Michael Smith

Name: Michael Smith
Born: 4 September 1988, Ballyclare
Height: 5.11 ft / 1.80 m
Weight: 
Position: Defender

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: Full, 1 Under-23 Cap, Junior, Youth.

Club Career:
Teams ............. --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- -League- FA Cup FL Cup Other
Greenisland BC ....................... Youth
Ballyclare Comrades .............. -05
Ballymena United .. 08/09-10/11 Jan-09 
Bristol Rovers .... 11/12-13/14 Jun-11 ..... 84(17)/1 6(0)/0 3(1)/1 3(0)/0
Peterborough United 14/15-16/17 Jul-14 Undis
Heart of Midlothian 17/18- date Jun-17 Nom'l

Biography:
Versatile defender who earned his first senior call-up for the March 2016 friendlies against Wales and Slovenia.

More to follow.

Wikipedia
Soccerbase

Northern Ireland Cap Details:
28-03-2016 Slovenia H W 1-0 FR
still active

Northern Ireland Under-23 Cap Details:
24-11-2009 Wales... H D 2-2 ICT

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

David Malcolmson

Name: David Malcolmson
Born: Portadown
Height:
Weight:
Position: Midfielder

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 2 Amateur Caps
Club Honours: (with Portadown) Gold Cup Winner 1971/72.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
Portadown	-	-	Amateur	-	-	-
Ballymena United	75/76-77/78	Aug-75	-	29(0)/0	1(0)/0	28(2)/5
Omagh Town	77/78	Aug-78	-	-	-	-
TOTALS	-	£-		-	-	-

Biography:
David Malcolmson was one of Northern Ireland's final Amateur internationals, winning two caps in the final two fixtures during the 1973/74 against England and Wales. The call up had been merited through the Portadown native's impressive performances for his hometown team which had led to both progression in Europe and the club’s Player of the Year award during the 1974/75 season.

Signed for Ballymena United in August 1975 by player-manager Arthur Stewart, but despite scoring on his debut against Cliftonville, injuries curtailed his first season at the Braid and he missed out on a County Antrim Shield winner’s medal that season.

The following year Malcolmson was an influential figure in a struggling United side – now managed by Eddie Russell as he won the club’s Member’s Player of the Year award. The midfielder’s third and final season was even more dismal than his first, as the injuries returned - the Sky Blues finished bottom of the league and Davy missed the Irish Cup final defeat to Linfield through injury.

In August 1978, Malcolmson joined ‘B’ Division side, Omagh Town.

Northern Ireland Amateur Cap Details:

12-10-1973 England. A L 0-2

06-04-1974 Wales... A L 0-1

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

By Neil Coleman - The Official History Of Ballymena United FC

William Anderson

Name: William Anderson
Born: Ballymena
Height:
Weight:
Position: Inside-Forward

Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Amateur Cap (1947).
Club Honours: (with Ballymena) Irish Cup Runner-Up 1950/51.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
Ballymena United	46/47-47/48	Aug-46	Amateur	33/3	4/0	7/1
Ballyclare Comrades	-	-	-	(Intermediate)
Ballymena United	50/51-51/52	Aug-50	Amateur	14/0	5/1	8/2
TOTALS	-	£0		47/3	9/1	15/3

Biography:
William ‘Nipper’ Anderson, was an immediate post-war inside forward whose exploits in the Intermediate leagues earned him a promotion to senior football with his hometown team, Ballymena United in August 1946.

Recruited by manager William Reid, Anderson was to form part of a new look Ballymena side who had returned to competitive football after a six year hiatus due to their grounds being used as part of the Second World War effort. His efforts in United’s 1946/47 Northern Regional League campaign merited his sole Amateur international cap against England. Despite being a regular on the teamsheet throughout the 1947/48 season at the Showgrounds, Nipper missed out on a place in the team for the County Antrim Shield final win against Linfield in May 1948 and left the club soon after – returning to the intermediate league to play regular football including a spell with Ballyclare Comrades.

