Bill Morrow

Name: William James Morrow
Born: 16 November 1851
Died: 22 January 1922
Height:
Weight:
Position: Forward

Representative Honours: Ireland: 3 Caps / 1 Goal (1883-1884).
Club Honours: (with Moyola Park) Irish Cup Winner 1880/81.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA.Cup	Other
Ulster	-	-	-	0(0)/0	-	-
Moyola.Park	-	-1881	-	0(0)/0	-	-
TOTALS	-	£0		0(0)/0	-	-

Biography:
A big-name star in the earliest days of football in Ireland, Bill Morrow had been playing the “rugby code” as well as cricket with Mountpottinger and Ulster from 1874 to 1880. He took to the Association game initially with Ulster and joined Moyola Park, desperate for experienced players, in time for the first ever Irish Cup competition.

The Castledawson side drew criticism for their robust style of play, but it was undoubtedly effective as they won the 1881 Irish Cup final 1-0 over Cliftonville, courtesy of a goal from Morrow, their captain. Indeed Park did not concede a single goal throughout that inaugural competition!

Capped for the first time against England in February 1883, Morrow made history a month later when he scored the equalising goal that secured Ireland’s first ever draw, 1-1 against Wales at Ballynafeigh.

Morrow later umpired at several international matches involving Ireland and became a well-known referee.

Ireland Cap Details:
24-02-1883 England. A L 0-7 FR
17-03-1883 Wales... H D 1-1 FR 1 Goal
26-01-1884 Scotland H L 0-5 BC

Summary: 3/1. Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 2.

Bob Rea

Name: Robert Rea
Born: 29 March 1878, Belfast
Died: 31 October 1946, New York, USA (tbc)
Position: Inside-Right/Left

Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Full Cap (1901); Irish League: 2 Caps (1898-1900).
Club Honours: (with Linfield) Irish League Champion 1897/98, Runner-Up 1898/99; Irish Cup Winner 1897/98; City Cup Winner 1897/98 (with Distillery) Belfast Charity Cup Winner 1899/00.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
Cliftonville	-	-1894	Amateur	-	-	-
Linfield	95/96-98/99	Nov-1895	-	*49/12	-	-
Distillery	99/00	Oct-1899	-	-	-	-
Belfast Celtic	99/00	Jan-1900	-	-	-	-
Glentoran	00/01	Jun-1900	-	*16/ 8	-	-
Belfast Celtic	01/02	-	-	-	-	-
Cliftonville	02/03	-	-	-	-	-
Ulster	02/03	-	-	-	-	-
Linfield	03/04	-	-	*1/ 0	-	-
TOTALS	-	£-		66/20	-	-

* all games.

Biography:
After beginning his Irish League career with Cliftonville during the 1895/96 season, Bob Rea first made a real splash in Linfield’s 1897/98 “Double” winning side. Also in the Blues’ forward-line that defeated St Columb’s Court 2-0 in the Irish Cup Final was Rea’s brother, Sam who was making his club debut! During that season Bob Rea also won his first major representative honour, playing for the Irish League in a 5-0 defeat by their Scottish counterparts in Dundee.

Rea then spent the start of 1899/1900 season with Distillery before joining Belfast Celtic. He was a member of the Whites’ side that claimed the Charity Cup for the first-time, when he guested for them as a last minute replacement for the injured Tom Black, while still a Belfast Celtic player. Distillery, having lost in their previous six Final appearances in the competition, they saw-off Linfield with a resounding 5-0 scoreline.

After moving on to Glentoran in the summer of 1900, Rea put in some great goalscoring performances as the Glens ran his former club close in the race for the Irish League title. His form was rewarded with a second selection for the Irish League (who lost out 4-2 to the Football League in November 1900) and with his sole cap for Ireland (in a 3-0 defeat by England at Southampton).

Rea left the Oval after a single season to return to Belfast Celtic. He later had a second spell with Cliftonville before ending his Irish league career with Ulster. He never really established himself in any of these clubs and in 1903/04 he returned to Linfield and helped out with the Linfield Swifts. He then immigrated to the USA, in October 1909 and remained there until his death.

The Rea name remained a prominent one in the Irish League as Sam played for Glentoran from 1902 to 1908 and another brother, Fred also played for the Glens (1906-1911) and represented the Irish League.
Ireland Cap Details:09-03-1901 England. A L 0-3 BC

Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.

Additional information by George Glass.

Jack Henderson

Name: A.W. Henderson*
Born: 31 July 1844*, Dromore
Died: 13 July 1932, Natal (South Africa)
Position: Goalkeeper

Representative Honours: Ireland: 3 Full Caps (1885).

Club Career:

Clubs	Seasons	Signed	Fee	FA Cup	Other
Ulster RFC	1873-1882	1873	Amateur	-	-
Ulster	1882/83-1884/85	1882	Amateur	-	-
TOTALS		£0		-	-

Biography:
Jack Henderson was a founder member of the Ulster Cricket Club & Rugby Football Club in 1873. Shortly thereafter it became the Rugby & Association Football Club before becoming simply Ulster Association Football Club in 1882. Henderson was club captain from 1880 and as a rugby player was described as “an energetic forward, plays up hard and dribbles well.” He was approaching the twilight of his career when Ulster converted from Rugby to Association Football and he took to the position of goalkeeper.

A leading light in the early advancement of Association Football, it was perhaps more in recognition of that rather than his footballing ability that Henderson was selected for the three International matches in 1885. In his final match for Ireland, against Wales at the Ulster Ground, Ballynafeigh, the game was played in a very strong wind which assisted Ireland to a 2-0 half-time lead. In the second half Wales scored five goals in a ten minute spell, assisted by the wind and a “cavalier” goalkeeping display from the normally reliable Henderson. When, for the first time in the second half, he touched the ball in actual play to take a goal kick the crowd jeered Henderson so much that he left the field of play. Ireland played the next five minutes with ten men before their goalkeeper could be persuaded to return to play out the remaining minutes of the match.

Henderson’s international debut came at the age of 40 years and 212 days, only a few months short of the record set by Matt Wilson in January of the previous year. The records of both players as Ireland’s oldest players were finally beaten by Elisha Scott, who finished his International career at the age of 42 years and 200 days in 1936.

After retiring as a player Henderson continued to work with great distinction for the Irish Football Association in an administrative capacity. He later immigrated to South Africa where he died at the age of 88.

Ireland Cap Details:
28-02-1885 England. A L 0-4 BC
14-03-1885 Scotland A L 2-8 BC
11-04-1885 Wales... H L 2-8 BC

Summary: 3/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 3.

* There are discrepancies regarding Henderson's exact initials. He was recorded simply "J. Henderson", as "A.W. Henderson" and even "T. Henderson" in various contemporary newspapers and annuals. His date of birth is also the subject of some conjecture.

By George Glass, with additional thanks to Cris Freddi.