I thought Jon Daly would star for Old Firm.......

[ian1964 10,486]

but with Celtic, says chairman of club where he started career

 

 

THE chairman of amateurs Cherry Orchard was convinced the young star could be a hit.. but at Parkhead, not Ibrox.

 

 

 

DERMOT Oâ??RIORDAN sold a 15-year-old Jon Daly to Stockport â?? and thought one day heâ??d be good enough to play for the Old Firm.

 

But the chairman of Dublin amateurs Cherry Orchard FC believed it would be Celtic and not Rangers who came calling.

 

The big Irish striker has all but sealed a summer move to Ibrox from Dundee United and will spearhead the Gers attack in Division Two next season.

 

Oâ??Riordan, who has been involved with Cherry Orchard for almost 40 years, was convinced Daly had the attributes as a kid to make the grade in the UK.

 

And when he waved the teenager off to Stockport in 1998, it wouldnâ??t have surprised him if Daly had ended up at Parkhead. Instead, Daly will wear light blue next term as he attempts to play his part in helping Gers take another step back to the SPL.

 

Oâ??Riordan, who has helped nurture Irish stars such as Andy Reid, Willo Flood and Adam Rooney at Cherry Orchard, insists Daly deserves his chance at a huge club like Rangers 15 years after he left the Republic of Ireland.

 

He told Record Sport: â??There arenâ??t many Dubliners who sign for Glasgow Rangers. But Iâ??m pleased for Jonathan.

 

â??Obviously itâ??s an attractive proposition for him and the financial package on offer will have tempted him. This could also be the last big move of his career.

 

â??Heâ??ll be playing in front of more than 40,000 people every second week, which would be appealing for any player.

 

â??The people here are delighted for Jonathan because heâ??s a terrific lad and I hope this proves to be a good move for him.

 

â??Iâ??ve known Jonathan from age nine and he was always serious about his football. He was always a good lad, very mannerly.

 

â??Even as a kid he had that drive to go and do well in his career. He looked very promising as a youngster here.

 

â??Physically, he developed so well. Itâ??s always hard to tell if a kid is going to make it big or not. But Jon was all there, he struck the ball well and was one to watch from an early age.

 

â??When he went to Stockport at 15 I believed it would be a stepping stone for him because he was a schoolboy Irish international and a real prospect.

 

â??He had trials with bigger clubs than Stockport but I couldnâ??t have imagined heâ??d one day play for Rangers. Back then, it would have been more likely to be Celtic because of the Irish connection with the club.

 

â??Weâ??ve had various players on trial at Celtic over the years â?? like Gary Dempsey who ended up at Dunfermline â?? but none at Rangers. Maybe Jon going there will change all that.â?

 

Daly will join a small band of Irish Catholics to play for Rangers when he secures a Bosman switch to Ibrox next month.

 

But Oâ??Riordan insists that any historical or religious barriers that prevented it happening in the past have now been overcome.

 

And he hopes Daly can lead the way for more Republic of Ireland players to earn contracts with the Ibrox club.

 

He said: â??There has been a real lack of Republic of Ireland players in a Rangers shirt but hopefully big Jon can lead the way for others now.

 

â??I remember years ago Alan Maybury had trials at Ibrox and I know they have a young lad from Cork, Alan Smith, as their youth keeper now. But there havenâ??t been many and Iâ??m not sure Rangers even have a scout here.

 

â??It shouldnâ??t be a problem for Irish lads to sign for Rangers. The historical and religious aspect of it should all be in the past now.

 

â??That hurdle has already been jumped and Jon going there will only help matters.

 

â??If Jon or any other young players from here fancy going to Rangers â?? and their parents are happy with it â?? it should be encouraged.

 

â??This could be a test case almost. If Jon does well at Ibrox there could be far more Irish players signing for Rangers â?? and I hope thatâ??s the case.

 

â??Jon signing for them hasnâ??t been a big deal in Ireland. There has been little fuss, which is a good thing.

 

â??It might change when he starts playing for them but I hope it doesnâ??t. This is a great move for Jon and his family.â?

 

Proud Oâ??Riordan is delighted to see so many of his former Cherry Orchard starlets shine in Scottish football.

 

He said: â??Weâ??ve produced the likes of Jonathan, Willo Flood and Sean Dillon at Dundee United. Jonny Hayes is at Aberdeen and we have Conor Pepper at Inverness as well.

 

â??Weâ??re proud of all the players weâ??ve brought through. Jon played with Keith Fahey as a kid, who has gone on to win the League Cup with Birmingham and play for the Irish national side.

 

â??Itâ??s good for our young kids to see ex-players like Jon do well in their careers and play for big clubs such as Rangers.â?

 

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/thought-jon-daly-would-star-1892247?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

[Davie P 4]

Good to hear that the only people having a problem with this potential transfer are those from the East end of Glasgow!

[ian1964 10,486]

“Jon signing for them hasn’t been a big deal in Ireland. There has been little fuss, which is a good thing.

 

“It might change when he starts playing for them but I hope it doesn’t. This is a great move for Jon and his family.”

 

This bit is interesting, the only problem he will have is from the BHEASTS from the east of Glasgow

[D'Artagnan 173]

â??Jon signing for them hasnâ??t been a big deal in Ireland. There has been little fuss, which is a good thing.

 

â??It might change when he starts playing for them but I hope it doesnâ??t. This is a great move for Jon and his family.â?

 

This bit is interesting, the only problem he will have is from the BHEASTS from the east of Glasgow

 

Exactly Ian - in the same way as Mojo and McCann, and their families, suffered abuse from them.

[ian1964 10,486]

Exactly Ian - in the same way as Mojo and McCann' date=' and their families, suffered abuse from them.[/quote']

 

I'm certain Daly will suffer the same!,I hope is prepared for the back lash?.

[Guest GrahamHancock1690]

I'm certain Daly will suffer the same!,I hope is prepared for the back lash?.

 

I think the big man would have took that into consideration & I hope he slots the ball past the Septic to silence them all! Would be great..

[ian1964 10,486]

I think the big man would have took that into consideration & I hope he slots the ball past the Septic to silence them all! Would be great..

 

You would have thought that potential issue would have been highlighted in any report about a catholic signing for Rangers?...............................then again!

[onevision 1,468]

“Jon signing for them hasn’t been a big deal in Ireland. There has been little fuss, which is a good thing.

 

“It might change when he starts playing for them but I hope it doesn’t. This is a great move for Jon and his family.”

 

This bit is interesting, the only problem he will have is from the BHEASTS from the east of Glasgow

 

 

Wouldn't bank on his countrymen back in Ireland giving him an easy time of it either, i recall Alan Maybury suffered a fair bit of abuse.

[ian1964 10,486]

Catholics who signed for Rangers before Johnston include, before the end of World War I: Pat Lafferty (1886), Tom Dunbar (1891–1892), J Tutty (1899–1900), Archie Kyle (1904–1908), Willie Kivlichan (1906–1907), Colin Mainds (1906–1907), Tom Murray (1907–1908), William Brown (1912), Joe Donnachie (circa.1914–1918) and John Jackson (1917). Thereafter, Catholic players prior to Mo Johnston's signing include: Laurie Blyth (1951–1952), Don Kitchenbrand (1955–1956), Hugh O'Neill (1976), John Spencer (1985–1992) (Bill Murray, The Old Firm – Sectarianism, Sport and Society in Scotland (John Donald Publishers, 1984) pp 64–5

 

http://forum.rangersmedia.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=169843

[the gunslinger 3,366]

must admit i always thought he would end up at celtc.