Pat O'Connell

Name: Patrick Joseph O’Connell
Born: 8 March 1887, Dublin
Died: 1959, London (England)
Position: Centre-Half

Representative Honours: Ireland: 5 Full Caps (1912-1914), 1 Victory Cap (1919).

Club Career:
Club............... --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- League FA Cup
Frankfort (Dublin)
Strandville
Belfast Celtic
Sheffield Wednesday 08/09-11/12 Mar-09 ....... 18/0 3/0
Hull City.......... 11/12-13/14 Mar-12 ....... 58/1 5/0
Manchester United.. 14/15...... May-14 £1,000 .34/2 1/0
Clapton Orient..... 14/15...... Apr-15 ........ 0/0
Rochdale........... 18/19...... ....... Guest
Chesterfield....... ........... ....... Guest
Dumbarton.......... 19/20...... Aug-19 ...... .32/0
Ashington.......... 20/21-21/22 ...... ...... .19/1
Totals............. ........... ...... £1,000 161/4 9/0

Coaching Career:
Ashington player/manager 1921-22
Racing Santander manager 1922-1929
Real Oviedo manager 1929-1931
Real Betis manager 1932-1935
Barcelona manager 1935-1937
Sevilla manager 1943-1945
Racing Santander manager 1947-1949

Biography:
Wikipedia

Ireland Cap Details:
10-02-1912 England. H L 1-6 BC
16-03-1912 Scotland H L 1-4 BC
19-01-1914 Wales... A W 2-1 BC
14-02-1914 England. A W 3-0 BC
14-03-1914 Scotland H D 1-1 BC

Summary: 5/0. Won 2, Drew 1, Lost 2.

Ireland Victory Internationals 1919 & 1945/46

- B - Under-21 - Under-23 -

- Victory - Amateur - School -

In the transitional seasons that followed the two World Wars international football resumed with a series of "Victory" matches. These were not official internationals and several players featured that would never earn "Full" international recognition.

1919
(1) 22-03-1919 Scotland L 1-2 (1-1) (Ibrox Park, Glasgow)
................................... Halligan
(2) 19-04-1919 Scotland D 0-0 (0-0) (Windsor Park, Belfast)

Players
Players.......... (Clubs)......... (1)..(2)
SCOTT Elisha..... (Belfast Celtic).. 1 .. 1 .. 2/0
McCRACKEN Bill... (Newcastle Utd)).. 2 .. 2 .. 2/0
ROLLO Dave....... (Linfield))....... 3 .. 3 .. 2/0
O'CONNELL Pat.... (Rochdale))....... 4 ....... 1/0
LACEY Billy...... (Linfield))....... 5 .. 8 .. 2/0
EMERSON Billy.... (Glentoran))...... 6 .. 6 .. 2/0
LYNER Davy....... (Glentoran))...... 7 ....... 1/0
McKINNEY Daniel.. (Belfast Celtic).. 8 .. 7 .. 2/0
HALLIGAN Billy... (Rochdale))....... 9 .. 9 .. 2/1
HAMILL Mickey..// (Belfast Celtic). 10 . 10 .. 2/0
MOORE William.//. (Glentoran))..... 11 ....... 1/0
McCANDLESS Bill.. (Linfield))............ 4 .. 1/0
SCRAGGS Johnny... (Glentoran))........... 5 .. 1/0
KERR Ned......... (Belfast Celtic)...... 11 .. 1/0

1945/46
(3) 15-09-1945 England. L 0-1 (0-0) (Windsor Park, Belfast)
(4) 02-02-1946 Scotland L 2-3 (2-1) (Windsor Park, Belfast)
................................... Walsh 2
(5) 04-05-1946 Wales... W 1-0 (1-0) (Ninian Park, Cardiff)
................................... Sloan

Players
Players.......... (Clubs))......... (3)..(4)..(5)
BREEN Tommy...... (Linfield)........ 1 .. 1 .. 1 .. 3/0
McMILLAN Billy... (Belfast Celtic).. 2 .. 2 .. 2 .. 3/0
FEENEY Jim....... (Linfield)........ 3 .. 3 ....... 2/0
TODD Jim......... (Blackpool)....... 4 .. 4 ....... 2/0
VERNON Jack...... (Belfast Celtic).. 5 .. 5 .. 5 .. 3/0
JONES Sam........ (Blackpool)....... 6 ............ 1/0
McKENNA Johnny... (Linfield)........ 7 ...... 11 .. 2/0
SLOAN Josiah..... (Tranmere Rovers). 8 ....... 8 .. 2/1
McCARTHY Sean.... (Belfast Celtic).. 9 ............ 1/0
DOHERTY Peter.... (Manchester City) 10 ...... 10 .. 2/0
BONNAR Paddy..... (Belfast Celtic). 11 . 11 ....... 2/0
AHERNE Tom....... (Belfast Celtic)....... 6 .. 3 .. 2/0
O'FLANAGHAN Kevin (Arsenal).............. 7 .. 7 .. 2/0
WALSH Davy ...... (Linfield)............. 9 .. 9 .. 2/2
CAREY Johnny..... (Manchester United) .. 10 .. 4 .. 2/0
WATERS Paddy..... (Glentoran)................. 6 .. 1/0

