Happy heavenly birthday to the great Bob Brodie – he would have been 75 today

Today is a landmark birthday for one of the finest football managers to grace Ynys Môn.

Bob Brodie played for numerous clubs and later guided many to trophy success through his management skills before sadly passing away in May 2011. He would have been 75 today.

His name will never be forgotten in island football circles and lives on through the Bob Brodie Trophy, which annually recognises the leading goalscorer among Anglesey senior teams.

Bob, born in Glasgow on February 20, 1949, first came to Holyhead in the late 1960s to work at Anglesey Aluminium.

He met a local girl, Angela, and after a two-year courtship they married.

Through Bob’s work, the couple moved to South Africa for a number of years before returning to settle in Anglesey in the early 1980s.

Bob’s playing career had included spells with Amlwch Town, Holyhead Town and Llandegfan, then in the late 80s his prowess as a manager came to the fore.

He was boss of several clubs, including Bodedern, Holyhead Town, Gwalchmai, Holyhead Hotspur, Glantraeth and Llanfairfechan Town, lifting numerous honours along the way.

Highlights included winning the Gwynedd League and Cup double in 1993/94 and then the Welsh Alliance title in 2002/03 with Glantraeth, and scooping two Anglesey League championships with Bodedern.

Bob was also briefly the one and only Colin Hawkins’ assistant at Cemaes Bay when they won the Welsh Alliance League title.

After a few years’ break from the game, Bob returned to assist Les Davies at Holyhead Hotspur and led the Harbourmen to the 2001 NWCFA Challenge Cup final where they were beaten 1-0 in extra time by mighty Caernarfon Town.

Then came a title success with Glantraeth two years later.

Bob had taken a back seat from football in his latter years but still kept a keen interest in the local scene.

His son Craig, a tenacious midfielder, went on to emulate and surpass dad in some cases with successes as a player with the likes of Glantraeth and Trearddur Bay and later in management with Holyhead Town, winning back-to-back Anglesey and Gwynedd League titles.

Today many will raise a glass in memory of a great man who through his football achievements and qualities as a person will never be forgotten.

Happy heavenly birthday Bob!