Lots Of Love For JIMMY CONWAY - (former great Fulham player, living in the USA)

[LBNo11]

Lots of love for Jimmy Conway
On Sports
By kerry eggers

The Portland Tribune, Aug 12, 2010 (1 Reader comment)




Jimmy Conway would probably be a little embarrassed by all the fuss. A lot of friends and family are going to a lot of trouble to pay tribute to the local soccer legend, who turned 64 on Tuesday.

The former Portland Timbers captain and assistant coach is being honored with a series of "testimonial" events that stretch nearly a month and begin with a golf tournament and dinner/silent auction on Aug. 25.

For Conway — recently diagnosed with trauma-induced dementia — it means a chance to reunite with scores of old friends and family, including sons Paul and Mark, who will be arriving next week from their homes on the East Coast (daughter Laura McGraw lives in Portland).

Family is important to Conway, the eldest of 12 children — six boys, six girls — born to parents in Dublin, Ireland.

"Two of his brothers and two of his sisters are coming, three from Ireland, one from Germany," wife Noeleen says. "Jimmy is super excited to see them. Our sons are coming in with their wives. When we talk, he'll say, 'When are the boys coming?' He has been asking that daily. On that level, he knows."

Sadly, there are other things that slip past Conway these days. That's the reality of dementia, which robs the mind of short-term memory and affects a person's life in every way.

Doctors believe several concussions sustained during Conway's lengthy playing career are at the root of the problem.

"I suspect it began in his 50s," Noeleen says. "The declines were there. They are so subtle. I'd noticed some things, but you kind of brush them off. And then something else pops up."

Conway, who retired a year ago, still reads the newspaper daily, plays golf often and stays close to the game that has been his life.

"I take him to Timbers games," says ex-Timber Mick Hoban, who has spearheaded organizational efforts for the testimonial. "He still loves his Timbers.

"But (the dementia) is progressing. He is coherent in some phases, but it's growing more difficult. It's a challenge for Noeleen."

Noeleen is up to it. Married for 41 years — "I've served my penance on earth. I'll go straight to heaven," she jokes — Jimmy's better half has been "blown away" by the outpouring of support and involvement in her husband's tribute.

"When Mick and I originally talked, it was going to be just a dinner," she says. "It has morphed into this kind of global party, if you will. We've reconnected with people we haven't talked to in 30 years. People are coming from Ireland and England and the East Coast and Canada. People have sent videos.

"It has been mind-blowing, it really has. Very humbling. It is like somebody wrapping a great big warm blanket around you. It feels so good."


http://portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=128155943830909400

[Fernhurst]

Christ -- what a message board this, great lump in my throat reading about one my favorite members of the Fulham family.
His loving family will be so important in his fight against that horrible affliction   

Thanks LB ...............

[Logicalman]

.... and then there was page 2 ..


With the possible exception of the late Clive Charles, no one has given more to soccer at every level in the state than Conway. After 12 years as a player in England, he played five years with the Timbers indoors and outdoors, was twice an assistant coach for the club and spent 16 years as a head coach at Pacific and Oregon State.

Conway and Charles were the first full-time coaches employed by the fledgling Oregon Youth Soccer Association in 1981. When he gave it up last year, Conway had put in 28 years working with youngsters of our state.

"Dad has literally influenced thousands of players in Oregon over the years," says Paul, 40, an attorney in Charleston, S.C., who starred at Jesuit High and played professionally in England and the U.S. for 13 years, ending his career with the Timbers in 2005.

Hoban wasn't close to Conway but has long admired the man "I'm proud to call a friend."

"He's a family man, which I admire," says Hoban, who operates a soccer and sports marketing consulting company in Portland. "He's a man of faith. There are no airs about Jimmy. He loves to laugh. He always has a joke to share with people, always brings laughter to the table.

"The man is as honest as the day is long. You can take him to the bank. He's a man of high integrity."

In the United Kingdom, soccer testimonials are a tradition for a player who has spent a decade or more with a club, with proceeds going to the player as a going-away gift. Near the end of his 12 years with Fulham, officials offered one to Conway. He respectfully declined.

