27/11/1946 Glasgow Scotland 0-0
Ted Hinton, Bill Gorman, Jim Feeney, Con Martin, Jackie Vernon, Peter Farrell, Davy Cochrane, Johnny Carey, David Walsh, Alec Stevenson, Tommy Eglington
Original Source: The Scotsman
Online Source: http://www.londonhearts.com/scores/images/1946/1946112702.htm
Posted in Match Date, November
Tagged 27/11/1946, 27th Nov, 27th November, Glasgow, Match, Scotland, Today In Our Footballing History
25/11/1964 Glasgow Scotland 2-3 George Best, Willie Irvine
Pat Jennings, Jimmy Magill, Alex Elder, Martin Harvey, Terry Neill, John Parke, Billy Humphries, Willie Irvine, Johnny Crossan, Bobby Braithwaite, George Best
Hearts’ Willie Wallace made his debut for Scotland, but two other international careers would be cut short – goalkeeper Robert Forsyth (4 caps) and James Kennedy (6 caps). All five goals were scored in the opening half-hour; George Best put the visitors ahead on 9 but only for Davie Wilson to equalise a minute later on 10, Alan Gilzean then put Scotland ahead on 16, Willie Irvine levelled it again at 2-2 on 18, Wilson netted what turned out to be the winner on 30.
Original Source: The Times
Online Source: http://www.londonhearts.com/scores/images/1964/1964112501.htm
Willie Irvine discussed this game with Ivan Little during an interview and claims George Best has stolen one of his goals:
“… the record books say I scored one goal with George Best getting the other. But I got both of them – honestly! The disputed goal came after Bestie had cut in from the right and let fly with a drive towards the goals. I moved in from the inside-left position and headed the ball home. Yet all the papers said it was George who scored. I couldn’t believe it. All I can say is that it was a misty night. And I can only assume that the reporters couldn’t see the pitch clearly!”
Posted in Match Date, November
Tagged 25/11/1964, 25th Nov, 25th November, George Best, Glasgow, Match, Scotland, Today In Our Footballing History, Willie Irvine
24/11/1965 Tirana Albania 1-1 Willie Irvine
Pat Jennings, Jimmy Magill, Alex Elder, Martin Harvey, Terry Neill, Jimmy Nicholson, Jimmy McIlroy, Johnny Crossan, Willie Irvine, Derek Dougan, George Best
Northern Ireland squandered the chance of a play-off against Switzerland by failing to beat Albania away in the Group’s final fixture on 24th November 1965.
No airline would fly the Irish direct to Tirana so they flew to Rome and chartered an aircraft to Tirana. When the party had arrived and disembarked the pilot didn’t hang around and took off on the return journey back to Rome.
The food was so bad within the hotel that the players lived off chocolate bars which they had brought with them. Had Northern Ireland won this match they would have faced a Switzerland in a one-off qualification play-off for the World Cup Finals in England. As it was, the Swiss qualified ahead of them by a point. Perhaps the shock of the country and the food was the reason why Northern Ireland only drew this match and subsequently failed to qualify for the World Cup Finals in 1966.
Author: Magheramesk
Source: http://nifootball.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/250-24-november-1965.html
Northern Ireland – Albania Match Programme 9/9/1992
Down Memory Lane: Woe in Albania has cost our lads over the years
Source: http://www.giovanniarmillotta.it/albania/calcio/football025.html
On extreme left Bashkim Rudi and on extreme right Mexhid Haxhiu against legendary goalkeeper Pat Jennings, who will play against Albania 18 years after, in Belfast on April 27, 1983
Northern Ireland Footballing Greats
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24/11/2000 Ballymena Wales 2-1 Sammy Morrow, Christopher Kingsberry
Northern Ireland 2-1 Wales
Northern Ireland’s Under 15 schoolboys’ team have won the Victory Shield for the first time.
They beat Wales in a dramatic finish at Ballymena Showgrounds on Friday night.
Wales were leading 1-0 with just a few minutes left and that would have been enough to give them the trophy outright.
Their goal was scored on 55 minutes by Rys Carpenter who followed up well after keeper Lee Windrum has blocked his first shot.
But Northern Ireland staged a remarkable revival in the closing stages.
First, skipper Sammy Morrow fired in a free-kick from the edge of the penalty area.
Then, in the third minute of injury-time, Christopher Kingsberry got the trophy-clinching winner.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/1039626.stm
Thanks To Conall Murtagh For the Photo
Posted in Match Date, November
Tagged 24/11/1965, 24th Nov, 24th November, Albania, Match, Tirana, Today In Our Footballing History, Victory Shield, Willie Irvine
22/11/1961 London England 1-1 Jimmy McIlroy
Vic Hunter, Jimmy Magill, Alex Elder, Danny Blanchflower, Terry Neill, Jimmy Nicholson, Billy Bingham, Hugh Barr, Billy McAdams, Jimmy McIlroy, Jimmy McLaughlin
This was not a particularly good day for England. In front of the lowest crowd yet for a Wembley international, they produced a very disjointed performance to claim just a point against a lowly Northern Irish side. Most of this England team had been involved in the thrilling exploits of the previous season; it was a most inexplicable fall from grace. England showed the talent, but not the character. Blanchflower, captain of Northern Ireland for the 40th time in his 50th international, led by example with a wonderful display.
The England forward line had two new caps. Byrne was the first Crystal Palace player capped by England since 1923, whilst Crawford was the first Ipswich Town player to be capped by England ever. Byrne was the one England player to live up to his reputation, but Crawford did not deal well with the few chances he was afforded. McLaughlin and McAdams both missed good chances for the Irish inside the opening 20 minutes. England then began to take control. Haynes missed a sitter, but then Charlton scored a typical goal – taking the ball, creating space and unleashing a rocket into the top corner. Sadly, he would barely get into the game again after that.
The game was scrappy for some time thereafter. Shortly after half-time, Crawford missed an absolute gift of a chance, hitting the bar from in front of an open goal. Ireland showed their perennial spirit, and were rewarded near the end. Elder, Nicholson and McAdams combined to set up McIlroy for the equaliser. It was just reward for McIlroy, who, after Blanchflower, had been the most influential player in Ireland’s colours. The large Irish contingent in the crowd were understandably delighted. The best England could now hope for was a share of the championship title. For that, they would have to win at Hampden.
England Held To Draw By Ireland
Source: http://nifootball.blogspot.co.uk/2010/11/226-22-november-1961.html
Roy Cathcart (team photo from Soccer Star)
Posted in Match Date, November
Tagged 22/11/1961, 22nd Nov, 22nd November, England, Jimmy McIlroy, London, Match, Today In Our Footballing History
21/11/1979 Belfast Republic Of Ireland 1-0 Gerry Armstrong
Pat Jennings, Jimmy Nicholl, Sammy Nelson, Allan Hunter, Chris Nicholl, Vic Moreland, David McCreery, Martin O’Neill (Tommy Cassidy), Gerry Armstrong, Sammy McIlroy, Derek Spence
Gerry Armstrong scored the only goal of the game on 54 minutes at the end of 10 minutes of non-stop Northern Ireland pressure, though their keeper Pat Jennings was man of the match having made two brilliant saves before half-time. The Republic’s Gerry Daly needed three stitches to a head wound after being struck by a stone thrown from the crowd. Danny Blanchflower resigned as Northern Ireland manager immediately afterwards; “When I spoke to the committee during the week I got the impression they would like me to go and this time I have decided I will go. I believe Northern Ireland have a possible chance in the 1982 World Cup and a younger man should be given the chance.” The win for Northen Ireland ensured England their place in Italy.