Two years later new boss Norman Kernaghan brought Anderson back to senior football for the 1950/51 season and played a key role in the team’s run to the final of the Irish Cup, even scoring the winning goal in the semi-final against Portadown. Defeat to Glentoran in the showpiece left the local forward with only a runners-up medal for his efforts though. United also reached the final of the County Antrim Shield again, which this time Anderson started, but the 2-2 with Cliftonville and the lack of available dates during the remainder of the season meant the replay would be held over until the following August.

By August, his mentor Kernaghan had left as manager and the club’s committee drafted in a raft of new faces as the club fielded six new players for the replay in August 1951. This meant no space in the team for William, who made only the one appearance that season before leaving the club for a second time.

Nipper continued playing in the local area, and went on to become a much loved and respected manager in junior circles and also managed Ballymena United’s reserve team.

Ireland Amateur Cap Details:
08-02-1947 England A L 1-3

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

Courtesy of www.ballymenaunitedfc.com.

Bobby Averell

Name: Robert Averell
Born: Magherafelt
Height: 6’00”
Weight: 11.01 st
Position: Central defender

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 4 Amateur Caps (1969-1970).
Club Honours: (with Ballymena) Irish Cup Runner-Up 1969/70, 1973/74; Ulster Cup Runner-Up 1971/72; City Cup Winner 1971/72; Gold Cup Winner 1974/75; Gold Cup Runner-Up 1975/76; County Antrim Shield Winner 1975/76.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Europe	Other
Coleraine	-67/68	-	-	-	-	-	-
Ballymena United	68/69-71/72	Aug-68	Amateur	77/ 3	9/0	-	80/5
Toronto Metros	1972 - 1973	Mar-72	Free	24/ 2	(NASL)	-	-
Ballymena United	72/73-77/78	Jan-73	Free	77/ 7	10/0	-	75/4
TOTALS	-	£0		178/12	19/0	-	155/9

Biography:
Ballymena manager Alex Parker convinced the 21-year-old Magherafelt man to make the switch to the Ballymena Showgrounds in August 1968 and quickly became a mainstay of the defence of the Sky Blues. In his second season Averell started in the Irish Cup final in 1970, which United lost against Linfield at Solitude.

It was during this two year period in which Bobby won four Amateur International caps. Ballymena United entered the 1970s with great excitement as Arthur Stewart returned as player-manager and the club consistently challenged for trophies with Bobby Averell as one of the star players. Fittingly it was the big defender who scored the only goal of the game in the City Cup final against Ards in December 1971, which earned him his first senior medal.

However, amidst growing social unrest in Northern Ireland, Averell seized an opportunity in March 1972 to immigrate to Canada to play for the Toronto Metros in the blossoming North American Soccer League. Bobby spent two seasons in Canada alongside an international collection of team-mates and even managed to keep the world’s greatest player, Pele, at bay during an exhibition game against Santos.

Averell returned to Northern Ireland in January 1973 as Arthur Stewart brought him back home to Ballymena United and picked up another Irish Cup runners-up medal in 1974 following the defeat to Ards. His second spell at the club did merit two winning medals winning both the Gold Cup and the County Antrim Shield in the mid-seventies, the latter as captain. Injury curtailed the final years of his career and forced Averell’s retirement from the game at the end of the 1977/78 season. He had a short spell as a scout for the club immediately after his retirement.

In April 2008, Bobby was inducted into the Ballymena United Seven Towers’ Supporters Club ‘Hall of Fame’ as the player of the year for the 1970s. His son Richard also had two short spells at Ballymena United as well as Brentford and Glenavon.

NASL Jerseys

Northern Ireland Amateur Cap Details:

22-03-1969 Scotland H L 1-2

27-09-1969 England. H L 1-4

10-01-1970 Wales... H W 3-1

14-02-1970 Scotland A L 1-3

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

Courtesy of www.ballymenaunitedfc.com.