With the upcoming testimonial, the Conways will do the same. Proceeds from the Aug. 25 events will go to the Oregon chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. Conway hasn't been diagnosed with the disease, but his mother has Alzheimer's, and the family figures the cause is appropriate.

"When Jimmy turned down Fulham's (testimonial) offer, he felt the fans had spent their hard-earned money paying his salary, and he didn't need to take any more money," Noeleen says. "That resonated with me when it came to this.

"Looking down the road, there are going to be a lot of long-term care issues. Even at that, I see how hard the young coaches work here in the clubs. These are our friends. They were his colleagues. For us to ask them for money doesn't seem right. I know Jimmy wouldn't like it, and I didn't feel good about it, either. We're hoping whatever (the Alzheimer's Association) makes out of this will help the cause."

The golf and dinner/auction events are invitation-only. Eighteen foursomes are scheduled to play golf at Pumpkin Ridge. More than 200 people are expected for the dinner/auction at Nike's Tiger Woods Center.

"Every one of the people who will attend, Jimmy knows," Hoban says. "That's the way we wanted it. When it's over, we'll have a big check to present in Jimmy's name.

"It's been eight to nine months of preparation, with 30 to 50 people involved. The response from the soccer community has been fantastic. The people at Nike have come through unbelievably in helping us pull together something of this magnitude. The people at Pumpkin Ridge have held their arms out. It's been a grassroots project that has been put together by mirrors and duct tape."

There also will be a game prior to the Aug. 26 Timbers match against Austin at PGE Park, with a side of Timber alums facing an Oregon Select 11 and sons Paul and Mark taking part. And there will be tributes during games at the University of Portland on Sept. 5, Oregon State on Sept. 17 and Pacific on Sept. 19.

Jimmy Conway deserves it. So does everyone who has been privileged to be around the man through the years. Good for all of them.

(To read more about the man being honored, see jimmyconway.com.)



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One of Fulham finest players imho. As a lad I absolutely adored Jimmy. I know we had JH, the absolute maestro, but amongst those that followed behind JH so closely in the 'Greatest' stakes, Jimmy will be up there in the front row.

It's heartbreaking to realize the toll this terrible affliction will have on this great man. Perhaps Fulham should likewise pay tribute to Jimmy, as very fitting it would be too.

[jarv]

Very sad to read this. He was an excellent player for Fulham. Agree with Mr. Fernhurst, a huge lump. For all of us who remember the 60s players, when you read this type of article it makes you feel lucky. It is the passing of our own youth.

[The Equalizer]

Sadly a player who was around before my time, but like our friend The Maestro, a player who I've read a lot about on this forum and one who I wish I had seen.

Very sad news indeed. Could the trauma induced dementia be the result of years spent heading the ball?

[jarv]

Mr. Equalizer. I don't remember Jimmy being a great header of the ball but he did grow up in the era of heavy rain soaked leather balls. When he started playing for Fulham, the new, lighter balls were available. More likely due to the physical contact in the game in those days.

[TonyGilroy]

I don't think I can remember seeing Jimmy Conway EVER head a ball.

He started as a hard working box to box midfielder but soon moved to the right wing. Knee injuries slowed him down and he became a wonderful ball playing artist, avoiding physical contact whenever possible.

He really was a delight to watch. Skillful, intelligent and above all a guy who obviously loved playing football.

He clearly now has a dreadful disease but in truth I doubt it's as a result of his football career.

[LBNo11]

...just for you then Tony, some admittedly, rare photos of Jimmy heading the ball:-

[bog]

As will be said by many Jimmy is one of my favourite ever players. He was very loyal when the club slipped down the leagues in the late 60's and was rewarded with an FA cup final appearance in 1975. With Les on one wing and he the other we had some good times with those two. So saddened to hear of his health problems.     