Players in BOLD were also capped at "Full" international level.

- B - Under-21 - Under-23 -

- Victory - Amateur - School -

Darren Finlay

Name: Darren Jonathan Finlay
Born: 19 December 1973, Belfast
Height: 5.04 ft
Weight: 10.04 st
Position: Midfielder

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 'B' Cap (1995), Under-18, Under-16.
Club Honours: (with Glentoran) Irish Cup Winner 1995/96, 1997/98.

Club Career:
Club.............. --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- -League- --FACup-- FL Cup Europe Other
Glentoran......... ........... ...... Youth .0 (0)/0
QPR............... 92/93-93/94 May-92 ..... .0 (0)/0
Doncaster Rovers.. 94/95...... Aug-94 ..... .6 (2)/1 ......... 1(1)/0 ...... 0(1)/0
Glentoran......... 95/96-99/00 c/s-95 ..... 30(26)/5 26(14)/10* ..... 2(1)/0
Distillery........ 97/98...... Sep-97 .Loan .3 (0)/0 .6 (0)/ 2*
Lisburn Distillery 99/00...... Dec-99 ..... 14 (2)/3
Glenavon.......... 01/02...... Aug-01 .Free .1 (0)/0 ......... 1(0)/0
Totals............ ........... ...... ..... 54(30)/9 32(14)/12 2(1)/0 2(1)/0 0(1)/0
* All domestic cup games

Biography:
A terrier-like midfielder, Darren Finlay was on the books of Glentoran before moving to England as a trainee with QPR. Sadly he never joined fellow-Ulstermen Alan McDonald and Mark Graham in firstteam action and was allowed to leave after two years at Loftus Road. From there he moved to Third Division Doncaster Rovers. He walked straight into the Donnie firstteam, making his debut on the opening day of the 1994/95 season in a 1-0 win over Hereford. It proved a personally memorable day for Finlay as he was sent-off! He played out the remainder of the campaign as a bit-part player at Belle Vue. A rare highlight in a frustrating season was his goal in a 3-0 win over Lincoln. He did play on the left of midfield for Northern Ireland 'B' against Scotland in February 1995 in preference to former QPR colleague Graham and a young Gerard McMahon of Spurs.

Released once again, Finlay returned to Glentoran in the summer of 1995. He had an up-and-down five seasons at the Oval. He was initially successful, often playing with great effect at left-back, as the Glens claimed the 1996 Irish Cup with a 1-0 Final win over Glenavon. Later however he was to suffer from disciplinary problems and he consequently dropped out of the reckoning under new boss, Roy Coyle. He did appear spordically and put in some effective performances both in midfield and defence and, considering his lack of height, proved quite effective with his head at both ends of the field. In May 1998, after a loan spell at Distillery, he returned to the Glens team for another Irish Cup Final win over Glenavon.

Finlay left the Oval behind to join Distillery permanently in December 1999. He injected some much needed fight into a team facing relegation, scoring in wins over Glenavon and Cliftonville, but it was not enough as the Whites dropped out of the top-level of the Irish League after a single-season return. Finlay then moved to England, before returning to the Irish League for a month long spell at Glenavon.

Brendan Mullan

Name: Brendan Gerald Joseph Mullan
Born: 2 January 1950, Coleraine
Height: 5.10 ft
Weight: 12.00 st
Position: Forward

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 Under-23 Cap / 1 Goal (1969); 2 Irish League Caps (1970).
Club Honours: (with Coleraine) Irish Cup Winner 1971/72.

Club Career:
Clubs.... --Seasons-- Signed League FA Cup Europe
Coleraine
Fulham... 67/68-68/69 Feb-68 2(2)/0 1(0)/2
Millwall. 69/70...... Jul-69 0(0)/0
Coleraine .................. ?(?)/? ?(?)/? 4(0)/1

Biography:
Transferred as a teenager from home-town club Coleraine to Fulham, Brendan Mullan never quite made it in English football. He played just twice in the 1967/68 run-in as the Cottagers finished bottom of the First Division and were relegated. While the club's poor form continued in the Second Division, Mullan was still almost completely overlooked.

