Peter Farrell

Scorer in a famous win over England, but not for (Northern) Ireland, Peter Farrell’s dual-international feats do throw up some footballing oddities…

Name: Peter Desmond Farrell
Born: 16 August 1922, Dublin
Died: 16 March 1999, Dublin
Height: 5.08½ ft
Weight: 12.02 st
Position: Wing-Half

Representative Honours: Ireland: 7 Full Caps (1946-1949); Eire: 28 Full Caps/3 Goals (1946-1957).
Club Honours: (with Shamrock Rovers) FAI Cup Winner 1943/44, 1944/45, Runner-Up 1945/46; (with Everton) Football League Division Two Runner-Up 1953/54.

Club Career:
Shamrock Rovers (League of Ireland) 1939/40-1945/46; Everton (Football League) 1946/47-1956/57 (421/14 League, 31/4 FA Cup); Tranmere Rovers player-manager (Football League) 1957/58-1959/60 (114/1 League); Holyhead Town player-manager (Welsh League North).

Biography:
Peter Farrell began his senior footballing career with Shamrock Rovers, signing on his seventeenth birthday in August 1939. Through the Second World War he developed into one of the finest wing-halves in the League of Ireland, playing in three consecutive FAI Cup Finals from 1944-1946, winning the fist two.

Selected as captain of Eire on his debut, for their first post-War match, Farrell played left-half in a 3-1 defeat by Portugal in Lisbon in June 1946. That August Farrell and Tommy Eglington, a colleague for both club and country, were signed by Everton in a joint £10,000 deal. The pair were to spend a decade together at Goodison Park, playing a combined total of nearly 900 games.

By the time Farrell was first selected by the IFA the following November, he had taken his FAI cap total to three, and had already faced England. His first four Home Nations games ended in two wins and two draws, as Ireland got off to a flying start in the resumed Championship. His greatest match in a green shirt was however for the Dublin-based side. Until 21st September 1949 England had never been defeated by a ‘foreign’ nation on home soil. Playing at inside-forward on his ‘home’ ground, Goodison Park, Farrell found the net late in the game to make the score 2-0 to Eire.

As Everton were relegated in 1951 Farrell was awarded the club captaincy. He eventually led them to promotion from Division Two, as runners-up, in 1954. The previous year had seen the team run Bolton Wanderers close in the FA Cup semi-final, losing 4-3 at Maine Road. Farrell made his last appearance for the Toffees against Bolton in the final game of the 1956/57 season. The following October he moved across the Mersey in a £2,500 deal, to become player-manager of Tranmere Rovers. At Prenton Park he once again teamed up with Tommy Eglington.

After a poor run of results in the first half of the season, Farrell left Tranmere in December 1959. He then took charge of Holyhead Town, and with the help of some experienced ex-Everton and Tranmere colleagues, led them to the Welsh League North title. He later returned to Ireland where he managed Sligo Rovers and St Patrick’s Athletic.

Ireland Cap Details:
27-11-1946 Scotland A D 0-0 BC
16-04-1947 Wales... H W 2-1 BC
04-10-1947 Scotland H W 2-0 BC
05-11-1947 England. A D 2-2 BC
10-03-1948 Wales... A L 0-2 BC
09-10-1948 England. H L 2-6 BC
09-03-1949 Wales... H L 0-2 BC

Summary: 7/0. Won 2, Drew 2, Lost 3.

Hall of Fame - Good Old Boys

- Most Capped - Top Goalscorers - Youngest Players - Oldest Players -

- Premier Players - Cup Finalists - Award Winners - Million Pound Men -

- Dual Internationals - Captains - Goalkeepers - One Cap Wonders -

Northern Ireland have been blessed with some players with outstanding longevity...

The following Players represented (Northern) Ireland when over 40!

....................... Date of ................. Age
................. Birth ..... Final Cap Years Days Absolute Days
Elisha Scott... 24/08/1893.. 11/03/1936 . 41 . 199 .. 15539
Pat Jennings... 12/06/1945.. 12/06/1986 . 41 ... 0 .. 14975
Jack Henderson. 31/07/1844.. 11/04/1885 . 40 . 254 .. 14864
Matthew Wilson. 31/12/1843.. 23/02/1884 . 40 .. 54 .. 14664
Bill McCracken. 29/01/1883.. 03/03/1923 . 40 .. 32 .. 14642
.
Close call
Archie Goodall. 19/06/1864.. 21/03/1904 . 39 . 274 .. 14519



At 38 years and 283 days, the oldest scorer is believed to be Archie Goodall.

More information may be added to this article as it becomes available.

- Most Capped - Top Goalscorers - Youngest Players - Oldest Players -

- Premier Players - Cup Finalists - Award Winners - Million Pound Men -

- Dual Internationals - Captains - Goalkeepers - One Cap Wonders -

Bertie Fulton

A player of true Corinthian Spirit, well after the phrase could have been considered an anachronism in football circles, Bertie Fulton won every honour available to him, and never received a penny...

Name: Robert Patrick Fulton
Born: November 1906, Larne
Position: Left-Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 21 Full Caps (1928-1938); Amateur Caps (1926-1938); Irish League: 15 Caps (1929-1940); Great Britain Olympic Team: 2 Games (1936 Berlin Olympics).

Club Honours: (with Larne) Irish Cup Runner-Up 1927/28; (Belfast Celtic) Irish League Champion 1932/33, 1935/36, 1936/37, 1937/38, 1938/39, 1939/40; Irish Cup Winner 1937/38, 1940/41, 1942/43, Runner-Up 1928/29; Northern Regional "War-Time" League Champion 1940/41, 1941/42, 1942/43; Gold Cup Winner; City Cup Winner; Co. Antrim Shield Winner.

