A FOND FAREWELL TO WEARSIDE'S FAVOURITE IRISHMAN!

Wearside’s favourite Irishman has finally hung up his Royal Blue vest as he prepares to move on to an exciting new chapter in his life.

Liam Roarty has brightened up the Harriers with his cheeky smile and Irish charm over the last three years as he studied for a degree at Sunderland University and he will be sorely missed as he heads to the south-west and new adventures.

After an injury-blighted early track season, Liam was able to sign off in style at Monkton Stadium last week, bouncing back from shin splints and an untimely bout of tonsillitis to clock a highly competitive 2:06.5 to finish a close 4th in race 2, less than a second outside his best, set in 2014.

A Fond Farewell To Wearside's Favourite Irishman!.

After a fitting send-off in Sunderland on Saturday night, surrounded by dozens of his erstwhile club-mates, Liam now heads back across the Irish Sea to don the famous black and amber vest of his home club Clonliffe Harriers, hoping that, free of the pressures of completing his studies, he can bring his best times down to the sort of level his training and undoubted commitment deserve.

We may well see Liam lining up in the colours of Cheltenham Harriers in the future, but in our eyes he will always be a Royal Blue and is assured of a warm, Wearside welcome whenever he returns to these parts.

Good luck and Slainte, Liam!