IRISH LEAGUE: Mouncey's thanks for career packed with medals and memories

Tim Mouncey shared a final afternoon at Shamrock Park with his wife and children on Saturday following news of the midfielder's decision to retire from the game.
Tim Mouncey (right) has confirmed his decision to retire from the game. Pic by PressEye Ltd.Tim Mouncey (right) has confirmed his decision to retire from the game. Pic by PressEye Ltd.
Tim Mouncey (right) has confirmed his decision to retire from the game. Pic by PressEye Ltd.

Mouncey spent close to nine years on the Portadown books but increased recovery time from injury issues restricted the 34-year-old’s playing time in recent seasons and forced the call to close the curtain on a decorated career.

“It was a tough decision to make but over the past few seasons I have found it harder to get over injuries and they have maybe been taking more of a toll,” he said. “You are always thinking about getting back and when you can do more for the team but it just was not happening the way I wanted.

“I made the decision before the recent game with Carrick Rangers and told Niall Currie I felt things were coming to an end.

“I have had a wonderful career and been blessed to win everything, plus made wonderful friendships.”

Mouncey has played under many of the most revered names in modern Irish League management and alongside a string of greats.

“At Linfield that team when we won everything with what was a freak squad had so many good players in every position.

“I started out at Crusaders as a young player under Sid Burrows, then went to Lisburn Distillery to play for Paul Kirk before Linfield under David Jeffrey then Ronnie McFall signed me for Portadown, followed by everyone since at Shamrock Park.

“Ronnie is a legend and treated me with the utmost respect, he is a terrific man.

“The list of great players is too long to name but that Linfield squad at the time especially had too many to mention.

People like Michael Gault, Glenn Ferguson, Paul McAreavey and Noel Bailie to name a few.

“With Portadown I think back to John Convery, Keith O’Hara, Kevin Braniff, Wesley Boyle and even now with Robert Garrett who is probably the best midfielder in the league.

“It works its way around too as I started out at Lisburn Distillery with some Portadown legends like Gregg Davison, Brian Strain and Philip Major.

Mouncey made his last visit to town on Saturday to show his young children the ground he called home for so long.

“I’ve had plenty of great experiences and times over almost nine years and, in football terms, it has been a lifetime at Shamrock Park,” he said. “We have had squads at Portadown to challenge for the league and hit European places so not meeting those targets has played a big part in the current situation.

“But we have been down before and come back up to enjoy success so I’m sure it can happen again for Portadown.

“To spend so long at any club shows hopefully what Portadown means to me.”