Sammy McCrory facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Samuel McKee McCrory | ||
| Date of birth | 11 October 1924 | ||
| Place of birth | Belfast, Northern Ireland | ||
| Date of death | 4 May 2011 (aged 86) | ||
| Place of death | Donaghadee, Northern Ireland | ||
| Position(s) | Inside forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1944–1946 | Linfield | 41 | (28) |
| 1946–1949 | Swansea Town | 103 | (46) |
| 1949–1952 | Ipswich Town | 97 | (39) |
| 1952–1955 | Plymouth Argyle | 50 | (11) |
| 1955–1960 | Southend United | 205 | (91) |
| 1960–1962 | Cambridge United | ||
| 1962–1963 | Crusaders | 17 | (10) |
| Total | 515 | (226) | |
| International career | |||
| 1946 | Irish League XI | 2 | (1) |
| 1957 | Northern Ireland B | 1 | (1) |
| 1957 | Northern Ireland | 1 | (1) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1962–1963 | Crusaders (player-manager) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Samuel McKee McCrory (born October 11, 1924 – died May 4, 2011) was a talented professional footballer from Northern Ireland. He played as an Inside forward, which is a position in football where a player helps both attack and score goals. Sammy is most famous for playing five years with Southend United. He even scored the very first goal at their stadium, Roots Hall!
Contents
Sammy's Club Career
Sammy McCrory was born in Belfast. He started his professional football journey with Irish League team Linfield in 1944.
Playing for Linfield
Sammy was a great scorer for Linfield. He helped his team win the Irish Cup two years in a row. He scored two goals in the 1945 final against Glentoran. The next year, he scored again in the 1946 final against Distillery. Overall, he scored 60 goals in 91 games for Linfield.
Moving to Swansea Town
In October 1946, Sammy moved to Swansea Town. In his first season, the team was moved down to a lower league. But he helped them win the Football League Third Division South in 1949. This meant they moved back up! He also played in the Welsh Cup final in 1949, but Swansea lost that game.
Time at Ipswich Town
Sammy joined Ipswich Town in March 1950. His start there was a bit rough. He became the first Ipswich player ever to be sent off (given a red card) in a league game. But the next season, he was their top goal scorer! He played over 100 games for Ipswich Town in total.
Playing for Plymouth and Southend
After Ipswich, Sammy played for Plymouth Argyle. He found it a bit hard to score goals there. Then, in 1955, he moved to Southend United. This is where he made a big mark!
Scoring at Roots Hall
On August 20, 1955, Sammy scored the very first goal at Southend United's new stadium, Roots Hall. This was in a game against Norwich City. He was also one of the top scorers in the Football League Third Division South during the 1957–58 season, with 31 goals.
Later Career and Retirement
Sammy left Southend in 1960. He then joined Southern League team Cambridge United for two years. After that, he went back home to Northern Ireland. He spent one year as a player-manager (meaning he played and managed the team) for Crusaders.
After he stopped playing football, Sammy settled in Donaghadee. He ran a pub there. Sammy McCrory passed away in 2011 when he was 86 years old.
Sammy's International Career
Sammy McCrory also played for his country, Northern Ireland. In 1957, he earned a "cap" (which means he played in an official international match). He even scored a goal in that game, helping Northern Ireland win 3–2 against England. At 33 years old, he was the oldest player to make his debut for Northern Ireland after World War II. He was also part of the team for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but he didn't get to play in any games during the tournament.
Honours
Linfield
- Irish Cup: 1944–45, 1945–46
- Gold Cup: 1944–45
Swansea Town
- Third Division South: 1948–49
