One of the Irish League's greatest-ever strikers - as told by the defenders that tried to stop him

While Stafford and defensive partner Jimmy Callacher knew they needed to be alert for every single second, Gormley only needed one to change the game, and as he’d done so many times before – and since – it was his piece of magic which secured Reds victory.

Since Gormley roared back onto the Premiership scene in 2011 after scoring 61 times in a season for Crumlin Star, he’s provided Irish League defenders with a unique conundrum that not many have been able to solve – few finish their career without some sort of traumatic tale to tell about the time this phenomenon with an unquenchable thirst for goals got one over on them.

He’ll turn 35 on Tuesday, but Gormley is still terrorising defences and celebrated another milestone earlier this month, registering his 500th Cliftonville appearance.

There’s no sign of him slowing down either – his 10 top-flight goals puts him only behind Matthew Shevlin (12) and Ben Kennedy (11) on the charts – and he struck a 16th career hat-trick as the Reds defeated Dungannon Swifts on November 9.

"He's up there as one of the best of his generation with the amount of goals he has scored and games played for Cliftonville,” said Stafford. “I was lucky enough to play against the (Liam) Boyce-Gormley combination when Ballinamallard first got promoted and they were very hot at that time.

"Joe is a real credit to himself - he has been around a long time and scored goals throughout. When you're able to score the amount of goals he has over this period of time, you're a special player.

"Joe Gormley is one that in general play won't cause you too many problems. If you're an inexperienced centre-half, you probably think 'I have this boy in my pocket', but Joe is a fox in the box and doesn't miss chances - he's so ruthless and clinical.

"His brain is two or three steps ahead and so is his movement. He's always in the right place at the right time."

While the likes of Boyce or Jordan Owens, another two of the finest forwards of their generation, would provide defenders with great physical challenges, facing off against Gormley is mental torture, never quite feeling comfortable or in control.

Statistically, his most prolific run was across the 2013/14 and 2014/15 campaigns, netting 78 times in 95 matches – form which would earn Gormley a move to Peterborough United – and he scored two hat-tricks against Warrenpoint Town in that time.

"He didn't do a whole pile in the game but scored three goals - some players might have had 80 or 90 touches but he had the three most important ones,” recalled John Boyle, who played in both games. “Sometimes he didn't really get involved in the play but if he was in the box you were always worried about him because all he needed was half a chance to score.

"He was different to other strikers. If you thought everything was going well, it wasn't long before the tide changed and he'd nip in...he was always in the right place at the right time. He was absolutely prolific."

Colin Coates enjoyed many battles with Gormley in the cauldron atmosphere of North Belfast derbies – he scored 16 Premiership goals against Cliftonville’s bitter rivals Crusaders and netted a treble in their 2017/18 Irish Cup sixth round success – before then calling him a team-mate after his move to Solitude in 2021, winning an Irish League Cup crown together.

"Joe is unbelievable,” said Coates. “Playing against him was always very difficult.

"He wasn't difficult in the same way as playing against a Jordan Owens, Glenn Ferguson or Liam Boyce, who would go up against you physically, but what you got with Joe was you couldn't switch off for a second.

"I remember one day at Seaview playing against him and we didn't give him a kick for 89 minutes, but Joe popped up and scored and they beat us 1-0. You knew if you gave him one chance he'd score, whereas some other strikers would maybe give you a tough game but would miss their chance. You couldn't get away with that with Joe.”

Gormley continues to extend his lead as Cliftonville’s record scorer, now sitting on 281, and there’s little doubt in Coates’ mind that goals will keep flowing.

"It's that natural exuberance and love he has for the game and scoring goals,” he added. “It's the way he plays and it's huge credit to him that he's still banging in the goals and still a huge threat for any team he comes up against...there's no reason why Joe can't keep scoring goals for the next two or three years."

Stafford agrees, adding: “He's arguably playing some of the best stuff now that he has in a few years. He looks in great shape, strong, fit and is still a handful. He still has plenty more goals in him."

Boyle still holds an immense respect for Gormley, a master of his craft that always played the game in the right manner.

“You think you're doing well and then he's walking off the pitch with a big smile on his face while you're pulling your hair out,” he laughed. “It was always tough coming up against him for both Warrenpoint and Newry City and you always knew you'd to be at the top of your game.

"Even then some of the games still didn't go your way and when you weren't they really punished you. That's why he's a top player and has been for such a long time."