Over forty players have made their debut for Northern Ireland before their twentieth birthdays. The following is a list of those that were under eighteen...Player............(Club)............Born.......Debut.........Age
Sam Johnston......Distillery.....18-09-1866..25-02-1882..15 Yr, 160 Dys*
Norman Whiteside..Manchester U...07-05-1965..17-06-1982..17 Yr, 41 Dys
Sam Burnison......Distillery.....30-11-1890..15-02-1908..17 Yr, 77 Dys
Norman Kernaghan..Belfast Celtic.21-12-1918..11-03-1936..17 Yr, 80 Dys
George Gaukrodger.Linfield.......07-12-1877..16-03-1895..17 Yr, 99 Dys*
William Gibson....Cliftonville...01-10-1876..24-02-1894..17 Yr, 146 Dys
Sammy McIlroy.....Manchester U...02-08-1954..16-02-1972..17 Yr, 198 Dys
Jim Nicholson.....Manchester U...27-02-1943..09-11-1960..17 Yr, 256 Dys
Tom Mulholland....Belfast Celtic.13-04-1888..17-02-1906..17 Yr, 310 Dys
Olphie Stanfield..Distillery.....26-02-1869..05-02-1887..17 Yr, 344 Dys
George Best.......Manchester U...22-04-1946..15-04-1964..17 Yr, 359 Dys
Norman Kernaghan..Belfast Celtic.??-??-1919..11-03-1936..17 Yr, ??? Dys *#
* Sam Johnston, George Gaukrodger and Norman Kernaghan all scored on their debuts, thus making them the youngest goalscorers in (Northern) Ireland's history.
The only other player to score an international goal for Ireland prior to his eighteenth birthday was William Gibson, who scored on his second appearance at the age of 17 years and 153 days.
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