Name: James Warren McClearyBorn: c.1923, near Hillsborough
Died: 8 February 2012 (age 88), Ballynahinch
Height: 5.09 ft
Weight: 11.07
Position: Centre-Half
Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 Full Cap (1955), 14 Amateur Caps (1948-1957); Irish League: 1 Cap (1955).
Club Career:
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Teams
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Seasons
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Signed
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Fee
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League
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FA Cup
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Other
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Glentoran
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Amateur
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Cliftonville
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Amateur
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TOTALS
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£0
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Biography:
A French teacher by day, Ernie McCleary was a mainstay at centre-half for Cliftonville and for Ireland's Amateur side for many years. In the 1948/49 season he was part of the Amateur side that defeated England 1-0 at Norwich, the first win for the Irish on English soil.
McCleary's only appearances at full international and inter-league level came in the spring of 1955. On St. Patrick's Day he took to the field at Dalymount Park as the Irish League suffered a 2-1 defeat to the League of Ireland. A little over a month later he stepped into Ireland's problem centre-half position for a 3-2 defeat by Wales at Windsor Park.
Something of a sporting all-rounder, McCleary also played cricket for Cliftonville. He taught at Friends in Lisburn until his retitrement in the 1990s and passed away in 2013 after a battle with Alzheimer disease.
Cliftonville CC
Northern Ireland Cap Details:
20-04-1955 Wales... H L 2-3 BC
Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.
Northern Ireland Amateur Cap Details:
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