Walter Bruce
Encyclopedia
Walter Bruce was a Northern Irish
footballer
who played in the Irish League
as an inside forward with Glentoran
. He won two caps for Northern Ireland
and eight inter-league caps for the Irish League.
With Glentoran, he won the Irish League championship on four occasions in 1963/64, 1966/67, 1967/68 and 1969/70. He won one Irish Cup
(1965/66), two Gold Cups
, three City Cups
and one Ulster Cup
. He was named Ulster Footballer of the Year
for the 1966/67 season.
Bruce joined Glentoran as a sixteen-year-old in 1954, breaking into the first team towards the end of the 1955/56 season. In 1959, Bruce’s 19 goals earned him the Glentoran Player of the Year title; and the following year he won his first cap in a 5-2 Home Nations Championship
defeat by Scotland
. In 1967, he captained Glentoran to the League title, also taking home City Cup, Gold Cup and Ulster Cup winner’s medals, was crowned Ulster Footballer of the Year, and six-and-a-half years after first being capped, made the Northern Ireland team again for a 0-0 European Nations Cup qualifier with Wales
. The only blip on the season was an Irish Cup final defeat, this time at the hands of Crusaders
.
The summer of 1967 found the Glentoran squad travelling to North America
, playing for Detroit Cougars
in the inaugural United Soccer Association
season.
Back on the domestic front, the 1967/68 season brought Bruce another League title, and a memorable European Cup tie with Benfica. The Portuguese side featured many world stars, including the peerless forward, Eusebio
, and Glentoran were unlucky to exit the competition on away goals, after 1-1 home and 0-0 away results. Once again the 1968 summer months brought another trip to the USA as Bruce, along with Glens team-mate Barry Brown, re-signed for the Cougars then plying their trade in the new North American Soccer League
.
From then on, Bruce’s Irish League career began to slow down. He did claim another Irish League title in 1970 before hanging up his boots in 1971. His total of 529 appearances puts him third in the all-time Glentoran standings, and his 140 goals has only been bettered by ten others at the Oval
.
A fitter with STC
throughout his playing days, Bruce later opened a newsagent's on the Holywood Road in Belfast and settled in Bangor
, County Down
.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played in the Irish League
IFA Premiership
The IFA Premiership – formerly the Irish Premier League, and before that the Irish Football League–and still known in popular parlance simply as the Irish League, is the national football league in Northern Ireland, and was historically the league for the whole of Ireland. Clubs in the league are...
as an inside forward with Glentoran
Glentoran F.C.
Glentoran F.C. is a semi-professional, football club in Northern Ireland. The club was founded in 1882 and plays its home games at the Oval in east Belfast. Club colours are green, red, and black.Glentoran's biggest rivals are Linfield...
. He won two caps for Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
and eight inter-league caps for the Irish League.
With Glentoran, he won the Irish League championship on four occasions in 1963/64, 1966/67, 1967/68 and 1969/70. He won one Irish Cup
Irish Cup
For the equivalent tournament in the Republic of Ireland, see FAI Cup.The Irish Cup is the national cup knock-out competition in Northern Irish football. Inaugurated in 1881, it is the fourth oldest national cup competition in the world...
(1965/66), two Gold Cups
Gold Cup (Northern Ireland)
The Gold Cup is a now-defunct cup competition which involved competitors from Ireland and from 1921 onwards, just for Northern Ireland. It was initially run by the New Irish Football Association but later, and mainly, by the Irish Football Association....
, three City Cups
City Cup (Northern Ireland)
The City Cup is a now-defunct cup competition which involved competitors from Northern Ireland. It was run by the Irish Football Association. It had previously been known as the Dunville Cup and ceased to exist in 1976...
and one Ulster Cup
Ulster Cup
The Ulster Cup was an annual football competition held by the Irish Football League for senior clubs. It was held on fifty-one occasions until being suspended after the 1998/99 season and discontinued after a one-off re-appearance in 2002/03. The last three editions were only open to First...
. He was named Ulster Footballer of the Year
Ulster Footballer of the Year
The Ulster Footballer of the Year is the older of two association football player of the year awards in Northern Ireland. It is awarded by Castlereagh Glentoran Supporters' Club to the player who is adjudged by an independent committee to have been the best of the season in the IFA Premiership...
for the 1966/67 season.
Bruce joined Glentoran as a sixteen-year-old in 1954, breaking into the first team towards the end of the 1955/56 season. In 1959, Bruce’s 19 goals earned him the Glentoran Player of the Year title; and the following year he won his first cap in a 5-2 Home Nations Championship
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
defeat by Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. In 1967, he captained Glentoran to the League title, also taking home City Cup, Gold Cup and Ulster Cup winner’s medals, was crowned Ulster Footballer of the Year, and six-and-a-half years after first being capped, made the Northern Ireland team again for a 0-0 European Nations Cup qualifier with Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
. The only blip on the season was an Irish Cup final defeat, this time at the hands of Crusaders
Crusaders F.C.
Crusaders Football Club is a semi-professional, Northern Irish association football club, playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1898, hails from Belfast and plays its home matches at Seaview. Club colours are red and black. The current manager is Stephen Baxter, appointed in 2005...
.
The summer of 1967 found the Glentoran squad travelling to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, playing for Detroit Cougars
Detroit Cougars (soccer)
The Detroit Cougars were a soccer team based in Detroit, Michigan, which played in the United Soccer Association. The league was made up of teams imported from foreign leagues. The Detroit club consisted of players from Glentoran F.C...
in the inaugural United Soccer Association
United Soccer Association
The United Soccer Association is a former professional soccer league featuring teams from the United States and Canada. The league survived only one season before merging with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. All the teams in the league were imported...
season.
Back on the domestic front, the 1967/68 season brought Bruce another League title, and a memorable European Cup tie with Benfica. The Portuguese side featured many world stars, including the peerless forward, Eusebio
Eusébio
Eusébio da Silva Ferreira, GCIH, GCM , commonly known simply as Eusébio, is a retired Mozambican-born Portuguese football forward. He is considered one of the best footballers of all-time by the IFFHS, experts and fans...
, and Glentoran were unlucky to exit the competition on away goals, after 1-1 home and 0-0 away results. Once again the 1968 summer months brought another trip to the USA as Bruce, along with Glens team-mate Barry Brown, re-signed for the Cougars then plying their trade in the new North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
.
From then on, Bruce’s Irish League career began to slow down. He did claim another Irish League title in 1970 before hanging up his boots in 1971. His total of 529 appearances puts him third in the all-time Glentoran standings, and his 140 goals has only been bettered by ten others at the Oval
The Oval (Belfast)
The Oval is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland.The stadium has been home to Glentoran since 1892. Before that the team used Ormeau Park from 1882 to 1886. Then the team shifted to King's Field in Ballymacarrett for four years until 1890. The team's next destination was Musgrave Park...
.
A fitter with STC
Standard Telephones and Cables
Standard Telephones and Cables Ltd was a British telephone, telegraph, radio, telecommunications and related equipment R&D manufacturer. During its history STC invented and developed several groundbreaking new technologies including PCM and optical fibres.The company began life in London as...
throughout his playing days, Bruce later opened a newsagent's on the Holywood Road in Belfast and settled in Bangor
Bangor, County Down
Bangor is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is a seaside resort on the southern side of Belfast Lough and within the Belfast Metropolitan Area. Bangor Marina is one of the largest in Ireland, and holds Blue Flag status...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
.