Bobby Burns

Name: Robert Burns
Born: 7 October 1999, Belfast
Height: 5.09 ft / 1.73 m
Weight: 11.04 st / 72kg
Position: Forward / Midfielder / Left-Back

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: Under-21, Under-19, Under-18, Under-17, Under-15.

Club Career:
Team ..... --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- 
Lisburn Youth ............... Youth
Cliftonville ................ Youth
Glenavon .................... Youth
Knockbreda 16/17 ............. Loan
Hearts ... 18/19- date May-18 Undis

Biography:
Bobby Burns came through the Northern Ireland schools and youth set-ups playing largely as a holding midfielder and occasionally as a winger. He captained the Under-18 side to the Centenary Shield in 2017. At the same time he was enjoying a successful spell at Knockbreda where he played regularly as a forward for the first time in his career. The following season he established himself the Glenavon forward line, despite having the squad number three. He was still just 18 when awarded his first Under-21 cap. In May 2018 he agreed to join Hearts on a three year contract for an undisclosed free.

Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
26-03-2018 Iceland H D 0-0 ECQ
still active

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.

Dominic Ball

Name: Dominic Ball
Born: 2 August 1995, Welwyn Garden City (England)
Height:
Weight:
Position: Midfielder / Defender

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 Under-21 Cap (2013), 4 Under-19 Caps / 4 Goals, 8 Under-17 Caps / 2 Goals, 9 Under-16 Caps / 1 Goal, 1 Under-15 Cap.
Club Honours: (with Rangers) SPFL Championship Winner 2015/16; SPFL Challenge Cup Winner 2015/16.

Club Career:
Teams........--Seasons-- Signed -Fee- -League- FA Cup FL Cup Other
Watford ....................... Youth .0 (0)/0
Tottenham Hotspur....... Jul-11 Youth .0 (0)/0
Cambridge U. 14/15 ..... Jan-15 .Loan .9 (2)/0
Rangers .... 15/16 ..... Aug-15 .Loan 15 (6)/0 5(0)/0 1(0)/0 3(0)/0
Rotherham U. 16/17-17/18 Aug-16 Undis 12 (1)/0 ...... 1(0)/0 1(0)/0
Peterborough 16/17 ..... Jan-17 .Loan .6 (0)/1
Aberdeen ... 17/18 ..... Aug-17 .Loan .9 (7)/0 1(1)/0 1(0)/0
Aberdeen ... 18/19 ..... Jul-18 .Loan 

Biography:
Dominic Ball was capped by Northern Ireland at every youth level up to-and-including Under-21 before accepting a call-up to an England Under-19 squad in February 2014.

He is younger brother of Matt Ball.

More to follow.

Soccerbase
Wikipedia

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

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

Ryan Brobbel

Name: Ryan Brobbel
Born: 5 March 1993, Hartlepool (England)
Height: 5.08 ft
Weight:
Position: Midfielder / Winger

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: Under-21, 11 Under-19 Caps / 1 Goal, 2 Under-18 Caps, 9 Under-17 Caps / 1 Goal.
Club Honours: (with TNS) Welsh Premier League Champion 2015/16, 2016/17; Welsh Cup Winner 2015/16; Welsh League Cup Winner 2016/17.

Club Career:
Teams........ --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- -League- FA Cup FL Cup Other
Middlesbrough ........... May-11 Youth .0(0)/ 0
York City ... 13/14 ..... Aug-13. Loan 16(3)/ 4 0(1)/0 ...... 1(0)/0
Hartlepool U. 14/15 ..... Aug-14 .Loan 13(2)/ 0 ...... 1(0)/0 1(0)/0
Tranmere Rvrs ........... Jul-15 Trial
Darlington .. 15/16 ..... Sep-15 .Free
Whitby Town.. 15/16 ..... Oct-15 .Free
TNS ......... 15/16- date Jan-16

Biography:
To follow.

