Stephen Henderson Interview - Part One

From a goalkeeping family, former League of Ireland player/manager Stephen Henderson has spent a fair amount of time observing domestic football from both goalline and sideline. Stephen spoke to ExtraTime.ie about his career and opinions on the beautiful game.

“My Da used to play for Shamrock Rovers, Drogheda. We had wrought-iron gates outside … These were the goal and he used to smack the ball at us. We used to try and save it because we hated the rattle of the gates.”

“My brother Robert was a very good outfield player. It’s funny that an outfield player is considered the black sheep … He was the normal one.”

Whilst playing schoolboy football with Stella Maris, Stephen had trials with Arsenal, Manchester United and Leeds United: “All three clubs said I was too small (5ft 11’). It was too small … One day in Leeds’ canteen; I turned around and walked into John Lukic’s belly button.”

After a spell with Shelbourne, the young goalie ended up in Dundalk’s reserves: “Alan O’Neill got injured, so I got in and played three or four games, which we won. We beat Limerick 3-2 and I played really well that day. As I was coming off the pitch, Billy Hamilton asked me to sign for Limerick.”

In Stephen’s second season, the Shannonsiders finished third in the league: “It was a really good Limerick side. Billy went up to the north and took over Distillery, so I signed for Billy for two years.”

The Dubliner then went on loan to St James’s Gate, playing against Cobh Ramblers: “Georgie Mellerick, who’s now my father-in-law, was their (Ramblers’) manager then. I transferred then to Cobh and had three brilliant years down here. We came second in the First Division … That gave us automatic promotion.”

The Rams avoided relegation, overcoming Finn Harps 3-1 in a two-legged play-off, but Stephen returned to Northern Ireland, joining Roy Coyle’s Ards.

“When I went (to Northern Ireland) there was actually a documentary done by RTE about the number of players going up. We all got the train from Connolly. There was better money and it was only an hour and a half up to Belfast.”

Retired from senior football, Stephen became Cork City’s goalkeeping coach, under Pat Dolan. An opportunity arose when Dave Hill resigned as Cobh Ramblers manager.

“We went to a birthday party at Ramblers and Barry Walsh, who was chairman; he was at the same party. He asked me would I be interested in taking the Ramblers job.”

Second from bottom in the First Division on takeover, Henderson maintained Cobh’s league status. Steady progress culminated with clinching the 2007 title. Finn Harps ended Ramblers’ 26-game undefeated run by beating them 1-0, securing a one-point lead, but Cobh still held a superior goal difference. Stephen’s charges had to better Harps’ result in their final fixture away to Athlone Town, which they accomplished.

“Probably the worst game of football you’ll ever see. When we went up, it was ‘last one off the island, turn off the lights’. There were over 1,000 Cobh people up in the stand and they were right behind us.”

The club had never acquired LOI silverware, but when Kevin Murray scored after the break: “I knew they’d close it out. There was a moment in the first-half where I felt that we were going to do this. Someone lobbed the (Ramblers) goalkeeper and the ball bounced on the line. You were fully expecting the ball to go into the net, but whatever happened, it landed over the bar … You had to see it to believe it.”

The Premier Division proved to be difficult against full-time professionals and budgets to match: “We had to play our first few games away from St Colman’s Park because the licence criteria forced clubs to spend money they didn’t have.”

A new stand, dressing rooms and floodlights took its toll: “That was a phenomenal amount of money for a small club and it had to be spent straight away. They were forced into debt. You never, ever put the club or the people who work for the club at risk, to meet your (the FAI’s) demands. That’s why Ramblers went out of business.”

Henderson’s loyalty to his squad remains unquestionable: “We were about three months into the season and everybody stopped being paid. It’s heartbreaking that the players then, who worked their arse off, trained three to four times a week and travelled all around the country for no money. I felt like the biggest p***k under the sun because I was the one who signed these players. I was going to resign as soon as they started all this nonsense, but I asked the players what they wanted to do … So, we all just rowed in together.”

A couple of games outstanding and two points from safety, Stephen announced his departure come the season’s end: “We all knew that the majority of us weren’t going to be there next year. I felt that I had the right to say goodbye to the supporters and they had the right to say goodbye to the players. We already knew what our fate was, regardless even if we did get the points; we were going to be relegated because of the nonsense going on. What we didn’t envisage was getting thrown down into the A Championship.”

Finishing second last, the Rams didn’t contest a play-off due to league restructuring. Henderson is adamant about where responsibility lies for the off-field woes.

“Ramblers don’t even own their ground anymore, the FAI own it. What the FAI done was that when Ramblers couldn’t pay all the bills, they relegated them out of the League of Ireland because they were in financial stress. Why would you take a club, who owes money, out of the environment where they can get their money, which is the First Division? That’s the thought process that you’re dealing with.”  

Part 2 of Dan's interview with Stephen Henderson will appear on Extratime.ie on Tuesday evening