Source: homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel
Danny Blanchflower on the eve of the match: “What’s all this fuss about? It’s only two teams from England playing each other, after all.”
Gerry Armstrong:
“Neither of us amounted to much then in the big wide world. We’d earlier been hammered 4-0 by Denmark, then 5-1 by England, and the Republic’s results hadn’t been great either. It was competitive enough, I was in a Spurs-Arsenal battle … Manchester United lads were on opposite sides. We all wanted to be the ones who were doing the crowing afterwards.”
“This time it was our turn to wear green jerseys… Again, we were on our best behaviour. Some lunatic in the crowd chucked a missile and the fans actually caught the guy and passed him over to the police. It was he most sensible reaction I ever saw from a crowd.”
“I can well remember big Mick Kearns leaving his line and calling loudly: ‘Keepers ball.’ But he made a fatal mistake. He did not move to gather the ball and I nipped in from of him and glanced a header into the net. The goal was at the Kop end, and the crowd adored it. You see, we’d gone out looking the underdogs. I knew there and then that we had won the match and if the fans were happy, the players were delirious. We had done a professional job. Our pride was intact.”
“It was after the game that Danny Blanchflower resigned… Ten minutes after the game Danny revealed in the dressing room ‘”This is goodbye, lads. I’m resigning.'” We were stunned. After such a victory it was the last thing we expected to hear. There were tears shed.”
“Danny was unlike any other manager – a bit of a mystic and dreamer. But his love of the game was obvious and we loved him. The match was forgotten as he went round shaking hands. I was especially sad as Danny had given me my chance in the team. I’ll never forget him saying before my debut – ‘”Go out and enjoy it. I picked you so I take the responsibility.'”
Photographer: Roy Smyth
20/11/1963 London England 3-8 Johnny Crossan, Sammy Wilson (2)
Harry Gregg, Jimmy Magill, John Parke, Martin Harvey, Terry Neill, Billy McCullough, Billy Bingham, Billy Humphries, Sammy Wilson, Johnny Crossan, Jimmy Hill
This was the first Wembley international ever to be played entirely under floodlights, and England celebrated the occasion with an enormous win. After a slow start to the Alf Ramsey era, England now had six wins in a row, and this was another magnificent performance. Ireland’s typically brave and wholehearted performance was reflected in the fact that they scored the last goal of the game, but England at times ripped them apart. The right-sided duo of Paine and Greaves, who scored seven goals between them, were especially deadly. It was Milne and Eastham, though, in the midfield of England’s 4-2-4, who were the catalyst for most of the home side’s good work.
England were ahead inside two minutes. Moore fed Charlton who jinked past two men, then held the ball up awaiting the run of Paine, who then scored confidently. Greaves soon hit a post, but Ireland had good chances to equalise – Wilson being foiled first by a Banks save, then by a Thomson tackle. Once Greaves had got on the end of a flowing forward movement to skip past Gregg and make it two, there was only going to be one winner. Within minutes, he had scored again, trapping the ball, then slotting the ball in impudently. Paine, at the near post, then touched home an Eastham cross for 4-0. When Crossan dived to head Magill’s cross past Banks though, it produced probably the loudest cheer of the half.
After the break, England immediately continued where they had left off. Paine set up Smith to head the fifth, but Wilson scored from Harvey’s through-ball to make it 5-2. Greaves completed his hat-trick with a thumping shot into the roof of the net. Not to be outdone, Paine took only a further minute to score his own third, a netbuster from an angle after good work from Eastham and Armfield. Another wonderful team move was finished by the left foot of Greaves for England’s eighth, before Wilson had the final say, forcing the ball home at the second attempt, following a corner.
Posted in Match Date, November
Tagged 20/11/1963, 20th Nov, 20th November, England, Johnny Crossan, London, Match, Sammy Wilson, Today In Our Footballing History
19/11/2008 Belfast Hungary 0-2
Maik Taylor (Jonathan Tuffey), Chris Baird, Jonathan Evans, Michael Duff (Niall McGinn), Ryan McGivern, Keith Gillespie, Michael O’Connor (Dean Shiels), Sammy Clingan, Chris Brunt (Martin Paterson), Kyle Lafferty (Warren Feeney), David Healy (Peter Thompson)
Nigel Worthington –
“It was hugely disappointing, very poor – there was a lack of energy, a lack of imagination from my team. It was 40 minutes before we put four passes together. If we turn up in that condition and that frame of mind we might just get a big disappointment in San Marino [in February’s World Cup qualifier].”
“It was very evident that we had players out there tonight who are not playing for their teams that need to put more work in, simple as that. It’s between players and the clubs whether they move or not but they have to do extra work at their clubs because the performance tonight was disappointing, very disappointing.
“There’s a transfer window coming up and I thought it was a tremendous stage for some of them to put in a performance. It is straightforward, black and white. It was embarrassing. We have short-changed the fans, especially with Christmas coming up. That’s as bad a performance as I’ve had since taking charge.”
Worthington hits out at players.
Posted in Match Date, November
Tagged 19/11/2008, 19th Nov, 19th november, Belfast, Hungary, Match, Today In Our Footballing History
18/11/1981 Belfast Israel 1-0 Gerry Armstrong
Pat Jennings, Jimmy Nicholl, Mal Donaghy, Chris Nicholl, John O’Neill, David McCreery, Noel Brotherston, Tommy Cassidy, Billy Hamilton, Gerry Armstrong, Sammy McIlroy
40,000 packed into Windsor Park to watch the Irish confirm their place in the Finals. Needing only a draw, they made certain of qualification when Gerry Armstrong scored, what proved to be, the only goal of the game after 27 minutes. A free-kick wide on the right was floated into the area by Jimmy Nicholl and Billy Hamilton rose above the defence to nod the ball down and Armstrong met it first time on the turn and the Irish had their lead. This Armstrong/Hamilton partnership was becoming crucial to the team’s success, and more was to come.
Northern Ireland had qualified and conceding just 3 goals. Bingham had tightened up the defence and this proved to be the cornerstone to their success. In the previous twelve months before he took over they’d conceded 17 goals in 8 matches.
The draw for the finals in Spain was held on 16th January 1982. The 24 qualifiers would be drawn into six groups. Northern Ireland was drawn into Group Five along with hosts, Spain, Yugoslavia, and first time qualifiers, Honduras. With two to qualify, everyone was expected to beat Honduras, so the Irish knew they needed to get something out of the Spanish or Yugoslav games in order to progress.
Author: Pete Spencer
Source: franklymrspencer.blogspot.co.uk
Down Memory Lane: How Gerry Armstrong rocked the Kop to fulfil our dreams.
Armstrong Clinches Place For Ireland
![100 Years of Irish Football by Malcolm Brodie [Blackstaff Press Ltd (Jun 1980)]](https://northernirelandstatistics.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/1981_northernireland_israel.jpg)
100 Years of Irish Football by Malcolm Brodie [Blackstaff Press Ltd (Jun 1980)]
Northern Ireland Footballing Greats
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The Formation and History of the Irish Football Association
Founded in the Queens Hotel, Belfast back on 18th November 1880 the Irish Football Association is the fourth oldest governing body in the world behind the other three home associations.
At the invitation of Cliftonville Football Club, clubs in Belfast and District created a unifying constitution and set of rules, adhering to those laid down by the Scottish Football Association which had been formed seven years earlier in 1873.
