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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
Sport
Gareth Fullerton

Liam Boyce spills the beans on his former Cliftonville teammates

Liam Boyce has nothing but fond memories of his playing days with Cliftonville.

he Hearts striker won back-to-back league titles with the Reds alongside two League Cups and a County Antrim Shield during his time at Solitude.

He was also crowned Player of the Year and won a Golden Boot.

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Boyce was part of Tommy Breslin's side who danced their way to successive Gibson Cups in 2013 and '14, a side that was lauded for its attractive brand of football.

Legendary manager Breslin assembled a squad which went on to rewrite the North Belfast club's history books.

They were a cavaliering band of brothers, many of whom remain in close contact to this day.

Boyce was recently on Belfast Live's That's What I Call Football podcast, and we asked the Northern Ireland international about his Solitude memories.

We also asked him to spill the beans on some of his ex-teammates, from who was the worst trainer, who was the loudest in the changing room and who couldn't handle the beer on a night out.

Here's what he had to say...

Worst trainer

LB: "Over both spells? I'd say Fra Murphy. He was quite bad. He didn't have to try, he was a joke. Joe Gormley used to just run back and get the ball during training, when everyone knows that's not what he does.

Joe Gormley (Darren Kidd/Presseye.com)

"He just plays football for a laugh, then come Saturday he does what he is good at. So Fra the first time, not because he wasn't good. It was just because it looked like he didn't try. He was unreal. And then Joe the second time."

Manager's pet

LB: "Depends which manager. The first time I was there with Eddie (Patterson), Declan O'Hara and Day McAlinden always seemed close to Eddie. The second time with Bresy (Tommy Breslin), people would probably say it was me.

Declan O'Hara (Stephen Hamilton / Press Eye)

Most skilful

LB: "Fra Murphy was skilful. And Marty Donnelly was a disgrace. Never did a step-over in his life and was slower than me. But he would skin people. Joe Gormley was actually alright in training. He would go into left-back and try and beat everyone. He would just try and skin people in training and it would work.

Best finisher

LB: "Joe Gormley, easily. By a mile.

Quickest

LB: "Stevie Garrett. It would have to be him. He was the only one who was fast. Tomas (Cosgrove) was quick, but Stevie was the only player I played with who was actually rapid.

Stephen Garrett was quick, but he couldn't handle his pints (Presseye)

Most vocal in changing room

LB: "We had different ones., Georgie (McMullan) would speak when he felt we needed it. Janty (Barry Johnston) wouldn't shout but he would speak to everyone. And Cats (Ryan Catney), if there was a scrap or a fight he is the person you would want in your team against anyone. He would make you want to fight as much as he did. So those three. Georgie because he was the captain and calmed everyone down during pressure moments, Janty would go out of his way in the changing room and speak to anyone to help them. And Cats because he would fight anyone.

Former Cliftonville captain George McMullan (Kevin Scott / Presseye)

Worst dresser

LB: "I could be up there. I went through a wee phase where I wore mad t-shirts. I have matured well though. There were a few boys with pairs of Lonsdales and boot cut jeans.

Worst dancer on a night out

LB: "Would be Stevie Garrett and Marty Donnelly. But they did it for a laugh. They would purposely dance awful and people would laugh at them. And then they would do it more because they thought it was funny.

Ryan Catney with Marty Donnelly (Presseye)

Worst drinker

LB: "Probably anyone in the team. We were al probably as bad as each other. Wouldn't be anything bad or fights or anything. But the biggest change in someone, from being sober to being a different person with a couple of pints, is Stevie Garrett. He used to get called Hank."

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