WALNEY Central have been mourning the death of one of their former players and best-known adopted sons, Desi Trainor.

Desi died recently, aged 82, and as well as playing for the club, was the father of former Walney players Ciaran, Seamus and Pat – the latter also went on to play professionally for Barrow.

Born in Belfast, Desi came to Barrow seeking work as a 20-year-old and met his wife-to-be for more than 58 years, Shelia, who was the sister of Cents’ flying winger of the 1950s and 1960s, Pat Hewson.

Desi was an all-round sportsman having played hurling in his native Northern Ireland, and played cricket and football for British Cellophane, along with crown green bowls.

As well as this, he played in the famous Vickerstown Institute Tuesday night pot black league, alongside his friend Billy McAdams, the former Barrow AFC and Northern Ireland centre-forward.

For many years, he drove Ciaran around the county for his match day appointments, with his son becoming a well-respected match official after switching codes from league to union and playing for Vickers Sports Club.

Desi’s interest in Cents never faded as he was a regular on the bus to whatever destination and will be missed at Central Drive on match days, where he was often found walking around the ground chatting to whoever came into his path.

He loved his trip to Wembley for the Challenge Cup final, missing only the 1991 match due to a hip operation. He did see Barrow AFC win the FA Trophy in 1990.