Club Career:
Larne (Irish League) 1923/24; Belfast Celtic (Irish League) 1924/25; London Caledonians (Isthmian League); Dundalk (League of Ireland) 1926/27 (1/0 League); Larne; Belfast Celtic 1928/29-1942/43; Larne.

Biography:
Larne-born Bertie Fulton began his footballing career with his hometown club, then played briefly with Belfast Celtic, before moving to London to train as a teacher. While studying at Strawberry Hill College, he played with London Caledonians - one of England's leading amateur teams of the time. He also made a single appearnce for Dundalk in September 1926 while waiting to return to London to undertake his exams. Once qualified, Fulton returned home to re-sign for Larne. He quickly drew the attentions of the Irish FA's selection committee, and was capped for the first time in a 4-0 defeat by France in February 1928, featuring in what was a largely experimental line-up.

Fulton was back at Celtic Park for the 1928/29 season, and it was to be a long and distinguished spell. By the end of his first season he had a second Irish Cup runner-up medal following a 2-1 final defeat by Ballymena (adding to that he had picked up in Larne's defeat by Willowfield in the previous season's final), and his first appearance for the Irish League. The following season Fulton was back in the Ireland team, as Wales were crushed 7-0 at Celtic Park thanks to six goals from Joe Bambrick. From then until the outbreak of the Second World War, Fulton Ireland's regular left-back, injuries and work-commitments permitting.

Later, when asked to select the best match in which he had played, Fulton selected the 2-1 defeat by England at Goodison Park in February 1935. It was a game in which Ireland played with an uncharacteristic confidence and swagger, and characterised by superb football and controversy. Both England 'keeper Harry Hibbs, and his Irish opposite number, Tommy Breen, had superb matches, keeping the goal totals to just three. Ireland only failed to win thanks to Coulter's delayed penalty striking the cross-bar, and a late mistake by Fulton himself gifted England the winner.

In 1936 Fulton was selected for the Great Britain team that headed for the Berlin Olympics. He played in both games, a 2-0 victory over China, and a 5-4 defeat by Poland (some sources crediting him with one of the goals). He could surely have won more representative honours had he not been restricted from featuring in more mid-week matches due to his teaching duties.

Fulton- possessor of a fantastic football brain, a strong tackle, pace and a superb passing range - rejected overtures from the likes of Manchester United to turn professional. He never regretted his decision to remain an amateur, and was able to test himself against the likes of Dixie Dean and Stanley Matthews during his 900-odd game career.

The 1942/43 season was to be Fulton's last as a Belfast Celtic player, and it proved a sad end. In the final League game of the season they faced Linfield in a must win game if the title was to return to Celtic Park. With the scored level in the dying minutes Celtic were awarded a penalty, which Fulton stepped-up to take. Facing him between the posts was old pal Tommy Breen, who, as a former club and international teammate, knew Fulton. Breen correctly guessed where the ball would be placed, and his save took the title to Windsor Park.

A third spell back at Inver Park, Larne, brought Fulton's playing career to a close, and he later returned to Belfast Celtic to coach the second eleven. Some consider that Fulton was tactical brain behind Elisha Scott's great Belfast Celtic side of the 1930s and '40s, putting into action tactics such as four forwards and one winger whilst every other team played a stringent W-M formation.

Captain, star, gentleman, genius?

Ireland Cap Details:
21-02-1928 France.. A L 0-4 FR
01-02-1930 Wales... H W 7-0 BC
20-10-1930 England. A L 1-5 BC
21-02-1931 Scotland H D 0-0 BC
22-04-1931 Wales... A L 2-3 BC
17-10-1931 England. H L 2-6 BC
05-12-1931 Wales... H W 4-0 BC
12-09-1932 Scotland H L 0-4 BC
17-10-1932 England. A L 0-1 BC
16-09-1933 Scotland A W 2-1 BC
14-10-1933 England. H L 0-3 BC
04-11-1933 Wales... H D 1-1 BC
20-10-1934 Scotland H W 2-1 BC
06-02-1935 England. A L 1-2 BC
27-03-1935 Wales... A L 1-3 BC
13-11-1935 Scotland A L 1-2 BC
11-03-1936 Wales... H W 3-2 BC
31-10-1936 Scotland H L 1-3 BC
18-11-1936 England. A L 1-3 BC
17-03-1937 Wales... A L 1-4 BC
16-03-1938 Wales... H W 1-0 BC

Summary: 21/0. Won 6, Drew 2, Lost 13.

Tommy Forde

Name: J. Thomas Forde
Born: c. 1931
Height: 5.10 ft
Weight: 12.00 st
Position: Centre-Half

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 4 Full Caps (1958-1960); Irish League: 7 Caps (1957-1961).
Club Honours: (with Ards) Irish League Champion 1957/58; Gold Cup Winner 1953/54; Co. Antrim Shield Winner 1956/57; (with Distillery) Irish League Champion 1962/63; City Cup Winner 1962/63.

Club Career:
Distillery (Irish League); Wolverhampton Wanderers (Football League) 1951/52 (0/0 League); Glenavon (Irish League) 1951/52-1952/53; Ards (Irish League) 1953/54-1961/62 (314/40 Domestic, 2/0 Europe); Distillery 1962/63.

Biography:
The rock at the back during the most successful spell in Ards' history, Tommy Forde had began his Irish League career as a centre-forward with Distillery, before earning a £5,000 move to Wolves in the summer of 1951 after just a handful of first-team games for The Whites. After only two months at Molineaux, Forde was back in the Irish League, signing for Glenavon, and returned to his trade as an upholsterer.

