Legend On The Line: Noel ‘Blondy’ Norris

by Tom Flynn

(first published in the June 2010 Mervue United match programme)

It was in 1952 that Noel Norris’ soccer days began with St Joseph’s at the age of 14, introduced by John Freeman, but his first time to don the Blue and White was not at Kilcohan Park, but in Parnell Park, Dublin, at underage for the Waterford hurling team against Cork. He continued to play at schoolboy level, and lined out for Bohemians against Hibernians in the Area Minor Cup final which Bohs won 3-2, Noel scoring the second goal from a free kick. For most of his schoolboy days he was a right half.

In February 1958 Noel made his league of Ireland début for Waterford, a home cup tie versus Transport of Dublin. It was a sombre month locally and internationally, and the accompanying photo shows a minute’s silence being held to mark the Manchester United air crash and the Dunmore East fishing tragedy. Noel remembers it was a great honour to play for his beloved Blues, short though his league career might have been, and he recalled how strange it felt to one week be standing on the terraces and the next to be calling his heroes team mates. He had the pleasure to play in The Markets Field, Limerick, and at Oriel Park, Dundalk, which he felt were the top grounds to play in. His team mates included Milo Slattery, Peter Fitzgerald of Leeds United and Con Martin of Aston Villa fame. It was a very skillful team.

After a short spell in League football, Noel decided to move back to Junior level. He moved to Ferrybank and made an appearance for Munster v Leinster – the first man from the village club Ferrybank to do so – recording a great 3-1 win at Markets Field, Noel scoring the second goal. He was also capped at Junior level, getting a call up for  England v Republic of Ireland at St. Andrews, Birmingham City’s ground, which we won 2-0, Noel again scoring goal number two. He recalls 95% of the panel that travelled got sea sickness, though he was one of the lucky ones and sailed well. In what were very different times, he remembers he had to get a lift to Dublin on a Clover Meats lorry to make the sailing, and had to wait to get his train fare home when the team arrived back after the game. He is also keen to point out that if it was not for his team mates at Ferrybank he would never have got the Inter-Provincial or Junior International call-ups. Jackie Lonergan was one who stood out at Ferrybank but never pushed himself forward. In conclusion he recalls his final game for Ferrybank at the age of 42, a 6-1 away defeat at Seaview Celtic. He was delighted to be present at the opening of the “Village Grounds” Ferrybank, where he came from originally.

Transport FC and the Blues observe a minute silence for the Manchester United air crash and the Dunmore East fishing tragedy: Con Martin (capt), Denny Fitzgerald, Jack Hunt, Jack Fitzgerald, Billy Barry, Tommy Coady, Noel Norris, Peter Fitzgerald, Milo Slattery, Dixie Hale, Tommy Taylor (photo courtesy of Paul Elliot / Waterford Soccer Monthly).