We’re delighted to announce a new partnership with Ian McClurg Learn Perform Coaching who has kindly sponsored Ballynahinch United Swifts’ new home kit.
Ian’s dad, Derek McClurg, made a significant contribution to Ballynahinch United as a Committee Member, Manager and Sponsor [Patio Pavers] and is remembered fondly by those within the club who played for him or were involved in the Club Committee with him, such as Wilson Hamilton, Davy Teggarty, Winston Brown and Jim Majury who played for him when he managed the Swifts.
Derek had trials at Stoke City in England and eventually signed for Port Vale before returning home to sign for Glentoran.
When Derek retired from playing, he went on to manage the Swifts until the family decided to emigrate to Canada in 1981. Numerous photographs adorn the walls of our clubhouse featuring Derek.
Sadly, he passed away in 2019.
Back, from left: Billy Hamilton Snr. (Club Official), Nigel Patterson, Will Martin (Trainer), Dave Teggarty, Kenny McCracken, Harry Walsh, Stephen Hanna, Robert Shaw, and Derek McClurg (Club Official).
Front, from left: Billy Hamilton Jnr. (Team Manager), Wilson Hamilton, Billy McNeice, Campbell Allen, Graham Hamilton, Brian McKibben and Noel Savage.
Ian, a UEFA A Licence and MSC Performance Coach, also played for the Swifts before the family moved to Canada in 1981.
He now runs a coaching academy in Canada to help young talent into professional football including working with Theo Corbeanu who plays for Grasshoppers FC in Switzerland, on loan from Wolves.
The academy focuses on identifying and developing soccer players who have the potential to successfully pursue formal trials and training opportunities at professional clubs in Europe.
Ian McClurg Learn Perform Coaching has an app you can download free to Maximize your Individual Performance.
This App will help you improve your technical, tactical, physical, and psychological development and the testing component will allow you to benchmark your performance levels versus academy players at professional clubs in Europe.
Or follow him on Instagram.
Ballynahinch United teams of the past in kits sponsored by Derek McClurg’s Patio Pavers.