The aims of this embryonic organisation were to promote, foster and develop the game of football throughout Ireland. The new association elected as its first President, Major Spencer Chichester and agreed to stage an annual Challenge Cup Competition which would later be known as ‘The Irish Cup’.
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It is said that Scottish sailors in Coleraine, while waiting for their cargo to be loaded, first played football in Ireland. This may be fact but one name will be always be linked with the origins of organised football on the island, John McAlery.
McAlery was reputed to be on his honeymoon in Scotland when he came across a group of youngsters playing football, a game which was then strange to him. He took the time to learn something of it and then armed with the rules of this new sport, he set about introducing it to Ireland. Personally I could have found other things to do on honeymoon, but I guess this was Victorian Britain.
At McAlery’s invitation, two of Scotland’s leading clubs at the time, Queens Park and Caledonians, came to Belfast to play an exhibition match at the Ulster Cricket Ground on the 24th October 1878. The reaction from the general public to the fixture seemed to be enthusiastic.
McAlery was there to capitalise on that enthusiasm. He went on a soccer pilgrimage throughout Ulster and as a result of his fervent preaching was the establishment of Irelands first club, Cliftonville FC. They were followed by Ulster FC and gradually other clubs sprung up.
The growing popularity of football demanded further organisation and once again McAlery stepped into the picture. He convened a major meeting at the Queens Hotel in Belfast on the 18th November 1880 and from this came the formation of the Irish Football Association. McAlery was the Association’s first secretary with Major Spencer Chichester the first President.
Fifteen months later on the 18th February 1882, Ireland played their first international game. England were the opposition at Knock FC in Bloomfield east Belfast, and ran out 13-0. Ireland’s hapless captain was, yes you guess it, John McAlery!
Meanwhile in the south of the country football was slowly catching on. In 1883 Dublin Association were formed and later that year played Dublin University in Dublin’s first football game.
Belfast and the Northeast of Ireland was the hotbed of football although Dublin was the capital of the country. Dublin didn’t host an international game until St Patrick’s Day 1900, a 2-0 defeat by England. Only one southern Irish player made the team that day and Ireland wore blue shirts with a shamrock badge. In fact up until the First World War, Dublin only hosted 5 out of the 42 home international games Ireland played. The IFA became affiliated to FIFA in 1911.
In 1913 Ireland gained their first long awaited win over England. A year later they then recorded their first Home International Championship, recording wins over England and Wales and a draw against Scotland.
The years during and following the First World War saw major changes on the island of Ireland. Political relationships between north and south Ireland were strained to breaking point eventually leading to island to split. The creation of independent parliaments in Belfast and Dublin after the dividing of the island into Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State in 1921 also meant changes to the football hierarchy. The Football Association of Ireland based in Dublin was formed on the 1st September 1921. This came about after a series of incidents:
The Intermediate Cup holders, St James’s Gate refused to defend the trophy after the IFA reneged a decision to play the final in Dublin due to civil unrest in the south. The Irish Cup Final was thrown into turmoil after Shelbourne would not travel to Belfast for their replay with Glentoran. Northern players refused to leave the dressing room for an amateur international against France in Dublin after spotting nationalist flags in the crowd. For two years the FAI remained without recognition. However following a meeting of the International Board comprising of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland, meaning the Belfast based IFA, they were granted recognition. This was on the condition that their name would be changed to the Football Association of the Irish Free State. Later that year in August 1923 the FAIFS was accepted into membership of FIFA.
The 1920’s and 1930’s are not recalled with relish by supporters. A committee was selecting the players and therefore the team suffered, the only highlight of that period was the 7-0 demolition of Wales in 1930. Joe Bramick of Linfield scored six of the goals. In 1931 the IFA change their shirt colour from blue to green.
By now the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland should have been separate entities as far as international competition was concerned. This was not the case however; the IFA in Belfast was able to continue to pick players from the Free State. Tom Farquharson, who had been capped by both Ireland (Northern) and the Free State in the 1920’s declared in 1931 that he no longer wished to be picked for Ireland (Northern). This didn’t alter the situation and even after the Second World War the IFA continued to pick players from the Free State. In 1946 Johnny Carey of Manchester United played for both countries against England within 3 days of each other!
In 1949 the Free State declared itself a republic, the FAIFS was then able to get an undertaking from all of its members that they would not play for any country other than the Republic of Ireland. FIFA then cleared up the last bone of contention between the two Irish Associations. There had been constant confusion and bitterness over the fact that both North and South insisted on being called Ireland. FIFA ruled that from then on the IFA would use the name Northern Ireland and the FAI would use the name Republic of Ireland. 1954 saw the IFA become affiliated to UEFA.
The post war years where a boom time for the crowds at Northern Ireland games with 50000 plus the norm. In August 1951 Peter Doherty was appointed as team manager and after a couple of years of hard work, patience and enthusiasm he turns the fortunes of Northern Ireland side around. With a team including such great as Harry Gregg, the Blanchflower brothers, Bertie Peacock, Billy Bingham, Peter McParland and Jimmy McIlroy, Northern Ireland defeated England at Wembley for the first time and qualified for the 1958 World Cup.
The defeat of England at Wembley was a tribute to Danny Blanchflowers captaincy. Twice he ordered tactical dispositions on the field in response to the changing phases of the game. Sammy McCrory of Southend Utd scored the second Northern Ireland goal. In that mornings papers Duncan Edwards of England had asked “What is an old man like McCrory doing in a game like this?” “Not bad for an old man eh?” McCrory said as he passed Edwards on his way back to the centre after the goal. This was McCrory’s, then aged 33, one and only appearance for Northern Ireland. Three months later Edwards was killed in the Munich air crash and Harry Gregg and Jackie Blanchflower’s injured.
The 1958 World Cup in Sweden saw Northern Ireland reach the quarterfinals. Their first round group contained Czechoslovakia, West Germany, and Argentina. After beating Czechoslovakia 1-0 they were defeated 3-1 by Argentina, a 2-2 draw against the West Germans meant a play off against the Czechs, the winner getting a quarterfinal place. Northern Ireland won 2-1 despite Uprichard in nets playing with a broken hand and an injured ankle. The tired, injury-ridden side went into the quarter final against France and not surprisingly lost 4-0.
Peter Doherty retired in 1961 and Bertie Peacock took over after Danny Blanchflower had turned the job down. It was Peacock who introduced George Best to international football, he stated “Harry Gregg was really responsible, for he kept telling me what a wonderful player Best was. After his first game against Wales at Swansea it was easy to see that he was going to be one of the world’s greatest players.”
Equally self-effacing was his admission that he was to blame for the failure to qualify for the 1966 World Cup. A win against nonentity’s Albania would have meant a play off with Switzerland. “I made a terrible mistake” Peacock confessed, “I watched Albania in Holland and Switzerland but I should have gone to see them in Albania. We were not prepared for the conditions. If I had known we would have taken our own food, because the players couldn’t eat the food they got and therefore weren’t in the right mood for the game.” A 1-1 draw in a comic opera game, ruined by a fussy Bulgarian referee who made George Best stand to attention when he spoke to him, put us out. Even then the team tried to keep spirits high. A singsong was arranged in the team’s hotel in Tirana, the only hotel in the city then, but an Albanian official who announced that singing was strictly forbidden silenced even this!
