not merit it. I am therefore delighted to welcome Aaron, John and Anthony along tonight for the match against Newry City.

Aaron and I go way back to the mid 70’s when he played for me as a 16 year old in the Killowen team I managed in the C&D Saturday Morning League. From there he progressed via Coleraine Rangers under Johnny Magee, the Reserves before establishing himself in the first team as a very clever and combative midfielder.

When he finished his career in the Irish League he went onto manage Coleraine Crusaders for a spell before joining up with me again as a player in the Portstewart team which went onto win every trophy possible including the Intermediate Cup.

On retiring, he took up a coaching role at The Showgrounds where he managed the Reserves for a number of years and brought quite a few young players through into the first team. A great player and one you would want in your team every week.

JOHN NEILL

John also came through the ranks at Coleraine before coming into the first team around the turn of the century and running up 258 appearances for the club. He was a very versatile player who gave his all every time he pulled on the jersey and who could ever forget his performance in midfield as a losing Irish Cup finalist.

If anyone ever deserved a winners’ medal John did in that game. On leaving Coleraine, John went on to serve both Portstewart and the Heights with great distinction and can now be found passing on his great knowledge of the game to the kids in his role as a coach in the Academy.

ANTHONY GILMORE

Finally we have ‘Gilly’ who like both Aaron and John came through the youth set up at Coleraine before going onto to play 158 times for the first team. A very clever and competitive fullback with a great left foot and Anthony was one who very few wingers got the better of.

He also has the distinction of having scored one of the best goals seen in an Irish Cup Final with his 30 yard pile-driver for Carrick Rangers against Linfield.

Please therefore join me in welcoming these locals along tomorrow night and I think they merit the title of legends and certainly each can be recognised as “One of our Own”!