It was a flu epademic in the run-up to an FA Cup third-round tie at Sunderland in January 1969 that gave Mullan a chance to impress. Although the First Division side took an early lead, Mullan scored twice, including one from twenty yards, as Fulham cruised to a shock 4-1 win. Thereafter he disappeared into the Craven Cottage shadows as Fulham suffered a second successive relegation.

One other highlight of Mullan's time at Fulham was his goalscoring appearance for Northern Ireland Under-23s in a 2-1 defeat by Italy at Brescia in March 1969. That summer he joined Millwall, but his chances at the Den were even more limited than they had been at Fulham.

Mullan returned to Bertie Peacock's high-flying Coleraine mid-way through the 1969/70 season. He quickly proved his worth, playing twice for the Irish League, in a 2-0 win over the League of Ireland and a 5-0 defeat by the Football League, during 1970. In 1972 he collected an Irish Cup winner's medal when the Bannsiders defeated Portadown 2-1 at Windsor Park. Another highlight of his time at the Showgrounds was a goal against Kilmarnock in the Fairs Cup as Coleraine recorded a rare Irish League two-legged win in Europe.

With his playing days behind him Mullan spent a couple of seasons as Coleraine's assistant-manager under ex-internatioanl 'keeper, Vic Hunter. He left to concentrate on his job in the textiles industry and to raise his family.

Danny Lennon

Name: Daniel Joseph Lennon
Born: 6 April 1970, Whitburn (Scotland)
Height: 5.07 ft
Weight: 10.10 st
Position: Midfielder

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 4 B Caps (1995-1998).
Club Honours: (with Raith) Scottish League Division One Champion 1994/95; (with Partick) Scottish League Division One Champion 2001/02; Scottish League Division Two Champion 2000/01.

Club Career:
Club........... --Seasons-- Signed --Fee-- --League-- -FACup- LgeCup –Other-
Hibernian...... 87/88-93/94 Aug-87 ..Youth .19(18)/ 2
Raith Rovers... 94/95-98/99 Mar-94 £30,000 151 (8)/15 .6(0)/1 3(0)/0 .6(1)/5
Ayr United..... 99/00...... Aug-99 ...Free ..3 (4)/ 1 ............... 1(0)/0
Partick Thistle 99/00-02/03 Dec-99 ...Free .86(11)/12 13(0)/2 3(0)/2 .2(0)/2
Gretna......... 03/04-04/05 Jul-03 ...Free ..5 (5)/ 0 .0(1)/0 ....... 2(0)/0
Workington..... 06/07...... ...... ...Free ..1 (-)/ 0 (Conference North)
Cowdenbeath.... 06/07-07/08 Nov-06 ...Free ..2 (1)/ 0
Totals......... ........... ...... £30,000 259(45)/30 19(1)/3 6(0)/2 11(1)/7

Biography:
Scottish-born midfielder Danny Lennon came to the fore with Jimmy Nicholl’s successful Raith Rovers side of the mid-1990s. Eligible for Northern Ireland through his grandmother, Lennon started his career at Hibernian, but found his chances at Easter Road limited. Nicholl stepped in to sign the then 23-year-old for a £30,000 fee late in the 1993/94 season as Raith unsuccessfully fought relegation from the Premier Division.

Lennon’s second season at Stark’s Park proved almost perfect. The First Division championship was claimed by single point ahead of Dunfermline to secure an immediate return to the Premier Division. The club also claimed the Coca-Cola Cup, defeating Celtic on penalties in the Final. Lennon played in all four games en-route, scoring in a quarter-final win over St Johnstone, but he missed the big day through injury. That same season Lennon was selected for Northern Ireland ‘B’ for a February friendly with his homeland.

Raith’s Cup success earned them a place in the UEFA Cup, where in the third round they faced Bayern Munich. Trailing 2-0 from the home leg, Lennon scored from a free-kick to give Rovers the lead at the Olympiastadion though the German giants eventually triumphed 4-1 on aggregate. Lennon’s league form was equally as scintillating. He scored ten times in all as Raith achieved mid-table security and his passing ability brought him many admirers and a second Northern Ireland ‘B’ cap against the Norway Olympic side.

