WHAT an exciting prospect looms as Newry’s two soccer superstars, Peter McParland and Pat Jennings, are re-united for the first time in decades and present and former residents of the Chapel Street area gather in a few months time!

The mutual admiration between those sporting heroes and neighbours has been evident from their pride and pleasure at each other’s achievements at FA Cup and World Cup. Level. They not only put the frontier town on the sporting map, but brought fame to that historic thoroughfare.

`Big Pat’ Jennings stated: “Peter McParland brought glory to his hometown, starring in an FA Cup Final, scoring both goals as Aston Villa beat Manchester United. I idealised Peter, just as much as the rest of the kids, especially as he lived close to me at Upper Chapel Street, and we had played on the same street side.

“There was terrific excitement in our hometown, when Peter played in the Cup Final,” the legendary goalkeeper wrote in his autography. “I watched the match on my aunt’s TV set, - she could have sold tickets, so great was the interest.”

And Pat Jennings recalled: “The same level of interest was generated, when I went to Wembley with Spurs and Arsenal. I was bombarded with telegrams, letters and phone calls, all expressing good wishes. When the final whistle sounded, I could imagine all of Newry heaving a sigh of relief. And they were the best occasions in my life, as the open-air buses edged through a sea of cheering fans.

“But nothing in soccer gave me such satisfaction as the victory in Valencia, when Northern Ireland beat the home side, Spain, to win our Group of the World Cup. I didn’t want to leave the pitch when it was all over. Rank-outsiders, we had our flights booked and bags packed before the match!”

And Pat, whose mother died recently, added: “The cream was put on top, when I was made an honorary member of Warrenpoint Golf Club. It was an unexpected gesture as, next to football, I rate golf as may favourite sport.”

But back to Peter McParland. Tremendous scenes of celebration marked the return of that lanky, lethal left-footed wing-forward to the frontier town, following Aston Villa’s shock victory over Manchester United in the 1957 FA Cup Final, in which he had scored both goals. Controversy arose over a collision between Peter and the United goalie, Ray Wood, who was carried off, amid booing.

Travelling from Paris, where the Villa side had finished a triumphant European tour, the Newry hero arrived at Belfast airport, expecting to meet his father and travel home by bus. But his friends and supporters had other ideas. Taken home by car, he was transferred to an open tourer at the outskirts of Newry, the streets thronged by cheering fans, eager to shake the hero’s hand and gain his autograph.

Chairman of Newry Urban Council, Max Keogh officially welcomed the honoured guest, who held the coveted FA Cup medal aloft as St Catherine’s Band led a parade to Abbey Yard, near the Mc Parland family’s new home at Courtney Hill. Hundreds had assembled, including former neighbours and school friends.

The council chairman stated: “No matter what kind of sport people may follow, Peter’s career, especially the FA Cup matches, has been keenly followed. It is the sporting instinct of every young man to acclaim a real sportsman. The people of Newry have a real sportsman in Peter |McParland.”

In response, Peter declared: “I was never more thrilled than when arriving in Newry, and seeing the wonderful welcome, for which I thank you most sincerely. It is every footballer’s ambition to get to Wembley, but to score the two winning goals in an FA Cup Final is just something I cannot put into words.”

Of course, the Chapel Street hero gained International acclaim the following year, when scoring the most goals of any player in the 1958 World Cup, ensuring that

Northern Ireland progressed to the final stages of that prestigious competition in Sweden.

Meanwhile, Pat Jennings referred to the sports complex called Jennings Park, stating: “ I am very proud that the council named it after me. Nothing I may have achieved in football has given me more pleasure. It was on that site, - a meadow without any dressing-rooms, - that I played my most competitive games.

“But I still remember the tears that I shed when my team reached a Cup Final, and I was dropped because I was to young and too small. In fact, I was only 11, playing in a league for boys under-18. I was the regular goalkeeper for Shamrock Rovers, - size was my only handicap..

“Sometimes a thousand people turned up for a match, so you can see how I felt when the two men who ran Shamrock Rovers, Ritchie Hollywood and Frank O’Hanlon, left me out of the team for the final, after I had played in all the previous rounds. I felt let down, not dreaming that there were Wembley triumphs ahead. I turned to Gaelic football, playing for my school and Newry Shamrocks.”

Pat Jennings reported that his brother, Brian, was responsible for his soccer comeback at the age of 16. Brian was playing for Newry United, the reserve team of Newry Town. During the 1961/62 season, they had a goalkeeper problem, so Pat was offered a game, which they won. The side went on to collect the Irish Junior Cup.

“As the new season progressed, I was promoted to Newry Town; and the club chairman recommended me for the N. Ireland youth team, competing in the European Youth Championship. Though flattered, I was not interested. I had never travelled out of Ireland, and didn’t relish the thought of leaving home.

“I was working with my father for a local timber firm, earning under a fiver a week. I had failed the 11-plus, left school at 15, worked as a bobbin-boy at a spinning mill, but was made redundant. My father then got me a job in a timber-yard. I enjoyed the open air,

“Swinging a hatchet to trim branches on a summer’s day seemed a good way to earn a living. But the job could be dangerous, as a tree could slip its chains. My positional sense kept me out of trouble. I benefited from a job which was ideal for body-building, as well as sharpening the reflexes. I wasn’t fired by any ambition, to do anything else, and never thought that I would be good enough to make a living, playing football.”

