Dundalk legends Dermot Keely, Martin Lawlor and Tom McNulty have gotten behind the 1903 Supporters Club (SC). All three have been talking to the Committee and linking in with much needed membership and their full support.
For the younger lilywhites it’s hard to imagine just how central to the history of our club these three are, so having them on board in these difficult times is a real boost and an example to those of us contemplating jumping into the quay!
DERMOT
Dermot won doubles with us as both a player and manager. Uncompromising doesn’t really capture Dermot as our centre half and captain in the double winning year of 1979. The songs about Dermot from ‘D Shed’ were legendary as he and Paddy Dunning took on all comers. Dermot was good enough to play for Celtic but he wouldn’t shave his beard for Billy McNeill (proper order too). He played with lesser clubs too but he repeated his playing success with a double as our Manager as well. Dermot is currently watching events through his fingers (like the rest of us) from Lanzarote.
MARTIN
‘The Hulk’! The Hollywood version of the superhero was a slip of a man compared with Martin. The Lawlor family also produced Mick and Robbie for Dundalk, fine footballers all, and Martin played for us 570 times and in 4 different defences.
McConville, Keely, Dunning and Lawlor were a back four to be reckoned with and Martin also had a rocket shot on him. In recent days Martin described it as an honour to be involved in the 1903. The honour is all ours Martin.
TOM
The Scotsman from Hamilton was described by ‘memory man’ Jimmy Magee as the best LOI player he had ever seen. Tom still lives in Dundalk and was quick out of the blocks to join the 1903 describing it as an essential development.
Tom scored goals that won titles in deciders against both Cork and Galway but his array of skills make him stand out. Clearly he could score, he was super fit, he was an extremely intelligent player, he was fiercely determined and had a bit of a Hamilton ‘Oldtown’ dig in him too!
In this dreadful season of ineptitude on and off the pitch we can feel sorry for ourselves and simply bemoan what has gone wrong. That’s an option. Alternatively we can look at it as the season that we the fans get ourselves, our town and our community organised to rebuild and make Dundalk FC our community project.
Dermot, Martin and Tom are leading by example. C’mon lilywhites, sign up…..