Lennon’s continued good form over the following few seasons brought him two further ‘B’ caps, in wins over Portugal Under-21s in 1997 and the Republic of Ireland in 1998. However, when Raith were back in the Scottish First Division he became a target for fans frustration. In August 1999 Lennon transferred to Ayr United where he stayed only briefly before he moved to a Partick Thistle side wallowing in the Second Division. Lennon was club captain in their successful return to the Premier League in 2002.

The following few seasons saw Lennon suffer a range of injuries and in July 2003 he joined Gretna, ostensibly as Youth Development Officer. He did however make a few appearances in the club’s Third Division title winning side of 2005. He returned to the field of play with Workington in 2006 before joining Cowdenbeath as player/assistant-manager that November. Lennon stepped up to become manager following the clubs relegation to Division Three at the end of 2007/08.

Neil Matthews

Name: Neil Peter Matthews
Born: 3 December 1967, Manchester (England)
Height: 6.00 ft
Weight: 11.07 st
Position: Defender/Midfielder

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 ‘B’ Cap (1995), 1 Under-23 Cap (1989), 1 Under-21 Cap (1990), Youth.
Club Honours: (with Cardiff) Football League Third Division Champion 1992/93; Welsh Cup Winner 1992/93; (with Rochdale) Football League Associate Members’ Cup Runner-Up 1994/95.

Club Career:
Clubs....... --Seasons-- Signed -–League-- FA Cup Lge Cup –Other-
Blackpool... 84/85-89/90 Dec-85 .67 (9)/ 1 1(0)/0 .7(0)/0 .4(1)/0
Cardiff City 90/91-92/93 Aug-90 .60 (6)/ 2 4(0)/0 .3(0)/0 .5(0)/0
Songdal..... 1992...Loan May-92
Rochdale.... 93/94-94/95 Jul-93 .15 (4)/ 0 1(0)/0 .1(0)/0 .6(0)/0
Macclesfield Town.............. (Football Conference)
Leigh RMI...................... (Northern Premier League)
Totals...... ........... ...... 142(19)/ 3 6(0)/0 11(0)/0 15(1)/0

Biography:
Manchester-born Neil Matthews was on the Irish FA’s radar from a young age. He won Northern Ireland Youth caps while with Blackpool before graduating to the first eleven while still a teenager. Whilst with the Seasiders Matthews played as centre-half for Northern Ireland in Under-23 and Under-21 matches. He left Blackpool after the club’s relegation to Division Four in 1990.

Matthews signed for Cardiff City after leaving Bloomfield Road. He proved a versatile performer for the Bluebirds, appearing in eight different shirt numbers, including his favoured number two. In 1992 he spent some time with Chinese side, Songdal. On his return to the UK he aided Cardiff to a Welsh Cup win over Rhyl and to promotion to Division Two as champions.

A transfer to Rochdale in the summer of 1993 meant Matthews remained in Division Three. He spent two injury plagued seasons at Spotland, though in February 1995 he did have the honour of becoming Dales’ first ever international when he played in midfield for Northern Ireland 'B' in a 3-0 defeat by Scotland. Shortly thereafter Matthews drifted into non-League football.

Mark Todd

Name: Mark Kenneth Todd
Born: 4 December 1967, Belfast
Height: 5.08 ft
Weight: 10.04 st
Position: Midfielder

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 Under-23 Cap (1990), Youth, Schoolboy.
Club Honours: (with Sheff. United) Football League Division Two Runner-Up 1988/89; Football League Division Three 1987/88; (with Rotherham) Football League Division Four Runner-Up 1991/92.

Club Career:
Clubs.................. --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- --League-- FA Cup -FL Cup- Other
Manchester United...... 85/86-86/87 Aug-85 Youth ..0 (0)/ 0
Sheffield United....... 87/88-90/91 Jun-87 .Free .62 (8)/ 5 11(0)/1 .5(1)/0 5(1)/0
Wolverhampton Wanderers 90/91...... Mar-91 .Loan ..6 (1)/ 0
Rotherham United....... 91/92-94/95 Sep-91 ..... .62 (4)/ 8 .3(0)/0 .4(0)/2 2(0)/1
Scraborough............ 95/96...... Aug-95 ..... .23 (0)/ 1 ........ 2(0)/0 0(1)/0
Mansfield Town......... 95/96...... Feb-96 ..... .10 (2)/ 0 .1(0)/0
Stalybridge Celtic..... 96/97...... ...... ..... ..4 (2)/ 0 (Conference)
Totals.......................................... 167(17)/14 15(1)/1 12(1)/2 7(2)/1

Biography:
A diminutive ball-playing midfielder, Mark Todd had been an apprentice at Manchester United and won Northern Ireland Schoolboy and Youth honours. Although he had been on the fringe of the United first-team squad, it wasn't until after signing for Sheffield United in the summer of 1987 that he made his League debut, in a 4-1 defeat at Blackburn on New Years Day 1988. Although the Blades suffered relegation from Division Two in his first campaign, Todd was part of the squad that attained successive promotions, arriving in the top-flight in 1990.