Ards manager, George Eastham's first signing in the summer of 1953, Forde made his debut as a forward, before switching to the half-back line. In his first season at Castlereagh Park Forde picked up a winner's medal in the Gold Cup, in 1957 a Co. Antrim Shield gong, and in 1958 the Holy Grail - the Irish League title, for the first, and so far only time, in Ards' history. He also began to to draw the attentions of the Irish League team selectors, and in 1957 won the first of seven Inter-League caps in a 2-1 defeat by the League of Ireland. Also a captain of the Irish League XI, Forde played right across the half-back line throughout his career.

In 1958 Peter Doherty awarded Forde an international call-up as stand-in for regular centre-half, Willie Cunningham. It proved an inauspicious debut, with Northern Ireland defeated 6-2 by Spain in Madrid. It would be two years before Forde added to his collection of caps, playing in all three of Northern Ireland's internationals through the autumn of 1960, matches that saw a total of fourteen goals conceded!

The inaugral winner of the Ards Player of the Year Award in 1959, Forde returned to Distillery in a £200 deal during the 1962 close-season. Never a regular back at Grosvenor, he did help the club to an Irish League title and City Cup success in his single season return.

Hugh Forde, Tommy's brother, was also a noted Irish League half-back with Glenavon and Distillery, skipper of the Northern Ireland Amateur team and three times Irish League representative.

Northern Ireland Cap Details:
15-10-1958 Spain....... A L 2-6 FR
08-10-1960 England..... H L 2-5 BC
26-10-1960 West Germany H L 3-4 WCQ
09-11-1960 Scotland.... A L 2-5 BC

Summary: 4/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.

Hugh Flack

Name: Hugh David Flack
Born: 26 April 1903, Belfast
Position: Left-Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Full Cap (1929).
Club Honours: (with Distillery) Belfast Charities Cup Winner 1930/31.

Club Career:
Crusaders (Irish Intermediate League); Burnley (Football League) 1928/29 (3/0 League); Swansea Town (Football League) 1929/30 (0/0 League); Distillery (Irish League) 1930/31-1931/32; Halifax Town (Football League) 1932/33-1933/34 (74/0 League).

Biography:
Hugh Flack made the jump from Irish Intermediate football to the English First Division with little effect. He gained one cap while with Burnley, playing at left-back, rather than his usual club position on the right, in a 7-3 defeat by Scotland in February 1929.

Flack made just three League appearances for Burnley before a step down to the Second Division with Swansea Town. He never made the Swan's League eleven, and returned to Ireland with Distillery for the 1930/31 season. At Grosvenor Park Flack won his only senior honour, the Charities Cup, as Belfast Celtic were defeated 4-2 in May 1931.

Flack decided to have another go a the Football League, signing for Halifax in 1932. He enjoyed two season of settled football in Division Three (North), before bringing his senior career to a close in 1934.

Ireland Cap Details:
23-02-1929 Scotland H L 3-7 BC

Summary: 1/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.

Jimmy Ferris

Mercurial inside-forward Jimmy Ferris lit-up Belfast Celtic during the tough post-Great War period, and also shone for Ireland...

Name: James Ferris
Born: 28 November 1894, Belfast
Died: November 1932, Belfast
Position: Inside-Forward/Winger

Representative Honours: Ireland: 6 Full Caps/1 Goal (1919-1928); Irish League: 6 Caps (1919-1927).
Club Honours: (with Distillery) Co. Antrim Shield Winner 1914/15, Runner-Up 1915/16; Gold Cup Runner-Up 1915/16; Belfast Charities Cup Winner 1915/16; (with Belfast Celtic) Irish League Champion 1925/26, 1926/27, 1927/28, 1928/29; Belfast & District "War-Time" League Champion 1918/19; Irish Cup Winner 1917/18, 1925/26; City Cup Winner 1925/26, 1927/28, 1929/30.

Club Career:
Distillery (Irish League) 1914/15-1916/17 (76/13 Total); Belfast Celtic (Irish League) 1917/18-1919/20; Chelsea (Football League) 1920/21-1921/22 (33/8 League, 6/1 FA Cup); Preston North End (Football League) 1921/22-1923/24 (53/11 League); Pontypridd (Southern League) 1924/25 (2 games); Belfast Celtic 1924/25-1930/31.

Biography:
Jimmy Ferris began his senior footballing career with Distillery during the Great War, making his debut in January 1915. In his first season he won a Co. Antrim Shield winner's medal, and the following season he scored the only goal of the Charities Cup Final against Linfield. Signed by Belfast Celtic in 1917, he went on to even greater honours, helping take the Irish Cup to Paradise for the first time in his first season, and claiming the League title the following year.

At Paradise, Ferris also claimed his first major representative honours, Ireland including him in the International Championship match against England in October 1919. After England had taken a first minute lead at Windsor Park, Ferris scored a 70th minute equaliser in what was their first post-War meeting. The following month he represented the Irish League for the first time, in a 2-2 draw against the Football League at Anfield.

Ferris' goal in a 1-1 draw at Glenavon on 15 May 1920 was to be the last scored by Belfast Celtic in senior football for four years, as the club resigned from the Irish League in protest at their percieved harsh treatment by the football authorities. Their star players were scattered to the four winds, and Ferris signed for Chelsea that September. His reputation had preceded him, but stories of the play that had been exciting Irish League crowds for years seemed to weigh heavy, and Ferris never settled in London. He did win two further caps, taking his total to four, while at Stamford Bridge, before signing for Preston North End in March 1922.

At Deepdale Ferris was only marginally more settled than at the Bridge, and he lasted a little over two seasons. By the start of the 1924/25 season he had dropped down to the Southern League (Welsh Section) where he played two games for Pontypridd before returning to Belfast. Celtic welcomed him back with open arms in October 1924, and he was soon back on the trophy trail - winning further Irish League and Irish Cup titles - and back in the Ireland and Irish League teams.