Peacock resignation in 1967 saw Billy Bingham take over. After resounding victories over Turkey home and away, and a home draw with the Russians a 2-0 away defeat ended the Mexico 70 dream. Bingham stayed for another year before moving overseas to manage the Greek national side.
Terry Neill then player manager of Hull City took over the running of the side in 1971. Neill also had the honour of scoring the winner over England at Wembley in 1972. Northern Ireland football was entering perhaps its most difficult phase as Neill took over. Due to the civil conflict between 1972 and 1975 the international side was unable to play it’s home games in Belfast. Such English cities as Hull, Liverpool, Coventry, Sheffield and London all played host to Northern Ireland ‘home’ games.
Neill’s contract wasn’t renewed as he had commitments with Spurs and in 1975 Dave Clements took over. Clements management saw the return of international football to Windsor Park with a 1-0 win over Yugoslavia in April 1975. The following month England and Wales returned, the Scots didn’t return until 1980. After a disastrous Home International campaign in the spring of 1976, 3 defeats and no goals scored, Clements resigned. In March of that year he had joined New York Cosmos, playing along side Pele, and unsuccessfully tried running the team from the states.
Danny Blanchflower arrived that summer and in his first game in charge provided the highlight of the seventies. In a World Cup qualifier against the Dutch in October 1976 Northern Ireland came away with a 2-2 draw. This was against a Holland team that included Cruyff, Krol and Neeskens. Typical Northern Ireland however, 8 months later in the same qualifiers, they lost to Iceland.
The end of the seventies saw Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland drawn together in a European Championship qualifying group. In Dublin on the 20th September 1978 the first game between to two teams in Ireland ended in a 0-0 draw, by all accounts a dull encounter. Off the pitch the game passed off peacefully apart from a few minor incidents. The 2000 travelling Northern Ireland fans booed the Soldiers Song and chanted “What a load of rubbish” at the Irish police band! A year later in Belfast, a single Gerry Armstrong goal separated the sides after a thrilling end to end encounter. Gerry Daly needed 3 stitches in a head wound after he was felled from an object thrown from the crowd. The Republic failed to bring a single supporter to the game. This victory also saw the departure of Blanchflower and in 1980 the reappointment of Billy Bingham as manager.
An away 0-0 World Cup draw in Israel in his first game in charge gave little hint of what was to follow. That spring, for the first time in 66 years, Northern Ireland won the Home International Championship. In the IFA centenary year a victory over Scotland a draw with England and a victory in Wales clinched the title for Northern Ireland. After a summer tour of Australia the squad returned to World Cup business and in November 1981 in front of 40000 Bingham guided Northern Ireland to a 1-0 victory over Israel to qualify for the World Cup in Spain the following year.
Northern Ireland’s World Cup adventures in Spain started with two draws, Yugoslavia 0-0 and Honduras 1-1. The Yugoslavia game saw Bingham include Norman Whiteside in the team. Whiteside became the youngest player ever to play in the World Cup finals, he was only 17 and 51 days, younger than Pele in Sweden 58. Spain, the hosts, stood between Northern Ireland and the second round. On the 25th of June 1982 in the Luis Casanova Stadium Valencia, for my generation, was Northern Irelands greatest 90 minutes. A partisan crowd, a referee who didn’t know what he was doing, and down to 10 men for most of the second half Northern Ireland won 1-0. Gerry Armstrong scoring just after the start of the second half.
The second round in Spain saw Northern Ireland drawn with Austria and France. A 2-2 draw against the Austrians meant that victory over France would see Northern Ireland in the World Cup semi finals, 1958 all over again. An early Martin O’Neill goal was ruled out unfairly for offside and Northern Ireland then went on to lose 4-1. The dream was over.
Bingham had taken Northern Ireland to another level in world football but it was to get better. West Germany, the World Cup runners up, came to Belfast in November 82 and for the first time in their history were beaten in a qualifying game for a major championship. Ian Stewart scoring the only goal of the game. In the return game of the Euro 84 qualifiers they were beaten again 1-0 in Hamburg, Whiteside scoring. Typical Northern Ireland but, a draw in Albania and a defeat in Turkey meant they missed out on Euro 84 by goal difference.
1984 saw the final Home International Championship. A victory over Scotland a defeat by England and a draw against the Welsh left Northern Ireland on 3 points. A draw between Scotland and England also left them on 3 points. As this was the last championship it had been decided that for the first time goal difference would be used to decided the winners. Northern Ireland having scored 3 and conceded 2 goals were crowned British Champions.
The Mexico 86 qualifying started with a defeat in Finland. Home wins over Rumania, Turkey and Finland followed leaving us needing 3 points from the final two games. Unfortunately these 2 games were away to Rumania and England. An unexpected 1-0 win in Bucharest meant we went to Wembley needing only a draw against the English. Battling against constant English pressure Northern Ireland held on to draw 0-0 and qualify for Mexico 86.
Mexico saw the end of six glorious years as a Northern Ireland supporter. A draw with Algeria in the opening game was followed by defeats from Spain and Brazil. The Brazil game also saw the retirement of Pat Jennings from the Northern Ireland goal after 119 caps. At that time a world record.
With many of the team joining Jennings in retirement after Mexico the team went into a downward spiral. Euro 88, Italia 90, Euro 92 and USA 94 came and went without us getting anywhere near the finals. This period also saw our lowest ever crowds, sometimes lower than 4000, and such delights as 1-1 home draws against the Faroe Islands. Looking back over that period the only highlight was a 1-1 draw against the Germans in Bremen prior to Euro 92. It was that bad! Bingham retired after a 1-1 draw against the Republic just failed to stop them qualifying for USA 94. With hindsight perhaps Bingham lived on the glory years of the early eighties too long.
Bryan Hamilton took charge in 1994 and over saw some bizarre results which have now become Northern Ireland trade mark. The Euro 96 qualifiers saw us beat Austria in Vienna and then get hammered by the republic at home. We then drew with them in Dublin, beat Latvia away and then lost at home to them. We then went to Portugal, drew 1-1 and then beat Austria 5-3 in Belfast. The 5-3 Austria game, played in a downpour, was the best performance supporters had seen by the team in recent years. As it was, the defeat by Latvia cost Northern Ireland a play off spot for Euro 96.
The failed France 98 campaign ended Hamilton reign and provided us with yet more bizarre results. 1-1 at home against Armenia followed by holding the Germans, European Champions at the time, 1-1 in Nuremberg. The result sealed Hamilton’s fate was the defeat away to Albania. Played in Zurich due to internal problems in Albania, Northern Ireland lost 1-0. After the defeat in Portugal a month later Hamilton was told his contract was not going to be renewed.
Supporters were split on the decision, some feeling he should have been given another chance. Unfortunately Hamilton wasn’t strict enough with the players and discipline was lacking in the squad. Players seemed to be treating away games as a chance of a piss-up. This was reflected by the results.
Spring 1998 saw the appointment of Northern Irelands first ‘foreign’ coach, Englishman Lawrie McMenemy assited by Joe Jordan and Pat Jennings. Once again supporters were split, one side pointing out as assistant to Taylor at England he failed, the other saying that he was enthusiastic and would being discipline to the squad. At first results were favourable, defeats of Switzerland and Slovakia but the Euro 2000 group games started with defeat, 3-0 in Turkey. Hopes were raised with a 1-0 home victory over Finland. A 2-2 home draw against Moldova followed by a hiding from Germany and a 0-0 away draw in Moldova saw the Euro 2000 chance gone.
