Steve McAdam passes away

Whilst at Portadown, Arsenal moved to sign him but his parents insisted on him staying at home to complete and apprenticeship as an electrician. But in the summer of 1978 he, along with colleague Jim Gardiner, moved to Turf Moor when Harry Potts paid £10,000 for each of them.

He made his first team debut for us in April 1980 at left back against Newcastle at St. James’ Park in a match we drew 1-1, his fellow countryman Billy Hamilton scoring the Burnley goal.

He kept his place in the team for the remainder of the season but those five games proved to be his only games for the Clarets, at the end of the season he turned down the offer of a new contract with news that David Holt was coming in to play in the left back position.

After unproductive short spells with Oldham and Barnsley he signed for Wigan in November and was there until the end of the following season, making 26 league appearances for the Latics.

Former Manchester United manager Frank O’Farrell then took him to EPA of Cyprus where he played for three seasons but during that time he began to experience niggling injuries, particularly groin strains and he was finally diagnosed as suffering from ME.

He returned to his native Ireland and lived in Bangor where he died in February of this year. At his funeral the minister described him as a true gentleman who never made an enemy.

Our thoughts are with his wife Margerite and his two children Andrew (15) and Sarah (10).