Early playing kit
In the early days we played with all sorts of home made padding from bits of packing cases as knee pads to big bits of foam rubber stuck down your trousers. We must have been some site to any on lookers. DH
Bert
Ironically, after playing with the Belfast Spartans for 15 years, my all-time favourite football story doesn't involve a Spartan but a guy called Neil Coates from the Antrim Bulldogs! The Spartans were playing the Bulldogs, up in Antrim. I was playing Offensive and Defensive line and all day I was going head to head against Neil Coates, also playing on the line, both ways. All day long the two of us beat each other shades of black & blue. Every play, we just had our own personal little war and I have to say it was probably the most physical match I think I ever played in. At the end of the game, as was the tradition back then, both teams formed a line and walked along slapping the opponents hands. I was exhausted and was walking down the line going through the motions of "high-fiving" the other team without even looking. Suddenly I was aware that the hand I had just slapped hadn't let go of my hand and instead had spun me around. There was Coatsey, still holding my hand and, maintaining eye contact gave me a little nod and let go. I nodded back and finished working my way along the line. I know it doesn't sound like much, but that one simple little gesture will stay with me forever! Without a word being said, the guy had acknowledged me and paid me respect! Mr. Coates, if you ever read this, that was over a quarter of a century ago and I remember it like it was yesterday! Respect!
The true kidney storey
The reason for this post is to set the record straight. For 24 years big masher Mulgrave has been claiming he inflicted my kidney injury all by himself. As time has gone by this legend has become accepted as fact but the real storey is a little different
In 1987 we were playing against the Bangor team which had previously beaten us pretty easily and had been a bit arrogant about it. But we were now learning to play the game properly with full kit. We were more organised and disciplined and we had a defence that frankly liked to hurt people and new they could do it.
My job as CB was to play the pass and to contain sweeps so that the sweeping player would have to turn up-field and would get caught between by myself from the outside and the perusing linebackers moving laterally. The Bangor team were looking a little bit sheepish at this stage and some wanted to take their ball and go home. The Bangor QB called a sweep to my side but I read my signals too late and was late moving up. As a consequence I was inside the RB and had to knock him out of bounds. As I did this the three LBs who at this stage were on fire and really just hitting anything that moved hit me in the back giving me what the Bangor teams RB was meant to get. I went down with the weight of 3 big LBs on my back(about 45 stone). I didn’t have to be carried off because the whole pile ended up 10 feet outside the sideline. I don’t know what happened to the Bangor guy but I knew I was hurt. I eventually tried to take a few steps but was in agony. I was spitting out blood and pissing it out by the time I got to the Mater Hospital. They said I had kidney damage and some internal bleeding and wanted to admit me. Unfortunately I had a job interview the next day so I signed my self out and went home. I think it took almost 8 weeks before I could run again. I even had the pattern of a face grill on my back(John says it was his).
So John it was a team effort the left LB then you and the right LB. What the RAF used to call a 1/3 of a kill.
Anyway I never read my signals late again so some good came of it. :-) DH
In 1987 we were playing against the Bangor team which had previously beaten us pretty easily and had been a bit arrogant about it. But we were now learning to play the game properly with full kit. We were more organised and disciplined and we had a defence that frankly liked to hurt people and new they could do it.
My job as CB was to play the pass and to contain sweeps so that the sweeping player would have to turn up-field and would get caught between by myself from the outside and the perusing linebackers moving laterally. The Bangor team were looking a little bit sheepish at this stage and some wanted to take their ball and go home. The Bangor QB called a sweep to my side but I read my signals too late and was late moving up. As a consequence I was inside the RB and had to knock him out of bounds. As I did this the three LBs who at this stage were on fire and really just hitting anything that moved hit me in the back giving me what the Bangor teams RB was meant to get. I went down with the weight of 3 big LBs on my back(about 45 stone). I didn’t have to be carried off because the whole pile ended up 10 feet outside the sideline. I don’t know what happened to the Bangor guy but I knew I was hurt. I eventually tried to take a few steps but was in agony. I was spitting out blood and pissing it out by the time I got to the Mater Hospital. They said I had kidney damage and some internal bleeding and wanted to admit me. Unfortunately I had a job interview the next day so I signed my self out and went home. I think it took almost 8 weeks before I could run again. I even had the pattern of a face grill on my back(John says it was his).
So John it was a team effort the left LB then you and the right LB. What the RAF used to call a 1/3 of a kill.
Anyway I never read my signals late again so some good came of it. :-) DH
Finding Jerry Mulholland
When I first set about developing the website their were a few key players that I wanted to get in touch with. I wanted to acknowledge their contribution to the team and in Jerry’s case I also wanted their input on the site. Jerry Mulholland was one of the key men I had to find. He was not only a great player and character but coached the junior team. I’d bumped into him a couple of times but I really didn’t know where to start to find him.
The first thing I did was try Facebook but that failed, I then tried the internet and eventually found a few addresses. I then thought I’m gonna have to do some old fashioned detective work. So with my Colombo head on, off I went. I called at a few addresses and was told no Jerry Mulholland here. Starting to feel a bit dejected I went to the last address I had which was in Carryduff. I called at number 4, 6, and 8 in the street where I thought he may once have lived but all I got was “never heard of him” as I walked to my car I thought what a pity a Spartans sight without Jerry. It was at this stage I reversed and decided to go door to door along a row of houses running at right angles to the ones I had called at “I’ve come this far I might as well give this a real go” I thought. Once again the answer was the same no Jerry. At the last house someone said “try that house over their” pointing across the street “she’s been here for years, if anyone knows it’ll be her” Sure enough when I called to the house the lady said their had been a Mrs Mulholland but she had now moved to the bungalows around the corner. Off I trotted the bit was now firmly between my teeth and I wasn’t for giving up. I drove around the corner and again started door to door. Eventually I was told that Mrs Mulholland had gone into the old people’s home down the road for a rest. “Christ! I thought I can’t just walk into the home they’ll think I’m nuts” So that’s just what I did. On the way in to the home I asked a girl wearing a carer’s uniform if she worked there and was told no. I then found a staff member and asked about Mrs Mulholland and was taken to a room. Are you “Mrs Mulholland?” yes she said with a smile, “Is your son Jeremy Mulholland?” yes she said, “did he play “American football?” “oh yes Jeremy was mad about American football” Well that was it I’d found him. Mrs Mulholland sent me to the front office to get Jerry’s phone number as she couldn’t find her phone book. As I’m standing there the girl who passed me at the door on my way in walks in to the office and says “are you looking for my uncle Jerry?” Well you could have knocked me over! I’d now found Jerry, his mother and his niece. At this point we chatted and I told them my detective story and we had a few laughs. Then job done off I went to phone Jerry. Job done.
P.S.At the moment Jerry and I have no plans to make this into a movie :-)
Dave Lemon
I remember sunday training, junoir against senior scrimmage and it turned into a proper hard nosed session. rod thompson at lb and mulgrave at rb talking a screen pass. omg was like an earthquake when them two collided. lol
