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Striker To Striking: 'Goal Machine' Conor McGregor's Sunday League Roots

Striker To Striking: 'Goal Machine' Conor McGregor's Sunday League Roots

The Irishman was a prolific goal scorer before venturing inside the cage.

Nasir Jabbar

Nasir Jabbar

Before he found his home in the cage, Conor McGregor was a prolific striker in another sporting bubble. The Irishman plied his trade as a Sunday League footballer ahead of donning the 5oz MMA gloves.

Following his success in the UFC - which included bagging not one but two UFC belts, McGregor swapped the famed Octagon for a boxing ring.

He challenged the greatest boxer of our generation, as well as one of the finest components of the noble art, in Floyd Mayweather but ultimately suffered a 10th round stoppage defeat.

While he stayed within the combative realms, it's a far cry from his previous sporting venture.

McGregor played for his local football clubs. His stints at the likes of Lourdes Celtic and Crumlin United was where he came in contact with Alan Power.

McGregor playing football.
McGregor playing football.

Power became an overnight sensation following his heroics in the FA Cup. But it wasn't just his goal which attracted plenty of interest.

He mimicked McGregor's infamous 'billionaire strut' which sent social media into overdrive. "The goal celebration caused a bit of storm," he told the Telegraph.

McGregor has cracked America becoming a huge pay-per-view star, and he's revered as a hero in Ireland.

"Conor is huge in Ireland, especially in Dublin. He's someone I admire greatly, what he has achieved, it's remarkable."

The ex-Lincoln City midfielder then revealed the pair used to be in the same circle of friends as teenagers. He also claimed McGregor could play himself.

"We used to knock around in the same circle of friends back home when we were growing up. He played Sunday League football where I did, actually he wasn't a bad footballer, but he chose a different path."

Meanwhile, one of his many managers, Robbie Beakhurst, detailed how prolific McGregor actually was during his spell at Slievenamon United.

"He [McGregor] played for me with a club called Slievenamon United when we played in the UCFL. He was a striker and was our top scorer every year," he told JSP.

"I took over Yellowstone Celtic and took him with me and again he was scoring for fun on a weekly basis."

Beakhrust also recalls what McGregor would say to his teammates before going out on the pitch, and it's typically brilliant.

"He used to just say to the rest of team 'just give me the ball and I'll do the rest' - he was a smashing player but we had a decent team. As he got more involved in the MMA he couldn't make matches and we allowed him to skip training."

David Glennon was another coach who managed him.

"He was always a bit more interested in MMA, but he would have certainly been one of the fittest on the team," he said to Herald.

"I think he played for a year, maybe two, just before we broke up the Saturday side. The first year he was generally down with us all year, but in the second, you'd be lucky to get him in once a week, because he got more into the MMA.

"We told the players the situation, but that we still wanted to play him, and they all took it well, because I think they knew Conor was one of the better players on the team."

McGregor recalls his childhood by saying he preferred playing football rather than watching it.

"I was big into football as a kid, but more as a player than a watcher," the 30-year-old told the Irish Independent.

"I suppose if you pushed me I would say Manchester United, but that's only because it gets passed down from generation to generation."

Despite admiring footballers, he finds the concept of supporting a team a 'little crazy.'

"I think just about everyone in Ireland is either a Liverpool or United fan. But some people go a little weird, referring to the team they support as 'we'. To me that's a little crazy. I admire their athleticism and their dedication," he added.

So, there you have it. Not only is McGregor a lethal striker inside a cage but also inside the box.

(H/T Goal)

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Topics: Conor Mcgregor, Football, UFC