Robin Burke

Name: Robin Burke
Born: c.1942
Height: 5.11 ft
Weight: 10.07 st
Position: Right-Back

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 Under-23 Cap (1963).
Club Honours:

Club Career:
Clubs.... --Seasons-- Signed Euro
Millbrook (Larne)
Portadown ........... ..1958 .2/0

Biography:
Signed by Portadown from Millbrook in Larne at the age of 15, Robin Burke was described as a "cool, classy back". At 19 he played in the Irish Cup Final, though he finished on the wrong end of a 4-0 defeat by the Tommy Dickson inspired Linfield. The following season he played in the Port's first European matches, entering the Cup Winners' Cup in lieu of Double winning Linfield. The Mid-Ulster side were given a bye into the second round were the bowed out 8-3 on aggregate to OFK Belgrade.

In February 1963 Burke appeared for Northern Ireland's Under-23 side in a 5-1 defeat by Wales at the Vetch Field, Swansea.

Matches - Friendlies 2008-date

Results and scorers in Friendly matches under Nigel Worthington...

---------------------------

06-02-2008

Bulgaria

Windsor Park, Belfast (h)

Lost 0-1 (0-1)

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26-03-2008

Georgia

Windsor Park, Belfast (h)

Won 4-1 (3-0)

Laffery (2), Healy, Thompson

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20-08-2008

Scotland

Hampden Park, Glasgow (a)

---

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19-11-2008

Hungary

Windsor Park, Belfast (h)

---

---------------------------

..

Summary:

Venue.. Pl W D L GF:GA

Home.... 2 1 0 1 .4: 2

Total... 2 1 0 1 .4: 2

..

Goalscorers:

Kyle Lafferty. 2

David Healy... 1

Peter Thompson 1

2004-2007 --- Friendly Internationals --- next

Bobby Burke

Name: Robert Gallee Burke
Born: 5 November 1934, Ballymena
Position: Inside-Right

Representative Honours: Irish FA Representative; Irish League: 1 Cap (1963).

Club Career:
Clubs........... --Seasons-- Signed -League- FA Cup
Albertville
Burnley......... 55/56...... Sep-55 19(0)/ 5 1(0)/0
Chester......... 58/59...... Jun-58 .0(0)/ 0
Ballymena United

Biography:
In the 1950s the Irish FA regularly hosted the British Army for representative matches. The teams that were selected by Peter Doherty in these games featured fringe internationals, experienced Irish League campaigners and possible stars of the future in what could be considered the "B" international games of the day. One such "star of the future" to appear in these games was Burnley's Bobby Burke, a player who had been plucked from junior football in his native Ballymena by Burnley in 1955.

Burke made a bright start at Turf Moor, playing in twenty matches mainly at inside-right, as stand-in for Jimmy McIlroy. However, when his fellow Ulster-man returned to the squad for the 1956/57 season Burke was sidelined and his final appearance in claret and blue came against Luton in April 1956. The following October brought his selection for the Irish FA in a 2-1 defeat by the Army.

After two seasons without any firstteam action, Burke left Burnley to sign for Chester. His stay at Sealand was brief and by the end of the ‘fifties he was back in Ballymena, playing for United. While with the Braidmen he represented the Irish League, playing in a 3-1 win over the League of Ireland in March 1963.

Michael Gault

Name: Michael Gault
Born: 15 April 1983
Heigh: 6.00 ft
Weight: 11.00 st
Position: Midfielder

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: Full (2008); 2 Under-21 Caps (2005); Irish League: 1 Cap (2007).
Club Honours: (with Linfield) Irish League Champion 2003/04, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08; Irish Cup Winner 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08; Irish League Cup Winner 2005/06; Co. Antrim Shield Winner 2003/04, 2004/05; Setanta Cup Winner 2005.
Awards: NI Football Writers' Player of the Year 2008.

Club Career:
Clubs... --Seasons-- Signed -Fee-
Lisburn Youth
Linfield 01/02- date ..1999 Youth

Biography:
To follow.

LinfieldFC.com
NIFWA Player of the Year

Northern Ireland Cap Details:
26-03-2008 Georgia H W 4-1 FR sub

Michael O'Connor

Name: Michael O'Connor
Born: 6 October 1987, Belfast
Height: 6.01 ft
Weight: 12.06 st
Position: Midfielder

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: Full (2008); Under-21 (2007-date), Youth; Republuc of Ireland: Under-21 (2006-2007).

Club Career
Clubs.......... --Seasons-- Signed -Fee-
Crewe Alexandra 05/06- date Jul-05 Youth

Biography:
A regular captain for Northern Ireland at every Youth level up to Under-20, Michael O'Connor became involved in a tug-of-war between the IFA and the FAI and he actually turned out for the Republic of Ireland's Under-21 side. Because those appearances were not competitive he was able to change his mind and in November 2007 was included in Roy Millar's Under-21 panel for matches against Luxembourga and Moldova. In March 2008 Nigel Worthington then included O'Connor in the Full squad for a friendly match against Georgia.

A product of the highly successful Crewe Alexandra Academy, O'Connor helped Alex's youth side to the 2004 FA Youth Cup semi-final. Originally a more attacking player, he has developed into an effective defensive midfielder using his size to great effect. His League debut came is a late substitute in a 2-1 win over Brighton in February 2006 and he has been a regular feature in the Crewe line-up since the 2006/07 season.

Crewe Website Bio

Northern Ireland Cap Details:
26-03-2008 Georgia H W 4-1 FR sub

NI Supporters' Clubs

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