Cliftonville have produced some iconic strikers down the years.
Big John Platt endeared himself to the Purple Military again within the late 70s, main the road with energy and keenness that was climaxed by an Irish Cup Remaining win over Portadown in 1979 — the final time the Reds had their arms on the trophy.
Then Harry McCourt, Jody Tolan and Barry O’Connor made their mark throughout the epic League title win underneath Marty Quinn in 1998, earlier than Chris Scannell took on the mantle.
Who will ever neglect the lethal Liam Boyce/Joe Gormley partnership that wreaked havoc throughout the Reds’ back-to-back Championship wins underneath the reign of the late Tommy Breslin?
Lately, Gormley continues to be strutting his stuff, ably backed by Ryan Curran and Ronan Hale.
However it was an unsung hero who wrote his title into the wealthy material of the membership by scoring the successful aim in Cliftonville’s first ever European victory.
Having been paired with Latvian outfit FC Dinaburg in 2007, the groups completed degree within the first leg of their Intertoto Cup tie at Windsor Park, Kieran O’Connor netting for the Irish League aspect.
Within the return match at Celtnieks Stadium in Daugavpils, it was Mark Holland who bagged the one aim of the sport, propelling him and the workforce into the report books.
“It’s one thing I’m actually happy with and it’s one thing that may’t be taken away from me,” cracks Downpatrick man Mark.
“To attain the winner within the membership’s first ever European victory will stick with me.
“It has gone down within the historical past books and I’m privileged to be a part of it. We needed to play our residence recreation at Windsor Park as a result of Solitude hadn’t obtained a European license.
“It was some achievement to win the sport over there — it’s one in all my best reminiscences.”
It was Liam Beckett, the Sunday Life columnist, who introduced Mark to Solitude.
Beckett succeeded Marty Tabb as supervisor in June 2004 however lasted simply over a yr within the publish, leaving in July 2005 following a disagreement with the Board.
His assistant, Eddie Patterson, took over.
“I bear in mind Liam contacting me to say he can be occupied with bringing me to Cliftonville,” remembers Mark.
“As soon as I had a chat with him, all of it took off from there.
“It might be honest to say the membership was going by a transitional interval, with gamers coming and going, it was rebuilding course of.
“The Reds have been a good unit, that they had boys like Conor Downey, Chris Scannell, Barry Johnston, George McMullan and the late Paul Straney. He was additionally from Downpatrick, so we travelled collectively.
“Liam didn’t final too lengthy. When Eddie took over, I went from being an out and out striker to occupying the graveyard shift — enjoying on the right-hand aspect of midfield.
“To be sincere, it didn’t hassle me, so long as I used to be getting a begin.
“We received the County Antrim Defend on two events — the primary in 2007 after which we did it once more two years later by beating Linfield within the Remaining.
“In fact, I performed with my brother Barry at Cliftonville as nicely and that was an enormous thrill for me.”
Though it was the late, nice Breslin who masterminded the back-to-back Danske Financial institution Premiership title successes in 2013 and 2014, Mark believes it was Patterson that laid the muse for that achievement.
He provides: “Eddie was a sensible coach, he knew soccer inside out. I nonetheless reckon it was Eddie that actually laid the idea for the double title win.
“Sure, wee Tommy, God relaxation him, took the workforce ahead and to a brand new degree however, despite the fact that he made his personal mark by bringing in gamers, he would admit that the spine of the workforce was there.”
After six years at Cliftonville, it was Breslin, in his personal inimitable vogue, who defined to Mark his days at Solitude have been numbered.
“Tommy was a likeable and beautiful man,” he provides.
“He known as me into his workplace. I used to be 36 years of age. He defined that my probabilities of moving into the workforce have been distant and that he was going to launch me.
“I seemed him within the eye and stated, ‘you realize what Tommy, you might be proper’. I knew my time was up.
“Tommy stated I may nonetheless play at Premiership degree, however I wouldn’t be getting a lot recreation time on the membership. Truthful play to him, he was sincere with me and I used to be sincere with him. We shook arms and that was it.
“I wished to play so long as I may, however I wasn’t going to get the chance at 36. Cliftonville received the League title the season after I left, so it was simply my luck.
“I might have cherished to have been round to have received the title, however these items occur, you progress on.
“You simply by no means know what’s across the nook in soccer. A number of the boys have a WhatsApp group — the Scannell brothers, wee George (McMullan) and Janty (Barry Johnston), so all of us maintain in touch. The craic is sweet.”
It meant Mark reverted to junior soccer, the place all of it started a decade earlier.
“I went again residence and performed for my hometown membership, Downpatrick and Kilmore Rec,” he remembers.
“I performed till I used to be 40. I used to be at all times advised to play so long as I can, so I attempted to try this.
“I used to be born and bred in Downpatrick, so I started enjoying with Downshire FC, the membership was later renamed Downpatrick Hospitals, and we performed in 2A of the Newbie League.
“It was a tricky League, however it gave me grounding. I then moved on to Killyleagh, managed by Dee Heron. I used to be there 9 years. It was a incredible membership.
“I received numerous trophies at Killyleagh — 5 League titles, that was the Premier Division of the Newbie League, and we additionally received the Clarence Cup on two events.
“Killyleagh truly received six titles in a row, however I had moved on to Lisburn Distillery by that point. One of many membership’s massive achievements was reaching the semi-final of the Irish Cup again on 2002 solely to be overwhelmed by Linfield on the Oval — once more, I simply missed out.”
It was the colorful Paul Kirk who gave Mark his break in Irish League soccer, snapping him up for Distillery.
“I used to be satisfied when Paul got here in for me,” he says.
“The Whites had aspect on the time with boys like Philip Matthews, Jim McCloskey, Darren Armour, Chris Coffey, Kevin Bates and Gary Clifford.
“Kirker gave me the prospect to play within the Championship after which Liam (Beckett) gave the chance to ascertain myself on the Reds.
“We received the First Division title and we have been promoted in my first season, which was sensible. Once we obtained to the Premiership, it was one other huge step up when it comes to the opposition we have been going through.
“Huge Paul had the knack of constructing good groups. The one factor was we simply couldn’t recover from the road when it got here to successful a trophy. We obtained to semi-finals and Finals of various competitions, however we simply couldn’t handle to get the job completed.”
And, in an ironic twist, when Mark did transfer on to the Reds, he got here up in opposition to Distillery in his first Defend Remaining.
“I couldn’t consider it,” he laughs.
“We confronted the Whites within the 2006 Defend Remaining. We received 2-1 and I obtained each our targets. You simply couldn’t have written the script, however that’s soccer.”
Mark now spends most of his weekends on the golf course.
He concludes: “I’ve taken up golf, I find it irresistible. I’m a member at Downpatrick, it’s far much less aggravating.
“I’d like to rise up to a recreation at Solitude one in all nowadays as a result of the workforce goes very well underneath Paddy McLaughlin. The title race went to the final kick of the ball final season and I feel the identical factor will occur this yr.
“However I’m on the golf now Saturday and Sunday. I’m enjoying off a handicap of 16. I used to be at 21 at one time, so I’m getting into the suitable path.”