And Pat Jennings recalled: “Even when I left school and got a job, I always handed the pay-packet to my mother. She would give me five or ten shillings to spend. That feeling of pulling my weight in the family was enough in those days. I don’t expect that to-days’ teenagers would understand.

“I was simply lucky that soccer opened up a new way of life. But though I was suddenly `rich` when I arrived at Watford, I was so overcome by homesickness that many a night I swore that I would pack up and return to Ireland. Only a love of football, and the fact that manager Stan Berry and his wife did so much to make me feel at home, that I stuck it out.”

Meanwhile, a young Newry singer, Eleanor Toner, had entered Pat’s life. They met at a dance in Newry Town Hall, where she was singing with the Hilton Showband. They were formally introduced afterwards in a nearby fish and chip shop. But they did not get many opportunities to meet regularly, as the Hilton became one of the most successful showbands in Ireland.

Pat explained: “It wasn’t until she decided to go solo and came to London, that we got a chance to see more of each other. While she was appearing at the Palladium, we announced our engagement. Her agent thought that the publicity would be helpful. When the telegrams came pouring in, we hadn’t the heart to tell our friends that it was

only a `trial run.`

“Though Eleanor had a contract with Decca, and made several records, she didn’t care for the life-style, singing in night-clubs, and gave up her career on marriage. We have a son, Patrick and three daughters, Siobhan, Ciara and Mairead.”

Transferred to Spurs, whose manager was Bill Nicholson, Pat was critical of the club’s treatment of Nicholson, who had served the club for 34 years, but whose resignation was accepted after a lean spell.

“My own story at Spurs did not have the happiest ending. Nobody was more shocked than me when Spurs decided to let me go after 13 seasons, opting for Barry Owens, who was six years younger. When I was saying goodbye to the players, who were leaving for Sweden, the directors trooped past me without a word of greeting. It was as though I didn’t exist.”

But Pat Jennings had the last laugh, as he went on to star with Arsenal, - who gave him £80,000 for a four-year contract, - helping to win the FA Cup. Spurs later paid £300,000 to Liverpool for Ray Clemence, who was older than Pat. Incidentally, he holds the unique record of scoring a goal. One of his lengthy kick-outs was carried by a strong wind over the head of the opposing goalie, Ray Wood of Man United, who had clashed with Peter McParland in the FA Cup Final!

Referring to the World Cup, in which the Northern Ireland squad sprang a major surprise, defeating the host nation, Spain, he commented : “I have never been prouder to have played on any side than at that moment.” Ironically, on retirement, he was recruited by Spurs as goalkeeping coach, and has also been involved in Public Relations.

Meanwhile, Peter McParland’s football career began at the Abbey CBS, where he captained a side which won the Rannafast Cup. Then came the St Mary’s team, which competed in the Newry Streets League. Other players included Eddie Campbell, Jim Carroll, Peter Keenan, Joe Fearon, Frank Bradley, Paddy Fox, Pat Casey, Robert Kelly, Patsy Hughes, R. Morgan, S. Rooney, B. Murtagh, P. McCauley, T. O’Hanlon and S. Rooney.

There followed a spell with Shamrock Rovers, managed by Ritchie Hollywood, captained by `Pa` Hollywood, with `Bugsy ` McCamley, Patsy Hughes, Joe Fearon, Robert Kelly, `Doc` Rafferty, Gerry Devine and Robert Turley, etc.

Fate stepped in when a challenge game was arranged with Dundalk Minors, who had won the FAI Minor Cup. As a result, Peter signed amateur forms with Dundalk FC. Approached by a Leeds scout, Major Buckley, he went for a trial, but home ties proved too strong. Returning to Ireland, he signed again for Dundalk.

At this stage, Aston Villa entered the scene, offering the Chapel Street prodigy the chance to play for the claret and blue. The transfer fee was fixed for £6,000; and on his first game in the first XI, he scored the winning goal. Indeed, during the 1957 FA Cup competition, he scored seven out of the 18 goals.

When `Pricker` McParland’s reign in the top rank drew to a close, he took advantage of the growing interest in soccer across the Atlantic, and later became national coach in Cyprus, along with other contracts. In 1970, he joined Glentoran as player/manager, steering the Glens to success, snatching the Irish League title from Linfield, managed by his former International teammate, Billy Bingham

Finally, Peter established a sports business in Bournemouth, but has returned frequently to his hometown. Recently, the superstar has been visiting his sons, who reside in Australia and Japan.

Incidentally, the intriguing situation could have arisen whereby, if Peter and Pat had continued playing Gaelic football, they would have been in the Down squads of the 60’s. What a devastating line-out it would have been, with Pat Jennings in goals, and Peter McParland joining Sean O’Neill, Paddy Doherty and James McCartan in the attack. The Mournemen would have ruled the roost throughout that decade!