REST IN PEACE GEOFF

By Dave Jones on Sep 28, 09 12:56 AM

FORMER Rhyl player Geoff Byrne passed away in an Edinburgh hospital on Sunday afternoon after a brave five-year battle with cancer.
Geoff joined Rhyl in the mid-1950s and was a regular with the Welsh League side but became frustrated with the lack of first team opportunities at Belle Vue and signed for Prestatyn Town boss Ted Buckle in the closed season of 1959/60.
He spent three seasons as an uncompromising defender at Bastion Road before hanging up his boots to concentrate on his professional career as a research scientist.
Geoff - who had lived in Scotland for many years - was uncle to Prestatyn Town press officer Mark Jones' wife Yvette and great-uncle to her son Michael.
In one of those coincidences only football seems to throw up, the next first team game at Bastion Gardens is against Rhyl in the Loosemores Cup.