IrishFA
Wikipedia

Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
31-05-2013 Cyprus. A L 0-3 ECQ
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 sub
19-11-2013 Cyprus. H W 1-0 ECQ
05-03-2014 Italy.. H L 0-2 ECQ
09-09-2014 Serbia. H L 1-4 ECQ 1 goal

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

Bobby Brolly

Name: Robert G. Brolly
Born: Belfast
Height:
Weight:
Position: Right-Half

Representative Honours: (Northern) Ireland: 10 Amateur Caps / 1 Goal (1953-1957)
Club Honours: (with Coleraine) Irish Cup Runner-Up 1952/53; (with Derry) Irish Cup Winner 1953/54, Runner-Up 1956/57.

Club Career:

Clubs	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	Europe	Other
Coleraine	-	-	Amateur	-	-	-
Derry City	-	Nov-53	Amateur	-	-	-
TOTALS		£-		-	-	-

Biography: 

Right-half and some-time captain of Ireland Amateurs through much of the 1950s, Bobby Brolly played in three Irish Cup finals for Coleraine and Derry, winning just once, in 1954. He moved between the two near-neighbours in an exchange deal that saw Fay Coyle transfer in the other direction.

More to follow.

Northern Ireland Amateur Cap Details:
31-01-1953 England...... A L 1-4
14-02-1953 Scotland..... H W 1-0
12-09-1953 England...... H W 3-1
10-10-1953 South Africa. H L 2-5
23-01-1954 Wales........ H W 3-2
22-02-1954 Distillery FC N W 5-2
25-02-1956 Scotland..... A W 3-1
15-09-1956 England...... A L 2-5
19-01-1957 Wales........ H L 1-3
23-02-1957 Scotland..... H W 4-1 1 goal
28-09-1957 England...... H L 0-3

Summary: 10/1. Won 5, Drew 0, Lost 5.

Alex Bruce

Name: Alex Stephen Bruce
Born: 28 September 1984, Norwich (England)
Height: 5.09 ft (1.75 m)
Weight: 11.04 st (71.66 kg)
Position: Defender

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 2 Full Caps (2013-14); Republic of Ireland: 2 Full Caps, B, Under-21.
Club Honours: (with Hull) Football League Championship Runner-Up 2012/13 (promoted); FA Cup Runner-Up 2013/14.

Club Career:
Teams..... --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- -League- FA Cup FL Cup Other
Manchester United ........... Youth ..0(0)/0
Blackburn Rovers ............ Youth ..0(0)/0
Oldham Ath 04/05 ..... Dec-04 .Loan ..3(3)/0 1(0)/0 ...... 1(0)/0
Birmingham 04/05-06/07 Jan-05 .Free ..3(3)/0 4(2)/0
Oldham Ath 04/05 ..... Jan-05 .Loan ..5(1)/0 1(0)/0 ...... 1(0)/0
Sheff Wed..04/05 ..... Mar-05 .Loan ..8(1)/0 
Tranmere R 05/06 ..... Aug-05 .Loan .10(1)/0 ...... 0(1)/0
Ipswich T..06/07-09/10 Aug-06 .Free 112(3)/2 5(1)/1 6(0)/0
Leicester. 09/10 ..... Feb-10 .Loan ..2(1)/0 ............. 4(0)/0
Leeds Utd. 10/11-11/12 Aug-10 ...... 29(0)/1 2(0)/0 2(0)/0 
Hudd'field.11/12 ..... Nov-11 .Loan ..3(0)/0
Hull City .12/13-16/17 Jul-12 .Free 74(11)/1 7(1)/0 6(2)/0 2(1)/0
Wigan Ath. 16/17 ..... Jan-17 .Loan ..0(2)/0 
Bury ..... 17/18 ..... Aug-17 .Free ..2(0)/1 
Wigan Ath. 17/18- date Aug-17 .Free

Biography:

(courtesy of John Floyd)

Son of former Manchester United defender, Steve, Alex Bruce currently plays for Hull City where his father is manager.

A controversial selection for the Northern Ireland squad in October 2012, Bruce had previously rejected a Northern Ireland call-up, preferring instead to represent the Republic of Ireland. Having won two friendly caps for the south he became frustrated by his lack of opportunities and agreed a switch to the north with Nigel Worthington in the summer of 2011.

