Roy Welsh – Tribute (part two)

Part 2 of a three part tribute to Roy Welsh focuses on his managerial career after that wonderful playing record with Distillery, and in the Irish League. Distillery’s club historian Dawson Simpson has looked back at Roy’s two managerial spells with “The Whites”.

By the start of the 1975/76 season after manager Jimmy McAlinden departed and with the club playing at Brantwood, George Eastham was lined up to return as manager with Roy Welsh as his assistant. But when Eastham failed to arrive from England, Roy was appointed as manager at the club he had served so well.

But these were tough times for the club off the pitch, with no ground impacting financially and whilst the team finished bottom of the league it did however reach the County Antrim Shield (CAS) Final where “The Whites” were beaten 4-0 by Ballymena.

The 1976/77 season saw a slight improvement with the team up to 10th in the League and an appearance in the Irish Cup semi-final. “The Whites” drew 0-0 with Coleraine in the first match but lost the replay 3-0.

There was a poor start to the 1977/78 season and after 7 straight defeats Roy resigned as manager at the end of October 1977. He went on to manage Larne and then Newry Town.

In the 1981/82 season Roy was appointed again as manager in December 1981. It was the club’s second season at New Grosvenor which had been plagued by pitch problems. The Whites finished in 8th position and Roy guided them to the CAS Final where they were unluckily beaten 1-0 by Linfield.

The following season saw the team end up in 9th position in the League and there was a semi-final appearance in the CAS where they lost 2-0 to “The Blues”.

However, come the 1983/84 season, Roy was turning things around and at one stage “The Whites” were challenging for 3rd spot in the League. Although they faltered near the end and finished in 9th place, Roy Welsh was named as “Manager of the Year”. He is the only Distillery manager to gain this honour.

The highlight of the 1984/85 season was a CAS semi-final against Crusaders, with “The Whites” losing out on penalties.

So with a record of runners-up, and two semi-finals, in the CAS it was probably inevitable that the 1985/86 season would see success at last. Roy had put together a very talented young team and he led them to the CAS Final where they beat Ballymena United 3-1 on 29th October 1985.

Not far short of almost forty years on, it was a night those present have never forgotten.

Before the 1986/87 season started, the club was in serious financial difficulties and had to sell off most of the team that Roy had built, so he subsequently resigned.

Six of the players that Roy had developed during that period went on to become International players: — Allen McKnight, Anton Rogan, George O’Boyle, Jim Magilton, Paul Williams (all Northern Ireland) and Tony Ferris (New Zealand).