Jonny Steele

(Jonny Blair)

Name: Jonathan Steele
Born: 7 February 1986, Larne
Height: 6.00 ft / 1.83 m
Weight: 12.12 st / 82 kg
Position: Midfielder / Forward

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 3 Full Caps (2013-14), 13 Under-19 Caps; 3 Under-18 Caps, 7 Under-17 Caps, 13 Under-16 Schoolboy Caps (2002).
Club Honours: (with Puerto Rico Islanders) USL Commissioner's Cup Winner 2008; (with New York Red Bulls) MLS Supporters' Shield Winner 2013.

Club Career:
Teams ................. -Seasons- Signed -Fee- -League- FA Cup FL Cup Other
Wolverhampton Wanderers ........... 2002 Youth .0 (0)/0
Dallas Burn ....................... 2003 Trial .0 (0)/0
Syracuse Salty Dogs ....2004 ...... 2004 ..... (USL A-League)
Kansas City Comets .....04/05 ..... 2004 ..... (Major Indoor Soccer League)
Rochester Rhinos  ..... 2005 ...... 2005 ..... (USL First Division)
Baltimore Blast  ...... 05/06-06/07 2005 ..... (Major Indoor Soccer League)
Ballymena United  ..... 05/06 ... Aug-05 .Free. 2 (0)/1 .....  2(2)/0
Carolina RailHawks .... 2007 ...... 2007 ..... (USL First Division)
Orlando Sharks ........ 07/08 ..... 2007 ..... (Major Indoor Soccer League)
Philadelphia KiXX ..... 07/08 ..... 2007 ..... (Major Indoor Soccer League)
Puerto Rico Islanders . 2008-2009.. 2008 ..... (USL First Division)
Vancouver Whitecaps ... 2010  ... Dec-09 ..... (USL First Division)
FC Tampa Bay .......... 2010-2011 Jul-10 ..... (USL First Division)
Carolina RailHawks .... 2011 .... Feb-11 .Loan 26 (-)/0 (NASL)
Syracuse Silver Knights 11/12 ... Sep-11 ..... (Major Indoor Soccer League)
Real Salt Lake ........ 2012 .... Feb-12 .Free 11(17)/2 ...... ...... 0(1)/0 (MLS)
New York Red Bulls .... 2013-2014 Feb-13 .Free 38(10)/6 ...... ...... 2(0)/0 (MLS)
Newcastle Jets ........ 14/15 ... Jul-14 ..... (A-League)
Minnesota United....... 2015 .... Jan-15 .Free .4 (1)/0 (NASL)
Ottawa Fury............ 2016 .... Jan-16 .Free 12 (-)/0 (NASL)
Miami FC............... 2016 .... Jul-16 .Free .- (-)/- (NASL)

Biography:
When New York Red Bulls' midfielder Jonny Steele was called into the Northern Ireland squad in November 2013 he became the first ever MLS-based player to receive such an honour. Indeed, no player featuring with a US club had been called-up since the days of the NASL, three decades earlier.

Formerly a Wolves Academy player, Steele initially moved to the USA for a trial with Colin Clarke's Dallas Burn in 2003. He spent close to a decade, a short spell back home with Ballymena aside, plying his trade at various levels in North American soccer before finally arriving in the top-tier MLS with Real Salt Lake in 2012. He was released by RSL after a single season and looked likely to move closer to home, training with Cliftonville and coming close to a deal with an unidentified English League Two side.

Steele remained in the USA to sign for MLS power-houses, New York Red Bulls where he played alongside former English Premier League stars, Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill. In his first season he assisted the team to Eastern Conference championship and, as the MLS team with the overall best regular season record, to the Supporters' Shield. In all he scored five goals, mostly while playing as a left-sided mifielder. Surprisingly the Red Bulls lost out to Houston Dynamo in the play-offs.

A member of the Northern Ireland Under-19 side that played in the 2005 European Championship finals as hosts, Steele also featured as the team finished as runners-up in that years' Milk Cup, scoring in a 4-2 final defeat by the USA. His form in the MLS throughout the 2013 season had seen him tipped for a call-up to the senior Northern Ireland squad, but it was only after the Red Bulls' exit from the play-offs that Michael O'Neill was willing to include him in the squad to face Turkey in a November friendly.

