Thanks for checking out our Featured Footballer section, a series of posts we’ll be publishing throughout the 2018 Gaelic football season. Today’s post is about club legend, John Severs.
John Severs
Base Stats
Height: Big lad, over 6 ft anyway.
Weight: Rude Question
Nickname: Tom Selleck
Position: Goalkeeper
What He’s Drinking: Busch Light
GK Club.
The club needed a goalkeeper, some in the club even began praying to Catholic Jesus for one. Lobbed goal, after lobbed goal would go in. Finally, one day, the big man answered our prayers. John claims Highland Illinois is where he grew up, but when questioned, people in the town have no idea who John is. I like to think John lived in the woods at the back of Vincent’s park and studied the game for years from a far, waiting for that one day to come were he could emerge from the shadows to end the clubs goalkeeping famine(Yes, it was that serious!). It’s more likely he’s just a normal guy with a beard that wanted something to do on the weekends, but who’s really to know?
A bad ankle injury in his first year almost threatened his career. But like so many lads who have been injured before, but kept their bolloxs, he uttered those immortal words, ‘just stick me in the goal so I don’t have to do much running on it’. The rest as they say, is history. John is a crucial member of the club. His saves for the travel team have turned games from utter embarrassing results into narrow losses since he has come in.
His instincts are sharp, his presence, positioning and stability are just some of his many attributes. Also, if these skills have evaded him due to shite defenders, John has been known to throw he body in front of situations that would make the late Muammar Gaddafi sweat. To finish, maybe we’ll never really know the full story behind this tall, dark, handsome stranger but who really cares? He’s still showing up, ankle strapped up to the last, and for that we should all be grateful. Otherwise we’d have a rotation of Hurricane, Phil Hawkins and Tony Cowin in goal and no one wants another Iraq.
Where to catch him this year…
John will be between the sticks for serial contenders Happy Apples, and they’ll need him. During the first game in his absence, they were hammered by Pat’s. Seeing John back there keeping the house safe will be a huge boost for the team.
Word from around the club
Shane Brennan, Captain of Happy Apples
John is sound, I hope he plays every game so Brian doesn’t have to go in goal. In fairness, I’ve seen John pull off some serious saves since I’ve been here. If shite ever hits the fan and he has to leave the country, I can vouch for him to play in Leighlin’s junior team just so he can find his feet. He’s a whole foot taller than the current keeper.
Check back for more player profiles as the 2018 Gaelic football season rolls on. You can check out our schedule here.