Ramsey Football Club combination captain Carlo Craig has said winning the league title this season ‘means everything’ after a campaign deeply shaped by the sudden loss of loyal supporter Harry Gillings.

The northerners were crowned Canada Life Combination One champions earlier this month, lifting the trophy for the second time in three seasons following a hard-fought campaign.

But for Carlo and his team-mates, the achievement carried a far greater emotional weight following the death of 24-year-old Gillings in October last year.

Harry, a popular figure within the Ramsey football community, worked in the farming and leisure industries before becoming an administrator.

A devoted Ramsey supporter, he was well known for his passion for the club and his love of horse riding. He died suddenly after battling mental health issues.

Reflecting on the season, Craig said the title win stands as one of the most significant moments of his footballing life.

‘Winning the combi league has been a great achievement and something as a club we are very proud of,’ he said.

‘As the table shows, it was a very competitive league this season, coming up against tough opponents, but credit to the boys, we managed to get over the line with a game to spare.’

The northerners’ success adds another chapter to the history of the Combination One title, which has regularly been decided at Croit Lowey in Port Erin in recent years.

This season, however, the celebrations were shaped by something far beyond football.

Carlo paid tribute to player/manager Jason Craine, crediting him with building a strong team spirit that carried the side through both difficult and defining moments.

‘Jason has been a great manager for us this season,’ Craig said. ‘He created a really strong team spirit and got us playing entertaining, attacking football. He always told us to just go and enjoy ourselves and that’s what we did.’

Carlo said being handed the captaincy by the gaffer at the start of the season was a responsibility he did not take lightly, particularly as he returned to football after a spell away from the game.

But it was the impact of Harry’s death mid-season that, he said, brought the squad even closer together.

‘In the middle of the season we suffered the huge loss of Harry. This was extremely tough for the club as he was so close to many of us. With this happening, our combi lads became hungrier to win, because we all wanted to do it for him.

‘To then actually achieve that, and do it for him, was an amazing moment for the players and the club as a whole.’

Carlo added that lifting the trophy alongside close friends and team-mates made the achievement even more meaningful.

‘To be the captain and win the league with two of my best friends, Cameron Torr and Roan Gell, who were also very close with Harry, this is something I will never forget,’ he said.

‘Winning the league for him was really fitting and it was nice to be able to celebrate success after a really tough season for the club.’

He described the squad as more than just a team, reflecting the tight-knit spirit that has long been associated with Ramsey AFC.

‘I am so proud of our lads and it has been a real pleasure to play in such a great team this season,’ Craig said. ‘We were more than just a team and that is what Ramsey AFC is all about.’