Luke McCullough

Name: Luke McCullough
Born: 15 February 1994, Portadown
Height:
Weight:
Position: Central Defender

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: Full, Under-21, Youth.

Club Career:
Teams ........... --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- League FACup FLCup Other
Dungannon Swifts ................... Youth
Manchester United ........... Jul-10 Youth 0(0)/0
Cheltenham Town.. 12/13 ..... Jan-13 .Loan 0(1)/0
Doncaster Rovers. 13/14- date Jul-13 .Free

Biography:
To follow.

IrishFA
Soccerbase
Wikipedia


Northern Ireland Full Cap Details:
30-05-2014 Uruguay A L 0-1 FR
still active

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 Serbia. H W 1-0 ECQ
05-03-2014 Italy.. H L 0-2 ECQ
still active

Tommy Aiken

Name: Thomas Aiken
Born: 18 March 1946, Ballymena
Height:
Weight:
Position: Outside-Left

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 Amateur Cap (1965)
Club Honours:

Club Career:

Clubs	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	FL Cup	Other
Ballymena United	65/66-67/68	-	Amateur	*113(0)/19	-	-	-
Doncaster Rovers	67/68	Nov-67	-	12(1)/1	-	-	-
TOTALS		£-		-	-	-	-

* all games

Biography:
Tommy Aiken was selected to play for Northern Ireland Amateurs against England in 1965 at his homeground in Ballymena. Two years later he made the long dreamed of move to England, signing with Doncaster Rovers. He spent just a season at Belle Vue, playing thirteen games in the Football League.

More to follow.

Northern Ireland Amateur Cap Details:
25-09-1965 England. H L 0-2

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

Tommy Lowry

Name: Thomas Lowry
Born: c.1937, Ballymacarrett, Belfast

Died: September 2004, Lurgan
Height: 6.00 ft

Weight: 10.06 st
Position: Centre-Half

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 B Cap (1960), 4 Schoolboy Caps (1949).
Club Honours: (with Ballymena) Irish Cup Winner 1957/58, Runner-Up 1958/59.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	FL Cup	Other
Doncaster Rovers	-	-53	-	-	-	-	-
Distillery	53/54	-	-	-	-	-	-
Glentoran	54/55-55/56	-	-	*32/ 1	-	-	-
Larne	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Ballymena United	57/58-59/60	-	-	*100/13	-	-	-
Falkirk	59/60-63/64	£4k	-	81/ 0	2/0	13/0	10/0
Glenavon	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
TOTALS	-	£-		-	-	-	-

* all games.

Biography:
Tommy Lowry was the most notable member of a famous east-Belfast footballing family, his brothers Sammy (Glentoran), Hugh (Ards) and John (Ards Reserves) all playing to a high standard.

As a teenager Tommy was scouted by Doncaster manager Peter Doherty, who offered Lowry a trial. During his time in England he lodged with Harry Gregg who took the youngster under his wing. It didn't work out for Lowry in England and he returned home for spells with Distillery, Glentoran, Larne and, most notably, Ballymena. He particularly enjoyed playing against Jackie Milburn, not giving the the ex-Newcastle forward an inch during his time at Linfield. It was while with the Braidmen that Lowry was first touted as a potential Ireland international, but he was never to win a cap.

Eventually Lowry was given another chance across the water when signed by Falkirk mid-way through the 1959/60 season. As his stature as one of the finest centre-backs in Scotland grew, Lowry was linked with moves to Newcastle, Sunderland and Rangers. He was the "Toast of Falkirk" until a bitter fall-out precipitated his exit from Brockville. Again he was linked with a host of clubs, Middlesbrough and Leyton Orient among them, but instead he returned "home".

Lowry settled in Lurgan and played for Glenavon. He was briefly caretaker manager at Mourneview, but refused a permanent position because he didn't want the hassle from colleagues at his job in a local creamery. He did later manage Distillery from February to September 1981.

Tommy Lowry remained outspoken in his views on local football up until his death in 2004.

More to follow.

