Johnny Darling

Linfield's most capped player, Johnny Darling was a star of the Irish League over a twenty-year period...

Name: John Darling
Born: 30 October 1877, Belfast
Died: 8 February 1946, Belfast
Position: Forward/Half-Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 22 Full Caps/1 Goal (1897-1912), 1 Unofficial Cap (1902); Irish League: 16 Caps/2 Goals (1897-1911).
Club Honours: (with Linfield) Irish League Champion 1897/98, 1901/02, 1903/04, 1906/07, 1907/08, 1908/09, 1910/11, 1913/14; Irish Cup Winner 1897/98, 1889/99, 1901/02, 1903/04, 1911/12, 1912/13; Belfast City Cup Winner; Co. Antrim Shield Winner; Belfast Charities Cup Winner.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
Glentoran	-	-	-	*0/  0	-	-
Linfield	96/97-14/15	1894	-	*497/109	-	-
TOTALS	-	£-		-	-	-

* all games

Biography:
Born in the Ballymacarrett area of Belfast, Johnny Darling had been on the books of, the then locally situated, Glentoran before signing with Linfield in 1894. He spent nearly two decades in the Linfield team, claiming medals galore and representing Ireland and the Irish League in the process.

One of the earliest professionals in the Irish game, Darling also had the financial windfall of a testimonial at the end of his playing days, which netted him almost £300 - then a massive amount. He later served as President of Ormiston FC and Vice-President of Dundela.

Away from football, Darling ran a confectioners shop on the Newtownards Road. He passed away at his nearby home in 1946.

Full bio to follow.

East End Blue Linfield Supporters' Club

Ireland Cap Details:
20-02-1897 England. A L 0-6 BC
27-03-1897 Scotland A L 1-5 BC
03-03-1900 Scotland H L 0-3 BC
22-02-1902 Wales... A W 3-0 BC
01-03-1902 Scotland H L 1-3 BC
22-03-1902 England. H L 0-1 BC
09-08-1902 Scotland H L 0-3 FR
14-02-1903 England. A L 0-4 BC
21-03-1903 Scotland A W 2-0 BC
28-03-1903 Wales... H W 2-0 BC
25-02-1905 England. A D 1-1 BC
18-03-1905 Scotland A L 0-4 BC
08-04-1905 Wales... H D 2-2 BC
17-02-1906 England. H L 0-5 BC
17-03-1906 Scotland H L 0-1 BC
02-04-1906 Wales... A D 4-4 BC
11-04-1908 Wales... A W 1-0 BC
13-02-1909 England. A L 0-4 BC
12-02-1910 England. H D 1-1 BC
19-03-1910 Scotland H W 1-0 BC
11-04-1910 Wales... A L 1-4 BC 1 Goal
16-03-1912 Scotland H L 1-4 BC

Summary: 22/1. Won: 5, Drew 4, Lost 13.