Tim Boyle – A Tribute by John Coughlan, Springfield Ramblers

It was a sad day for football and football people in Cobh to hear of the death of Tim Boyle. He had such honesty and enthusiasm for the game and anyone who spent any time in his company was enriched. The great thing about Tim was he made everyone feel they knew him well. He always had time to speak to you and share his passion for the game. His involvement started when he joined Springfield Schoolboys club in its early stages and helped put the foundations and standards in place which has seen schoolboy football flourish in Cobh over the last 50 years. During this time Tim gave his time as a coach and committee member and no one was prouder than him to see the club develop into such a successful soccer nursery, producing players with the ability and skill level to play at the highest level for their country and in the English Premier League. Speaking to him at the recent dedication of John Murphy Memorial Park Tim told me of his pride that  schoolboy football continued to thrive in Cobh with the establishment of Springfield Ramblers, the under 16 team winning the National Cup and the development of the Astroturf pitch at Carrignafoy.

In the history of Springfield Football Club Billy George (Cork Examiner) wrote the following:
“Springfield as a club has been blessed with the quality of officials and administrators it has attracted. There is a spirit in Cobh, and obviously in Springfield, that is not unique but is rarely found”.

John Coughlan