NI Soccer Magazine (late 1980s) click to enlarge

Northern Ireland 'B' Cap Details:
16-03-1960 France A L 0-5

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

With thanks to John Meffen (Falkirk FC Historian)

Jon McCarthy

Name: Jonathan David McCarthy
Born: 18 August 1970, Middlesbrough (England)
Height: 5.09½ ft
Weight: 11.02 st
Position: Right-Winger

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 18 Full Caps (1996-2001), 2 B Caps (1996-1998).
Club Honours: (with Port Vale) Anglo-Itlaian Cup Runner-Up 1995/96; (with Birmingham) Football League Cup Runner-Up 2000/01; (with Hucknall) Northern Premier League Champion 2003/04; (with Northwich) Football Conference North Champions 2005/06.
Awards: York City Clubman of the Year 1991/92, 1994/95.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	FL Cup	Other
Hartlepool United	87/88-88/89	Nov-87	Youth	0 (1)/ 0	-	-	-
Shepshed.Charterhouse	89/90	Mar-89	Free	(Northern Premier League)
York City	89/90-94/95	Mar-90	-	198 (1)/31	11(0)/3	8(0)/1	15(0)/3
Port Vale	95/96-97/98	Aug-95	£450k	93 (1)/12	7(0)/1	10(0)/2	8(0)/2
Birmingham City	97/98-01/02	Sep-97	£1,850k	106(17)/ 8	4(0)/0	9(1)/0	3(1)/0
Sheffield Wednesday	01/02	Mar-02	Loan	4 (0)/ 0	-	-	-
Port Vale	02/03	Aug-02	Free	5 (3)/ 0	-	1(0)/0	-
Doncaster Rovers	02/03	Oct-02	Free	1 (0)/ 0	-	-	-
York City	02/03	Nov-02	Free	1 (0)/ 0	-	-	-
Carlisle United	02/03	Nov-02	Free	19 (2)/ 1	2(0)/0	-	4(0)/1
Hucknall Town	03/04	-	Free	(Northern Premier League)
Northwich Victoria	04/05-06/07	Jul-04	Free	(Football Conference)
TOTALS	-	£2,300k		427(25)/52	24(0)/4	28(1)/3	30(1)/5

Biography:
Appointed first-team coach at Chester in January 2014, taking over as manager in May 2016.

More to follow.

Wikipedia

Northern Ireland Cap Details:
24-04-1996 Sweden........ H L 1-2 FR
22-01-1997 Italy......... A L 0-2 FR
30-04-1997 Armenia....... A D 0-0 WCQ
21-05-1997 Thailand...... A D 0-0 FR
11-10-1997 Portugal...... A L 0-1 WCQ sub
25-03-1998 Slovakia...... H W 1-0 FR sub
03-06-1998 Spain......... A L 1-4 FR
10-10-1998 Finland....... H W 1-0 ECQ sub
18-11-1998 Moldova....... H D 2-2 ECQ sub
27-03-1999 Germany....... H L 0-3 ECQ sub
27-04-1999 Canada........ H D 1-1 FR
29-05-1999 Rep of Ireland A W 1-0 FR
18-08-1999 France........ H L 0-1 FR
04-09-1999 Turkey........ H L 0-3 ECQ
09-09-1999 Germany....... A L 0-4 ECQ
10-10-1999 Finland....... A L 1-4 ECQ
28-02-2001 Norway........ H L 0-4 FR
28-03-2001 Bulgaria...... A L 3-4 WCQ sub

Summary: 12(6)/0. Won 3, Drew 4, Lost 11.

Northern Ireland B Cap Details:
26-03-1996 Norway........ H W 3-0 FR
11-02-1998 Rep of Ireland A W 1-0 FR

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

Dean Shiels

Name: Dean Shiels
Born: 1 February 1985, Magharafelt
Height: 5.11 ft
Weight: 10.00 st
Position: Forward/Winger

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 14 Full Caps / 1 Goal (2005-2012), 6 Under-21 Caps / 2 Goals (2004-2006), Under-19, Under-17, Under-16, Under-15.
Club Honours: (with Kilmarnock) Scottish League Cup Winner 2011/12; (with Rangers) Scottish Cup Runner-Up 2015/16; SPFL Championship Winner 2015/16; SPFL League One Champion 2013/14; Scottish Third Division Champion 2012/13; Scottish Challenge Cup Winner 2015/16.

Club Career: 
Teams.......--Seasons-- Signed -Fee- -League-- FA Cup Lge Cup Europe  Other
Arsenal.....02/03-03/04 Jul-02 Youth .0 (0)/ 0
Hibernian...04/05-08/09 Jul-04 .Free 79(38)/24 9(1)/3 10(1)/4 3(5)/0
Doncaster R 08/09-11/12 Feb-09 Undis 46(37)/10 3(0)/0 .2(0)/0

Kilmarnock. 11/12...... Jul-11 .Loan 18 (2)/ 6 1(0)/0 .2(0)/0
Kilmarnock. 11/12 ..... Jan-12. Free 15 (0)/ 7 2(0)/1 .2(0)/1
Rangers ... 12/13-15/16 Jul-12  Free 47(43)/19 6(5)/4 .7(1)/4 ...... 8(6)/2
Dundalk ... 2016 ...... Aug-16 .Free .2 (5)/ 3 ....... 0(4)/0
FC Edmonton 2017 ...... Feb-17 .Free
Dunfermline 17/18 ..... Jul-17 .Free 16 (3)/ 0 2(0)/0 .1(2)/0 ...... 1(0)/0
Derry City. 2018 - date Jul-18 .Free

Biography:
Son of former Northern Ireland Under-17 coach Kenny, Dean Shiels has come through considerable adversity to make it as a professional footballer.

