'Jim stuck by his players, on and off the pitch' - former Derry defender Paul Curran

Derry City’s treble-winning team of 1989 were in attendance at St Fursey's Church in Haggardstown, Dundalk on Sunday to say farewell to the man who turned them into champions, Jim McLaughlin.

The League of Ireland’s greatest ever manager was honoured in exemplary fashion at the weekend, with his memory honoured in football grounds across Ireland before hundreds attended his funeral on Sunday morning.

Jim’s football career was extraordinary, from making his Derry City debut at the age of 16, to moving to England soon afterwards, and then being selected to play for Northern Ireland where he played with George Best.

His return to Ireland came ahead of the greatest managerial achievements in League of Ireland history; winning three league titles with Dundalk, including the double in 1979, he then went on to Shamrock Rovers where he won three titles in success, including doubles in 1985 and 1986.

He returned to his home town to take control of Derry City and there he achieved arguably his greatest success, winning the treble in 1989, a feat that has never been repeated. Not quite done there, Jim then won the Premier Division title with Dundalk in 1992. In all he won eight league titles, six FAI Cups and four League Cups as manager.

Paul Curran, who played under Jim as part of the Candystripes’ treble-winning team, explained that the man himself had an aura about him which he never lost.

“He had so much respect in the changing room, it was unbelievable,” he said. “What highlighted it was probably when we were playing Liverpool Legends and I was, what, 46 years of age, and the players hadn't seen each other in years. We were in the changing rooms and we were slagging each other about our bellies and we're slagging shirts and we're slagging this and that.

"The craic was 90 in the changing room, and Jim came in and closed the door and you would have heard a pin drop. It was unbelievable. As soon as he came in and closed the door, you would have heard a pin drop and that's how much respect he had in the changing room.”

“Jim was the best man manager I've ever played under. He'd be calling around to your house, he'd be in your life and he was part of your life. I know I was only a part-time footballer at the time but he was part of your life. And utmost respect, you just couldn't say anything else. He was like a second father to most of the younger players, especially the Derry players, and it's just sad to see, but definitely a legend.”

Former Derry City players Paul Curran and Paul Hegarty attending Sunday's funeral.

Jim overcame a public fall-out with Noel King, and incredible pressure to deliver from Derry City fans to deliver the treble at the end of a remarkable season in 1988/89. Curran watched in awe and admiration week in and week out, learning from a born champion.

“He could turn around after having a bad game and at half-time, he'd come in and just throw something into the changing room, a fireball,” he recalled. “The younger players didn’t speak up, but he’d throw something at Mick Neville, or Paul Doolin, or Kevin Brady or Felix of Jack or Stuart and we’d all take it on board.

“If things weren't going well, he would turn around and say something like, “Well, Currany, why did you do that?” And I would be looking at him and Mick Neville would turn around and say, “Well, hold on a second, that wasn't Currany, Stuarty should have done that, or John Coady should have done that.” And that was Jim.

"Jim would take a wee step back and the players would be arguing amongst themselves, which is unique because he knew the players that he had in the changing room would accept the criticism and then come out in the second half and do what they could do. That era was unbelievable.”

“The treble is a massive accolade to have. I think, personally speaking, Jim, what he'd done at Derry was probably his proudest moment because he was a Derry man at the end of the day. I know he had success at Rovers and Dundalk, but I think the proudest moment was what he actually achieved in his home town.”

‘The best’

Jim may have been used to success by the time he came to Derry City, and he accepted the treble which followed with his usual grace and humility. But for a young defender used to winning, it was a different experience altogether.

The remains of Jim Mc Laughlin arriving at the church on Sunday Morning in Haggardstown.

“I was that young, that I probably didn't appreciate the treble,” Curran admitted. “I didn't appreciate it until the latter stages. I remember, and this is mad, I drove around for two weeks in Derry, with the three trophies in the boot of the car, banging together. And that is true, that is actually true.

"I was on duty for taking them to schools or whatever, at that particular time, and I didn't appreciate it at the time. If I'm being perfectly honest, I just thought this was normal, a 21, 22, 23-year-old, winning the treble with Derry City, this was normal. But, when I look back now, I'm going, “My God, that was mad, driving around with three trophies in the boot of the car.”

“It's crazy, when you think back on it now, the three established trophies in the League of Ireland. It's crazy.”

Jim’s legacy will live forever in the League of Ireland. Football today is a different world altogether, but the fact remains that no manager has even come close to matching the aura, the success and the memories of a man who never forgot his roots in Derry.

“Without a shadow of a doubt, he was definitely, definitely the best manager in the League of Ireland,” Curran concluded.

Former Derry City player Paul Carlyle at the funeral.

“Jim's forte was just getting the best out of the players, getting the best out of even ordinary players, getting them to understand what it took to win games.

"The one thing about Jim was, if you go through a bad time, he'd stand by you, he'd actually come to your household and say, “Well, what are you doing this week?” and he’d say, “Look, don't worry about it, things aren't going well, but we'll sort it out, and the best thing about it, he'd stand by you. That's the one thing that the players probably had the most respect for.

“I don't want to pick Storkey out personally, but Storkey went through a tough time with the home fans but Jim stood by him. My God, he stood by him. Jim was loyal to his players, and that's probably why he got so much respect and so many performances on the pitch, because everybody knew, when we were out on that pitch, we were playing for Jim, and that was as simple as that.”