“Morgan Day” – Glentoran FC fans.
“Precious time is slipping away; but you’re only king for a day” – (East Belfast child) Van Morrison.
Morgan Day: How an Oklahoma Lady Became The Queen of East Belfast in Northern Ireland
The last two weeks have been a little manic for an Oklahoma based Marketing and Social Media lady by the name of Morgan Day. You see, as a Glentoran fan, on the 23rd April every year, we celebrate a “Morgan Day”, a Day with dedications to Chris Morgan. It dates back to Saturday 23rd April 2005 when Chris Morgan scored a late winner in a 3-2 win over arch-rivals Linfield which led to my team, Glentoran FC winning the Irish League that year. That season, Glentoran won the league and Chris Morgan was the top goalscorer. The added buzz of irony is that we signed him from Linfield!
On the pitch at the Oval, Glentoran FC
I have covered Glentoran FC on here a few times before, writing about some of my early Glens matches, some Glentoran away matches, the George Best funeral, my guided groundhopping tour of the Oval Stadium and the George Best childhood home. As a Glentoran fan, I was celebrating Morgan Day this year by simply uploading a photo to my social media pages, on Globetrotting Glenman, Glentoran Family and Instagram etc. Then it came up on my feed about an actual person called Morgan Day. Now this seemed like a match made in heaven. Enter Morgan Day…Glentoran FC’s newest supporter, and more…
Morgan Day: How an Oklahoma Lady Became The Queen of East Belfast in Northern Ireland
Morgan Day is a lady from Oklahoma in the USA who did not even support Glentoran FC, or had even heard of them, or had even been to Northern Ireland or Belfast before. But by way of a retweet, multiple hashtags and some Twitter interaction, suddenly Morgan Day was the most popular phenomenon on Morgan Day itself. The story gets better though. Morgan Day herself did not shy away and ignore the Morgan Day madness like many people would. She not only became part of it, but she retweeted, tweeted, got in touch with Glentoran fans and by the end of the day, she had been announced as the Queen of East Belfast. It’s all true. By this stage her story was on the BBC, and the BBC again, Belfast Live, Belfast Telegraph and beyond…
Morgan Day: How an Oklahoma Lady Became The Queen of East Belfast in Northern Ireland
An Oklahoma based Glentoran fan Alan aka gravel doc then got in touch with Morgan Day, presented her with a shirt and scarf, which she donned with minimum fuss. Local team OKC Energy FC also got in on the act and have now formed a football friendship with Glentoran FC! One day maybe a friendly match will be possible and will our new homecoming Queen Morgan Day make it to the Oval someday to celebrate this phenomenom…this journey ain’t over yet. It’s all a bit wacaday…
Links:
BBC – The Queen of the Oval Morgan Day Meets Morgan Day
BBC – What Does Morgan Day Know About Morgan Day?
Belfast Telegraph – “I am now their Queen!”
Belfast Live – New Queen of Glentoran
Energy FC – OKC’S MORGAN DAY NAMED QUEEN OF EAST BELFAST, FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN GREENS AND GLENS FORGED
Morgan Day on Twitter
Gravel Doc on Twitter
Energy FC on Twitter
Below is the incredible Podcast with Morgan Day, OKC Energy FC and Alan aka Gravel Doc.