Robert Stewart (1906)

Tough tackling half-back Robert Stewart made his name with Glentoran before becoming a key figure in the original Ballymena FC team of the 1930’s.

Born in Ballymena town, ‘Bobby’ caught the eye of Irish League scouts in his late teens starring for local side Southend Rangers in the Intermediate League as a non-nonsense half-back. In the summer of 1927, he was snapped up by East Belfast’s senior club – Glentoran.

Stewart quickly adapted to life at the Oval, albeit in a season of transition at the club, as he quickly became a regular starter – making his 44 appearances for the Glens in his maiden season (the most of any player in the first team), as the club finished fifth in the Irish League but made early exits to many of the cup competitions.

The 1928/1929 season provided Glentoran fans with more scope for optimism, as the now 22-year-old half-back continued as a mainstay of a team that also included centre-forward Fred Roberts who fired home 66 goals, but still silverware largely eluded the East Belfast club – as despite a third place league finish and semi-final appearances in both the County Antrim Shield and Gold Cup – it was only a shared Charity Cup trophy with Distillery to show for their efforts.

Robert picked up an Irish League runners-up medal in his third and final season at Glentoran, as despite significant improvement on the pitch at the Oval – they simply could not compete against their cross-city rivals Linfield, with Joe Bambrick in tow who would bag a staggering 94 goals during the 1929/1930 season. It was the Blues who would thwart Robert’s first chance of a winners’ medal as they were soundly beaten in the County Antrim Shield final at Solitude.

After 123 appearances for Glentoran and now a seasoned campaigner, Stewart returned home to play senior football for his hometown club, Ballymena FC – signing in July 1930 with the club due to embark in only their third season in competitive football.

Playing in the half-back line alongside the legendary Irish Cup winning captain Davy Reid, it was a smooth transition for Robert – who helped a Ballymena team packed with Scottish influence to finish fifth in the Irish League during the 1930/1931 season – their joint-highest finish to date. There was more cup disappointment however, as the Light Blues lost the Irish Cup final to his old foes from Linfield by three goals without reply at the Oval in front of over 20,000 spectators.

There was yet more cup anguish the following season, as Ballymena lost to rivals Coleraine in the final of the Gold Cup at Solitude in December 1931 as silverware continued to elude the half-back. The 1931/1932 season at Ballymena was the campaign when Robert started to add goals to his game, scoring four goals from midfield, having only scored once in his first four seasons in senior football.

The 1932/1933 season was one to forget for Ballymena FC as financial issues threatened their progress on the pitch, as the club finished eighth, in their lowest league finish to date, as the team that had been successful in recent seasons began to break up. It went from bad to worse for the club as after the 1933/1934 had promised so much, it descended into chaos with the club forced into liquidation by the league after a dispute regarding payment to amateur players.

With 177 appearances, and 9 goals, he will be remembered as making the third most appearances for the original Ballymena FC club – just behind Jock McNinch (238) and Jamie Shiels (182). Stewart failed to agree terms with the new Ballymena United FC club but did not sign for any Irish League club for the 1934/1935 season, bringing a premature end to his career at the age of 28.

Little is known of Robert’s life after football, but he passed away in April 1964 in Antrim Hospital, aged 58 – having suffered from Huntington's chorea disease.

Career
Southend Rangers; (1927) Glentoran; (Jul 1930) Ballymena

Honours
(with Glentoran)
Charity Cup: (winner) 1928/1929; (finalist) 1927/1928
Irish League: (runner-up) 1929/1930
County Antrim Shield: (finalist) 1929/1930
(with Ballymena)
Irish Cup: (finalist) 1930/1931
Gold Cup: (finalist) 1931/1932