By Jonathan Brown
IN the latest instalment of ‘Blast from the Past’, former Luton Town, Wrexham and Glentoran player Seamus Heath tells his story, recalling an incredible football career that took him from the streets of Belfast to Finland, as well as Luton, Wrexham and Tranmere.
Seamus now lives in Annacloy, his home for the past 30 years, but his footballing journey began on the Ormeau Road, where he was born and raised.
Growing up in Belfast in the 1970s, Seamus dreamt of making it as a professional footballer.
His first club was famous Amateur League outfit Cromac Albion, who produced Northern Ireland internationals Gerry Armstong and Mal Donaghy.
At the age of 16, after impressing his coaches at Cromac, Seamus got the opportunity to go on trial with then-English Second Division team Luton Town, alongside his teammate, Peter Dunlop, who would go on to have a successful career with Cliftonville.
“I was 16 and Peter was going over to Luton on trial. I was doing rightly at the time, so they sent me with him.
“I played a youth team game against West Brom and done very well. David Pleat approached me afterwards and said to me: ‘Young man, how would you feel about playing football in England?’
“I went to his office the next morning and the rest was history.”
Seamus signed a four-year deal with Luton, but he never made a league appearance for The Hatters.
During his four years at Kenilworth Road, Seamus was coached by legendary Luton manager David Pleat, who he believed was ahead of his time as a coach.
“I was very lucky, when I look back, there were so many clubs I could have ended up at.
“I was taught to play the game the correct way. For example, I joined Luton as a left winger and then I was moved to left back for a six-month period. I wondered why, but it was to open the pitch up to me.
“David Pleat was an out and out football man. When I look at my four years there, I learnt the game of football. If I had went to, for example, Luton’s local rivals, Watford, they just played long ball. What would you learn at a club like that?”
In the full article Seamus Heath explains how he managed to end up playing football in Finland, and how he missed out on a medal with Glentoran.
