Cavan"s unique Sheffield United supporters...

Gerry Somers and John Hancox are no ordinary football supporters. In fact the John and Gerry Sheffield United fan club is the only one in Ireland. But that"s not the full story about these two incredible men. Their feat is all the more remarkable considering that Gerry has been confined to a wheelchair for years and John is blind. But these two characters would put us to shame with their enthusiasm for life and to boot, they would talk the hind legs off a donkey. And as for quick wit, you wouldn"t hold a candle to this pair for rapidfire one-liners. Gerry is a native of Ballygar, Co. Galway and has worked in the Bank of Ireland in Cavan for the past 25 years. He has suffered from the condition known as brittle bones all his life and has three sisters with the same complaint. John Hancox Senior is a native of Kinsealy in Dublin and has been living in Cavan Town for several years. He recently had a kidney transplant, a double bypass and is partially sighted. 'But I"m actually officially declared blind,' he said. To illustrate the humour that abounds when the two meet up, Gerry quips, as quick as a flash: 'You might make one good body between the two of us.' A diabetes condition was responsible for the onset of his sight failing. John clearly recalls going to his first Sheffield United match with his son-in-law, who is from Sheffield. 'The atmosphere at Bramall Lane was superb,' he remembers. Gerry Somers takes up the story: 'Myself and John met about 18 months ago. I was in town one day and I"m as well known as a begging ass because of this chariot (referring to the wheelchair).' Gerry went into Patsy Boyle"s wearing his Sheffield United Jersey, and Phelim Pritchard immediately observed, "not another Sheffield United supporter". He was already familiar with John"s loyalty to Sheffield and due to Pritchard"s intervention, a unique double act was launched. 'Myself and Gerry have become good friends,' said John. The supporters club now has 20 members and they all love joining the other 26,000 fans at Bramall Lane for the home matches. They hold their meetings in the Kilmore Hotel and they wish to thank the staff there, particularly Paul Henry, for all the courtesy and help afforded on all occasions. John has had a varied working life, including driving a bus in Dublin and best of all, chauffeur for the Canadian ambassador for 12 years. 'I drove four different ambassadors over the dozen years 1980 to 1992,' he said. The Canadian ambassadors are neighbours of Bono, and John"s career as a chauffeur afforded him a unique opportunity to meet loads of famous people. He met various Canadian prime ministers, including Brian Mulrooney, Pierre Trudeau and Joe Clark, and he drove Robert Ballard - who found the Titanic. John also worked for Barings Bank until they went bust and his last job was with the Blood Transfusion Service for whom he was a driver/ clerk. He has five children, John, who is married in Cavan Town, Philip, Barbara, Stephen and Caoimhe. John junior is corporal in the Army in Cavan and is highly involved in scouting in the town. John loves Cavan and doesn"t have to use a white cane because he knows his way around the streets. Gerry has been a supporter of Sheffield United for 35 years. He used to get Shoot magazine as a youth and one day looked at the list of teams - they were on little tabs - threw them up in the air and Sheffield United was the one he caught on the way down. John travels to all the home games and is on first name terms with the players. He says that Gerry never got to see them in action and it was then he and his daughter organised for Gerry to make the trip of a lifetime. 'We all went over one weekend they were playing Preston Northend. Every player got down beside the wheelchair and had a picture taken with Gerry,' said John. There are a number of Irish players on the team including Paddy Kenny, Stephen Quinn, Derek Geary, Gary Gilespie, and Alan Quinn used to be there. Kevin Blackwell is the Sheffield United manager and his relations come from Limerick. The chairman of the club is Kevin McCabe, whose father is from Armagh. Efforts had been made on a number of occasions to form a Sheffield United Irish fan club but it fell through, says Gerry. When Gerry and John became acquainted last year a wonderful beauty was born in October - an Irish Sheffield United supporters Club - the only one in Ireland. 'Now we have members from Cavan down to Cork,' says John with a smile on his face. The lads often meet up for a bite of lunch and a laugh in the Imperial Hotel. It"s amazing when you are talking to Gerry, his personality lights up the room and you become oblivious to the wheelchair. Gerry has great freedom with his car and loves doing his shopping. His pet hate is the fact that people park illegally in the wheelchair spaces.