Nigel's Webspace - English Football Cards, Player Pages - Gerry Conroy

Nigel's Webspace - Galleries of English Football Cards 1965/66 - 1979/80

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A tribute to great players from the period 1965/66 to 1979/80, particularly highlighting their appearance in football cards.
For more see the Player Pages Index.
Terry (Gerry) Conroy

A list of all of the appearances of this player in football cards in the period 1965/66 to 1979/80 appears at the foot of this page.


1969/70 A&BC Gum
Footballers (Green backs), No. 161
1970/71 A&BC Gum
Footballers (Orange backs), No. 62


 1972/73 Top Sellers
Football 72, No. 290


1973/74 Top Sellers
Football 73, No. 307

1973/74 A&BC Gum
Footballers (Blue backs), No. 86		 Gerard Anthony Francis Conroy, referred to in football cards as both 'Gerry' Conroy and 'Terry' Conroy, was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1946. He played for Home Farm and Glentoran until snapped up by First Division Stoke City as a 20-year old. The 1969/70 A&BC Green back card notes "Hailed as one of the brightest young stars in the First Division, (Gerry) Conroy cost Stoke only £10,000 when signed from Irish club Glentoran in 1967. Built up a big goalscoring reputation in Ireland, and has scored some spectacular goals in England since getting his chance in the Stoke first team".

The 1969/70 FKS sticker notes "Red-haired striker.... (Terry) has played in all forward positions and is a clever finisher. After a few appearances in 1967/68, really established himself last term".

Conroy was featured in the 4 October 1969 issue of Shoot magazine (Issue 8) in the 'Focus on' segment (page 29). Some of his answers were:
Height 5ft 10in.
Weight Around 10st 10lb.
Car Triumph 2000
Favourite food Scampi and chips
Miscellaneous likes I admire people who work for charity
Favourite TV shows The Virginian, Dave Allen Show
Personal ambition To become a rich man
If you weren't a footballer what do you think you would be? That's a difficult one... I know I'd like to be a film star

After struggles to avoid relegation (18th in 1967/68, 19th in 1968/69) Stoke enjoyed relative success with Conroy in 1969/70, finishing 9th, followed by 13th, 17th and 15th in subsequent seasons. In the 1970/71 season Conroy made 34 League appearances, scoring 11 goals, followed by 27 appearances in 1971/72 with 4 League goals. The 1971/72 FKS album notes "Dublin born Eire international who had a cartilage operation last summer". The injury prevented Conroy playing between April and September 1972.

The Top Sellers, Football 72 cards helps understand his name: "Although he was christened Gerald, this Eire international player is known as Terry throughout the game. Signed for £12,000 from Ulster side Glentoran, his close control and deceptive speed making him a threat to any defence. Operates on the wing". The Football 73 card added: "Slim and wiry. Conroy has a habit of 'ghosting' past defenders in the Eastham style".

Stoke enjoyed great success in the mid-1970s. In March 1972 Stoke played in the League Cup Final against Chelsea at Wembley, attempting to win their first ever major trophy. Conroy scored first for Stoke, Osgood equalised for Chelsea, before 35-year old George Eastham popped home the winners for the Potters.

The following season Stoke finished 15th in Division One, then improved to 5th in 1974 and 5th again in 1975. Conroy, however, made only 5 League appearances (plus 4 subs) in 1973/74, and 11 appearances (plus 5 subs) in 1974/75. The Top Sellers, Football '76, album notes "A forward much in the Martin Peters mould. In other words capable of 'ghosting' in from behind to score goals without opposing defenders noticing"

The 1977/78 Topps Red back card sums up Conroy's career: "Terry has been capped many times by the Republic of Ireland. Signed from Glentoran in March 1967. A striker who would have made many more appearances but for injury". Conroy stayed with Stoke for 12 years, making a total of 271 League appearances. The team was relegated at the end of the 1976/77 season

33 year-old Conroy left Stoke to join Hong Kong club Bulova on a free transfer in 1979. He then transferred to Fourth Division Crewe Alexandra in 1980, staying for two seasons, making 7 appearances in his first season and 30 in his next. In 1981 he returned to Eire to play for Waterford.

Conroy made a total of 27 international appearances for the Republic of Ireland, his first in 1970 and his last in 1977.

When his playing career was over Conroy was in the insurance game before returning to Stoke in 2000 in a marketing role, staying until 2008 when he returned to Ireland to take up a position with the Irish Football Association.
1969/70 FKS Publishers
Wonderful World of Soccer Stars, No. 246

1970/71 FKS Publishers
Wonderful World of Soccer Stars, No. 260


 1971/72 FKS Publishers
Wonderful World of Soccer Stars, No. 260
1972/73 FKS Publishers
Wonderful World of Soccer Stars, No. 259


 1976/77 Top Sellers
Football 76, No. 303
Football cards issued in the period 1965/66 to 1979/80
(note: this is an incomplete list, and will updated as new information is obtained).
Season Maker Set Team Card ref.
1969/70 A&BC Gum Football Facts, Green backs, Series 3 (117-170) Stoke City 161
1969/70 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars Stoke City 246
1970/71 A&BC Gum Footballers, Orange backs, Series 1 (001-084) Stoke City 62
1970/71 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars Stoke City 260
1971/72 A&BC Gum Footballers, Purple backs, Series 3 (220-290) Stoke City 253
1971/72 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars Stoke City 260
1971/72 Marshall Cavendish Book of Football Top Teams Stoke City248
1972/73 A&BC Gum Footballers, Orange/Red backs Stoke City 162
1972/73 Americana Soccer parade Stoke City 253
1972/73 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars Stoke City 259
1972/73 The Sun Gallery of Football Stars, 3D Stoke City
1972/73 Top Sellers Football 72 Stoke City 290
1973/74 A&BC Gum Footballers, Blue backs, Series 1 (001-131) Stoke City 86
1973/74 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars Stoke City 236
1973/74 Top Sellers Football 73 Stoke City 307
1974/75 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars Stoke City 263
1974/75 Top Sellers Football 74 Stoke City 298
1975/76 Bassett & Co Football Stars Stoke City 32
1975/76 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars Stoke City 253
1976/77 FKS Publishers The Wonderful World of Soccer Stars Stoke City 293
1976/77 Top Sellers Football 76 Stoke City 303
1976/77 Topps Chewing Gum Footballers - Blue/Grey back Stoke City118
1977/78 FKS Publishers Soccer Stars Stoke City 309
1977/78 Topps Chewing Gum Footballers - Red back Stoke City 31
1978/79 Topps Chewing Gum Footballers - Orange back Stoke City229
1979/80 FKS Publishers Soccer Stars 80 Stoke City 236