Described as "the neatest and daintiest footballer in the city" and a "brilliant schemer who makes golden opportunities for his partners" by the Irish News in 1925, Ferris was also a very 'clever' player. In the 1926 Irish Cup Final against Linfield, Celtic forward Sammy Curran was seeing little of the ball due to the close attentions of the Blues' centre-half Barney Moorhead. Ferris is reported to have siddled up to Moorhead, hitting him a "fearful kick". Moorhead then went after Ferris for the rest of the game seeking revenge, and leaving Curran free to score all three goals in a 3-2 win.

February 1928 saw Ferris win his final caps, and at last he featured in a winning side, against Scotland at Firhill Park, Glasgow. Once again it was Sammy Curran he benefited from Ferris' effective play from inside-left. Diagnosed with a heart condition in 1930, Ferris was forced to hang up his boots. He remained at Celtic Park in a scouting capacity, and is widely credited as bringing Davy 'Boy' Martin to the club.

Jimmy Ferris died in November 1932, aged just 37. He never had a chance to see his son, Ray, follow in his footsteps as an Ireland international.

Ireland Cap Details:
25/10/1919 England. H D 1-1 BC 1 Goal
14/02/1920 Wales... H D 2-2 BC
23/10/1920 England. A L 0-2 BC
26/02/1921 Scotland H L 0-2 BC
21/02/1928 France.. A L 0-4 FR
25/02/1928 Scotland A W 1-0 BC

Summary: 6/1. Won 1, Drew 2, Lost 3.

British Champions 1914

- 1914 - 1980 - 1984 -

Perenial underdogs Ireland finally claimed their first Home Nations title after thirty years of trying, in 1914. They did it in style too, unlucky to miss out on a grand-slam...

Top Row: H. Hampton, W.G. McConnell, F.W. McKee, A. Craig, D. Rollo, L. Bookman.
Middle Row: E.H. Seymour, V. Harris, M. Hamill, P. O'Connell, W. Gillespie.
Front Row: J. Houston, R. Nixon, S. Young, W. Lacey, F.W. Thompson, H. McAteer (trainer).

19-01-1914 Wales..... 1-2 Ireland... [Racecourse Ground, Wrexham]
14-02-1914 England... 0-3 Ireland... [Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough]
28-02-1914 Scotland.. 0-0 Wales..... [Hampden Park, Glasgow]
14-03-1914 Ireland... 1-1 Scotland.. [Windsor Park, Belfast]
16-03-1914 Wales..... 0-2 England... [Ninian Park, Cardiff]
04-04-1914 Scotland.. 3-1 England... [Celtic Park, Glasgow]

Team.......Pl W D L F A Pts
Ireland.... 3 2 1 0 6 2 5
Scotland... 3 1 2 0 4 2 4
England.... 3 1 0 2 3 6 2
Wales...... 3 0 1 2 1 4 1

Line-Ups

.............WAL ENG SCO

McKEE FW..... 1 ..1 ..1

McCONNELL WG. 2 ..2 ..2

CRAIG AB..... 3 ..3 ..3

HARRIS V..... 4 ..... 4

O'CONNELL P.. 5 ..5 ..5

ROLLO D...... 6 ..7

SEYMOUR HC... 7

YOUNG S...... 8 ..8 ..9

GILLESPIE W.. 9 ..9

LACEY W..... 10 .10 .10

BOOKMAN LJO. 11

HAMPTON H........ 4

HAMILL M......... 6 ..6

THOMPSON DW..... 11 .11

HOUSTON J............ 7

NIXON RJ............. 8

- 1914 - 1980 - 1984 -

British Champions 1980

- 1914 - 1980 - 1984 -

As the Irish Football Association celebrated its centenary in 1980, Northern Ireland decided the perfect way to mark the occasion was to win their first British Championship in 66 years...

Back Row: Jack Balmer (medical consultant), Mal Donaghy, Gerry Armstrong, John O'Neill, George Dunlop, Eric McManus, Jim Platt, Chris Nicholl, Billy Hamilton, John McClelland, Bobby McGregor (physio).
Front Row: Tom Finney, Tommy Cassidy, Terry Cochrane, Sammy McIlroy, Billy Bingham (manager), Noel Brotherston, David McCreery, Derek Spence, Jimmy Nicholl.

16-05-1980 N. Ireland 1-0 Scotland.. [Windsor Park, Belfast]
17-05-1980 Wales..... 4-1 England... [Racecourse Ground, Wrexham]
20-05-1980 England... 1-1 N. Ireland [Wembley Stadium, London]
21-05-1980 Scotland.. 1-0 Wales..... [Hampden Park, Glasgow]
23-05-1980 Wales..... 0-1 N. Ireland [Ninian Park, Cardiff]
24-05-1980 Scotland.. 0-2 England... [Hampden Park, Glasgow]

Team.......Pl W.D.L.F.A.Pts
N. Ireland. 3 2 1 0 3 1. 5
England.... 3 1 1 1 4 5. 3
Wales...... 3 1 0 2 4 3. 2
Scotland... 3 1 0 2 1 3. 2

- 1914 - 1980 - 1984 -

British Champions 1984

- 1914 - 1980 - 1984 -

Northern Ireland won the last ever British Championship - their third - in 1984. England and Scotland decided to abandon their smaller near neighbours after a century, citing lack of competition (check out the final table), for the short-lived Rous Cup...

Back Row: Gerry McElhinney, John McVey (physio), Gerry Armstrong, John McClelland, Pat Jennings, George Dunlop, John O'Neill, Paul Ramsey, Billy Hamilton, Derek McKinley (team attendant).

Front Row: Mal Donaghy, Ian Stewart, Nigel Worthington, Jimmy Nicholl, Billy Bingham (manager), Martin O'Neill, Norman Whiteside, Stephen Penney, David McCreery.

