Recent weeks have proved to be extremely sad for lovers of local soccer followers. The football scene was saddened last week when the news of the death of Nicky Power came to pass. Nicky, a young man in his 40s, lost his fight for life, leaving behind his heart-broken wife Antoinette and two children, Barry and daughter Kelda.
Nicky was a much-admired coach at the Villa club and indeed his son plays for the Under 14 side at Connors Park. He loved nothing more than to work with the youngsters at the club and his untimely death will be felt for a long time to come.
Another much loved Villa man, Frank O’Byrne, has been ill for some time and the entire Waterford soccer community are behind Frankie as he battles back to full health. Frankie is of course the fixtures secretary of the Schoolboy League but until he is back taking results and arranging games, Neil Kelly and Pat Kelly will be dealing with those matters.
Last weekend the affable fixtures secretary of the Waterford Junior League, Michael Butler, was taken ill suddenly. Michael is one of those players who does everything possible to help clubs with fixtures and hopefully his stay in hospital will be a short one.
Until he recovers fully all questions regarding fixtures and indeed results should be made to 085-1129703. Our thoughts and indeed prayers are with the families of Nicky, Frankie and Michael at this time.
