Darren Meenan

(theGAWA)

Name: Darren Meenan
Born: 16 November 1986, Dublin (Republic of Ireland)
Height: 5.09 ½ ft / 1.75 m
Weight: 11.07 st / 73 kg
Position: Forward/Midfielder

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 3 Under-21 Caps (2006-2008).
Club Honours: (with Dundalk) League of Ireland Champion 2014, League of Ireland Cup Winner 2014 (unused sub).

Club Career: 
Teams....... --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- -League- FA Cup FL Cup Europe Other
St. Joseph's Boys ............. Youth
Finn Harps...2006 ........ 2006 ..... 14 (-)/1 3(-)/0 1(-)/0
Monaghan Utd 2007 - 2008 Mar-07 .Free 48 (-)/8 3(-)/0 1(-)/0
UCD......... 2008 ...... Jul-08 .Free 12 (-)/1
Shelbourne.. 2009 ...... Nov-08 .......3 (-)/0 ...... 1(-)/0
Sligo Rovers.2009 ...... May-09 .Free .5 (-)/0 1(-)/0 ............. 2(-)/0
Drogheda Utd 2010 ...... Jul-10 ..... 14 (-)/1

UCD ........ 2011 ................... 32 (-)/5
St Pat's Ath 2012 ...... Jan-12 ...... 7(11)/1 1(0)/0 1(0)/0 2(4)/0 2(0)/0
Dundalk .... 2013 - date Feb-13

Biography:
In 2006 Darren Meenan became the first Republic of Ireland-born player to be awarded a significant representative honour by the Irish FA since 1950. A left-sided midfielder or striker, Meenan qualified for Northern Ireland through his father Terence, who came from Derry, and played in a total of three Under-21 internationals.

More to follow.

Wikipedia
ExtraTime
Soccer-Stats
DundalkFC

Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:
14-11-2006 Germany A L 1-2 FR sub
24-03-2007 Romania A L 0-2 FR sub
26-03-2008 Romania H L 1-3 FR

Summary: 1(2)/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 3.

"Jock" McNinch

Name: John McNinch*
Born: Harryville
Died:
Height:
Weight:
Position: Right-Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 3 Full Caps (1931); Irish League: 3 Caps (1931-1934).
Club Honours: (with Ballymena) Irish Cup Winner 1928/29, Runner-Up 1929/30, 1930/31; City Cup Runner-Up 1928/29; Gold Cup Runner-Up 1931/32.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA.Cup	Other
Summerfield	-	-	-	-	-	-
Ballymena	28/29-33/34	Jun-28	-	134/ 9	19/1	85/2
Ballymena Utd	34/35-35/36	Jul-34	Free	42/ 2	4/0	29/1
Sligo Rovers	36/37	Jul-36	-	/ 0	-	-
Larne	36/37	Oct-36	-	-	-	-
TOTALS	-	£-		-	-	-

Biography:

Harryville born, the tough tackling full-back Jock McNinch began his career in the local Intermediate league with Summerfield but was given his chance in the Irish League with the new Ballymena Football & Athletic club, becoming one of the light blues’ first signings in June 1928.

It was a dream first season in senior football for McNinch and the ‘Ballymena Babes’, as Jock became a virtual ever present in the team that flourished in local football winning the Irish Cup final in April 1929 against Belfast Celtic at the Oval. McNinch was the only locally born player in the Braidmen’s line-up as the club won the prestigious trophy in their first season and also finished as City Cup runners-up the following month.

Success continued at the Ballymena Showgrounds, with two further consecutive Irish Cup final appearances in which Jock started in both defeats to Linfield in 1930 & 1931. His form in the 1930/1931 season was boosted by the defensive influence former Rangers veteran Billy McCandless and this resulted in a call up from selectors to the full Ireland team in February 1931. McNinch’s impressive debut in the 0-0 draw with Scotland was enough to attract firm offers from both Liverpool and Preston North End, which were rejected out of hand by the Ballymena committee.

Two further international caps followed during the 1931/1932 season against Scotland and Wales but eventually he lost his place at full back to Glasgow Celtic’s Billy Cook; but set an unbeaten club record for international caps in the process. During the peak of his playing days, Jock found himself in flux as Ballymena were suspended by the Irish League in April 1934 for refusal to submit their financial records as part of an investigation to payments to amateur players and eventually were wound up after only six years of competitive action.

McNinch was one of the few players who stayed loyal to the new club, Ballymena United FC, who rose out of the ashes of the suspended club ahead of the 1934/1935 season and continued to play at the Showgrounds, with the same colours and same support base. His eight years’ service to senior football in Ballymena was rewarded with the club’s first ever benefit (testimonial) match against Linfield in April 1936.

This was to be his last appearance in Ballymena blue as following a record combined 316 appearances and 15 goals for both Ballymena FC and Ballymena United FC, Jock made the move west to League of Ireland club Sligo Rovers in the summer of 1936. His stay lasted only a few months before he returned to the Irish League to play out his final season in senior football with nearby Larne.

As the Second World War broke out, Jock became a seaman in the Royal Navy and then immigrated to Canada in the 1950s before returning to football as a referee and a linesman in the Irish League, he remained a regular supporter of Ballymena United up until his passing.

Ireland Cap Details:
21-02-1931 Scotland H D 0-0 BC
19-09-1931 Scotland A L 1-3 BC
05-12-1931 Wales... H W 4-0 BC

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

Irish League Representative Appearance Details::
23-09-1931 Football League A L 0-4
03-10-1931 Scottish League H W 3-2
19-09-1934 Football League A L 1-6

Summary: 3/0. Won 1, Drew 0, Lost 2.

