Paddy McIlvenny

Life and career McIlvenny was born in Belfast in 1924,

McIlvenny was on the books of Distillery as an amateur before signing for Merthyr Tydfil of the Southern League in 1947. Both contributed to Merthyr reaching the final of the 1948–49 Welsh Cup, but only Bobby was a member of the eleven that won the trophy for the first time in the club's history. In late 1949, McIlvenny returned to Ireland apparently without his club's permission. A few weeks later, he joined Irish League club Glenavon, having reportedly been released at his own request after Merthyr reneged on a promise of a house when he married.

He signed for Cardiff City later that year, but never made the breakthrough to their first team, and moved on to Brighton & Hove Albion in 1951. Kept out of the team by Jess Willard in his first season, he was a regular thereafter until, in March 1954, torn knee cartilage effectively ended his Albion career. Although the club offered him a new contract, he was unable to agree terms, and joined another Third Division South club, Aldershot, in December 1955. After 16 league appearances, McIlvenny returned to the Southern League with Hastings United and Dover, and then managed Sussex County League side Southwick.

After leaving professional football, McIlvenny set up and ran a building firm in the Brighton area. He died in a Burgess Hill care home in 2013 at the age of 88.