An injury time equaliser in a friendly against Canada saw the first signs of disquiet from supporters but a win over the Republic in Dublin in another ‘friendly’ has lifted expectations once again. The final three games in the Euro 2000 qualifiers all finished in heavy defeats. 0-3 at home to Turkey and 4-0 and 4-1 away to Germany and Finland.
Although the IFA offered to extend the contract of McMenemy, he declined. At the end of November 1999 the mangers job was open to application. On the 4th of January 2000 it was annouced that 88 time capped Sammy McIlroy was to be the next Northern Ireland manager.
January 2000
Author: Unknown
Source: ourweecountry.co.uk
17/11/1982 Belfast West Germany 1-0 Ian Stewart
Jim Platt, Jimmy Nicholl, Mal Donaghy, John O’Neill, John McClelland, Ian Stewart, Norman Whiteside, Martin O’Neill, Billy Hamilton, Sammy McIlroy, Noel Brotherston
Coming off the back of a Quarter-Final place at the World Cup that Summer defeating the hosts Spain in the process, you could be forgiven to believe that things couldn’t get any better for the Northern Ireland football side. However, the great form carried on into the 1984 European Nations Cup qualifiers and the best example came on a rain swept Windsor Park against West Germany the current European Nations Cup champions and previous victors against England the previous month at Wembley. Northern Ireland themselves had lost away to Austria in their first qualifying match.
Prior to kick-off Billy Bingham had followed the West German star Karl-Heinz Rummenigge out onto the soaking Windsor Park pitch: “There he was … this Rummenigge, with his lovely suede shoes and his lovely suit, his hair slicked back, squelching onto Windsor Park. His shoes went slosh, slosh, the water was coming over his heel, and I followed him all the way out. His face was a picture of misery, and I came back into the dressing room with the rest of the players and said, ‘They don’t want to know. Put them down on their arses in the wet. They see this as the worst place they could possibly come to.’”
From the onset Northern Ireland took Bingham’s words onboard and went on the offensive. Northern Ireland nearly scored as a Noel Brotherston took a short corner to Martin O’Neill and crossed to John O’Neill, whose shot hit the upright of Harald Schumacher’s goal.
Norman Whiteside nearly scored as he cut inside from the left and hit a 35 yard left-foot drive that Schumacher could only push out as he was unable to collect the ball due to the ferocity of the shot. It wasn’t long however, until Northern Ireland scored. A Jimmy Nicholl long cross ball to Billy Hamilton who subsequently flicked the ball into the path of Ian Stewart on the edge of the box. Stewart took the ball round Manny Kaltz before rolling the ball into the net.
Northern Ireland still dominated for most of the remaining first half but the West Germands did have their moments. The German winger Pierre Littbarski was the source of West Germany’s attack. In one play he beat four Northern Irish players on the left wing and took a shot on goal but goalkeeper Jim Platt was able to tip his shot over the crossbar. Lothar Mattaus and Hans-Peter Briegel also brought saves out of Platt but Northern Ireland were able to finish the half still a goal in front.
The West Germans started the second half with some urgency. Littbarski had a goal ruled out correctly for being offside, but Northern Ireland also had more opportunities of their own, none more so than through Billy Hamilton who missed a great chance to double Northern Ireland’s advantage.
The home side were never outplayed even with intense pressure from the Germans especially in the final 10 minutes of the match as they sought an equaliser. The heavy rain and subsequent soaked pitch didn’t help the Germans and their slick passing game, but they couldn’t use this as an excuse at the end of the game. Northern Ireland held on for a famous victory and those fans who were soaked to the skin didn’t care as they celebrated with their flags and songs.
It is interesting to note the Northern Ireland bench for this match and that Billy Bingham did not feel the need to use any of the players sitting beside him during the game. Pat Jennings, Chris Nicholl, David McCreery, Tom Finney and Nigel Worthington who were all great players in their own right were not required in defeating the mighty West Germans that night.
Jupp Derwall (West Germany Coach) – “My congratulations tone Northern Ireland team. They played fighting football and maintained it throughout he match, and by dedicating themselves to a total fight they made it very hard for us. Perhaps we couldn’t quite cope with the the extreme, Irish fighting spirit while conditions [heavy rain] were possibly against our style of play. We had too many stray passes. [Ian] Stewart’s goal was a beautiful one. I have no excuses. This was the team that I would field against any opposition.”
Ian Stewart (Northern Ireland Goal Scorer) – “It gave me a lot of satisfaction, but it was a great team performance … there were no failures on the night. West Germany were the European champions and were beaten in the final of the World Cup … they were quite a side.”
Source: Magheramesk
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Football Came Home
In 1980, the then West Germans were crowned European Champions in Italy, with a highly accomplished team, that 2 years later were to become runners up in the World Cup. Many of the stars of this German team were world renowned, and included such famous names as Rummenigge, Allofs, Littbarski, a young Voller and an even younger Matthaeus, and of course the infamous Schumacher. Norn Iron were due to meet this German side in their first Euro home fixture in late 1982.
Norn Iron also had a famous side in this year, with their performances in the World Cup becoming legendary. However, a defeat in their first match of the Euro campaign (Austria 0-2), had both the critics and some fans doubting their ability to continue the form shown in Spain. Some even believed that the World Cup exploits were a one off. However, all the doubters were to be silenced yet again, at a rainswept Windsor Park in November 1982.
The build up to the game was quite intense, as a few weeks before the Germans beat England 2-1 in a friendly match at Wembley, with their striker Rummenigge getting both goals. This result only furthered the writing off of Norn Iron’s chances. In terms of attractiveness, this game was one of the biggest for years in Belfast, with the Germans boasting a tremendous track record. But more importantly it was Norn Iron’s homecoming, their first game home since the heroics of Spain, and it was sure to be a momentous occasion.
Like many a youth at that time, I had an interest in this game and was going to make sure I was at it. I was planning it 3 weeks before, foremost was the arrangements with the mates, because everyone appeared to be going and speculating about this match. Then there was the question of parents consent, as a 12 year old this was necessary. The tactic employed was playing one parent against the other. “But dad… mum says it’s alright,… well, if she says so, then I suppose it’s ok!” and vice versa.In the few days prior to the match, public interest in the game increased, but for me personally, on match day things really got cooking. All day at school, it was on my mind, with class mates talking about it. After getting home from school, I called on the mates to see who all was allowed to go.
There were 3 of us going and we arranged to meet up later. Once I had finished my paper round, I threw my ‘Tele-Sack’ into the house, grabbed a quick bite to eat, and then tried to leg it. However, my dad had just returned from work in the shipyard, and read me the riot act, warning me that if I saw any trouble, to steer clear. (These words were repeated on match night for many a year!) Likewise I was reminded that Northern Ireland wore green & white – and not to take any Linfield scarves.
I eventually got away, met up with the friends and hastily boarded a Citybus, in this era of public transport, fraudulent practises were common place, with double stamping one’s bus ticket the most common, but tonight we weren’t taking any risks as getting to the match on time was essential. After arriving at the city hall, the wait for the Donegal Road bus seemed forever, but there was a good crowd going to Windsor on this bus, and it was no time before it reached Donegal Avenue. Kick off was fast approaching and there was an urgency to get off the bus. Like many other younger fans, me and the mates bombed up Donegal Ave. once we seen the glare of the floodlights and heard the Windsor roar.