13-12-1983 N. Ireland 2-0 Scotland.. [Windsor Park, Belfast]
28-02-1984 Scotland.. 2-1 Wales..... [Hampden Park, Glasgow]
04-04-1984 England... 1-0 N. Ireland [Wembley Stadium, London]
02-05-1984 Wales..... 1-0 England... [Racecourse Ground, Wrexham]
22-05-1984 Wales..... 1-1 N. Ireland [Vetch Field, Swansea]
26-05-1984 Scotland.. 1-1 England... [Hampden Park, Glasgow]

Team.......Pl W.D.L.F.A.Pts
N. Ireland. 3 1 1 1 3 2. 3
Wales...... 3 1 1 1 3 3. 3
England.... 3 1 1 1 2 2. 3
Scotland... 3 1 1 1 1 3. 3

(This was the first time the goal difference had decided the Championship)

- 1914 - 1980 - 1984 -

Northern Ireland's Award Winners

- Most Capped - Top Goalscorers - Youngest Players - Oldest Players -

- Premier Players - Cup Finalists - Award Winners - Million Pound Men -

- Dual Internationals - Captains - Goalkeepers - One Cap Wonders -

In honour of David Healy's selection as winner of the Texaco Award, and as a tribute to Northern Ireland's only European Footballer of the Year George Best on the first anniversary of his death, NIFG will have a look back on some of our award winning international players...

International Football Hall of Champions
(backed by FIFA from 1998-2001)
2000 George Best


International Football Hall of Fame
(endorsed by the PFA in 1997)
1997 George Best


(English) National Hall of Fame
(located at Deepdale Stadium, Preston)
2002 George Best
2002 Peter Doherty
2003 Danny Blanchflower
2003 Pat Jennings


Football League Legends
(100 Players named to celebrate Football League's Centenary in 1998)
1904-1924 Bill McCracken (Newcastle United)
1912-1934 Elisha Scott (Liverpool)
1933-1954 Peter Doherty (Blackpool, Manchester City, Derby County, Huddersfield Town, Doncaster Rovers)
1937-1954 Johnny Carey (Manchester United)
1948-1964 Danny Blanchflower (Barnsley, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur)
1950-1968 Jimmy McIlroy (Burnley, Stoke City, Oldham Athletic)
1962-1985 Pat Jennings (1962-1985)
1963-1983 George Best (Manchester United, Stockport County, Fulham, Bournemouth)


Players of the Century
(List published by World Soccer Magazine in 2000)
# 8 George Best
#87 Pat Jennings


Players of the Century
(List published by IFFHS in 2000)
#16 George Best


Goalkeepers of the Century
(List published by IFFHS in 2000)
#13 Pat Jennings


European Footballer of the Year "Ballon d'Or"
(Awarded by France Football Magazine since 1956)
1968 George Best (Manchester United & Northern Ireland)


(English) Footballer of the Year
(Awarded by the Football Writers' Association since 1948)
1949 Johnny Carey (Manchester United, Ireland & Eire)
1958 Danny Blanchflower (Tottenham Hotspur & Northern Ireland)
1961 Danny Blanchflower (Tottenham Hotspur & Northern Ireland)
1968 George Best (Manchester United & Northern Ireland)
1973 Pat Jennings (Tottenham Hotspur & Northern Ireland)


PFA Player of the Year
(Awarded by the Professional Footballers' Association since 1974)
1976 Pat Jennings (Tottenham Hotspur & Northern Ireland)


Texaco Award
(Awarded by Texaco on an all-Ireland basis since 1958)
1961 Danny Blanchflower (Tottenham Hotspur & Northern Ireland)
1967 George Best (Manchester United & Northern Ireland)
1973 Pat Jennings (Tottenham Hostpur & Northern Ireland)
1978 Pat Jennings (Tottenham Hotspur & Northern Ireland)
1980 Sammy McIlroy (Manchester United & Northern Ireland)
1981 Billy Bingham (Northern Ireland manager)
1982 Gerry Armstrong (Watford & Northern Ireland)
1983 Pat Jennings (Arsenal & Northern Ireland)
1985 Pat Jennings (Arsenal & Northern Ireland)
1995 Bryan Hamilton (Northern Ireland manager)
2006 David Healy (Leeds United & Northern Ireland)


Northern Ireland International Personality of the Year
(Awarded by the N.I. Football Writers' Asscoiation since 1985)
1985 Pat Jennings (Arsenal)
1986 Pat Jennings (Tottenham Hotspur)
1987 Mal Donaghy (Luton Town)
1988 Michael O'Neill (Newcastle United)
1989-1990 no award
1991 Gerry Taggart (Barnsley)
1992 no award
1993 Tommy Wright (Newcastle United)
1994 Jimmy Quinn (Reading)
1995 Iain Dowie (Crystal Palace)
1996 Steve Lomas (Manchester City)
1997 Tommy Wright (Manchester City)
1998 Steve Lomas (West Ham United)
1999 Michael Hughes (Wimbledon)
2000 David Healy (Manchester United)
2001 Neil Lennon (Celtic)
2002 Aaron Hughes (Newcastle United)
2003 Keith Gillespie (Blackburn Rovers)
2004 Maik Taylor (Birmingham City)
2005 David Healy (Leeds United)
2006 Steve Davis (Aston Villa)
2007 David Healy (Leeds United)


Northern Ireland Personality of the Year
(Awarded by the NIFWA from 1976-1984)
1982 Billy Bingham (Northern Ireland manager)
1983 Gerry Armstrong (Watford & Northern Ireland)
1984 Pat Jennings (Arsenal & Northern Ireland)


