Legend On The Line: Syd Wallace

by Tom Flynn

(first published in the July 2010 Monaghan United match programme)

Syd was born in Wigan on the 30th May 1957. His first competitive match was a rugby league one, playing for Greenburg Street in the Wigan Amateur league, where he remained for four years before switching codes to the round ball. He signed for Everton Youths, where his team mates included Cliff Marshall, the Toffees’ first ever black player, and Dave Jones, the current Cardiff City manager. He also recalled Bob Latchford as the star at the club, an England international who was a prolific goalscorer. Syd was himself not shy in front of goal, but in season 1973/74, after making 22 appearances and scoring 21 times, he had the misfortune to break his leg against Blackpool.

Syd’s bad luck was to work in Waterford’s favour however, as he began his return from the injury. The Blues manager at the time, John McSeveney, happened to be a good friend of Everton manager Billy Bingham, and in fact was best man at his wedding, and he asked Bingham if he could help out by sending someone over who could get some goals. Syd decided to come to Waterford and see how it worked out, and what started out to be a twelve month stint went on for five years.

He has some great memories of his time here: meeting the locals in Griffith Place, the Celtic Squash Club, the Yellow House, and Alice McLoughlin’s, who was like a mother to him. Syd came from a coal mining background, a very down to earth people, and this is why he believes he had taken to the people of Waterford and they to him. On the football side it was a “United” team and he reckons that is why we won the Cup. His pals were Vinny McCarthy and Mick Madigan, and the background team of Joe Delaney (club Chairman), Michael Walsh the kit man, and club trainer Johnny ‘Nish’ Barnes, and he fondly remembers the great games in the past at Flower Lodge in Cork and Milltown, the home of Shamrock Rovers.

Today he still enjoys a run out with Wigan Rugby club. He is now into his 53rd year, and still going strong, and with all our legends present at the game tonight Syd would be high on the list.

Waterford’s 1980 Cup winning side. Syd Wallace is front row, second from left (pic courtesy of Paul Elliot, Waterford Soccer Monthly).