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Where Are They Now? - Bernie Fagan.
We first met Bernie when we lived at Newbottle. He was a young
teenager, football mad and good with it. Unfortunately he had lost his
Dad to kidney failure, and so didn’t have a man in his life who
understood the finer points of football. I liked the lad immediately. He
was so keen to be a footballer and showed exceptional ability and
promise. The inevitable happened and Bernie became a regular at our home
learning ( I hope ) from my experience playing the wonderful game. Our
girls also joined in the coaching sessions ( Jeanette used to do
‘throw-ins’ in the garden for Bernie to receive ) and in 1964 Bernie was
signed up at Sunderland. I take no credit, as I always felt the lad was
a natural. His balance was brilliant and he was always eager to learn.
He was a great reader of the game and had an excellent temperament. We
have kept in touch with him, his sister and lovely Mam, Mary.
He came through the Sunderland ranks with Kerr, Hughes, Tueart, Suggett,
Shoulder and Foster to name but a few. He brought them all to the house
and we enjoyed their company, just an ordinary set of lads, not like the
prima donnas of today. Together with these teammates he won the F.A.
Youth Cup in 1967, a proud moment for all of us. As sometimes happens in
football, his face didn’t fit with the new manager so he left Sunderland
in 1969 playing for Northampton, Charlton, Shrewsbury and Scarborough.
The opportunity came for him to continue his career in the States and I
told him to take it with both hands, not a decision to take lightly
putting thousands of miles between himself and his family and friends.
In America he played for Seattle, Los Angeles Aztecs, Detroit Lightning
finishing his professional career with Portland Timbers in 1982. He was
also an NASL All Stars team member playing with the great Pele.
After retiring from the game he went into coaching working with the
students at both Warner Pacific College and Portland University. In 1983
he started the Bernie Fagan Soccer Camps then in 1997 opened his own
academy - the Oregon Soccer Academy. Running alongside this he was the
director for Oregon Special Olympics Soccer from 1986 – 1995 and the
director for National Special Olympics Soccer from 1989 – 2008. He has
strived throughout to give young people the opportunity to develop their
skills in soccer, team building, community awareness and responsibility
and pride in their own achievements. Bernie personally selects his
coaching staff taking on those who he thinks have the qualities to be
outstanding role models for the youth of today as well as a proven
history as quality soccer coaches.
He is highly respected as a soccer coach with international recognition
for his work in promoting, developing and improving the quality of
soccer players at local, national and international levels. He is a
wonderful ambassador for youth, college students and Special Olympics
athletes around the globe. Long may he walk this road.
On a visit about 5 years ago, he brought me my own academy coaching
jacket and with it a special gift of ‘Honorary Coach’ of the Oregon
Soccer Academy. I wear it with pride and thanks for the honour he
bestowed on me and the bond that is between us. The rest is history, a
lad to be proud of, with special qualities both on and off the field.
Didn’t he do well!!
Bill Coyle
Bernie Fagan
Bill Coyle
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