Ulster Footballer of the Year
(Awarded by the Castlereagh Glentoran Supporters' Club since 1951)
1951 J.K. McGarry (Cliftonville)
1956 Dick Keith (Linfield)
1957 Wilbur Cush (Glenavon)
1961 Albert Campbell (Crusaders)
1962 Tommy Dickson (Linfield)
1967 Walter Bruce (Glentoran)
1968 Sammy Hatton (Linfield)
1970 Billy Humphries (Ards)
1971 Bryan Hamilton (Linfield)
1972 Billy Humphries (Ards)
1974 Arthur Stewart (Ballymena United)
1976 Warren Feeney (Glentoran)
1977 Peter Rafferty (Linfield)
1981 George Dunlop (Linfield)
1982 Felix Healy (Coleraine)
1983 Jim Cleary (Glentoran)
1985 Martin McGaughey (Linfield)
1987 Raymond McCoy (Coleraine)
1991 Stephen McBride (Glenavon)
1996 Peter Kennedy (Portadown)
1999 John Devine (Glentoran)
2001 Glenn Ferguson (Linfield)
2004 Glenn Ferguson (Linfield)
2006 Glenn Ferguson (Linfield)
2008 Alan Mannus (Linfield)


Northern Ireland Footballer of the Year
(Awarded by the NIFWA since 1970)
1970 Des Dickson (Coleraine)
1971 Bryan Hamilton (Linfield)
1972 Billy Humphries (Ards)
1976 Warren Feeney (Glentoran)
1977 Billy Caskey (Glentoran)
1982 Felix Healy (Coleraine)
1983 George Dunlop (Linfield)
1985 Martin McGaughey (Linfield)
1986 Trevor Anderson (Linfield)
1991 Stephen McBride (Glenavon)
1996 Peter Kennedy (Portadown)
1999 John Devine (Glentoran)
2001 Glenn Ferguson (Linfield)
2004 Glenn Ferguson (Linfield)
2006 Glenn Ferguson (Linfield)
2008 Michael Gault (Linfield)


Northern Ireland PFA Player of the Year
(Awarded by the NIPFA from 1975-1996)
1976 Warren Feeney (Glentoran)
1977 Peter Rafferty (Linfield)
1980 Colin McCurdy (Linfield)
1982 Felix Healy (Coleraine)
1984 Jim Cleary (Glentoran)
1985 Martin McGaughey (Linfield)
1987 Raymond McCoy (Coleraine)
1988 Billy Caskey (Glentoran)
1991 Stephen McBride (Glenavon)
1994 Glenn Ferguson (Glenavon)


Northern Ireland PFA Most Promising Newcomer
(Awarded by the NIPFA from 1975-1996)
1975 Billy Caskey (Glentoran)
1978 Mal Donaghy (Larne)
1981 Nigel Worthington (Ballymena United)
1983 Raymond McCoy (Coleraine)
1984 Lee Doherty (Linfield)
1987 George O'Boyle (Linfield)
1988 Michael Hughes (Carrick Rangers)
1994 Peter Kennedy (Glenavon)


PFA Merit Awards
(awarded for outstanding achievement or service in football)
1994 Billy Bingham
2006 George Best


Football Writers' Association Tribute Award
(awarded for outstanding contribution to the English game)
1986 Pat Jennings
2000 George Best

- Most Capped - Top Goalscorers - Youngest Players - Oldest Players -

- Premier Players - Cup Finalists - Award Winners - Million Pound Men -

- Dual Internationals - Captains - Goalkeepers - One Cap Wonders -

Ray Ferris

A second generation international, Ray Ferris had to wait until after the Second World War for his playing career to really start in earnest...

Name: Raymond Osborn Ferris
Born: 22 September, Newry
Died: February 1994, Manchester
Height: 5.08½ ft
Weight: 11.04 st
Position: Left-Half

Representative Honours: Ireland: 3 Full Caps/1 Goal (1949-1951); IFA Representative (1953).

Club Career:
Teams............ --Seasons-- -Fee- Signed League FACup -War-
Distillery................... trial
Glentoran.................... trial ........ 0/ 0
Brentford........ 38/39.... amateur ........ 0/ 0
Cambridge Town............. amateur
Tottenham Hotspur ........... guest
West Ham United.. 40/41...... guest .................... 1/ 0
Crewe Alexandra.. 45/46-48/49 ..... Mar-45 102/22 .8/ 1
Birmingham City.. 48/49-52/53 ..... Mar-49 .93/ 3 13/ 1
Worcester City... 53/54............ Sep-53 (Southern League)
Totals ................................... 195/25 21/ 1 .1/ 0

Biography:
Son of former international Jack Ferris, Ray was an industrious, strong-tackling red-headed half-back of the immediate post-War period.

As a teenager, Ferris had brief trial spells with Irish League clubs Distillery and Glentoran, before seeking his fortune in England. Initially he signed amateur forms with Brentford, but by the outbreak of the Second World War he was playing non-League football with Cambridge Town. War-time guest appearances with Spurs and West Ham drew the attentions of Division Three (North) Crewe Alexandra, and he signed his first professional contract in March 1945, at the age of 24.

Ferris made over 100 appearances for Alex before his transfer to Birmingham in March 1949. At the time Birmingham were struggling at the wrong end of the First Division, and ultimately finished just above the relegation places. The following season Ferris was awarded his first cap by Ireland, slotting in at left-half for Jim McCabe. On the domestic front Birmingham continued to struggle, and finished in bottom spot at the end of the 1949/50 season.

In Division Two Birmingham regained their composure, and although they failed to gain promotion back to the top-flight during Ferris' time at the club, they did continuously challenge towards the top of the table. Ferris also found his way back into the thoughts of the Irish FA's selection committee, taking the field for the glamour 'Festival of Britain' match against France in May 1951. He marked the occasion with a goal from the penalty spot.

Ferris toured the USA and Canada with the IFA in the summer of 1953, finding the net in the 5-1 win over Victoria. However, the tour proved to be the end of his top-level career as he suffered a serious leg injury. Released by Birmingham in September 1953, he hung up his boots the following April after a brief spell with Southern League Worcester City.

