Billy Clery GUFC Legend

**Demoshield** · 24/06/2007, 1:59 PM

All the best Billy. Thanks for all the memories. You're still good enough to get in the team. The current squad shoul look at his reply to to the question "best moment in soccer - every friday when you're named in the team"

**Claret Murph** · 25/06/2007, 6:14 AM

Yer allways be my fav Billy . gave 100% all the time . Here's wishing you do very well with the under 21s .

**Terry** · 25/06/2007, 7:04 AM

whats the story? has he announced that he has retired?

**GuisaSaigon** · 25/06/2007, 8:39 AM

Yeah, he was presented with some crystal thing the other night before kick off. The last link to the days when United had decent teams. Lets hope we can find a few more players like Billy, he always played with pride in the United shirt.

**Terry** · 25/06/2007, 8:45 AM

oh right, I was under the belief he was going to stay around as a player also incase of an injury crisis (like alan gough), obviously he is happy with what we have now and whats coming in soon.

**Tir Oilean** · 25/06/2007, 9:16 AM

I still think he could offer the first team something. It might be a wages thing too with more signings arriving.

**looping** · 25/06/2007, 10:29 AM

i wish to thank u myself too billy after u helped me more than once in the past and best of luck in ur new position with the -21

Damo

**Sumac** · 25/06/2007, 11:14 AM

Well done Billy. A great servant to football in Galway. Best of luck with the U21s

**Ceirtlis** · 25/06/2007, 4:12 PM

All the best to Billy Clery a true legend in a Galway United jersey. Is there any chance that he will get a testimonial?

**Tir Oilean** · 25/06/2007, 6:05 PM

Ya I think he deserves one in fairness.

**Paddyfield** · 25/06/2007, 10:07 PM

Billy scored the winner on his debut away to Drogs when he was 16 year old schoolboy. The following week, he made his home debut against high flying Shamrock Rovers. Rovers had a really tough player called Alan Byrne who was given a not-so-friendly welcome to Galway from a fresh faced Billy.

Byrne eventually lashed out at the young Galway upstart and was duly red carded. As Byrne walked to the dressing room, Billy lay flattened on the ground but still managed to tell Byrne what to shove and where to shove it. Billy got a straight red for expressing his opinion.

Billy Clery had arrived with a bang. Legend.

**eamo1** · 25/06/2007, 10:35 PM

my favourite moment supporting utd was given to me by billy when he popped up with the winning goal vrs pats to keep us up.a sean malee(remember him) corner went into the box and billy rose above paul osam and ken oman amoung others to tower a header into the top corner and que around 2 minutes of unreal celebrations in the terraces-an amazing moment.
every club has a figure like billy,at liverpool its carragher at milan its maldini i wonder who will grow into the leader role of utd now,hmmm,reggie???

**Sumac** · 26/06/2007, 8:17 AM

That goal against Pats is my favourite Terryland moment. Great pitch invasion afterwards as well!

**galwayhoop** · 26/06/2007, 8:56 AM

Originally Posted by eamo1

every club has a figure like billy,at liverpool its carragher at milan its maldini i wonder who will grow into the leader role of utd now,hmmm,reggie???

typically these players are local lads who have a much stronger affinity with the club than being mere employees.

what i would really like to see would be a few local lads making the grade.

**MyTown** · 26/06/2007, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by galwayhoop

what i would really like to see would be a few local lads making the grade.

Wouldn't we all?

Hopefully your wish will come true in years to come, just as it has in the past.

The Programme ran a feature ('Your View') last season where contributors were asked to name their all time favourite GUFC first 11. Unsurprisingly most opted for all local selections. It makes perfect sense.

But if you look at the squads we had in the one or two seasons where we were in with a shout of actually winning the League and getting decent cup runs, you'll see it was a MIX of both local and non-local lads.

I take great pride in the fact that John Herrick, Derek Rogers and Paul McGee to name but 3 came for the football and stayed because they saw that Galway had much more to offer them than their bread-and-butter.

Meantime let's have your nominees for local hero worship?

Maybe Billy (since I desperately need to get back on topic

) will produce a few for us from the21s

**Galwayutdcelt** · 26/06/2007, 10:36 AM

a leader, and what a peno taker, no keeper had a chance. I remember he first started as a highly rated young striker. Same age as me Billy, i have some great memories of Billy in Maroon.

**NY Hoop** · 26/06/2007, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by Paddyfield

Billy scored the winner on his debut away to Drogs when he was 16 year old schoolboy. The following week, he made his home debut against high flying Shamrock Rovers. Rovers had a really tough player called Alan Byrne who was given a not-so-friendly welcome to Galway from a fresh faced Billy.

Byrne eventually lashed out at the young Galway upstart and was duly red carded. As Byrne walked to the dressing room, Billy lay flattened on the ground but still managed to tell Byrne what to shove and where to shove it. Billy got a straight red for expressing his opinion.

Billy Clery had arrived with a bang. Legend.

Remember that game in the Sportsground. 5-0 wasnt it?

Not many players stay with one club for their whole career anymore. 99% of players dont care.

Good piece in the programme about him although it could have been expanded stats wise.

KOH

**Tir Oilean** · 26/06/2007, 11:06 AM

Well he did go to Derry for a short spell when he came back from Oz I think. Dont think he played many games though.

**Paddyfield** · 26/06/2007, 8:46 PM

Originally Posted by Sumac

That goal against Pats is my favourite Terryland moment. Great pitch invasion afterwards as well!

I remember it well. I was outside the Empire State Building when I got a text from Tir Oileann which read "billy 90 mins, we won 1 - 0. happy days" I leapt around the place like crazy and went for a few NY cocktails with the missus to celebrate.

Didn't Waterford United bring out a fanzine with Billy Clery's name in the title? His last minute goal against St Pat's denied Waterford guaranteed survival. They went in to a play off, lost and were relegated.

Billy's goal effectively relegated Waterford.. A 0 - 0 draw between GUFC and Pat's would have saved them

**Claret Murph** · 27/06/2007, 6:44 AM

Originally Posted by Paddyfield

I remember it well. I was outside the Empire State Building when I got a text from Tir Oileann which read "billy 90 mins, we won 1 - 0. happy days" I leapt around the place like crazy and went for a few NY cocktails with the missus to celebrate.

Didn't Waterford United bring out a fanzine with Billy Clery's name in the title? His last minute goal against St Pat's denied Waterford guaranteed survival. They went in to a play off, lost and were relegated.

Billy's goal effectively relegated Waterford.. A 0 - 0 draw between GUFC and Pat's would have saved them

But Paddyfield remember the the season ticket the year after with billy on the back after the goal he scored againist Pats