Editors Note
I have for a long time been curious about the history of the Belfast Spartans and when I started the website I was hoping that Robert McCormack would write the story of the team. Bert as we all know him is a mine of information and has an incredible memory for this stuff. So I hope you enjoy the story as it unfolds. As Bert gives me the details I will post them as they arrive. Enjoy! DH
Beginnings
“We should start a team!” Five simple words that were to change my life forever.
It was September 1984 and Greg Brown and I were watching the American Football on Channel Four. Years earlier while at College, Greg, myself, Jerry Mulholland, David “Fij” McMahon and others used to throw a ball around during lunchtime and a combination of those memories, plus the game on TV and the beer talking combined to produce that statement! Anyway, the match, like the beer ended and I thought no more about it.
A few days later my phone rang and Greg proudly announced “I got us our first player, a guy from work” Later that evening I’m in the pub and Greg is introducing me to Bill “Demo” Beattie. After a lot of boozing and chatting we agree that Demo will be the Offensive Coach, Greg the Defensive Coach and I will be the Head Coach. Me, the Head Coach. My knowledge of Football at that time was the names of the different positions and where they line up, that’s it! Over the next few weeks we managed to scrape together enough bodies to actually go ahead and form a team.
And so, one cold October morning late in ’84 we all gathered at the Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey. It started with a few guys in assorted NFL shirts and jogging pants throwing a ball about and as more arrived we eventually had about 18-20 people so we just split into 2 equal sides and had a scrimmage with no rules or structure, just copying what we’d seen on TV.
At some point during this, a guy called Stuart Smith saw us and came over and introduced himself. Turns out he was from a newly formed team called the Carrick Cougars and he was able to put us in touch with the fledgling League! In the space of two weeks it had gone from a drunken statement to actually having a Team in a League....OMG, we didn’t even have a Team name yet!!!
One thing was apparent; we had to start taking this seriously. During the week we held a Team meeting in the Seaside Tavern in Holywood. By the end of the night we had a name, a Committee, Coaching staff, players, and a £100 sponsorship deal from the Seaside. The Belfast Spartans had arrived....
Grinding to a Start
One of the first things the new committee did was negotiate with Belfast City Council to see if they could help us in any way and so it was, that after 3 weeks at "The Valley" we moved to our new ground and the place that will forever be synonymous with the Spartans, Musgrave Park!
Training and recruitment was going well and we decided it was time we actually have a match. At this point, only 3 teams in the League were fully kitted (Blitzers, Celts and Cowboys) everyone else was unkitted and so it made sense for us to challenge one of the other unkitted teams and we arranged a match with the Bangor Buccaneers to be played at Musgrave.
Early Spring 1985 and match day was upon us. Bill Beattie was responsible for the Offense, Greg Brown for the Defense. My role as Head Coach was purely to make tactical decisions such as punting or trying a Field Goal etc. The actual play-calling was left to the Demo. The game kicked off and inside a minute we were losing 7-0. I truthfully can't recall if they ran the kick-off back for the score or if they scored from scrimmage but it was a demoralizing start! By half-time we were losing 16-0.
In the 3rd quarter there was an incident that was to alter the history of the Spartans! Trailing by 16 points and facing a 4th and 28 at our own 2 yard line, I signalled punt! Bill Beattie (Offensive Coach and playing Fullback) waved it off! Again I signalled punt and again Demo waved it off. The Offense lined up and it was obvious they weren't going to punt! We had no time-outs left and I was going hoarse on the sideline screaming "Punt it Demo, PUNT IT!" The ball was snapped, Demo takes the hand-off and tries to run it. He's nailed in the Endzone by about 11 Bangor players....Safety.....18-0! He came trotting off the pich with a goofy look on his face and said "I had to give it a go!" or something along those lines! I think it's fair to say I was a bit angry at this stage and a heated exchange took place. I don't remember too much about the rest of the game but at the final whistle we had lost 30-0.
The following Wednesday night we had our regular Team meeting at the Belmont Bar in Ballyhackamore. Bill "Demo" Beattie turned up with what I can only describe as "a contingent" and wanted a vote of no confidence in me and my resignation as Head Coach! A heated debate took place and the whole team was in turmoil. The future of the Spartans was at stake!
I vividly remember like it was yesterday that I was talking to Billy Boyd in a quiet corner when Lawrence Boskett, Waldo and a group of others came up to Billy and said, "This is bullshit Billy. Whatever you decide, whatever way you go, we'll go with you!"
