Terry Neill was a youth player for Bangor before he joined Arsenal when he was still 17 (just). Made his debut at 18 and became their youngest ever captain at 20.
Him and Gerry Armstrong were the two most notable players and even there, Armstrong joined them from Cromac Albion (reasonably prominent Amateur League club who also had Mal Donaghy on their books). While Steve Morrow was on Bangor's books as a youth (never played for the Senior team) before signing for Arsenal, ditto Steven Craigan to Motherwell
Roddy Collins also played for them in season 1994/95, including taking over as Player Manager mid-season, his first foray into management. Does that count?
Often thought of as a Bangor Boy, but he was actually born in Larne and first went to Primary School nearby. Family later moved to Bangor, where he went to another PS, before passing his 11+ and getting into Bangor Grammar, a rugby/hockey school.
Was playing for St.Andrews, a Boys Club in Belfast, when he was scouted by Man Utd aged 16:
"[Coach Joe Kincaid] went along to the summer coaching courses with the idea of recruiting potential talent for St Andrews.
"And it was at one of the summer coaching courses, at Orangefield, that I first noticed Keith Gillespie. He ran like Seb Coe and his skills were excellent. I knew straight away that he was going to be a great player. I approached his father Harry, explained a little about St Andrews and asked him if he'd like to bring Keith along to the club.
"Keith joined the club, played in our under-13 team along with some exceptional young players, and in the first year won St Andrews' first trophy.
"Keith came through all the teams at St Andrews and I know at times he had a problem with his school Bangor Grammar allowing him to play football. But I think, in all his time with us, he only missed one or two games because he had to play hockey for the school."
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/s.../28401247.html
More on Bangor FC here, if anyone's really interested:
http://irishleaguegreats.blogspot.co...bangor-fc.html
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