Northern Ireland Full Cap Details:
06-02-2013 Malta. A D 1-1 FR
05-03-2014 Cyprus A D 0-0 FR

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

Matty Ball

Name: Matthew Ball

Born: 26 March 1993, Welwyn Garden City (ENG)

Height: 5.10 ft (1.80 m)

Weight: 10.10 st (68 kg)

Position: Midfielder

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 6 Under-21 Caps, Under-19, Under-17.
Club Honours:

Club Career:

Teams ........... --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- -League-
Norwich City .....10/11-11/12 ..2010 Youth .0(0)/ 0
Macclesfield Town 11/12 ..... Mar-12 .Loan .0(0)/ 0
Stevenage........ 12/13-13/14 Jul-12 .Free .1(1)/ 0
Farnborough ..... 12/13 ..... Feb-13 .Loan .7(-)/ 1 (Conference South)
Boreham Wood .... 13/14 ..... Aug-13 .Loan 21(-)/ 4 (Conference South)
Farnborough ..... 13/14 ..... Jan-14 .Loan 18(-)/ 3 (Conference South)
Farnborough ..... 14/15 ..... Aug-14 .Free 10(-)/ 2 (Conference South)
Wealdstone....... 14/15-15/16 Oct-14 .Free ........ (Conference South)
Albuquerque Sol.. 2015 ...... May-15 .Loan ........ (US PDL)
St Albans City .. 16/17- date Jun-16 (National League South)

Biography:

Matthew Ball was first signed by Norwich City as a twelve year-old, working his way through the ranks to earn a place on the bench for the Canaries' 2-1 defeat by Crystal Palace in October 2010. He earned his first professional contract in May 2011, the same month as he made his Northern Ireland Under-21 debut, adding to the youth caps he had previously won. In the summer of 2011 he showed particularly impressive form at the Milk Cup, scoring twice in three games, as Northern Ireland finished runners-up.

Ball was released by Norwich at the end of the 2011/12 season and subsequently joined Stevenage, where his father Tim had played during the 1980s, on a three-year-contract after a successful trial. He spent loan spells with non-league sides Farnborough and Boreham Wood. After his Stevenage contract was cancelled at the end of the 2013/14 season he joined Farnborough on a permanent deal.

Ball's younger brother Dominic was also capped at various levels by Northern Ireland before electing to play for England.

Soccerbase
Flown the Nest
IrishFA

Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:

31-05-2011 Faroe Islands A D 0-0 ECQ sub
06-09-2011 Denmark...... H L 0-3 ECQ sub
15-08-2012 Hungary...... A L 2-3 FR
07-09-2012 FYR Macedonia H L 1-3 ECQ sub
10-09-2012 Denmark...... A L 0-3 ECQ
14-08-2013 Denmark...... H L 1-4 FR. sub

Summary: 2(4)/0. Won 0, Drew 1, Lost 5. 

Harry Burns

Name:

Born: Lurgan

Height:

Weight:

Position: Right-Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 5 Amateur Caps (1935-1938).

Club Honours: (with Linfield) Co. Antrim Shield Winner 1937/38.

Club Career:

Clubs	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
Lurgan Rangers	-	-	Amateur	-	-	-
Glenavon	34/35-36/37	-	Amateur	-	-	-
Linfield	-	-	Amateur	-	-	-
TOTALS		£0		-	-	-

Biography:

Harry Burns was spotted by Glenavon playing for local junior side, Lurgan Rangers. Son of former Glenavon half-back Bob, Harry gained rapid elevation to the senior ranks, proving himself capable of pitting "his skills and stamina against the best."

First selected at right-back for Ireland Amateurs for the visit of England in February 1935, Burns remained a regular in defence for three seasons, acquitting himself with credit.

"A keen and timely tackler, a confident kicker, and clever in his positioning," Burns' towering displays saw him tracked by the bigger local clubs and it was no surprise when he joined Linfield in 1937. He retained his amateur status after moving from Mourneview to Windsor Park, adding two further amateur caps to the three he won while with Glenavon.