Luckily for me, the majority of the Team backed Billy and Billy backed me. The attempted coup was nipped in the bud and the conspirators left the Belmont and the Spartans for good! It was a major blow, there's no denying it but we regrouped and if anything we were even more determined than ever! We had to be, our first Season in the newly formed I.A.F.L. was only 2 months away.....
It was September 1984 and Greg Brown and I were watching the American Football on Channel Four. Years earlier while at College, Greg, myself, Jerry Mulholland, David “Fij” McMahon and others used to throw a ball around during lunchtime and a combination of those memories, plus the game on TV and the beer talking combined to produce that statement! Anyway, the match, like the beer ended and I thought no more about it.
A few days later my phone rang and Greg proudly announced “I got us our first player, a guy from work” Later that evening I’m in the pub and Greg is introducing me to Bill “Demo” Beattie. After a lot of boozing and chatting we agree that Demo will be the Offensive Coach, Greg the Defensive Coach and I will be the Head Coach. Me, the Head Coach. My knowledge of Football at that time was the names of the different positions and where they line up, that’s it! Over the next few weeks we managed to scrape together enough bodies to actually go ahead and form a team.
And so, one cold October morning late in ’84 we all gathered at the Valley Leisure Centre in Newtownabbey. It started with a few guys in assorted NFL shirts and jogging pants throwing a ball about and as more arrived we eventually had about 18-20 people so we just split into 2 equal sides and had a scrimmage with no rules or structure, just copying what we’d seen on TV.
At some point during this, a guy called Stuart Smith saw us and came over and introduced himself. Turns out he was from a newly formed team called the Carrick Cougars and he was able to put us in touch with the fledgling League! In the space of two weeks it had gone from a drunken statement to actually having a Team in a League....OMG, we didn’t even have a Team name yet!!!
One thing was apparent; we had to start taking this seriously. During the week we held a Team meeting in the Seaside Tavern in Holywood. By the end of the night we had a name, a Committee, Coaching staff, players, and a £100 sponsorship deal from the Seaside. The Belfast Spartans had arrived....
Grinding to a Start
One of the first things the new committee did was negotiate with Belfast City Council to see if they could help us in any way and so it was, that after 3 weeks at "The Valley" we moved to our new ground and the place that will forever be synonymous with the Spartans, Musgrave Park!
Training and recruitment was going well and we decided it was time we actually have a match. At this point, only 3 teams in the League were fully kitted (Blitzers, Celts and Cowboys) everyone else was unkitted and so it made sense for us to challenge one of the other unkitted teams and we arranged a match with the Bangor Buccaneers to be played at Musgrave.
Early Spring 1985 and match day was upon us. Bill Beattie was responsible for the Offense, Greg Brown for the Defense. My role as Head Coach was purely to make tactical decisions such as punting or trying a Field Goal etc. The actual play-calling was left to the Demo. The game kicked off and inside a minute we were losing 7-0. I truthfully can't recall if they ran the kick-off back for the score or if they scored from scrimmage but it was a demoralizing start! By half-time we were losing 16-0.
In the 3rd quarter there was an incident that was to alter the history of the Spartans! Trailing by 16 points and facing a 4th and 28 at our own 2 yard line, I signalled punt! Bill Beattie (Offensive Coach and playing Fullback) waved it off! Again I signalled punt and again Demo waved it off. The Offense lined up and it was obvious they weren't going to punt! We had no time-outs left and I was going hoarse on the sideline screaming "Punt it Demo, PUNT IT!" The ball was snapped, Demo takes the hand-off and tries to run it. He's nailed in the Endzone by about 11 Bangor players....Safety.....18-0! He came trotting off the pich with a goofy look on his face and said "I had to give it a go!" or something along those lines! I think it's fair to say I was a bit angry at this stage and a heated exchange took place. I don't remember too much about the rest of the game but at the final whistle we had lost 30-0.
The following Wednesday night we had our regular Team meeting at the Belmont Bar in Ballyhackamore. Bill "Demo" Beattie turned up with what I can only describe as "a contingent" and wanted a vote of no confidence in me and my resignation as Head Coach! A heated debate took place and the whole team was in turmoil. The future of the Spartans was at stake!
I vividly remember like it was yesterday that I was talking to Billy Boyd in a quiet corner when Lawrence Boskett, Waldo and a group of others came up to Billy and said, "This is bullshit Billy. Whatever you decide, whatever way you go, we'll go with you!"
Luckily for me, the majority of the Team backed Billy and Billy backed me. The attempted coup was nipped in the bud and the conspirators left the Belmont and the Spartans for good! It was a major blow, there's no denying it but we regrouped and if anything we were even more determined than ever! We had to be, our first Season in the newly formed I.A.F.L. was only 2 months away.....