Rewarded with a place in the Northern Ireland Under-23 squad that suffered a 3-2 defeat by the Republic of Ireland in May 1990, Todd's chances in top-flight football were limited. He left Bramall Lane in March 1991 for a loan spell at Wolves before he was released at the end of that season. He signed for Rotherham United where his performances aided the Millmoor side to promotion to Division Three. Hailed for his whole-hearted displays, Todd's later career was plagued by injuries and he spent brief spells with Scarborough, Mansfield and Stalybridge Celtic before hanging up his boots at the age of 29.

Todd remained involved in football, spending ten years as Rotherham's Football in the Community Manager before fulfilling a similar role at Sheffield United.

Billy McMillan

Name: William McMillan
Born: Carrickfergus
Position: Right-Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 3 "Victory" Caps (1945-1946), 1 "War-Time" Cap (1944); Eire: 2 Full Caps (1946); Irish League: 4 Caps (1947-1948).
Club Honours: (with Belfast Celtic) Irish League Champion 1936/37, 1937/38, 1938/39, 1939/40, 1947/48; Irish Cup Winner 1936/37, 1940/41, 1942/43, 1946/47; Gold Cup Winner; City Cup Winner; Co. Antrim Shield Winner 1936/37, 1942/43, 1944/45; Northern Regional "War-Time" League Champion.

Club Career:
Belfast Celtic.. 1932/33-1948/49
Ballymena United 1949/50-1950/51

Biography:
Regarded as the best right-back in Irish League football in the years either side of World War Two, Billy McMillan could consider himself unfortunate to never gain full international recognition from the Irish FA. He did play for Ireland in an 8-4 War-Time "international" defeat by the Combined Services (essentially a Great Britain XI side featuring the cream of available talent such as Matt Busby, Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortenson and Tommy Lawton) at Windsor Park in September 1944. McMillan was also selected at number two for for all three of Ireland's post-war "Victory Internationals" through the 1945/46 season.

Full international recognition did not completely elude McMillan, as he was one of four Northern-born players included in the Eire side that toured the Iberian Peninsula in June 1946. The FAI was attempting to affirm their claim that they represented the whole of the island of Ireland as the IFA had done from its inception. The tour was quite a success for the FAI as their team lost out 3-1 to Portugal and recorded a surprise 1-0 win over Spain.

McMillan spent seventeen years on the books at Belfast Celtic, rising from his signing in 1932 through the Celtic Seconds to become a virtual ever-present from the mid-thirties on. He played in four Irish Cup Finals, never finishing on the losing side and featured in each of Celtic's (war-interupted) six consecutive Irish League title successes. Praised for his consistency of performance and appearance, McMillan also claimed Inter-City Cup, Gold Cup, City Cup, Charity Cup and Co. Antrim Shield medals while at Paradise. His final appearances in the famous hooped jersey were made during the club's swansong tour of the USA in the summer of 1949.

On his return from the US, McMillan was one of several Celtic players to join Ballymena United, where he took the role of player-manager. Unable to arrest the Braidmen's slump in forunes, he left in 1951.

Ireland Cap Details: (no "Full" appearances)
09-09-1944 Combined Services H L 4-8 War-Time Representative Match
15-09-1945 England.......... H L 0-1 Victory International
02-02-1946 Scotland......... H L 2-3 Victory International
04-05-1946 Wales............ A W 1-0 Victory International

Summary: 4/0. Won 1, Drew 0, Lost 3.

FAI Cap Details:
16-06-1946 Portugal......... A L 1-3 FR
23-06-1946 Spain............ A W 1-0 FR

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

The Stoke City Connection

The following players were capped for (Northern) Ireland while playing for the Potters:
Alex Elder....... 6
Bobby Irvine..... 1
Jimmy McIlroy.... 4
Sammy McIlroy... 26
Gerard McMahon.. 10
James Sheridan... 1
Sammy Smyth...... 1
Mark Williams.... 4
Nigel Worthington 2

Other players to have played for Stoke and (Northern) Ireland:
Martin Paterson
Jack Ponsonby
Warren Feeney Snr
Jimmy McAlinden
Gerry Taggart
Michael Ingham (on loan)
Harry Gregg

Eric Manus, a Northern Ireland Amateur international and ocassional Full squad member, played four games for Stoke from 1979-1982.
Len Graham coached at the Victoria Ground after his playing career was over.
Matt Hazley and Robert Garrett, both Under-21 internationals, are currently on the books at Britannia Stadium.

