Former footballer Roy remembered
A party to celebrate the life of Welcome Centre regular Roy McCrohan was held this week. Pictured are his wife Mary, son Andy and daughter Sue with staff and clients at the centre. Roy was a professional footballer, he played number 4 right half and made 462 appearances for Norwich City, he was a player coach for Bristol Rovers as well as coaching at Luton Town and at Ipswich Town with Bobby Robson. Ref exe 0700-12-15SH. Picture: Simon Horn - Credit: Archant
A party has been held to celebrate the life of a former professional footballer, who will be remembered as someone who ‘always had a smile for everybody’.
Roy McCrohan, pictured during his football career at Norwich City. - Credit: Archant
Roy McCrohan, who died earlier this month, aged 84, played 426 games for Norwich City between 1951 and 1962, helping the team to a League Cup win.
Born and raised in Reading, Roy met wife Mary at a ballroom dancing class and they married in 1952 – going on to enjoy more than 62 years of marriage.
Having finished his Norwich City career, Roy played for Colchester United and Bristol Rovers, then coached at several Football League clubs, before a move to the United States, where he spent the next 35 years. He coached at several American league teams, and went on to run a youth coaching programme – much of which was voluntary.
Having returned to the UK seven years ago to live in Exmouth, Roy and Mary began working at Hospiscare. In the final years of his life, Roy was a regular at the Welcome Centre, where Mary is a volunteer.
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It was here that the party was held, with Mary and the couple’s two children, Andrew and Sue, joining regulars.
Mary said: “We held the party on the day that Roy always came. We had singing and dancing, so all the people who knew him could know that he wanted everything happy.
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“He will be mostly remembered for his caring personality. He always had a smile for everybody.
“At the height of his career at Norwich, he was willing to go and coach a little village team free of charge, as he wanted to spread the word on how great football was.
“He was definitely a people person. He would do anything to help anybody.”
Roy is survived by his wife, children, four grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