Remembered as a real character of the game, after hitting one of his regular pin-point passes, Ferris would turn to the bench and wave, shouting: "What about that?" He remained in England after his footballing days were over, and died in a Manchester nursing home in 1994. He had had his legs amputated due to circulation problems, a result of his earlier footballing exertions.

Ireland Cap Details:
01-10-1949 Scotland H L 2-8 WCQ/BC
12-05-1951 France.. H D 2-2 FR 1 Goal
06-10-1951 Scotland H L 0-3 BC

Summary: 3/1. Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 2.

Tommy Finney

With a name like his, Tommy Finney was always going to be a footballer. Whilst not as a successful as his more famous namesake, he was a mercurial talent in his own right...

Name: Thomas Finney
Born: 6 November 1962, Belfast
Height: 5.10 ft
Weight: 11.08 st
Position: Forward/Midfielder

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 14 Full Caps/2 Goals (1974-1980).
Club Honours: (with Crusaders) Irish League Champion 1972/73; (with Cambridge) Football League Division Two Runner-Up 1977/78; Football League Division Three Champion 1976/77.

Club Career:
Teams .......... --Seasons-- Signed --League-- -FACup- -FLCup- Other
Linfield
Manchester United .... trial
Distillery
Crusaders
Luton Town...... 73/74 ..... Aug-73. .13 (1)/ 5 .2(1)/0 .4(0)/1
Sunderland...... 74/75-75/76 Jul-74 ..8 (7)/ 1 .6(0)/1 ........1(2)/0
Cambridge United 76/77-83/84 Aug-76 259 (9)/56 12(0)/0 16(0)/4
Brentford....... 83/84-84/85 Feb-84 .19 (1)/ 2 .1(0)/0 .2(0)/0 1(0)/1
Cambridge United 84/85-85/86 Dec-84 .64 (0)/ 5 .1(0)/0 .2(0)/0 5(0)/1
Cambridge City ............. Jul-86.(Southern League)
Ely City
March Town
Histon Town
Totals............................. 363(18)/69 22(1)/1 24(0)/5 7(2)/1

Biography:
Tommy Finney can consider himself unlucky to never have played English top-flight football. He twice played in Second Division sides that won promotion, yet each time he was sold before gracing the First Division stage. First time around it was with Luton, who finished as runners-up in 1974, but were forced, due to financial difficulties, to sell a number of their stars, including Tommy, so he joined Sunderland that July for £70,000. Just two years later the Roker Park club finished as Second Division Champions, but Tommy had failed to settle and he moved to Fourth Division Cambridge in August 1976 in a knock-down £10,000 deal. With Cambridge he was back in the Second Division by 1978, but again could get no higher.

An entertainer, Finney was recalled in Nick Hornby’s book ‘Fever Pitch’ for his antics, often ‘hoodwinking’ opponents with tricks and dives, following these up with outrageous winks to the crowd. His form at Cambridge saw him linked with a number of big clubs, but a move never materialized, and bar a brief spell with Brentford between February and December 1984, he spent the remainder of his career with Cambridge in the lower Leagues.

Linfield-crazy as a kid, Finney played for their junior sides before having a trial with Manchester United. Homesickness saw him return home to play for Distillery then Crusaders where he made his name. He scored seventeen goals as the Irish League title was claimed by Crusaders for the first time in 1973. Luton Town were the first of several interested English clubs to whip out the cheque book in August 1973, splashing £17,000 on the twenty year-old.

Finney scored on his international debut, in a 2-1 defeat by Norway in September 1974, and again against Wales the following May. That goal against Wales came from a goal-mouth melee - some rate it as the worst ever scored by Northern Ireland - with Tommy sliding in to poke it home. In those days Finney played up-front for Northern Ireland, but after dropping down to the Fourth Division he lost his place in the Northern Ireland squad, and wasn’t capped at all between May 1976 and October 1979. His return was capped with a place in midfield as he played in every game for Northern Ireland’s 1980 British Championships winning team. His last cap was won, playing in his preferred striker’s role, during Northern Ireland’s tour of Australia that summer.

Northern Ireland Cap Details:
04-09-1974 Norway.... A L 1-2 ECQ 1 Goal
17-05-1975 England... H D 0-0 BC. sub
20-05-1975 Scotland.. A L 0-3 BC
23-05-1975 Wales..... H W 1-0 BC. 1 Goal
29-10-1975 Norway.... H W 3-0 ECQ
19-11-1975 Yugoslavia A L 0-1 ECQ
08-05-1976 Scotland.. H L 0-3 BC
17-10-1979 England... H L 1-5 ECQ
26-03-1980 Israel.... A D 0-0 WCQ
16-05-1980 Scotland.. H W 1-0 BC
20-05-1980 England... A D 1-1 BC
23-05-1980 Wales..... A W 1-0 BC
11-06-1980 Australia. A W 2-1 FR
15-06-1980 Australia. A D 1-1 FR

Summary: 13(1)/2. Won 5, Drew 4, Lost 5.

Alan Fettis

A rarity in football as a goalkeeper with Football League goals to his name, Alan Fettis has had an interesting, but up-and-down career...

Name: Alan William Fettis
Born: 1 February 1971, Belfast
Height: 6.01ft
Weight: 13.09 st
Position: Goalkeeper

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 25 Full Caps (1991-1998), 3 B Caps (1994-1998), 1 Under-18 Cap, 1 Under-17 Cap, 1 Under-16 Cap; Schoolboy Caps.
Club Honours: (with Ards) Irish League Cup Runner-Up 1990/91.