On his first international call-up Steele noted: "Playing for your country is an honour and it's something I've always wanted to do and if I get that opportunity, I'm going to be hungrier than I've ever been."

Having added further caps to his name during Northern Ireland's 2014 summer tour of South America, Steele was on the move again in July 2014, moving to play in Australia with Newcastle Jets.

New York Red Bulls Profile

Northern Ireland Full Cap Details:
15-11-2013 Turkey. A L 0-1 FR sub
30-05-2014 Uruguay A L 0-1 FR sub
04-06-2014 Chile.. A L 0-2 FR sub

Summary: 0(3)/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 3.

Conor Brennan

Name: Conor Brennan
Born: 30 March 1994
Height:
Weight:
Position: Goalkeeper

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: Under-21, 2 Under-19 Caps, 6 Under-17 Caps, 12 Under-16 Caps (2009-2010).

Club Career:
Teams .......... --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- League FACup FLCup Other
Ards ....................... Sep-07 Youth 0(0)/0
Dungannon Swifts 09/10 ..... Jun-09 ..... 0(0)/0 ............ 1(0)/0
Leicester City ............. Sep-10 ..... 0(0)/0
Kilmarnock ..... 14/15-15/16 Jun-13 .Free 4(3)/0 
Stranraer ...... 15/16 ..... Jul-15 .Loan 3(0)/0 ..... 2(0)/0 1(0)/0
Raith Rovers ... 16/17 ..... Aug-16 .Free
Notts County ............... Jul-17 Trial 0(0)/0
Ballymena United 17/18 ..... Jul-17 .Free
Greenock Morton. 17/18
Brechin City ... 18/19- date Jun-18 

Biography: 
Conor Brennan made his senior football debut as a 15 year-old, in a 1-0 Mid-Ulster Cup semi-final defeat by Glenavon in March 2010. At the time he was also a pupil at St. Colmcille's High School in Crossgar, Northern Ireland Schoolboy's regular number one and a former member of the County Down Milk Cup squad. Early in the following season he joined Leicester City, but he was released after three seasons.

Brennan joined Kilmarnock in 2013, becoming Kenny Shiels' final signing before his sacking. He spent his first season at Rugby Park in the Under-20 squad, appearing on the bench for the firstteam for the first time in February 2014. From the start of the following campaign he was a match-day regular, making his debut in October in a 2-0 win over Dundee United, coming on as a half-time for Craig Samson who had suffered a broken toe.

Having played for Northern Ireland at every age-group level, Brennan won his first Under-21 cap in August 2013 against Denmark, in a friendly at his old home ground in Dungannon which resulted in a 1-4 defeat. However, when he was substituted at half-time the scoreline was 1-1.

In order to gain more experience Brennan was loaned to Scottish League one side Stranraer at the start of the 2015/16 season, but he was recalled early as Kilmarnock suffered a goalkeeping injury crisis. At the end of the 2015/16 season Brennan was released by Killie.

To follow.

UEFA
Irish FA
Kilmarnock FC
Wikipedia

Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
14-08-2013 Denmark H L 1-4 FR
09-09-2013 Belgium A L 0-1 ECQ
11-10-2013 Belgium H L 0-1 ECQ
15-10-2013 Serbia. A L 1-3 ECQ
14-11-2013 Italy.. A L 0-3 ECQ
19-11-2013 Cyprus. H W 1-0 ECQ
05-03-2014 Italy.. H L 0-2 ECQ
still active.

Paddy McNally

Name: Patrick McNally
Born: 20 August 1994
Height:
Weight:
Position: Central Defender

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 Under-21 Cap, Under-19, 7 Under-17 Caps.
Club Honours: (with Ballymena) Co. Antrim Shield Winner 2015/16; (with Carrick) NIFL Cup Runner-Up 2016/17.

