Name: William Eric RossBorn: 19 September 1944, Belfast
Height: 5.11 ft
Weight: 11.00 st
Position: Inside-Forward/Midfielder
Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 Full Cap (1968), 1 Under-23 Cap (1967), Youth, Schoolboy; Irish League: 1 Cap (1966).
Club Honours: (with Glentoran) Irish League Champion 1963/64, 1966/67; Irish Cup Runner-Up 1966/67; Gold Cup Winner 1966/67; City Cup Winner 1963/64, 1966/67; Ulster Cup Winner 1966/67.
Club Career:
Clubs
|
Seasons
|
Signed
|
Fee
|
League
|
FA Cup
|
FL Cup
|
Europe
|
Boyland
|
-
|
-
|
Youth
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Glentoran
|
62/63-66/67
|
1962
|
-
|
148(0)/32
|
*
|
*
|
5(0)/0
|
Detroit
Cougars
|
1967
|
May-67
|
Guest
|
6(2)/ 1
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Newcastle
Utd
|
67/68-68/69
|
Aug-67
|
£5,250
|
2(0)/ 0
|
-
|
2(0)/0
|
-
|
Northampton.T.
|
69/70-71/72
|
Aug-69
|
£15,000
|
51(6)/ 5
|
10(0)/0
|
4(0)/0
|
-
|
Hartlepool
Utd
|
71/72
|
Nov-71
|
Loan
|
2(0)/ 0
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
North
Shields
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
TOTALS
|
£20,250
|
209(8)/38
|
10(0)/0
|
6(0)/0
|
5(0)/0
|
||
Biography:
A member of the famous Northern Ireland Youth squad that reached the final of the "Mini World Cup" in 1963, Eric Ross' playing career didn't quite reach the heights of teammates in that side, Pat Jennings and Dave Clements.
Signed by Glentoran from Boyland in 1962, Ross had five highly successful years at the Oval, only the lack of an Irish Cup winner's medal proving a disappointment. Famed for taking to the field in his glasses, he was a deep-lying inside-forward more a creator than a scorer of goals. His time with the Glens culminated with a trip to the USA with the Detroit Cougars in the summer of 1967.
On his return from America Ross joined the Northern Ireland contingent at Newcastle United. In two years at St James' Park he played just four firstteam games, and on the periphery of the side that won the Fairs Cup in 1969. He had much more success with Fourth Division Northampton Town, but he will be Best remembered for his role in an FA Cup tie against Manchester United in February 1970. The Reds ran out 8-2 winners, with another Belfast-man, George Best, running in six! To Ross' credit, he had been given the job of marking Bobby Charlton who failed to score. Ross left full-time football behind at the age of 27.
Capped once at Under-23 level (in a 2-1 win over Wales in 1967) and once at full level (in the young Irish side that won 3-2 in Israel in 1968), Ross also gained Schoolboy and inter-league recognition.
Ross settled in Canada in the 1970s, working as an estate agent in the Vancouver area.
More to follow.
Newcatle United
Hartlepool United
Northern Ireland Cap Details:
10-09-1968 Israel A W 3-2 FR
Summary: 1/0. Won 1, Drew 0, Lost 0.
Northern Ireland Under-23 Cap Details:
22-02-1967 Wales. H W 2-1 FR
Summary: 1/0. Won 1, Drew 0, Lost 0.
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