Biography and club stats reproduced by kind permission from 'Neil Coleman - The Official History of Ballymena United FC'

* listed incorrectly in many sources as Joe.

Lawrie Sanchez

But for his appointment as Northern Ireland manager in 2004, Lawrie Sanchez’s international career would perhaps have been little more than an interesting footnote…

Name: Lawrence Philip Sanchez
Born: 22 October 1959, Reading (England)
Height: 6.01 ft
Weight: 12.00 st
Position: Midfielder

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 3 Full Caps (1986-1989); England: 2 Schoolboy Caps (1978).
Club Honours: (with Reading) Football League Division Four Champion 1978/79; (with Wimbledon) FA Cup Winner 1987/88; Football League Division Two Third (promoted) 1985/86.

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	FL Cup	Other
Maidenhead U.	-	-	Youth	-	-	-	-
Southampton	-	-	Youth	0 (0)/ 0	-	-	-
Thatcham Town	-	-	-	(Hellenic League)
Reading	78/79-84/85	Sep-78	-	249(13)/28	14(0)/1	20(1)/0	5(2)/2
Wimbledon	84/85-93/94	Dec-84	£30k	254(16)/33	27(1)/2	19(0)/0	7(0)/0
Swindon Town	93/94	Mar-94	-	6 (2)/ 0	-	-	-
Sligo Rovers	94/95	Sep-95	Free	-	-	-	-
TOTALS	-	£-		509(31)/61	41(1)/3	40(1)/0	12(2)/2

Biography:
To follow.

Wikipedia

Northern Ireland Manager

Northern Ireland Cap Details:
12-11-1986 Turkey D 0-0 ECQ sub
08-02-1989 Spain. L 0-2 WCQ
26-04-1989 Malta. W 2-0 WCQ
.
Summary: 2(1)/0. Won 1, Drew 1, Lost 1.

Willie Millar

Name: William Thomas Millar
Born: 25 October 1906, Ballymena
Died: December 1986, San Diego (USA)
Height: 5.09 ft
Weight: 11.10 st
Position: Inside/Centre-Forward

Representative Honours: Ireland: 2 Full Caps/1 Goal (1931-1932).

Club Career:

Teams	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	FA Cup	Other
South End Rangers		-	-	(Intermediate League)
Linfield	-	May-26	-	-	-	-
Liverpool	28/29	Aug-28	£1,500	3/ 2	-	-
Barrow	29/30-32/33	Jan-30	£300	103/66	1/2	-
Newport County	33/34	Jun-33	Free	7/ 1	-	2/1
Carlisle United	34/35	Jul-34	Free	33/ 9	-	1/ 2
Dalbeattie Star	-	c/s-35	-	-	-	-
Ballymena	35/36	Dec-35	-	4/ 1	-	-
Sligo Rovers	-	Aug-36	Free	-	-	-
Cork	-	May-37	Free	-	-	-
Drumcondra	-	Aug-38	Free	-	-	-
TOTALS	-	£1,800		150/79	1/2	3/3

Biography:
Signed originally as a wing-half by Linfield, Billy Millar was selected as an emergency centre-forward and took to the role like a duck-to-water. So impressive was his form as a speedy and agile goal-getter that he earned the Blues a substantial £1,500 fee when he moved to Liverpool in 1928. Millar's Liverpool debut, against Bury at Anfield on the opening day of the 1928/29 campaign, brought a first minute goal and another in the second half as the Reds cruised to a 3-0 win. Amazingly he played just twice more for the club - in wins over Leicester and Newcastle - before his firstteam career ended after less than two months

Early in 1930 Millar made a cut-price move to Division Three North Barrow. After a 7-0 defeat by Rotherham on his debut, he managed six goals from fifteen games in his first season as the Ziggers finished bottom of the League and were forced to apply for re-election. Things began to turn round from then on, his 25 goals seeing the club finish in the security of 16th place in 1931. The following season he managed thirty goals from thirty games (a club record in League football) and earned the first of two caps for Ireland, thus becoming the only Barrow player ever to win full international honours.

Millar marked his Ireland debut with a goal in a 4-0 win over Wales at Windsor Park in December 1931. He retained his place for the opening Home Nations match of the 1932/33 season, lining out as centre-forward against Scotland at Windsor Park. A fine all-round performance from the Scots left Millar with only a few chances, though still he was "prominent" in attack and unlucky not to score when a shot was charged down by the 'keeper. In the end the the visitors cruised to an easy 4-0 win.

From then on Millar's career began to wind down. He managed just six strikes through the entire 1932/33 season, though he featured regularly for the reserves, scoring 22 times in 19 Lancashire Combination matches. He enjoyed few firstteam chances after joining Newport County in 1933, though he once again excelled for the reserves, tallying 23 goals in his only season for the Division Three South side. A move to Carlisle United saw him feature more regularly, though often on the right-wing.

After a brief spell in Scotland, Millar returned to Ireland in 1935 joining his hometown club, Ballymena. He finished his senior career with spells with several Free State League clubs.

LFCHistory.net Profile

Ireland Cap Details:
05-12-1931 Wales... H W 4-0 BC 1 Goal
12-09-1932 Scotland H L 0-4 BC

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

Additions and corrections by Martin O'Connor.