Nine-year-old Portadown fan Tom Kerr stunned as favourite player Adam Salley makes special delivery

The 23-year-old forward’s finishing touch helped fire the Ports to a pre-lockdown Bluefin Sport Championship league lead.

And a touch of class in recent weeks left one family of Portadown fans singing the striker’s praises as he delivered and donated a very special signed matchball to nine-year-old Tom Kerr.

Salley’s last appearance for the club came on March 7 when he hit the 20-goal tally by finding the net against PSNI.

With football frozen since March, fans have been turning back the clock in search of a fix.

This year, in particular, has provided Ports fans with a rich back catalogue given the 30th anniversary of the first league title triumph in club history.

Celebrations across social media have provided Salley and his team-mates from the current crop of Ports players attempting to capture a league championship crown a string of stories and statistics in recognition of that landmark achievement.

Jamie Kerr was a boyhood Ports supporter in the 1990s growing up in the shadow of Shamrock Park. Now he travels from Lurgan to back his hometown club, with son Tom sharing the family passion.

“I had ordered a club mug with Joey Cunningham on it, one of the Irish League greats, so when Tom saw it he asked was there a mug with his favourite player, Adam Salley,” said Kerr. “Tom loves how Adam plays and, like many, is missing watching Portadown at the minute or playing in his own team at Lurgan Town.

“Plus, Tom’s mum Abby is a nurse working in Belfast and having to stay overnight at times, so it’s hard on him and his sisters, Alex and Robyn.

“I mentioned this just chatting to Johnny Dunlop at Portadown and was amazed when the club then sent a mug to our house especially printed with Adam’s picture on it to cheer Tom up.

“Then Adam heard about it and phoned us up, plus got in touch and arranged to visit the house to chat to Tom.

“It turns out we live close to each other in Lurgan and it was brilliant for Adam to go out of his way - Tom couldn’t believe it.

“But Adam went above and beyond by then giving Tom his signed matchball from the hat-trick game against Knockbreda.

“The first thing Tom wanted to check was for Adam’s signature among the rest of the squad.

“Tom couldn’t sleep with excitement at everything and it’s going to take pride of place in his bedroom now.

“He wears his Portadown top to training at Lurgan Town and loves coming with me to games, so it really means so much to him.

“Now, after everything, he thinks of Adam as his friend and it’s just great for a player and the club to look out for the fans in this way.

“I just think it’s so considerate of Johnny and the club and a class act by Adam to go to those lengths for a young fan.”

Modest Salley was quick to deflect the praise, viewing it as a small gesture for a fan.

“It’s a big compliment to be honest for a supporter to call you his favourite player and it was a simple case of getting in touch and having a chat,” said Salley. “When Johnny from the club told me about what was going on I was keen to do something to help out if possible and when I noticed the picture used on the mug was from the Knockbreda match that gave me the idea about the ball.

“Hopefully I get a few more hat-trick balls for Portadown so was happy to give it to Tom knowing how much it would mean.

“He couldn’t stop looking at it and was over the moon, so it was great to see.

“It’s a frustrating time and no-one is sure of the next step.

“From a personal viewpoint, I had felt in great form this season before lockdown and was sitting on 20 goals for the campaign overall and just two short of my 50 for Portadown.

“I love it at Portadown and one of the great aspects has been getting to know fans like Jamie and Tom.

“We are always happy as players to spend time with supporters after a match over a drink or some food and the backing from the fans is brilliant to be honest.

“I feel I’ve found a home here at Portadown and the backing of the fans is part of that as win, lose or draw we can all have a chat about the game, so that’s great.

“It has also been interesting watching the old footage from the successful teams of the past and it does make you think how great it would be for the whole club to get promoted and win trophies again together.”

Kerr can recall the great teams of those previous glory days and feels, after some dark times, Portadown is getting back to that sense of togetherness.

“For Johnny and Adam to do so much for us epitomises the positive position the club is in at the minute, in recent years it has definitely moved out of the troubles of the past,” said Kerr. “At times before as a fan you just felt you were viewed on as a customer, someone to pay your money over the turnstiles and that was it.

“Now there is far greater communication and your opinion matters.

“Growing up watching Portadown you always felt the players from those great times got what it meant to play for the club and had a real connection with the supporters.

“As a kid it would mean the world if Stevie Cowan or Sandy Fraser would say hello to you at the game.

“Now Adam and this current group have a similar bond with the fanbase.

“It’s brilliant for Tom as a new generation of Ports fan to have a connection and I really couldn’t speak highly enough of Adam for how he’s acted.”

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