Wall Murals

The mural (below) paying tribute to the sporting heroes of West Belfast was recently unveiled at the Saints Youth Centre in Twinbrook:

Eddie Shaw (boxer), Mal Donaghy, Jim Magilton.
Gerry Armstrong, Jackie Vernon, Charlie Tully, Damien Kelly (boxer).

Legends Mural at Windsor Park

More Norn Iron football related murals can be viewed at OWC here.

The Pirates Connection

Founded: 1883
Former Names: Black Arabs (1883-1884); Eastville Rovers (1884-1897); Bristol Eastville Rovers (1897-98).
Grounds: Purdown; Three Acres, Ashley Hill; Rudgeway, Fishponds; Eastville (1897-1986); Twerton Park (1986-1996); The Memorial Stadium (since 1996).

League History:
Founder Members of Bristol & District League 1892/93-1894/95; Joined Western League 1895/96-1908/09; Joined Birmingham & District League 1897/98-1898/99; Joined Southern League 1899/00-1919/20; Founder Members of Football League Division Three 1920/21; Division Three (South) 1921/22-1952/53; Division Two 1953/54-1961/62; Division Three 1962/63-1973/74; Division Two 1974/75-1980/81; Division Three 1981/82-1989/90; Division Two 1990/91-1991/92; Division One (II) 1992/93; Division Two (III) 1993/94-2000/01; Division Three (IV) 2001/02-2003/04; League Two (IV) 2004/05-2006/07; League One (III) 2007/08-date.

Club Honours:
Football League Best Season: 6th Division Two (II) (1955/56, 1958/59).
Football League Two (IV) Play-Off Winners 2006/07.
Football League Division Three (South) Champions 1952/53.
Football League Division Three Champions (III) 1989/90; Runners-Up 1973/74.
FA Cup Best Season: 6th Round (1950/51, 1957/58).
Football League Cup Best Season: 5th Rpund (1970/71, 1971/72)
Football League Trophy Runners-Up 2006/07.

The Northern Ireland Connection:
The following players were capped for (Northern) Ireland while playing for Rovers:
Harry Buckle 1
Matt O'Mahoney 1

Other players to have played for Rovers and (Northern) Ireland:
Ronnie Briggs
Adrian Coote (on loan)
Sam Irving
Frank McCourt
James Quinn (on loan)
Ciaran Toner

Other NI-Pirates links:
Wayne Carlisle, an NI Schoolboy, Youth, Under-21 and B cap played 78 times for the Pirates from 2002-2004.
Kevin Wilson coached briefly at Rovers in the early 2000s.
13-time capped Under-21 defender, Liam Burns played three games for Rovers in 2004.

Web Links:
Official Site
Wikipedia
FCHD

The Saints Connection

Founded: 1885
Former Names: St Mary's Young Men's Association (1885-1887); St Mary's (1887-1894); Southampton St Mary's (1894-1897).
Grounds: "The Common" (1885-1889) (from 1887 also used County Cricket Ground and Antelope Cricket Ground for big matches); Antelope Cricket Ground (1889-1896); The County Cricket Ground (1896-1898); The Dell (1898-2001); St Mary's (since 2001)

League History:
Founder members of The Southern League 1894/95-1919/20; Founder members of Football League Division Three 1920/21; Division Three (South) 1921/22; Division Two 1922/23-1952/53; Division Three (South) 1953/54-1957/58; Division Three 1958/59-1959/60; Division Two 1960/61-1965/66; Division One 1966/67-1973/74; Division Two 1974/75-1977/78; Division One 1978/79-1991/92; FA Premier League 1992/93-2004/05; Championship 2005/06-date.

Club Honours:
Football League (I) Runners-Up (1) 1983/84.
Football League Division Two (II) Runners-Up (2) 1965/66, 1977/78.
Football League Division Three (III) Champions (1) 1959/60.
Football League Division Three (South) (III) Champions (1) 1921/22.
Southern League Champions (6) 1896/97, 1897/98, 1898/99, 1900/01, 1902/03, 1903/04.
FA Cup Winners (1) 1975/76; Runners-Up (3) 1899/00, 1901/02, 2002/03.
Football League Cup Runners-Up (1) 1978/79.
Football League Full Members' Cup Runners-Up 1991/92.

