It’s no ordinary shop, with no ordinary shopkeeper. In a small unassuming sports shop in Derry is a man who played in the semi-final of the biggest club competition in world football - the European Cup.
He also captained Manchester City times 94 times, yet very few outside his home city know his name.
For over 40 years, the Maiden City’s most famous sporting son has been at the helm of Jobby’s Sports Centre, a place where sporting dreams are made and the stars of tomorrow collect the spoils of their efforts.
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Despite its rundown demeanour, in his modest shop, trophy winners can only dream of the gold that its owner soccer legend John ‘Jobby’ Crossan has experienced.
A living soccer legend, he shared a pitch with many footballing greats including the iconic trio of George Best, Eusébio and Pelé.
Upon retirement he faced the same dilemma as many do in sport - what now? At 84, the long-time proprietor of a Pennyburn sports shop is a prime example of how to live a meaningful life after retiring from sport.
In a new film for BBC Northern Ireland and produced by Triplevision, True North: The Trophy Shop, offers a first-hand account of how a sports shop bought by John in the 1970s was his next calling, quickly becoming a meeting point for friends old and new and Derry’s go to destination for all sporting achievement awards.
Jobby’s trophy shop has seen better days – its gold and silver trophies are just waiting to be won, the bespoke medals, pins and badges all need to be engraved – a place of hope and aspiration where sporting dreams can come true or be dashed.
These days the former Man City and Sunderland legend spends his days opening up his sports store on Messine’s Terrace and shooting the breeze with his friends.
The programme follows the prizes, the cups, the medals, the trophies, the awards as they make their way out of the trophy shop and into homes across the city and beyond, giving a unique insight into the rich, diverse and engaging local sporting communities.
Born in Hamilton Street in 1938, Jobby, arguably Derry’s most famous footballer, with an iconic career that included lining out for Standard Liege against Real Madrid in the European Cup semi-final of 1962.
He’s also been referred to as ‘Ireland’s Jimmy Greaves’ during a colourful career which began at Derry City before he was famously banned from playing football in Britain and Ireland. He had been found guilty by the Irish League of being paid as an amateur and asking for more than £750 signing-on fee in a projected transfer from Coleraine to Bristol City.
He was forced to play abroad, firstly with Sparta Rotterdam in 1959 before moving to Standard Liege in Belgium.
Jobby also enjoyed an impressive international career, notching up 24 caps and 10 goals for Northern Ireland.
In September 1962 he moved to Sunderland, the start of a successful eight-year spell in England that also took him to Manchester City (where he was captain) and Middlesbrough
When he finally retired from the game, he returned home in 1975 to open a bar in Ferguson’s Lane before purchasing his sports shop, which he still runs to this day.
Almost from its inception, Jobby’s became more than a shop but instead a magnet for friends – old and new – to congregate; to chat about football, to hotly debate, to blether, but above all else to laugh.
This has been the case for over four decades now, and, like the proprietor himself, shows little sign of slowing down.
True North: The Trophy Shop is due to air on BBC One NI on Wednesday, 18th January at 10.40pm and is also available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
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