BG
14th March 2009, 22:08
Now some of out there will be well aware of my thoughts on this guy. I've mentioned him in numerous posts before, maestro, genious, magnificent is some of the trems that I have used in the past to describe this great Glentoran player. I am not trying to be funny nor smartassed but I genuinely hold the view that he was the greatest player that I have seen in my lifetime, well, by that I mean within the boundaries of the Irish League.
One of the old Linfield legends from the past happened to pop into my work last Wednesday and being the kinda guy that I am I brought up Cleary's name. "Aye, he was as good a player as they come" came the reply. "But I don't think that he was just as good as our Tommy Dickson, the (Late) Duke of Windsor" he also added.
But an old hand who supports Cliftonville and Celtic later approached me and told me " I seen them both lad, and different style of players. Wouldn't say no to either in a Red shirt, in fact i'd actually go out and cut the grass at Solitude (Laughed) if either man in his heyday signed for us, and hard to seperate. Both class acts".
Fair enough comment, and I must agree as I never seen 'The Duke' play.
**Matt Bradley, the former Newry Town and GAA player/Manager (Now Newry City) maintains that while Linfield had the greatest side of all time (He referred to the Blues team that won the seven trophies in the Sixties) he added that Glentoran had the best ever Irish League player in Jim Cleary. **
Anyone out there see both in action? If so what's your thoughts? Maybe Mr Dickson was a bit before your time, like myself, if so, how high did you rate Cleary?
**BTW I would tend to disagree with Matt Bradley, I would say that the Glentoran team using the username 'The Detroit Cougars' under the superb management of former Glasgow Celtic player, the late great John Colerain (Glentorans greatest ever manager) would run this seven-trophies Linfield very close, even though I never had the pleasure to see them play***
One of the old Linfield legends from the past happened to pop into my work last Wednesday and being the kinda guy that I am I brought up Cleary's name. "Aye, he was as good a player as they come" came the reply. "But I don't think that he was just as good as our Tommy Dickson, the (Late) Duke of Windsor" he also added.
But an old hand who supports Cliftonville and Celtic later approached me and told me " I seen them both lad, and different style of players. Wouldn't say no to either in a Red shirt, in fact i'd actually go out and cut the grass at Solitude (Laughed) if either man in his heyday signed for us, and hard to seperate. Both class acts".
Fair enough comment, and I must agree as I never seen 'The Duke' play.
**Matt Bradley, the former Newry Town and GAA player/Manager (Now Newry City) maintains that while Linfield had the greatest side of all time (He referred to the Blues team that won the seven trophies in the Sixties) he added that Glentoran had the best ever Irish League player in Jim Cleary. **
Anyone out there see both in action? If so what's your thoughts? Maybe Mr Dickson was a bit before your time, like myself, if so, how high did you rate Cleary?
**BTW I would tend to disagree with Matt Bradley, I would say that the Glentoran team using the username 'The Detroit Cougars' under the superb management of former Glasgow Celtic player, the late great John Colerain (Glentorans greatest ever manager) would run this seven-trophies Linfield very close, even though I never had the pleasure to see them play***