THREE broken legs, two broken arms, three knee operations, two hernia operations, an Ulster final call-up for Down at the age of 22, a European appearance for Glentoran and almost losing his life while playing for Cliftonville — Ciaran McLaughlin’s career was a rollercoaster from start to finish.
In the latest edition of ‘Blast from the Past’, the Newcastle native reflects on his early days with Tollymore, the start of his Irish League journey, and his relentless training schedule.
Ciaran moved to Newcastle at the age of five, joining local club Bryansford GAC as a youngster. He excelled on the Gaelic football stage with both the Ford and the Red High. He also played soccer at school, after being introduced to the sport by one of his friends, former Strangford player Phelim Sharvin.
Although he played for the Down U-21s, minors, and the senior team, it was his 13-year career as a goalkeeper with six different Irish League clubs — and his tag as ‘the bionic man’, due to the number of injuries he came back from — that he’s best remembered for.
His journey into senior soccer began at the age of 17 under local soccer legend Alan Grant, who was the manager of Tollymore United back in 1995.
“Alan Grant was the Tollymore first team manager at the time and they were struggling for a goalkeeper,” Ciaran explained. “I was still at school at this stage. I was down at Donard Park kicking a ball about and I heard Alan talking to someone. Whatever way it transpired, I got the gist that they needed a keeper.
“I went up to Alan and said: ‘I’m a goalkeeper, I could do nets for you’. I think he was taken aback, because I was just a school kid,” he added.
The teenager did enough to convince Grant to give him a chance, and after a few training sessions, he was thrown into the Tollymore first team. He played a big role in the Bears’ run to the 1995 Harry Clarke Cup final, playing against Ballyvea in the quarter-final and Strangford in the semi.
“I didn’t think in a million years that he (Alan Grant) was going to play me – back then the Harry Clarke Cup was a big thing. We ended up getting to the final, and it all snowballed from there very, very quickly. In a lot of ways, I owe Alan a huge debt of gratitude for seeing something in me that launched my goalkeeping career.”
After losing with Tollymore against rivals Newcastle in the Harry Clarke final, Ciaran secured his spot as the club’s starting keeper. Within a matter of months, his performances in the Newcastle League had caught the attention of numerous Irish League clubs.
However, when recently crowned title winners Crusaders came calling in 1995, Ciaran was initially reluctant to sign for them.
“I got a phone call from a guy called Frazer Evans (former Crusaders Reserves assistant manager). He said Crusaders were interested in signing me, and I’d only just broken into the Tollymore team, so I actually turned him down when he first asked the question.
“Then I went and spoke to my dad and he said: ‘Maybe you should take that chance. Life is all about taking your opportunities when they come your way.’ I phoned Frazer back and said I’d be interested in signing. Then he said: ‘By the way, we need you to play on Saturday’ – it was Thursday when I made the phone call.”
So, just two days after signing for the north Belfast giants, McLaughlin made the trip to Belfast to make his debut at home to Coleraine.
“I’ll never forget my dad driving me up to Seaview for the first time — it was daunting. Crusaders firsts at the time were flying; it was a serious club with serious characters. I was 18 — I hadn’t met any of the players and I didn’t know anybody.”
It didn’t take the young goalkeeper long to realise he wasn’t playing in the Newcastle League anymore.
“I was getting onto the team bus and there were people like Chris Morgan, Ian Young, Graeme Arthur — they all went on to be Irish League legends. Ian Young was sitting eating a tin of tuna and drinking a protein shake and I walked onto the bus with a packet of Monster Munch and a bag of Starbursts!
“They were all ripped, they were all in tracksuits — it just looked like a proper professional club. I realised this was a different animal altogether,” Ciaran said.
In the full story Ciaran goes on to reveal the advice that Cliftonville manager Marty Quinn gave him that helped him earn his place in the Reds team.
To read the digital edition, download the Mourne Observer app – for apple click here – for android click here