A starlet of a the Northern Ireland Youth set-up, Shiels signed schoolboy forms with Arsenal in July 2001 and his first professional contract a year later. Unable to impress beyond the Gunners’ Under-19 side, Shiels left Highbury by mutual consent in June 2004.

Linked with a return to Northern Ireland with Linfield or Ballymena (then managed by his father), Shiels instead signed a three year deal with Scottish Premier side, Hibernian. That same summer he impressed with the Northern Ireland Under-19 side in the Milk Cup Elite competition, scoring twice in a famous win over Brazil. The goals showed the youngster as a potential ‘complete’ striker, the first a stunning strike from distance and the second a well placed low header.

After joining Hibs Shiels made good progress. On 18 August 2004 he made his Under-21 debut against Switzerland and six days later scored his first senior club goal as Hibs drew 4-4 with Dundee. A regular in his first campaign, he scored six goals in 43 appearances. In November 2005 Shiels made his senior Northern Ireland debut in a Gala Friendly against Portugal as the Irish FA continued its 125th Anniversary celebrations.

Just two months after his first senior international Sheils announced he would be under-going an operation to have his right eye removed. He had lost the sight in the eye after a childhood accident and, much to his credit, few knew of the handicap. Whilst the operation reduced his effectiveness during his second season, it only ruled him out of football for seven weeks and by the end of the season he was touring the USA with the Northern Ireland team.

Shiels was a key figure in Hibs side that reached the 2007 CIS Cup Final, including scoring a brace in a memorable 6-0 win over upstarts Gretna. Unfortunately injury forced him to miss the Final with Kilmarnock and so Shiels still awaits his first domestic honour.

With his contract due to expire at the end of the 2008/09 season, Shiels moved to Doncaster Rovers for a fee of around £50,000 on transfer deadline day, 2nd February 2009. In July 2011 he joined Kilmarnock, managed by his father, on a six month loan deal. The move was made permanent in January 2012 and yielded a surprise League Cup final success over Celtic. Shiels' contribution to Killie's successes has been recognised by his appearance on the short-list for the Scottish PFA Player of the Year.

Shiels signed for Rangers in July 2012 shortly after they were demoted to the bottom tier of the Scottish League following their financial melt-down. He has seldom been a regular starter in the four seasons it has taken Rangers to gain promotion to the Premiership and has subsequently dropped from the international reckoning despite appearing to be much-favoured during Michael O'Neill's earliest games as manager.

Shortly after Rangers' top-flight return was confirmed Shiels was released. Subsequently he signed for high-flying League of Ireland side, Dundalk. He made his Lilywhites' debut in a 1-0 win over Wexford in August 2016.

Irish FA Bio
Soccerbase

Northern Ireland Cap Details:
15-11-2005 Portugal...... H D 1-1 FR. sub
21-05-2006 Uruguay....... N L 0-1 FR. sub
26-05-2006 Romania....... N L 0-2 FR
06-02-2007 Wales......... H D 0-0 FR. sub
20-08-2008 Scotland...... A D 0-0 FR. sub
06-09-2008 Slovakia...... A L 1-2 WCQ sub
10-09-2008 Czech Republic H D 0-0 WCQ sub
19-11-2008 Hungary....... H L 0-2 FR. sub
03-03-2010 Albania....... A L 0-1 FR. sub
29-02-2012 Norway........ H L 0-3 FR
15-08-2012 Finland....... H D 3-3 FR
07-09-2012 Russia........ A L 0-2 WCQ sub
11-09-2012 Luexmbourg.... H D 1-1 WCQ 1 goal
14-11-2012 Azerbaijan.... H D 1-1 WCQ

Summary: 5(9)/1. Won 0, Drew 7, Lost 7.

Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
18-08-2004 Switzerland... H D 0-0 FR. sub
08-02-2005 Scotland...... H W 2-1 FR
16-08-2005 Rep of Ireland H D 2-2 FR. sub
10-05-2006 Leichtenstein. H W 4-0 ECQ 1 Goal
16-08-2006 Romania....... A L 0-3 ECQ
01-09-2006 Germany....... H L 2-3 ECQ 1 Goal

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

Kevin Horlock

(courtesy of Danny Allen)

Kevin Horlock's 32 solid performances at full-back or in midfield for Northern Ireland were largely forgotten when he announced his 'retirement' from international football by simply not turning up for a European championship qualifier with Armenia in March 2003...

Name: Kevin Horlock

Born: 1 November 1972, Erith, Kent (England)

Height: 6.00 ft

Weight: 12.00 st

Position: Midfielder/Left-Back

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 32 Full Caps (1995-2002), 2 'B' Caps (1994-1996).

Club Honours: (with Swindon) Football League Division Two Champion 1995/96; (with Man. City) Football League Division One Champion 2001/02, Runner-Up 1999/00; Football League Division Two Play-Off Winner 1998/99.
Awards: Football League Championship Player of the Month Oct-2004.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	FL Cup	Other
West Ham United	-	Jul-91	Youth	0 (0)/ 0	-	-	-
Swindon Town	92/93-96/97	Aug-92	Free	152(12)/22	12(0)/3	15(2)/1	5(2)/0
Manchester City	96/97-02/03	Jan-97	£1,250k	186(20)/37	9(0)/1	16(1)/4	-
West Ham United	03/04	Aug-03	£300k	23 (4)/ 1	4(0)/0	2(0)/0	-
Ipswich Town	04/05-05/06	Jul-04	Free	46(12)/ 0	1(0)/0	1(1)/0	1(0)/0
Doncaster Rovers	05/06	Feb-06	Loan	13 (0)/ 0	-	-	-
Doncaster Rovers	06/07-07/08	May-06	Free	2 (0)/ 1	-	-	-
Scunthorpe.United	07/08	Jan-08	Free	0 (0)/ 0	-	-	-
Mansfield Town	07/08	Mar-08	Loan	0 (5)/ 0	-	-	-
Bury Town	-	Jul-08	Trial	(Isthmian League)
King's Lynn	-	Jul-08	Trial	(Southern League)
Needham Market	08/09-11/12	Aug-08	Free	(Eastern Counties League)
TOTALS	-	£1,550k		442(53)/63	26(0)/4	34(4)/5	6(2)/0

Biography:

Horlock was appointed Northern Ireland Under-21 assistant manager in August 2013.

More to follow.

Swindon Town Bio

Manchester City Bio

Doncaster Rovers Bio

Wikipedia Article

Kevin Horlock School of Football (includes a good selection of photos)

Northern Ireland Cap Details:

26-04-1995 Latvia.... A W 1-0 ECQ

22-05-1995 Canada.... A L 0-2 FR

09-11-1996 Germany... A D 1-1 WCQ

14-12-1996 Albania... H W 2-0 WCQ

22-01-1997 Italy..... A L 0-2 FR

11-02-1997 Belgium... H W 3-0 FR

02-04-1997 Ukraine... A L 1-2 WCQ

30-04-1997 Armenia... A D 0-0 WCQ

21-05-1997 Thailand.. A D 0-0 FR

20-08-1997 Germany... H L 1-3 WCQ

10-09-1997 Albania... A L 0-1 WCQ

11-10-1997 Portugal.. A L 0-1 WCQ

15-09-1998 Turkey.... A L 0-3 ECQ

10-10-1998 Finland... H W 1-0 ECQ

27-03-1999 Germany... H L 0-3 ECQ

31-03-1999 Moldova... A D 0-0 ECQ

27-04-1999 Canada.... H D 1-1 FR

18-08-1999 France.... H L 0-1 FR

04-09-1999 Turkey.... H L 0-3 ECQ

09-09-1999 Germany... A L 0-4 ECQ

28-03-2000 Malta..... A W 3-0 FR sub

16-08-2000 Yugoslavia H L 1-2 FR

02-09-2000 Malta..... H W 1-0 WCQ

07-10-2000 Denmark... H D 1-1 WCQ

11-10-2000 Iceland... A L 0-1 WCQ

01-09-2001 Denmark... A D 1-1 WCQ

05-09-2001 Iceland... H W 3-0 WCQ

06-10-2001 Malta..... A W 1-0 WCQ

17-04-2002 Spain..... H L 0-5 FR

21-08-2002 Cyprus.... H D 0-0 FR

12-10-2002 Spain..... A L 0-3 ECQ

16-10-2002 Ukraine... H D 0-0 ECQ

.

Summary: 31(1)/0. Won 8, Drew 9, Lost 15.