Statue a ‘brilliant honour’ for legend Pat Jennings

​“I'm unbelievably proud,” he said.

“Little did I know that when I left over 60 years ago, that I would be coming back to unveil a statue in my likeness. It's just incredible; it's the sort of thing that you think about other people winning, but not you.

“It's a brilliant honour, and having Jennings Park in Newry as well is something that I am very proud of, because that's where football started for me. I never miss an opportunity wherever I go, to tell people about that.”

Jennings made his legend across the water in England, where he played for football giants Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, winning two FA Cups, two League Cups, a UEFA Cup, the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 1972-73, and the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 1975-76, amongst much more honours.

Jennings also had a stellar international career for Northern Ireland, winning 119 caps and playing in two FIFA World Cups.

However, he never forgot his roots, regularly returning home to Newry throughout his playing days, and he spoke about what his favourite things about his home place are.

“I suppose I always stayed in touch with home through my family,” he reflected.

“My wife Eleanor came to England with me when she was 18, and that kept us together, and made it attractive to come home to Ireland at every available opportunity.

“After the last match of the season, the next day my car would have been loaded up, and we would have gone up to Liverpool to get on the boat and go across to Belfast.“For six or seven weeks every year, I could have been anywhere in the world, but that's where we wanted to be: with family and friends in Newry.

“There wasn't much happening around the place in those days, but with great friends like Louis Boyd and Larry Powell we made our own entertainment, and had many a great night's craic.“You go around the world to see what beauties lie in other countries, and then you come home to Ireland and see what it has to offer, and where could you beat it?”

Jennings recalled what life was like growing up as a teenager in Newry.

“We were lucky, because we had our own house,” he said.“There were eight children, plus my mum, my dad and my grandfather in the house. We did what we could to earn a few pound.

“My first job was gathering blackberries out in Ballyholland and Burren for a pound a bucket, and you were happy enough, because you would throw whatever money you got on the table.

“When I was 15 I worked in a linen factory for £2.18 a week, clocking in, in the morning at 8, and clocking out at 6. But you were delighted to get any sort of a job to earn a few bob, and contribute to the family.”

Whilst Jennings was just happy to be helping out at home, it was during his next job when his fortunes changed forever.

Working in the timber industry and playing football part-time, Jennings impressed for Newry Town in an Irish Cup tie against Crusaders and the north Belfast club's chairman put his name forward to play for Northern Ireland in European Youth tournament against England at Wembley Stadium.

“My dad got a job working in timber, up Slieve Gullion mountain in Meigh,” Jennings said.

“People ask me did I set out to be a footballer, but I never thought that it was going to be available to me, so I had no ambitions of doing it.

“My brother was playing for Newry United, and I was working up the mountain. But their goalkeeper left for England, so Brian asked me to come down and play for them. Within the space of a few months we won the Irish Junior Cup, which was unbelievable due to the amount of teams who play in that competition.

“I then went into the Newry Town team the next year, and in the space of 10 days I went from working up the mountain to coming across to London to play in the final of the European Youth tournament at the world-famous Wembley.

“Then I signed for Watford on £23 a week, with an extra £2 if I made the first team. I thought I had won the pools!”

After one season at Watford, Jennings moved onto Spurs and the rest is history.

Nowadays, Jennings stays in touch with his home place through vast amounts of charity work, with particular focuses on cross-community relations and grassroots football.

“I have been involved Co-operation Ireland regarding cross-border, cross-community issues for 35 years,” he said.“It's a privilege and a real pleasure to get to do that sort of stuff and get the two communities together.

“I have been involved with McDonald's Grassroots Programme for 18 years. That brings football right back to me, whenever I go around the country and meet the sort of people who introduced me to football all those years ago.

“Recently, the Gateway Club in Newry were celebrating 50 years, so it was great to take part in the 'buy a brick initiative'. Also, St John Bosco are celebrating 60 years this year, so it was great to support them.”