Tributes paid to Fermanagh 'football legend' Willie McElroy

Willie McElroy (80), was a stalwart of Enniskillen Rangers FC, the Fermanagh and Western Football League and the Irish Football Association.

He died on Tuesday and warm tributes have been paid to him from across the community.

Family tributes to Willie came from his wife, Alma and daughter Ruth.

Speaking to The Impartial Reporter, his wife said: “We were 27 years married, he was just a very special person to many people. He lived for family and football.”

Willie was born in Tempo but lived in many areas across the county including Ballinamallard, Fivemiletown, Derrychara, and Florencecourt. He had a long career with Teemore Engineering as a salesman and previously worked in Benson’s shop and TP Toppings.

His daughter Ruth added: “He was always known as Granda Mac to my kids, who loved him. He was in big into football and a keen gardener.

“He also kept a ‘man-cave’ in Fivemiletown which nobody left without a drink!”

The late Willie McElroy (second left) pictured in 2013 with (from left) Neil Jardine, the late Robin Mitchell and Roy Cathcart.

Willie will be familiar to many through his long association with Enniskillen Rangers, a club spokesperson released a statement on Tuesday afternoon: “It is with great sadness that we have learned of the passing this morning of Willie McElroy.

“Willie was a legend at Enniskillen Rangers, at the Fermanagh and Western, at the IFA and far beyond.

“The club extends sincere condolences to Alma and the entire family circle, and to all in the football world who were enriched by his influence, his character and his capacity to bring joy to their lives.”

A moment of silence was observed in respect of Willie during training on Tuesday night.

Some of those who paid tribute to Willie were former Rangers players who he had managed, Denzil McDaniel who was managed by Willie from U15 level to the Rangers first team said: “He was just a fantastic man, there was a lot of memories back in those days.

‘We all loved him’

“We all loved him, he was good at football, but he was a lovely man and all the boys loved playing for him, he had a love of the game. Even now when the old hands get together we all would talk fondly about him.”

Another player who paid tribute was Adrian Hopkins who said: “Willie started the youth team in 1967, and we all went up to the Townhall and he put a team into the Corry Cup and we won it the first year we went into it.”

Paying tribute to his friend, Adrian said: “He was a real gentleman, and you would have ran through a brick wall for him, there wasn’t a bad bone in the man’s body. You never forget a man like that, he was like a second father to us all.”

Before his great contribution in administration, Willie had a key role as a manager of several teams.

As a manager, He managed the Under 15 and Under 18 teams to successes in the Telegraph Shield and Corry Cup competitions.

He was the first manager of the Rangers third team, the Swifts, and he went on to manage the Reserve Team, before taking on the role of First Team Manager. He had many successes as manager and he led Rangers to their first IFA Junior Cup Final in 1975.

He had been Rangers’ representative on the Fermanagh and Western Management Committee since 1966.

He became the Honorary Treasurer of the Fermanagh and Western and in 1971 he was chosen to serve as a representative to the IFA Junior Committee. From 1979 to 1981 he was appointed Chairman of the Junior Committee, becoming Fermanagh’s first official to chair an IFA Committee.

A legacy for Willie and a great source of pride was his role in shaping Jimmy Cleary from his underage days with Rangers. Jimmy later progressed to Portadown and Glentoran and the Northern Ireland international team playing in the World Cup in Spain in 1982 and it was Jimmy who presented Willie with his Fermanagh and Western Football League Hall of Fame award in 2013.

Willie’s funeral took place on Friday afternoon at St. John’s Parish Church, Florencecourt and he was buried in the adjoining cemetery. He is survived by his wife Alma, daughter Ruth and grandchildren.