Club Career:
Teams........ --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- -League- FA Cup FL Cup Other
Cliftonville ............ Jul-08 Youth .0 (0)/0 
Celtic .................. Jul-11 ...... 0 (0)/0 
Cliftonville. 13/14 ..... Aug-13 .Loan .7 (1)/0 
Glenavon .... 14/15 ..... Sep-14 .Free .7 (2)/0 ............. 0(1)/0
Ballymena Utd 14/15-15/16 Jan-15 .Free 18 (1)/0
Carrick R. .. 16/17- date c/s-16 .Free

Biography:
To follow.

IrishFA

Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
31-05-2013 Cyprus A L 0-3 ECQ

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

Sean McCann

Name:
Born:
Height:
Weight:
Position: Goalkeeper

Representative Honours: Ireland: 4 Amateur Caps (1949-1951).
Club Honours: (with Ballymena) Co. Antrim Shield Winner 1947/48 ...

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
Ballymena United	48/49	-	Amateur	*32/0	-	-
Glenavon	-	-50	Amateur	-	-	-
TOTALS	-	£0		-	-	-

* all games

Biography:
To follow.

Ireland Amateur Cap Details:
05-02-1949 England. A W 1-0
16-03-1949 Scotland H D 2-2
04-02-1950 England. H L 1-3
19-05-1951 Scotland H L 0-1

Summary: 4/0. Won 1, Drew 1, Lost 2.

Ross Glendinning

Born: Ross Glendinning

Born: 18 May 1993

Height:

Weight:

Position: Goalkeeper

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: Under-21 (2012-date), Youth, 7 Under-16 Schoolboy Caps (2009).
Club Honours: (with Ballymena) NIFL Cup Winner 2016/17.

Club Career:

Teams ......... --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- League FACup FLCup Europe Other

Greenisland .......................... Youth 

Linfield ...... 11/12- date Feb-12 Youth 69(-)/0

Ballyclare Com. 11/12 ..... Jul-11 .Loan 13(0)/0 .... 1(0)/0
Ballymena Utd . 16/17- date Jul-16 .Loan
Ballymena Utd . 17/18- date Jun-17

Biography:

Son of Mark, Ross Glendinning won Schoolboy caps while at Glengormley High School. He came through the ranks at Linfield, adding Under-17 caps to his collection. Having spent the first half of the 2011/12 season on loan at Ballyclare Comrades, Glendinning made his Linfield début towards the end of the season with a couple of substitute appearances against Cliftonville and Coleraine as the Blues regular 'keepers, Alan Blayney and Stuart Addis struggled with injury. 

With Blayney again injured, Glendinning's first senior club starts came early in the following campaign as B36 Torshavn were defeated on penalties in the UEFA Champions League preliminary round, however he returned to the bench when Blayney regained his fitness. Glendinning's club performances earned him elevation to the Northern Ireland Under-21 panel that travelled to Hungary for a friendly in August 2012 and he made his début from the bench.

Over the following few seasons Glendinning found himself battling for a starting place at Linfield against Jonny Tuffey, finally permanently displacing the Northern Ireland international during the 2014/15 season. For the 2015/16 season Glendinning was undisputed first choice for the Blues, but they club were suffering an uncharacteristic barren spell. He was injured in the weeks prior to the 2016 Irish Cup final and took a place on the bench for a 2-0 defeat by Glenavon as relative-rookie Gareth Deane was favoured. 

In the summer of 2016 David Healy signed Roy Carroll and Glendinning was sent on loan to Ballymena where he would once again vie with Alan Blayney for a starting place. Having seen off Blayney, Glendinning's move to Ballymena became permanent for the following season.

Irish FA
IFA Premiership
Linfield FC
UEFA

Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
15-08-2012 Hungary A L 2-3 FR sub
10-09-2012 Denmark A L 0-3 ECQ
09-11-2012 England A L 0-2 FR sub
31-05-2013 Cyprus. A L 0-3 ECQ
14-08-2013 Denmark H L 1-4 FR sub 
still active.