Ireland Amateur Cap Details:

16-02-1935 England. H L 2-4

17-04-1935 Scotland A W 3-2

21-04-1937 Scotland A L 0-3

19-02-1938 England. A D 1-1

13-04-1938 Scotland H W 2-1

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

With thanks to Jim Murphy for forwarding the picture and ISN article on which this profile is largely based.

Adam Buckley

Name: Adam Buckley

Born:
Died:

Height:

Weight:

Position: Right-Half

Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Amateur Cap (1935).

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
Bellevue	-	-	Amateur	(Irish Alliance)
Ballyclare.Comrades	-	-	Amateur	(Intermediate League)
Ballymena United	34/35-36/37	Feb-35	Amateur	*76/3	-	-
TOTALS	-	£-		-	-	-

Biography:

Adam Buckley had only been an Irish League player for a few weeks when he was awarded his Amateur International début in February 1935. A right-half with a touch of class in his methods, able to "police his own quarter to perfection and equally effective in offensive tactics."

Ireland Amateur Cap Details:

16-02-1935 England H L 2-4

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

With thanks to Jim Murphy for supplying the picture and ISN article on which this profile is based.

Walter Bruce

Name: Walter A. Bruce

Born:

Died:

Height:

Weight:

Position: Inside-Left

Representative Honours: Ireland: 2 Amateur Caps / 1 Goal (1935).

Club Honours: (with Belfast Celtic) Irish League Champion; Irish Cup Winner 1936/37, 1937/38; Co. Antrim Shield Winner 1935/36, 1936/37; Gold Cup Winner 1938/39.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
30th Boys' Brigade	-	-	Youth	-	-	-
30th Old Boys	-	-	Amateur	-	-	-
Crusaders	-	-	Amateur	-	-	-
Dundela	-	-	Amateur	-	-	-
Ards	32/33-33/34	-	Amateur	/3	-	/1
Bangor	34/35	c/s-34	Amateur	-	-	-
Belfast Celtic	35/36-38/39	-35	-	-	-	-
Halifax Town	39/40	-	-	3/1	-	-
TOTALS	-	£-		-	-	-

Biography:

"A player something above the ordinary" Walter Bruce was a "90-minute player with a fine turn of speed and good ball control ... a man with whom a defence cannot afford to take liberties."

Bruce began his playing days with the 30th Belfast Boys' Brigade company rising to prove his worth in intermediate circles with Crusaders and Dundela. He arrived in senior football with Ards mid-way through the 1932/33 season. He marked an early appearance for the Castlereagh Park side with two goals in a 4-4 draw with Glentoran on Christmas Eve 1932 but, in a struggling side, goals were few-and-far-between over the next season-and-a-half.

A move to Ards' near-neighbours Bangor in the summer of 1934 saw Bruce emerge as a much sought after talent, shining in an otherwise poor side. He earned selection for Ireland Amateurs against England in February 1935 and "his first venture in representative soccer was certainly a success, if not quite outstanding." Still not "a giant among goalscorers" he marked his international début with a goal and he retained his place in the side for the next game, a 3-2 win over Scotland that April.

The long-talked of move to a bigger club came to fruition as Bruce joined Belfast Celtic in 1935. While at Paradise he played in four consecutive Irish League triumphs. He also claimed two Irish Cup winner's medals, scoring in a replay win against ex-club Bangor in 1938, and he scored in the following season's Gold Cup final win over Glenavon. In 1939 he transferred to Halifax Town but it was a move that proved short-lived as he returned home on the outbreak of the Second World War.

Two of Bruce's nephews won full international honours, his namesake who played for Glentoran in the 1960s and Jimmy Walker who played for Linfield and Doncaster in the 1950s.

BelfastCeltic.org

Ireland Amateur Cap Details:

16-02-1935 England H L 2-4 1 Goal

17-04-1935 Scotland A W 3-2

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

Thanks to Jim Murphy for forwarding the picture and ISN article on which much of this profile is based.