European Record:
European Cup Winners' Cup entrants (1) 1976/77 (qf).
UEFA Cup entrants (5) 1971/72, 1981/82, 1982/83, 1984/85, 2003/04.
Fairs Cup entrants (1) 1969/70.

The following players were capped for (Northern) Ireland while playing for Southampton:
Chris Baird.. 25
Colin Clarke. 13
Iain Dowie... 18
Hugh Kelly.... 2
Jim Magilton. 21
Chris Nicholl 37
Dick Rowley... 4
Jimmy Shields. 1

Other players to have played for Southampton and (Northern) Ireland:
Alan Blayney
Jimmy Dunne
Rory Hamill
"Sid" Johnston
Matt Reilly
Maik Taylor

Other NI-Saints links:
Current NI assistant-manager, Glynn Snodin, was first-team coach at St Mary's from 2006 to 2007.
Chris Nicholl, also a Southampton player, was club manager from 1985-1991.

Web Links:
Official Club Site
Wikipedia
FCHD

The Wolves Connection

The following players were capped for (Northern) Ireland while playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers:

John Brown...... 3
Mark Clyde...... 3
Robbie Dennison 18
Derek Dougan... 26
Billy Halligan.. 1
Danny Hegan..... 6
Bertie Lutton... 2
Davy Martin..... 2
Peter McParland. 1
Sammy Smyth..... 8

The Brighton Connection

The following players won (Northern) Ireland caps while playing for Brighton & Hove Albion:

Jack Doran..... 3
Jimmy Hopkins.. 1
Willie Irvine.. 3
Jimmy Magill... 5
Sammy Morgan... 2
Sammy Nelson... 3
Stephen Penney 17
Charlie Webb... 3
Danny Wilson... 3

The Southend Connection

The following players were capped by (Northern) Ireland while playing for Southend United:
Jimmy McAlinden 1
Sammy McCrory.. 1
Derek Spence... 5

Other links include Sammy McMillan and Norman Uprichard.

The Stockport County

To date only one Stockport County player has been capped by Northern Ireland:

Danny Griffin 1

Peter Thompson signed for Stockport in July 2008.

Other full internationals to have played for County include:
Billy Andrews
George Best (on loan)
Alan Blayney (on loan)
Ned Brookes
Warren Feeney
Michael Ingham (on loan)
Ian Lawther
Allen McKnight
James Quinn (on loan)
George Reid
Jack Reynolds
Andy Smith (on loan)
Sammy McMillan
Paul Williams

Sammy McIlroy resigned as Northern Ireland manager to take charge of Stockport in October 2003. He left a little-over a year later.
Gareth McAuley had a trial with Stockport in 2004.

The St. Mirren Connection

The following players have been capped by (Northern) Ireland while playing for St. Mirren:

Willie Cunningham 4
Billy O'Hagan.... 2

The St. Johnstone Connection

The following players have been capped by (Northern) Ireland while playing for St. Johnstone:

Danny Griffin. 12
George O'Boyle 11
Joe Toner...... 2

The Airdrie Connection

The following players were awarded (Northern) Ireland caps while playing for the now defunct Airdrieonians:

Roddy McKenzie 1
Alfie Snape... 1
Sam Young..... 2

The Doncaster Connection

Players capped for (Northern) Ireland while with Doncaster Rovers:

Alan Blayney.. 1
Peter Doherty. 1
Len Graham... 14
Harry Gregg... 9
Pat McConnell. 1
Eddie McMorran 5
Jimmy Walker.. 1

Other full internationals to have played at Belle Vue/Keepmoat Stadium:
Hugh Dowd
Kevin Horlock
Michael Ingham (on loan)
Jon McCarthy
Paul Williams
Stuart Elliott (currently on loan with a view to a permanent move)

Peter Doherty was player-manager at Doncaster as well as a player then manager of Northern Ireland.
Lawrie McMenemy, Northern Ireland manager from 1998-99, also managed Doncaster from 1968-1971.
Amateur international Tommy Aiken played thirteen times for Doncaster in the late-1960s.
Youth International Wes Boyle had an unsuccessful trial with Doncaster in December 2002.
Davy Larmour, a Youth and Schoolboy internatioanl, spent the 1996/97 season with Doncaster.
Under-21 and B International 'keeper, Elliott Morris, spent a brief loan spell with Doncaster in October 2000, though he didn't play for the first eleven.

