WE’RE PROUD AS PEACOCKS!
Brothers honoured in top testimonial
TAUNTON Town chairman Kevin Sturmey has paid homage to super siblings Lloyd and Owen Irish, who were honoured for their loyal service to the club with a star-studded testimonial match on Friday night.
Goalkeeper Lloyd racked up 377 games for the Peacocks across two stints, while Owen amassed 310 appearances at the heart of Taunton’s defence before an injury-enforced retirement in 2020.
And on Friday night, fresh from the club’s promotion to the National League South, supporters turned out in their droves for a charity testimonial celebrating the brothers’ service at the Cygnet Health Care Stadium.
“Lloyd and Owen have been fabulous servants and thoroughly deserve this testimonial,” Sturmey told The NLP.
“They both joined when the club was really struggling on and off the pitch but they stayed loyal.
“Owen was an exceptional leader, very competitive and always put his body on the line for the team.
“Lloyd has been one of the most consistent goalkeepers in Non League for many years, and is unlucky not to have an England C cap. It’s great to see them make one final appearance in front of the fans.”
Proceeds
Friday’s bonanza featured an all-star cast of former Peacocks. Managed by England Test cricketer Jack Leach, the lineups included fans’ favourite Rodney Marsh, Gogglebox’s Twaine Plummer and former Yeovil Town boss Terry Skiverton – a former teammate of Lloyd’s at Yeovil.
The majority of proceeds are being donated to causes close to the Irish’s hearts.
“Cooper Associates kindly sponsored the match, so we are going to give their Foundation some of the money,” Lloyd explained. “The Josh Evans Trust Fund is a charity set up in memory of one of my friends who passed away about
15 years ago, so we do a lot of fundraising for that.
“And Owen and I both play at North Petherton Cricket Club. We’ve got little ones so find it quite difficult to get permission from our wives to play cricket. So, we are making a child friendly safe area with a net over it. That way they can come down and we don’t get told off for being out all day!”
Commitment
Lloyd’s second Taunton stint included a run of 239 consecutive matches – and the 32-year-old is still racking up the appearances for new club Barnstaple Town. Despite being unable to prevent Barum from slipping out of the Southern League, he has been offered a new deal, but Irish admits he still has his sights set on an emotional return to the club he calls home in National League South next term.
“I have really missed Taunton but I don’t regret leaving,” he said. “I had to do something. You get to a stage where after seven-and-a-half years in one stint you get a bit bored and need a change. But it’s made me realise how good a club Taunton Town really is.
“I’m keen to go back and I had a conversation with Drayer [manager Rob Dray]. I’ve got to the age now where it’s not about the money. It’s about the time commitment. I’d be quite happy to come back as sub goalkeeper, stroke goalie coach, or something along those lines.
“But I don’t know what I’ll do next season now to be honest – I’ll just have to see where it takes me!”