Donegal Ave was crowded with match goers, and at the Windsor Park end, the traders were cleaning up. A new scarf and the biggest flag I could buy, were bought with the money I had saved for this match. Once purchased, the running began once more, only this time to the Spion Kop via Olympia Drive. After a long queue at the turnstiles we got into the ground just after kick off. The ground was packed and there were still more outside. The attendance was 30000, but with kids doubling up, more likely 35000 a realistic figure. (A far cry from the big gates of 10000 nowadays!)
Windsor was rainswept, but the atmosphere was terrific with a party feel to it in view of the Spain World Cup heroics. After a few early scares, the home team settled, and the crowd cheered on the World Cup heroes. In particular Whiteside who was making his home debut. An unknown Ian Stewart was also making a home debut.
We decided to move from the Kop end, onto the Olympia Terracing where some of our friend were. For all you youngsters reading this, the Olympia Terracing was where the North Stand is now. The name of the game was to get yourself seen at the match, and hopefully on T.V. Once through the gates of Olympia Terracing, we found a good view at the Kop end, and stated to watch the game in detail. This was well timed, because almost immediately, about 20 minutes into the game Ian Stewart intercepted a ball on the left hand edge of the box, attacking the railway end. His back was facing us, and I clearly remember seeing him strike the ball from over 20 yards. I recall thinking to myself, He’s not going to try and score from that distance, but I followed the ball, as it bobbled under Schumacher. The crowd had been cheering him on up until he took his shot, but once it hit the back of the net, Windsor erupted and all hell broke loose!
Like everyone else, I jumped like a lunatic, but being small, I was smothered by the crowd, and carried about 6 terraces down towards the pitch. As usual when a goal is scored against the Germans, the cheering and celebrations seemed to last forever. Ian Stewart ran towards the Olympia end and this added more fuel to the celebrations. Amazingly, we were beating the clear favourites, Germany, and the Spain 82 celebrations were continuing yet again, only this time at a rainswept and deafening Windsor Park. The party was now, literally in full swing! To be honest, I can never recall an atmosphere like it at Windsor, and perhaps I never will.
This was the acid test to see how far Norn Iron had come in world football, and we were winning. Both this, and the crowds celebrations further inspired the team, and they responded by playing some great football. The first half came to a close with Norn Iron in the lead. At the interval the celebrations were continuing, even at the burger stands. Everyone seemed to be singing.
The 2nd half just got better, as we were giving the Germans a hell of a game, and as usual the fans couldn’t get enough. Every move was cheered. “Norn Iron were beating the mighty Germans in every department, where the home fans were able to pour scorn on the champions of Europe, particularly Rummenigge.” Ronnie Hanna in Six Glorious Years. The polite way to say they were chanting “Rummenigge’s wife’s a whore”!
The last 10 minutes or so were very tense as the Germans attacked. However, yet again Binghams boys held out, and victory was achieved. The roar at the final whistle was immense, and the atmosphere reflected the whole game, one big celebration! Jimmy McIlroy reminded everyone that we had just beaten the second best team in the world and the Champions of Europe. Jurp Durwall, the German manager, said his strongest team was beaten by a superb Norn Iron performance and a fine goal.
After the match, we set off on our traditional route (via Donegall Ave. and Donegall Road) into the centre of town. We sang every Norn Iron football song over and over again, everyone seemed to be singing and celebrating. Perhaps the most satisfaction was gained when people stopped us to ask the score of the match. ‘We beat them 1-0’, we proudly replied, the look on their faces.
When we reached the city centre it was a mass of fans. Every bus stop was occupied by bus loads and queues of fans waiting to go home (how times have changed!). Our Cliftonville Road bus was packed, with the match being the topic of conversation. We had a safe journey home, no bricks though the windows, and the highlights of the game were watched by me and my family on Sportsnight.
Going to school the next morning was difficult. My throat ached, my voice was hoarse, a slight cold was gained and no homework had been done. As expected the first class of the day was spent talking about the match, who was at it, the goal etc. As the morning went by, it was forgot about to a slight degree, as everyday school goings on took over. During the lunch break, a commotion took place in the playground. Like most other pupils, me and the mates ran over to witness what we thought was a fair dig! But to our surprise it was Norn Iron’s new hero, Ian Stewart, trying to make his way to the staff common room in the French block.
This was quite a surprise, and it was soon discovered that Ian was a past pupil at Belfast Inst. and had left at 16 to pursue a successful football career. Like many other pupils, I queued beside Ian outside the staff room, hoping to get an autograph, but there was a mass of bigger pupils pushing to the front, and I was a little lost. At school we had record cards which teachers signed for misbehaviour etc. and mine was already well autographed 2 ½ months into term. Every pupil was trying to get theirs signed, and this signature would have been one on mine I would have welcomed.
One of the teachers realised the situation and came out of the staff room and called time and Ian was brought into the staff room. Like many others I hung around, but to no avail. When Ian was brought out again he was ushered away and I never did get his autograph. Although a little disappointed, I knew that unlike some who did get an autograph, I was at the game, and the memories were worth more than any autograph.
Later that evening when I was doing my paper round, the front page of the Telegraph had a picture of Ian in a pose in Top Man, Belfast, with his tracksuit on, and described his goal and new hero status. Like many a soccer star, Ian’s goal made him, but more importantly it helped change Norn Iron’s status in world soccer. After Spain and the success achieved, the German game was the acid test to see how far we had come in world football. Norn Iron unexpectedly delivered the goods and would continue to do so until 1986, with a further defeat of the Germans, another British Championship to retain forever and another World Cup. They continued to prove the critics wrong and gave the supporters of the team, in this era great memories.
It could be argued that if 1982 was the year when Norn Iron football came home, then the German match was the actual game in which it did so. We had witnessed the heroics in Spain and again we displayed them against one of the finest teams of this era and champions of Europe, West Germany.
Author: The Ballysillan Diehard
Source: ourweecountry.co.uk
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Northern Ireland Footballing Greats
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17/11/2007 Belfast Denmark 2-1 Warren Feeney, David Healy
Maik Taylor, Gareth McAuley, Aaron Hughes, Stephen Craigan, Jonathan Evans, Keith Gillespie (Ivan Sproule), Sammy Clingan, Steven Davis, Chris Brunt, Warren Feeney (Chris Baird), David Healy
David Healy: “The game against Denmark, when I broke the record for the number of goals scored in a European qualifying campaign, should never have taken place.”
“The conditions were atrocious with the rain pouring down on the pitch, but it was declared playable and we got down to business. I got our winner, chipping the ball over the goalkeeper into the net.”
“Some people asked me afterwards if I’d meant it, thinking it might be a cross. I definitely meant it. It was my 13th goal of the campaign, beating Davor Suker’s record, and it won the game for us.”
“What pleased me most was it kept our hopes of qualification for the Euro 2008 finals alive. A lot of our fans had booked to go over to Spain for the final qualifier and even though we didn’t make it in the end it was good that they travelled with a glimmer of hope.”
Suker salutes Healy scoring feat
Northern Ireland Footballing Greats
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17/11/1993 Belfast Republic of Ireland 1-1 Jimmy Quinn
Tommy Wright, Gary Fleming, Nigel Worthington, Gerry Taggart, Alan McDonald, Mal Donaghy, Jim Magilton, Kevin Wilson (Kingsley Black), Jimmy Quinn, Phil Gray (Iain Dowie), Michael Hughes
On 17 November 1993, Denmark started the day on top of their World Cup qualification group and ended it with elimination from the tournament.