Billy Wilson

Name: William James Randolph Wilson
Born: 23 September 1936, Portadown
Height: 5.10½ ft
Weight: 11.06 st
Position: Half-Back

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 B Cap (1957), Youth, Schoolboy.
Club Honours: (with Linfield) Irish League Champion; Irish Cup Winner 1959/60, 1961/62, Runner-Up 1960/61; Gold Cup Winner; Ulster Cup Winner; City Cup Winner; North-South Cup Winner 1961/62; Co. Antrim Shield Winner 1958/59, 1960/61, 1962/63.

Club Career:
Clubs.... --Seasons-- Signed League Europe
Portadown
Burnley.. 56/57-57/58 Sep-55 2(0)/0
Linfield. ........... ...... ?(?)/? 4(0)/0
Totals... ........... ...... 2(0)/0 4(0)/0

Biography:
A schoolboy and youth international, Billy Wilson was spotted playing summer football before joining Portadown as an amateur. He had a brief Irish League career where he developed into a fine attacking wing-hlaf, before joining the Ulster-contingent at Burnley. It was Clarets teammate Jimmy McIlroy that recommended Wilson to Peter Doherty for consideration for international selection, and he was duly included in the Northern Ireland ‘B’ eleven that faced Rumania in October 1957.

By the time of the 1958 World Cup in Sweden, Wilson had returned to Ireland, signing for Linfield. While he made the provisional World Cup squad, Wilson was never to win further representative recognition. He did however win a host of honours while a Linfield player, including playing a key role in the 1961/62 Seven Trophy team and featured in the club’s earliest European adventures.

Do you know what happened to Billy Wilson after he left Linfield in the mid-1960s? Get in touch and let us know.

Tony Diamond

Name: Anthony John Diamond
Born: 23 August 1968, Rochdale (England)
Height: 5.10 ft
Weight: 10.07 st
Position: Forward

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 Under-23 Cap (1989), Under-16.

Club Career:
Clubs........... --Seasons-- Signed --Fee-- -League- FA Cup FL Cup Other
Blackburn Rovers 86/87-89/90 Jun-86 Trainee .9(17)/3 ...... ...... 1(1)/0
Wigan Athletic.. 88/89...... Oct-88 ...Loan .6 (0)/2 ...... ...... 1(0)/1
Blackpool....... 89/90...... Aug-89 ...Free .2 (1)/1 0(1)/0 1(0)/0 1(0)/0
Chorley ................................... (Northern Premier League)
Atherton Laburnum Rovers .................. (North West Counties League)
Totals .................................... 17(18)/6 0(1)/0 1(0)/0 3(1)/1

Biography:
Northern Ireland Youth and Under-23 international Tony Diamond began his Football League career as a YTS player with Blackburn Rovers, making his debut in a 6-1 thrashing of Sunderland in September 1986. Diamond had to wait until January to find the back of the net, in his fourth start, against Oldham in a 1-0 win. He scored again a week later against Shrewsbury, but they were to be his only goals that season.

In April 1989 Diamond won an Under-23 cap in a 3-0 defeat by the Republic of Ireland, coming on as a late substitute for Michael Hughes. By this stage though he had already dropped out of the first-team reckoning at Ewood Park, starting just three games, scoring once, over the previous two seasons, and had had an impressive loan spell at Wigan Athletic in October 1988. He endeared himself to the Latics faithful on his debut, a 2-1 win over Southend, when he returned to the field of play following a facial injury. Four days later he scored on his home debut, in a 2-2 draw with Preston.

Early in the 1989/90 season Diamond was signed by Blackpool, where he was later to earn the dubious title of "Worst Ever Blackpool FC Player". It is hard to fathom how a player who played just three games, and actually scored, could have earned this acolade, but it was a difficult time for the Seasiders which saw them relegated to the bottom division. After his release by Blackpool in 1990, Diamond moved into non-league football.

The QPR Connection

Players capped for (Northern) Ireland while with Queen's Park Rangers:

Colin Clarke.. 5
Iain Dowie... 13
Bill Greer.... 3
Billy Hamilton 1
Dave McCreery. 9
Alan McDonald 52
Steve Morrow. 15
Neil Murphy... 3
Mick O'Brien.. 1
Keith Rowland. 6
Ian Stewart.. 22

The Preston Connection

Players capped for (Northern) Ireland while with Preston North End:

Andy Gara..... 3
David Healy.. 32
Willie Irvine. 3
Jimmy McKnight 1
Colin Murdock 17
Andy Smith.... 7

The Plymouth Connection

Players capped for Northern Ireland while with Plymouth Argyle:

Tony Capaldi 21

The Palace Connection

Players capped for (Northern) Ireland while with Crystal Palace:

Iain Dowie...... 6
Michael Hughes.. 6
Roy McCracken... 4
Darren Patterson 8