Club Career:
Teams............... --Seasons-- -League- FA Cup FL Cup -Other-
Glentoran......................... 0(0)/0
Ards................ 88/89-90/91 .42(0)/0 ............... 23(0)/0
Hull City........... 91/92-95/96 131(4)/2 .5(0)/0 .7(1)/0 .7(0)/0
West Bromwich Albion 95/96..Loan ..3(0)/0
Nottingham Forest... 95/96-97/98 ..4(0)/0 .0(1)/0 .1(0)/0
Blackburn Rovers.... 97/98-99/00 ..9(2)/0 .1(0)/0
Leicester City...... 99/00..Loan ..0(0)/0
York City........... 99/00-02/03 125(0)/0 12(0)/0 .3(0)/0
Hull City........... 02/03-03/04 .20(0)/0 .1(0)/0 ........ 2(0)/0
Sheffield United.... 03/04..Loan ..2(1)/0
Grimsby Town........ 03/04..Loan .11(0)/0
Macclesfield Town... 04/05-06/07 .61(0)/0 .3(0)/0 .2(0)/0 .9(0)/0
Bury................ 06/07........ 9(0)/0 .1(0)/0 .2(0)/0
Totals.......................... 417(7)/2 25(1)/0 21(1)/0 33(0)/0

Biography:
A former Youth international, Alan Fettis made his name in the Irish League with Ards before a £50,000 move to Hull City. He established himself in the Northern Ireland squad through the early 1990s, taking advantage of the long-spells of injury that ruled out Tommy Wright.

Spells in the top-flightwith Nottingham Forest and Blackburn Rovers both offered little in the way of first-team opportunities, and both saw relegation. Fettis' international career was ended with the emergence of Maik Taylor, though Sammy McIlroy did include him in the international squad on a few occasions.

One of the most experienced goalkeepers in the lower English Leagues, Fettis has never wanted for a club. Aside from his international caps, claims to fame include two goals for Hull City (scored during a striker injury crisis at the club), and being named as Ards' greatest 'keeper of all time.

Full bio to follow.

Official Bury Site
Football Heroes Forest, Sheffield United
Wikipedia Article

Northern Ireland Cap Details:
13-11-1991 Denmark...... A L 1-2 ECQ
28-04-1992 Lithuania.... H D 2-2 WCQ
18-11-1992 Denmark...... H L 0-1 WCQ
11-06-1994 Mexico....... N L 0-3 FR
07-09-1994 Portugal..... H L 1-2 ECQ
29-03-1995 Rep. Ireland. A D 1-1 ECQ
26-04-1995 Latvia....... A W 1-0 ECQ
22-05-1995 Canada....... A L 0-2 FR
25-05-1995 Chile........ N L 1-2 FR
07-06-1995 Latvia....... H L 1-2 ECQ
03-09-1995 Portugal..... A D 1-1 ECQ
11-10-1995 Liechtenstein A W 4-0 ECQ
15-11-1995 Austria...... H W 5-3 ECQ
27-03-1996 Norway....... H L 0-2 FR
29-05-1996 Germany...... H D 1-1 FR
31-08-1996 Ukraine...... H L 0-1 WCQ
05-10-1996 Armenia...... H D 1-1 WCQ
30-04-1997 Armenia...... A D 0-0 WCQ
11-10-1997 Portugal..... A L 0-1 WCQ
25-03-1998 Slovakia..... H W 1-0 FR
22-04-1998 Switzerland.. H W 1-0 FR
03-06-1998 Spain........ A L 1-4 FR
15-09-1998 Turkey....... A L 0-3 ECQ
10-10-1998 Finland...... H W 1-0 ECQ
18-11-1998 Moldova...... H D 2-2 ECQ

Summary: 25/0. Won 6, Drew 7, Lost 12.

George Forbes

Name: George Forbes
Born: c.1869, Canada
Position: Full Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 3 Full Caps (1888-1891); Co. Londonderry: 4 appearances; Co. Antrim: 3 appearances.
Club Honours: (with Distillery) Irish League Champion 1895/96; Co. Antrim Shield Runner-Up 1894/95; Charities Cup Runner-Up 1891/92; (with Glentoran) Co. Down Cup Finalist (actual result of Final unknown).

Club Career:
Limavady; Distillery (Irish League) 1888/89-1892/93; Glentoran (Irish League) 1892/93-1893/94 (5/0 Competitive); Distillery 1894/95-1895/96 (54/8 Competitive, 35/1 Friendly both spells).

Biography:
Born in the British dominion of Canada, George Forbes settled in Londonderry and began his football career with Limavady, then one of the leading clubs in Irish football. A strong, reliable full-back (either left or right), he tasted North-West Cup success and played the Irish Cup semi-final, and also won the first of three caps, while with the club.

Transferred to Distillery in the spring of 1889, he made his debut on the 22nd April - after the Irish Cup and Co. Antrim Shield had already be won. He regained his place in the Ireland side during the 1891 British Championship campaign, slotting in at right-back and left-back against England and Scotland respectively.

Transferred to Glentoran in November 1892, Forbes helped his new club to the Co. Down Cup final. With the scores at 1-1, he put through his own goal to give Ulster the game, 2-1. Glentoran appealed the result on two counts, citing fielding of Linfield players by Ulster and the fact that Ulster's linesman was partial to his own team. The Co. Down FA upheld the result, but it is unclear whether the trophy was eventually awarded, if it was withheld, or if a replay took place.

The following season Glentoran were crowned Irish League Champions, but Forbes played just one competitive game all season and re-signed for Distillery in August 1894. He played three games in Distillery's 1895/96 League title winning campaign, but a broken collar-bone, sustained in a 6-2 defeat by Glentoran on 28th September, effectively ended Forbes' playing career.

Ireland Cap Details:
03-03-1888 Wales... A L 0-11 BC
07-03-1891 England. A L 1- 6 BC
28-03-1891 Scotland A L 1-2 BC

Summary: 3/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 1.