If our nearest neighbours became ‘more like the Irish than the Irish themselves’ then surely John Herrick’s epitaph will be that of a man who became ‘more like a Galway man than the Galwegians themselves’. John won all the honours available in a League of Ireland career that included service at Cork Hibernians, Shamrock Rovers, Limerick, Drogheda and eventually Galway Rovers. He was a well respected full-back, equally able at left or right and also played at centre-back and mid-field. The tough tackling but skilful defender won three caps for Ireland in the early seventies and was a regular member of the squad between 1971 and 1973. He represented his country in the European Championship against Austria in 1972, on tour in South America against Chile the same year and in a World Cup qualifier against France in 1973. Herrick played for Irish and League of Ireland selections on many occasions and played alongside stars of the English game such as Giles, Treacy, Givens and Conroy as well as League of Ireland players of the calibre of Finucane, McConville, O’Neill and Leech. “At that stage you would often come across Irish internationals in League of Ireland matches,” said Herrick. Many more made the journey across the water and, despite the Cork man’s modesty on the subject, many in the game here and in England felt that he could have succeeded in the English League.

John Herrick felt that Amby Fogarty (Galway Rovers’ first manager on entering the League in 1977) was the biggest influence on his career. “Amby was my manager at Cork Hibs and he was a football genius. He made Cork soccer and I felt that I really only started to play under him.” He told Herrick that if he did what he told him and worked hard that he would have an Irish cap in three years. It only took two! Amby was a great mate of Brian Clough and ‘Chick’ Deacy also drew the comparison between the two and Peter Taylor on his travels in the English game. Fogarty was not afraid to change from traditional football habits, experimenting with diets, training etc. but John recounts one such experiment with fond memories. “We used to like to have a strong cup of tea after training and one night after the shower the Cork Hibs players gathered round the old kettle for their traditional brew. It had been a particularly cold night and when Amby produced hot Ribena there were a few raised eyebrows. You can imagine the reaction, seasoned league of Ireland players drinking a kid’s drink… and heated as well!” Dutifully they tried it as Amby assured the players that he had read about its benefits on performance. Guess what… Hibs won their next two matches and continued with the new wonder drink until one Sunday afternoon they were turned over at Flower Lodge and one wag enquired of the gaffer, “What about the Ribena boss?” Amby picked up the kettle and threw it at the dressing room wall. More like Souness and tea cups than Ferguson’s hair dryer treatment then!

John fondly remembers the early days when Galway Rovers was based in the Claddagh. “Lad’neen Curran was the King of the Claddagh at the time and he would travel to the away matches on the bus with us regaling the players with tales of old Galway.  Finbar Lillis put up temporary floodlights on the old club house so we could train and at one stage the team went on a ten or twelve game unbeaten run and the whole town seemed to be supporting us.” John recalls some of the players he worked with: “Miko Nolan had his own secret recipe for all type of injuries… goose grease. He applied this to any type of injury you can think of and we had to put up with the smell as he swore by it.

“Ginger Collins was a great finisher, Chopper Murphy at centre-half was a terrific defender, Kevin Cassidy was a terrific centre forward, he used to play rugby but we converted him into a goal-scorer and he enjoyed it when people made comparison with Mario Kempes of the 1978 Argentinean World Cup winning team. He wouldn’t have minded swapping places with his double I’m sure, but I wonder how Kempes would have settled at Terryland! In fairness Cass was uncoachable; he had terrific natural talent and was very fast. Kieran McDaid was another classy full-back cum centre-half who earned the nickname ‘Bilko’ for his army connection. But Miko was the only one brave enough to call it to his face! “Mickey McLoughlin and Carl Humphries up front were a deadly combination. Mickey was the target-man and Carl was deadly at getting penalties. They used to say that if you tripped him on the half-way line he wouldn’t fall till he was inside the penalty area!

“The League Cup Final against Dundalk in 1981 was a particular highlight and Tommy Lally’s performance was world class in the second leg at Dundalk with his penalty saves and overall shot saving ability. These players and many more like Johnny Gaynor bring back great memories to long-term Galway United supporters.

“I was the last manager of Galway Rovers and the first manager of Galway United,” he announces proudly, “and we really made a breakthrough for Galway football. I believe that our shirt sponsorship with Galway Metal was one of the first of its kind in the League of Ireland.”

For John Herrick the best thing football did for him was to bring him to Galway!  “I enjoyed my time at Galway United and I developed my sign-writing business here.  This is a great city and in my career I’ve been all around. I always loved drawing and painting and I originally worked out of my garage in Moyola Park. Over twenty years ago I opened up my workshop in Dominick Street and I have raised my family in Galway.”  John Herrick comes across as a contented man.  He did his adopted team some staunch service, built his own business and continues to thrive with his drawing.  The Cork man helped establish Galway United in the league, developed many local players and continues to support the boys from the terraces on Friday nights. He does have reservations about summer football as he believes that football is a winter sport. “The ground is harder and players seem to be more upright with less give in the pitch. Also, I preferred it when the matches were on a Sunday afternoon, even though that changed with all the live cross channel matches.  That’s progress I suppose.”  I leave him busily finishing off another masterpiece in his workshop… ever the perfectionist!     

- Mike Geraghty        http://www.mgwords.com/