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| The Jim Grace Fan Club | ||
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The 11-a-side Article |
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Chants of "Gracey, Gracey" echoed round the United Park terraces and the JGFC banner adorns all grounds in which Drogheda perform. One of the main movers behind the clubs formation is Robert Donnelly, a son of a former Drogheda United club Chairman. "What can I say about Jim, He's a larger than life person really, certainly about a stone larger than he should be", says Donnelly who is the JGFC Chairperson. The lads reason for backing Jim was quite a simple one according to Robert. "We just had Declan Campbell in goal after that anybody else was going to look brilliant". Indeed last season as Grace only joined the club in November he wasn't around long enough to win the official Drogheda United Supporters Club player of the year award. But undeterred the lads made a special JGFC Player of the year award to the man himself prior to a pre season against Blackburn. "Jim reserves his best games for the big ones, last year when we drew 0-0 with Aston Villa he was absolutly outstanding", says Robert. |
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So what happens if next season Grace comes to be surplus to United Park requirements. It is a prospect that appears far too awful for Robert Donnelly and the rest to contemplate. "I don't even want to think of Gracey leaving, even if he decides to quit playing himself, then I feel Drogheda could do worse than put him on the coaching staff". The whole Jim Grace phenomenon has taken off around the county Louth town to such an extent that Robert and his friends are often on the receiving end of some fairly serious slagging. "If Jim makes a boo boo then the rest of the people around aren't too slow about letting us know. Earlier this season the great man made one of his rare errors against Shamrock Rovers in the RDS, about five hundred Hoops fans started singing 'Grandad we love you' down at us". Fun seems to be the name of the game for the lads, all ten of whom are currently studing business courses in Dundalk Regional College. Indeed much to the bemusement of many of the JGFC banner made an appearance at some Dundalks home matches, causing consternation and concern. "The first time we had it in Oriel was for the Dundalk v. Galway Cup replay and a number of Dundalk fans came over and asked us whether Dermot Keely had signed him without them hearing about it." Each club member carries a picture of Grace around with him, and Robert swears that when talking to members of the opposite sex the picture has positively aprodhisiac effects. "If you tell any woman that you are a member of the Jim Grace fanclub they are immediately curious as to who exactly he is, the conversation tends to develop from that". In fact many well known footballing faces including Kevin Moran, Alan Shearer and more locally Tommy McConville have all been photographed alongside the lads while admiring Graces picture. There was strong talk earlier this year that Jim McLaughlin was poised to sign Jim's brother John, that would have seen United Park become something like a set of 'Are you being served' with both young Mr.Grace and old Mr.Grace in residency. Robert promises that if such a scene should come to pass his members' affection wouldn't dwindle. "Jim's a one off, nobody could ever replace him." As for Grace himself , well he says he doesn't know how serious the lads are. "If they are serious I'm amazed and flabbergasted at their dedication, somehow though they are taking the mick, but it is all good fun and I enjoy it." The worrying thing is that all ten members of the Jim Grace Fan Club will some day grow up and become respectable pillars of the community. Keep the craic going lads. Robert Donnelly takes over : "The membership consists of ten people. However, in the last six months we have had been flooded with applications for membership to ten. Also two assosiates include a Dundalk fan, Mr. Colm Markey and a Shamrock Rovers fan, Mr.Patrick Gallagher. Anonmity is prided by the members and for this reason we have declined requests from the Drogheda Independant and the Star newspapers. The main reasons why we have turned down numerous requests for interviews from LMFM is as a result of Colm Corrigans unnessasary comments towards Mr.Grace. As you know Jim Grace is well respected in football circles, Mr Ray Treacy after spotting our infamous banner at the recent game in the RDS commented "If Jim Grace has a fan club then theres hope for us all." And legend Tommy McConville expressed his admiration for Jim by saying "He's a great young pro is Jim." Jim's magnificent performances of last season were rewarded by two presentations from the fan club. The first of these was after the St. Pats game on the last day of the season when Jim single handedly kept the Drogs in the Premier Division. In an emotional outburst one of the members presented with the gift of an easter egg (as it was Easter Sunday) which Jim dropped and replied "Its the first thing I've dropped all season". Jim has added much needed humour to our annual struggle against relegation and has emerged as the first "cult figure" in the clubs history. His determination and dedication to Drogheda Uniteds cause has been a joy to watch and has been apprieciated by all supporters both young and old. The members of the fan club are being continually asked by the Drogs supporters to reveal Jims age to which we truthfully reply, "He's somewhere between the ages of forty seven and a half and seventy nine and three quarters." Jim's insistence that he is forty on his next birthday is a continued source of amusement among the fan club members. Our relationship cannot be describled in football terms. It is more than that, it is spirited. In summing up, Jim Grace is more than a goalkeeper, he is an institution. Long may he dazzle and entertain the relatively youthful masses." |
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