[os5889]

http://www.goboxers.com/news/detail.cfm?NEWS_ID=8222&CATEGORY_ID=58

Jimmy Conway To Be Feted In Special Ceremony

The former Pacific men's soccer coach will be honored in pregame ceremonies on Sun., Sept. 19, in the final of four testimonial matches honoring Conway's three decades of dedication to the Portland soccer community

FOREST GROVE – Former Pacific University head men's soccer coach Jimmy Conway will be honored for his service to the University and his long service to the Oregon soccer community in a special ceremony prior to the Boxers' Sept. 19 match against Whitman at Lincoln Park Stadium.

The ceremony is the final of four testimonial matches for Conway, who was recently diagnosed with trauma-induced dementia.  During the ceremony, Conway will be presented with a citation honoring his work at Pacific and a framed jersey.  Oregon State, the University of Portland and the Portland Timbers have also scheduled testimonial matches.

"Jimmy is a great friend and resource to me, both personally and professionally," said Pacific head men's soccer Jim Brazeau, who played under Conway at both Pacific and Oregon State and later coached with Conway with the Portland Timbers.  "Jimmy helped establish Pacific soccer as a competitive program in the Northwest.  He is largely responsible for building the strong foundation to allow the program to become what it is today."

Conway served as Pacific head coach from 1983-1987, coming to Pacific after serving two seasons as an assistant coach for the Portland Timbers of the old North American Soccer League.  In his five seasons, Conway compiled a 51-37-9 record and led the 1986 and 1987 teams to berths in the NAIA District II playoffs.  Conway was named the 1985 Northwest Conference and NAIA District II Coach of the Year after leading the Boxers to second place in the NWC standings and a 13-5-2 record, then best in school history.

Conway's 1986 team compiled 15 wins, a record that would stand until 1996, and scored a school record 61 goals.  That team, and his 1987 squad, advanced to the NAIA District II championship match.  In his five years, Conway coached 13 players to First Team All-Northwest Conference honors.

Conway left Pacific following the 1987 season to become to first head men's soccer coach at Oregon State.  In 11 seasons leading the Beavers, Conway compiled a 97-88-14 record and saw 16 of his players earn all-conference honors.  Conway himself was named conference coach of the year two times.  After Oregon State, Conway went on to spend six more seasons with the Portland Timbers of the United Soccer Leagues First Division, where he was an assistant coach alongside Brazeau.

While an outstanding college coach, Conway may have made his biggest impact as three decades as a youth coach to elite teams at the state and regional levels.  He was director of coaching for the Oregon Youth Soccer Association for 28 years and has coached literally thousands of players, including three who have played in Major League Soccer.

A native of Dublin, Ireland, Conway played five years with the famed Bohemian FC side before a 12-year career in England with both Fulham and Manchester City.  He came to the United States in 1978 after his contract was sold to the Portland Timbers, where he finished his pro career.  Conway appeared in 44 FA Cup and league cup matches and accumulated 20 caps with the Irish national team.

In addition to the match at Pacific, Conway will be honored with a special invitation-only on Wed., Aug. 25, at the Nike World Campus in Beaverton, and a testimonial on Thurs., Aug. 26, at 5 p.m. at PGE Park prior to the Portland Timbers' match with Austin.  The testimonial match will feature a team of Timbers' alumni against the "Oregon Select XI," comprised mainly of players previously coached by Conway.

The concept of a "testimonial match" has a long history in Europe and can be traced back to the days prior to player pension, where long-serving players were feted prior to retirement with a special game in which they were given the gate proceeds.  In lieu of accepting the money himself, Conway has asked the proceeds from the testimonial matches be donated to the Oregon Chapter of the Alzheimer's Foundation.

For more on Jimmy Conway and the testimonial events, please visit www.jimmyconway.com.

[RidgeRider]

I took interest in this thread as he played for the only professional team I followed in my early teens, until Fulham. When I was 13 and 14, we lived in Beaverton (home of Nike) and we had season tickets to the Portland Timbers.....I really only remember Clyde Best, but Jimmy was on that team and I just don't recall him so well.

Sorry to hear about his affliction and I guess he took a liking the Portland area after his playing days were over. Makes me feel even better to know he was a much loved player at Fulham, my favorite team now.