Denmark, who were hoping to reach the World Cup for only the second time ever, were in Group 3 along with Spain, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Albania. With the top two spots securing passage to the World Cup, the Danes went into the final day of qualification at the top of the group, two points clear of their opponents Spain and one point ahead of Ireland, who were away to Northern Ireland.
The games kicked off at the same time. Playing in Seville, Denmark looked certain to reach the World Cup when Spain lost Andoni Zubizarreta to a red card in the tenth minute. But despite the advantage, they could not score and instead went down 1-0 in the 63rd minute with a goal from Fernando Hierro. The game in Belfast remained scoreless; in a live table, that combination dropped Denmark into the group’s third spot.
They got a reprieve, however, when Northern Ireland’s Jimmy Quinn scored in the 74th minute, pushing Denmark back ahead of the Republic for the second qualifying place. But Ireland’s Alan McLoughlin equalized four minutes later and the game ended 1-1.
Denmark’s 1-0 loss and Ireland’s draw put the two teams level on points and goal differential, but Ireland got the nod by having scored nineteen goals to Denmark’s fifteen. The Irish team reached the Round of 16 before losing to the Netherlands. Denmark, meanwhile, qualified for the 1998 tournament, where they made it all the way to the quarterfinals.
Source: tdifh.blogspot.co.uk
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Jimmy Quinn –
“It was a massive game for both teams – the Republic needed a result to get to the World Cup finals and we didn’t want to lose to them. It was Billy Bingham’s last game as manager of Northern Ireland and he’d brought all of the players in that squad through to the senior team. We’d done quite well at that time and got a few good results, but the last thing that we wanted to do was lose at Windsor Park in his last game as manager – particularly as he had done so much for us as players and for the country. We were nervous – people think that as professionals you don’t feel the pressure – but there was a bit of tension in the dressing room. I think Alan McDonald smoked a full packet of 20 cigarettes before the game because he kept disappearing into the toilets.”
“Stopping them going to the World Cup was part of the motivation too. If roles had been reversed they wouldn’t have been doing us any favours – I have no doubt about that. You play the game to win and we wanted to win the game. When you’re playing for your country that’s all you are focused on. We went into Belfast after the game and we didn’t have to buy a drink – there was champagne flowing everywhere.”
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Late Goal Puts Ireland in Finals
By JAMES F. CLARITY
Published: November 18, 1993With British soldiers patrolling outside Windsor Park and a tense crowd watching inside, the Irish Republic qualified for the World Cup finals tonight by scoring in the last 12 minutes for a 1-1 tie against Northern Ireland. But not before the Republic’s desperate players had been knocked to the seats of their bright green gaskins by a Northern Ireland goal five minutes earlier that had threatened to knock the Republic out of the finals.
As they came off the field, neither the players nor the 10,000 fans and 2,000 security police were sure whether the Republic’s tie was good enough to qualify for the World Cup.
“I was panicking,” said Tony Cascarino, a Republic striker. But within minutes, the results arrived from Seville, where Spain had just defeated Denmark, 1-0. That meant that the Republic and Denmark had finished the qualifying round with the same number of points, 18, and the same goal differential, 13. But the Republic qualified because it had scored 19 goals to 15 by Denmark, the European champion. The Irish Republic and Spain qualify in Group 3 for the finals in the United States next year. A Peaceful Night
There was no violence, but the Royal Ulster Constabulary, or police, and British soldiers in combat fatigues, armed with automatic rifles and riding in armored Land Rovers, patroled the area around Windsor Park, which is in a Protestant neighborhood where British flags hang proudly from windows. Police and Army barricades in the neighborhood caused large traffic jams. Fans entering the stadium were frisked politely.
Northern soccer authorities sought to prevent what is known here as “intersectarian violence” by not allocating any tickets to fans from the predominantly Roman Catholic Republic, so they wouldn’t be tempted to fight with northern fans of this British province of Ulster, which has a Protestant majority.
But fans from the Republic, who obtained several hundred tickets from friends and relatives in the North, mixed in and watched peacefully. The crowd numbered about 10,000 on this cold night and was necessarily tense and sober as both teams failed to score for the first 72 minutes and no alcohol was on sale. 2d Straight Trip to Finals
It was the second consecutive World Cup qualification for Ireland, which made the finals for the first time in the country’s history in 1990, when the Republic was eliminated in the quarterfinal round by Italy, 1-0. Tonight’s game was played after several psycho-battles by team officials and coaches — Jack Charlton, the Englishman who heads the Republic, and Billy Bingham, who was ending his 17-year career as Northern coach.
Bingham had claimed that the Republic was a team of “mercenaries” because most of the players were not born in Ireland, but England, and qualified for the Irish team on the basis of parents’ and grandparents’ citizenship.
The Republic’s soccer organization had tried to remove the Northern Ireland home-field advantage by getting the game moved to Manchester, England, where many of the Republic players work for English teams. The Republic officials argued that the ongoing guerrilla war in the North was a threat to the safety of its players.
The first half was dominated by the North, which attacked frequently down the flanks. The Republic goalkeeper, Packie Bonner, made several leaping saves of shots by Jimmy Quinn.
In the second half, the Republic swept in repeatedly, but failed to get the ball in position for its two strikers, Niall Quinn and John Aldridge. Then Quinn, the leading scorer in the English leagues, where he plays for Reading, made it 1-0. A Bingham substitute, Iain Dowie, looped a pass to Kevin Wilson, who kicked it back to Quinn some 15 feet in front of Bonner’s goal. The shot was high above the outstretched gloves of the goalkeeper.
But in the 78th minute, one of the Republic substitutes, Alan McLoughlin, took a long cross from the right after it bounced off a defender’s back and kicked it in low, from 20 yards out in front of the Northern Ireland goalkeeper, Tommy Wright.
Minutes after the game, McLoughlin, who plays for Portsmouth in England, was still panting when he said how he did it: “Chest, foot, in.” It was the shortest comment of the night, and the pithiest, from a Republic point of view.
Source: nytimes.com
Gentleman and a survivor: Eamon Dunphy meets Billy Bingham on the eve of his exit from football
We wanted to end Republic of Ireland’s World Cup USA dream: Jimmy Quinn
Alan McLoughlin on the goal that sealed Ireland’s World Cup place
Alan McLoughlin: ‘The night I justified my existence’
Northern Ireland vs Republic of Ireland 17/11/1993
Northern Ireland manager Billy Bingham has words with his Irish counterpart Jack Charlton
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Billy Stickland
Republic of Ireland vs Northern Ireland 17/11/1993
A view of the scoreboard at the end of the match
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Billy Stickland
16/11/1983 Hamburg West Germany 1-0 Norman Whiteside
Pat Jennings, Jimmy Nicholl, Mal Donaghy, Gerry McElhinney, John McClelland, Ian Stewart, Norman Whiteside, Martin O’Neill, Billy Hamilton, Gerry Armstrong, Paul Ramsey
This was the West Germany’s first home defeat by a European country in nearly 10 years. Hamburg itself had a greater population than the whole of Northern Ireland! West Germany had never suffered a home defeat in either European Championship or World Cup Qualifers in their history. Not only did Northern Ireland win in Hamburg through a Norman Whiteside goal and erase the unbeaten at home stat of the West Germans, they are still the only side to have ever beaten (West) Germany both home and away in qualifying matches.
As expected the West Germans had the better of the play with playmaker Karl Heinz Rummenigge bringing out a fine save from Pat Jennings.
