DON’T MISS OUT, HUGE NCAFC FUNDRAISER EVENT!!
Saturday 28th September 8pm, Canal Court Hotel!!
Music by: Showtime, Auction, Raffle and great craic!!
Tickets will be available at the next home game, Friday 13th September v Hanover 7:30pm. Tickets are only £5 & each ticket gives an automatic entry into a draw to win an overnight stay for 2 in the Carrickdale Hotel!
WE need YOUR support!!
In our next edition of “Meet The Players”, we managed to catch up with birthday boy Paul “Mackle” McElroy. Paul has been a vital component of the defence who have managed to keep 4 clean sheets in 5 games so far this season.
Name: Paul “Mackle” McElroy
Age: 32
Occupation: Joiner
Previous Clubs: Midway United. Warrenpoint Town. Red Devils. Bohemians. Derrybeg. Rockview and Cleary Celtic.
Honours: Fr.Davies Cup (×2) Bessbrook Cup (×2) League Runners Up. Mid Ulster Runners Up. Division 2 League Runners Up (cant remember the rest)
Position: Centre half
Footballing Hero: Steve Bruce
What are your interests outside of football? Posing for dodgy photographers, golf and having few sociable drinks
If you could take 3 celebrities to dinner who would they be and why? Wayne Rooney, so I can find out where he got his hair transplant. Father Jack, so there’s plenty of DRINK!!! and finally…. Keith Lemon, so he can keep us entertained. SHA TING!!!!
What is the best ground you have played in? Newry Showgrounds (especially for my mate Willie Young)
What would you like to achieve by the time you hang up your boots? Win as much as I can and try to get Newry City AFC up the leagues again!
Who is the joker of the team? Mickey Keenan
Who is the best at training? Joe Campbell
Who is the worst at training? Shane Lundy (sicknote)
Who has the worst dress sense? Gervais McCaul
One song that gets you pumped up for a match? Gangnam Style
Who is the best player you have ever played with? Barry Meehan
What one word would best describes you as a footballer? Committed
And finally…a word for the fans? Keep her lit
Our next Question and Answer session comes from recently appointed vice-captain Niall Crilly. Niall – who has also previously played for Newry, has high hopes of pushing the club forward to a level they would love to be at.
Name: Niall Crilly
Age: 27
Occupation: Personal Trainer
Previous Clubs: Midway United, Warrenpoint Town
Honours: IFA Championship 2 (With Warrenpoint Town)
Position: Right back/right midfield
Footballing Hero: Steven Gerrard
What are your interests outside of football? Shopping, shopping and shopping!
If you could take 3 celebrities to dinner who would they be and why? Steven Gerrard because he is my hero, Joey Essex because he’s possibly the dumbest person alive after Neil Barr & Peggy Mitchell because i’ve a secret crush on her!
What is the best ground you have played in? Windsor Park
What would you like to achieve by the time you hang up your boots? Possibly being part of taking Newry City AFC back to the top.
Who is the joker of the team? John Smyth
Who is the best at training? Myself (being honest)
Who is the worst at training? The two Dundalk lads, they never train!!
Who has the worst dress sense? Chris Hughes (those denim 3/4 lengths??)
One song that gets you pumped up for a match? Anything by JLS!!
Who is the best player you have ever played with? Robbie Casey
What one word would best describes you as a footballer? Committed
And finally…a word for the fans? Believe
In the second of player profiles, we recently caught up with newly appointed first team captain Christopher McMahon to find out a bit more about him. McMahon who has been at the club now for several years has just this week been appointed first team captain for the forthcoming season and is looking forward to lead the team into a new beginning.
Name: Christopher McMahon
Age: 20 
Occupation: Student Teacher
Previous Clubs: Midway United, Windmill Stars, Crieve Rovers
Honours: Under 14s Mid Ulster Cup
Position: Centre Midfield
Footballing Hero: It would have to be Ledley King!
What are your interests outside of football? Watching most sports and socialising with my mates.
What is the best ground you have played in? Windsor Park
What would you like to achieve by the time you hang up your boots? To have made an Irish League appearance with Newry City AFC.
Who is the joker of the team? Niall Crilly
Who is the best at training? Paul McElroy
Who is the most skillful in the squad? Jimmy Walker
Who has the worst dress sense? Joe Campbell…Some bad t-shirts!!
Who is the best player you have ever played with? Paul George, who has played for Glasgow Celtics first team.
What one word would best describes you as a footballer? Hard Working
And finally…a word for the fans? One word that describes our fans, passionate!
Every fortnight throughout the season, first team manager Darren Mullen will express his views on the club website about how the Newry City AFC first team are progressing. We are delighted to introduce the first edition.
Let me start by saying how much of an honour it is for me to manage Newry City AFC. It has been a long 11 months but it’s a credit to the committee and my fellow coaching staff that we are back playing football at The Showgrounds. It’s been a good start – I can’t ask for much more than three wins out of three. In each game it has taken us a while to gel and we’ve missed a few chances because of that but I told the lads not to get frustrated & we’ve done well in the second half. Its a completely new squad so that is to be expected. We have had three good wins and three clean sheets, So there’s a lot to be happy about. At the same time it’s early days and we won’t be getting carried away as there will be tougher tests ahead.
People were questioning why we were playing such tough opposition in our pre-season, but they can see the reason now as the lads are playing with a good tempo and their fitness levels are great – which has benefited them against their opposition so far in the league. After one more league match against St.Marys we have four cup games in a row, but we will be going with the same approach as in the league, we want to try our best and win every game.
We have been missing lads through injuries and holidays, so we have had to make a few changes, but that’s the point of having a big squad. Everyone is pushing and working very hard to get on that first eleven – making team selection a lot harder for me.
Jimmy Walker has been the man of the match for the first few games which is well deserved, but the whole team including the subs used have all played their part and we will need them to continue their hard work. Neil Barr has got seven goals so far but he knows I won’t let him get complacent. They are a good bunch of lads and know that they will all need to work hard for any success to happen.
I am also delighted with the support we’ve been getting so far – the supporters have really got behind the boys and encouraged them to play well with their terrific vocal support. The staff and players really appreciate the effort they have made and hopefully will continue to do so. We will try our best to give them something to sing about. It’s great to have a good buzz around the Showgrounds again, which is something that has been missing for a while.
Darren Mullen
Cover photo courtesy of Brendan Monaghan
