Derek Stokes

[DerekStokes9]

Hi all. Thanks for allowing me to join the forum.

I am Gary, son of Derek Stokes who played for the club in the 1960s. During our time in Dundalk, we lived in the town at Bachelors Walk, The Crescent and at Woodlands Drive, Ard Easmuinn.

Me and my brother Martin attended St Malachys School and The Friary. I remember as a youngster playing for a team on Joes Park, next to Oriel Park. I also played Gaelic Football for Hill Street. Indeed, I still have a newspaper cutting with my picture in the Democrat! I also recently received a message from someone who payed for a junior team that my dad and Alan Fox managed. I think they were called Oriel Wanderers.

Although I was only a youngster, I remember watching the great European ties ate Oriel Park against Rangers, Vasas Budapest, Utrecht and Liverpool.

We still follow the team from home near Bradford, West Yorkshire. We have re-visited Dundalk several times over the years and on one occasion, along with my dad, we met up with club legend Mickey Fox.

Dad is not in the best of health at the moment and has recently been diagnosed with dementia. I have many photos of the old Dundalk teams from his era. However, I am trying to put together some more memories for him from his time at the club.

If anyone has any programmes, cuttings, pictures etc that they are willing to part with, I would be most grateful. They would certainly be helpful to dad as he still loves to talk about football.

Thank you all for your time and I will look forward to reading through the forum posts in the future.

All best wishes
The Stokes family

[DerekStokes9]

Hi.
Alan is still alive and lives in the Hartlepool area. I am trying to get in touch with him at the moment.
My dad and Alan were not related.

[Wexford White]

Derek Stokes will always be remembered by us older forum members.
A legend in his own lifetime - what a man! You should be proud.

[DerekStokes9]

Thank you for your kind comment Wexford White

[Hull White]

Aye indeed Gary, your dad was a great centre forward and one of my heroes. We had some great forwards back then, Jimmy Hasty, your dad, Danny Hale, Big Ben Hannigan. Great times and your post has stirred many a happy memory for me. Look after yourself and your dad. Very sorry to hear about the dementia.

[DerekStokes9]

Hull White

Thank yo for your kind words.

By coincidence I was at the home of my old school friends a couple of years back in Yorkshire.

Her Irish uncle was at the gathering and it turns out he was best mates with Ben Hannigan and I got to speak to him on the phone.

Best wishes

[seand]

Welcome aboard Gary, sorry to hear about your Dad's illness, it's all too prevalent in footballers from the era.

Here's a good starting point, thanks to the late great club historian Jim Murphy
http://www.dundalkfcwhoswho.com/player.php?id=273

I should be able to get some more information together over the next week or so, I'll be in touch. Programmes from the era are notoriously difficult to find unfortunately, but I can supply a few scans at least

[Colin Gallagher]

From a friend of a friend

[Colin Gallagher]

I have no clue. My friend's father-in-law has a vast collection of DFC stuff.

[Hull White]

Hull White

Thank yo for your kind words.

By coincidence I was at the home of my old school friends a couple of years back in Yorkshire.

Her Irish uncle was at the gathering and it turns out he was best mates with Ben Hannigan and I got to speak to him on the phone.

Best wishes

Thanks Gary and good luck to you all. A quick story about your dad. While he was with Dundalk he was in business with another great player, Tony O'Connell and he also worked for Cyril Lord carpets as a rep. I would have been about 9 or 10 at the time but my Dad took me in to meet your dad on the pretext of buying a carpet and he signed my autograph book. My dad knew he was my hero. I remember distinctly being star struck. He looked like a proper footballer and he was really nice to us. He spoke to me for a good while and all I could do was nod and smile. Happy memories.

[DerekStokes9]

Hull White

Thank yo for your kind words.

By coincidence I was at the home of my old school friends a couple of years back in Yorkshire.

Her Irish uncle was at the gathering and it turns out he was best mates with Ben Hannigan and I got to speak to him on the phone.

Best wishes

Thanks Gary and good luck to you all. A quick story about your dad. While he was with Dundalk he was in business with another great player, Tony O'Connell and he also worked for Cyril Lord carpets as a rep. I would have been about 9 or 10 at the time but my Dad took me in to meet your dad on the pretext of buying a carpet and he signed my autograph book. My dad knew he was my hero. I remember distinctly being star struck. He looked like a proper footballer and he was really nice to us. He spoke to me for a good while and all I could do was nod and smile. Happy memories.

Hi again

I remember it well. The shop was at Bridge Street. I think Tony had a light blue VW camper van at the time which we used to travel around in! Great memories!