Gerry McElhinney a third division player, was making his debut for Northern Ireland for which manager Billy Bingham was severely criticised for prior to the game for playing such an inexperienced player in a match of such magnitude. He started slowly but managed to take a foothold of the game with a great tackle on Norbert Meier who was in on goal. Ian Stewart who scoffed the wining goal a year previously in Belfast was again torturing the German right-back.
More world class saves from Jennings came after shots from Meier and Rummenigge respectively and another great tackle from McElhinney on Rummenigge kept Northern Ireland in the game up to half-time.
Northern Ireland scored on 50 minutes from ‘man-boy’ Norman Whiteside after great work on the left from Ian Stewart who cut in shot at goal. Schumacher was only able to parry the powerful shot into the path of Paul Ramsey who passed to Whiteside who fired the ball into the net.
As you would expect the West German’s stepped through the gears with great urgency but great teamwork, defence and the luck of the Irish held firm as Jimmy Nicholl cleared the ball off the line from Lothar Matthaus. The resulting counter-attack allowed Billy Hamilton in on goal but instead of shooting he tried to take the ball round Schumacher who smothered it.
The final whistle went the and small pocket of Northern Ireland fans went wild as did manager Billy Bingham just as they had done at Windsor Park a year earlier!
* Trivia
Unfortunately for Northern Ireland however, it was so close yet so far as a 0-0 draw the previous year against Albania allowed West Germany to win the group on goal difference as they defeated Albania at home in their final group game. However, Albania had taken a 23rd-minute lead through Tomori, who then got himself sent off before half-time. Karl Rummenigge had equalised within a minute of Albania’s goal, but Germany would have to wait until the 79th minute to seal the win and top the group. Northern Ireland manager Billy Bingham was gardening during the match as he didn’t want to be put through the stress of it all.
Author: Magheramesk
Jupp Derwall (West Germany Coach) –
“We just didn’t have the necessary firepower to get the game and the opposition under control. But then, who could have done that against a Northern Ireland team in this type of form?”
Billy Bingham (Northern Ireland Manager) –
“I put it alongside our win against Spain in Valencia. That was more important because it was the finals of the World Cup. Admittedly, this German team was a far superior one than the Spanish. To be honest we soaked up so much pressure I have to admit that we were a wee bit lucky. My heart fluttered too often for comfort. It was a strange experience to hear the German crowd 15 minutes from the end of the game chanting ‘Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland’. The match in Hamburg will live with me for all time. What a magic moment when [Norman] Whiteside scored after a long run by [Gerry] Armstrong, a cross from little Ian Stewart whose shot rebounded for Whiteside to put it into the net.”
Martin O’Neill (Northern Ireland Captain) –
“We just have the knack of playing better against the better sides.”
Ian Stewart (Northern Ireland Player) –
“I failed to score and that is one of my biggest regrets. I ran half the length of the pitch with the ball, but the keeper saved my shot and big Norman follows up to score. It was another super performance from the side … few teams boast a double victory over West Germany in the space of a year.”
Norman Whiteside (Northern Ireland Goal Scorer) –
“The Spain game in 1982 was a real highlight, but nobody who played in Hamburg will ever forget beating the Germans in their own backyard. I actually went up to Rummenigge during the warm-up and asked him if he would swap his shirt with me after the game. I’d never done that before, but there were 70,000 people in the stadium and I was just so taken by the atmosphere.”
“That [goal] certainly silenced the crowd. Karlheinz Forster hadn’t given me a kick up to that point – he had me in his pocket – but when Ian [Stewart] went on a mazy run down the left the ball fell for me and I managed to force the ball past Harold Schumacher.”
“I was lying in the bath after the game and Rummenigge arrived at the changing room. We were surprised to see him, but he asked if he could have my shirt. I couldn’t believe it. That was a great German side, but we managed to beat them twice in two years which was a fantastic feat. Ian Stewart scored the winner at Windsor and I remember he absolutely tortured Kaltz that night. We had a really good side back then and were unlucky not to pip the Germans for qualification to the Euro finals.”
Gerry McElhinney (Northern Ireland debutant) –
“It was easier than I had imagined. I had something to spare. I didn’t know until a couple of hours before the game that I was actually playing so I hadn’t time to fret. I never imagined for a moment that Billy Bingham intended to play me. I thought I was being brought along for the experience. It was only when I walked onto the pitch and saw the vast crowd that it eventually got to me. I had a few butterflies but settled as soon as the game got underway.”
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With Northern Ireland now thought to be out of contention, UTV only showed the Luxembourg v England match and it was left to BBC1 NI to screen highlights at some point. Bolton’s Gerry McElhinney made his international debut in this game, Norman Whiteside scored the shock winner on 50 after a fine run and shot by Stewart was parried by Schumacher and Ramsey’s follow up re-bounded off a defender to Whiteside who drove low into the net from 8 yards out. It was West Germany’s first home defeat to a European side for nine years, it was also the first time they had been beaten twice by the same opponents in Euro’s or World Cup qualifying group. The Irish now had to hope that the Germans would fail to beat Albania at home in the final group match four days later, Albania did take a surprise lead in that match on 22, the Germans equalised within a minute and Albania then had a man sent off just before half-time, but Northern Ireland were 11 minutes from qualifying until Gerhard Strack gave West Germany the points on 79 to qualify on goal difference.
Source: homepage.ntlworld.com/carousel
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… We took our excellent seats at the halfway line. For anyone who watched Norn Iron away in those days the plan was simple – flood the midfield, if that was breached, then the defence would hoof the ball as far as possible into the crowd. If the defence was breached, then we had Big Pat and if by some miracle they got past him we had Jimmy Nic, who could normally be relied on to be stood on the line where he could make one of his customary goal line clearances.
That part of the theory was simple, the hard part was crossing the half way line and putting the ball in their net. If we scored first it was goodnight Vienna, eh Hamburg. All we had to do was stare at the enormous clock, shitting yourself for the next 43 minutes. We always seemed to score in the 47th minute.
And so it came to pass. Not wanting to sicken the Krauts twice, Ian Stewart played a one-two off Schumacher and Big Norm was on hand to park off one of the greatest goal celebrations ever witnessed. Jimmy Quinn v. the UN, Armstrong ’82 and Dowie in Dublin, that type of celebration. If Glendinning hadn’t scored that goal in the ’93 cup final then Harry McCourt’s would be up in there, but I digress.
The 250 or so of us, plus the Irish rangers shouted themselves hoarse. 43 minuets later and 2 stone lighter Mr Palstai of Hungary blew the whistle and much to the relief of everyone around, particularly Karl Heinz Rummeniger’s wife, it was all over.
Pandemonium gave way to the sense of achievement. Germany’s first defeat by Ulstermen since Blair Mayne kicked their arses all those years ago. Shame on you if you don’t know who Blair Mayne is. Is suggest you get yourself a copy of “Colonel Paddy”, read it and pass it on. If enough people read it, he may still yet get that long overdue posthumous VC.
Author: Stephen Rowley
Bingham’s Irishmen Gain Victory Of The Decade
How Northern Ireland came within 10 minutes of qualifying for Euro 1984
Northern Ireland Footballing Greats
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16/11/1977 Belfast Belgium 3-0 Gerry Armstrong (2), Chris McGrath
Pat Jennings, Pat Rice, Sammy Nelson, Allan Hunter (Chris Nicholl), Jimmy Nicholl, David McCreery, David Stewart, Chris McGrath, Gerry Armstrong, Sammy McIlroy, Trevor Anderson
Author: Cunningham Peacock
Today In Northern Ireland's Footballing History 