The Lurgan Connection

In a slight break from our normal Club-by-Club features, and inspired by correspondence and information supplied by Lurgan-man Oliver Burns, NIFG presents a list of Lurgan-bred players who have played in the English (FL) or Scottish (SL) Leagues since the Second World War…

CUSH Wilbur (Billy)
Wing-Half
b: 10 June 1928; d: 1981
NI-26, IL-32
Glenavon
Leeds United.. (FL) Nov-57 57/58-59/60 .87 (0)/ 9
Portadown
Glenavon

DICKSON William (Bill)
Wing-Half
b: 15 April 1923
NI-12
Glenavon
Notts County.. (FL) Nov-45 46/47-47/48 .21 (0)/ 2
Chelsea....... (FL) Nov-47 47/48-52/53 101 (0)/ 4
Arsenal....... (FL) Oct-53 53/54-55/56 .29 (0)/ 1
Mansfield Town.(FL) Jul-56 56/57....... 19 (0)/ 0
Glenavon

DOWD Hugh Oliver
Central-Defender
b: 19 May 1951
NI-3, NIAmat
Glenavon
Sheffield Wed. (FL) Jul-74 74/75-78/79 110 (2)/ 0
Doncaster R... (FL) Aug-79 79/80-82/83 .94 (0)/ 3

HARVEY James (Jimmy)
Midfielder
b: 2 May 1958
NIu21-1
Glenavon
Arsenal........ (FL) Aug-77 77/78-78/79 ..2 (1)/ 0
Hereford United.(FL) Mar-80 79/80-86/87 276 (2)/38
Bristol City... (FL) Mar-87 86/87-87/88 ..2 (1)/ 0
Wrexham (L).... (FL) Sep-87 87/88........ 6 (0)/ 0
Tranmere Rovers (FL) Oct-87 87/88-91/92 174(10)/18
Crewe Alexandra (FL) Jul-92 92/93....... 16 (1)/ 0
Southport
Chester City... (FL) ...... 93/94......... 0(0)/ 0

JONES Walter
Wing-Half
b: 4 April 1925
Linfield
Blackpool....... (FL) Dec-47 ..............0 (0)/ 0
Doncaster Rovers (FL) Jun-50 50/51-52/53. 69 (0)/ 2
York City....... (FL) Nov-54 54/55........ 1 (0)/ 0

KELLY Hugh Redmond
Goalkeeper.
b: 17 August 1919; d: 1977
NI-4, IL-4, NIRL-4
Belfast Celtic
Fulham.......... (FL) Mar-49 49/50....... 25 (0)/ 0
Southampton..... (FL) Aug-50 50/51....... 28 (0)/ 0
Exeter City..... (FL) Jun-52 52/53-55/56. 99 (0)/ 0
Weymouth

LENNON Neil Francis
Midfielder
b: 25 June 1971
NI-39, NIB-1, NIu23-1, NIu21-2, NIYth
Glenavon
Manchester City (FL) Oct-87 87/88........ 1 (0)/ 0
Crewe Alexandra (FL) Aug-90 90/91-95/96 142 (5)/15
Leicester City. (FL) Feb-96 95/96-00/01 169 (1)/ 6
Celtic......... (SL) Dec-00 00/01-06/07 212 (2)/ 3
Nott'm Forest.. (FL) Jun-07 07/08....... 15 (3)/ 0
Wycombe Wdrs... (FL) Jan-08 07/08........ 8 (1)/ 0

LUNN Henry (Harry)
Winger
b: 20 March 1925; d: 1980
Glenavon
Notts County... (FL) Jul-46 46/47....... 24 (0)/ 5
Portsmouth..... (FL) Jul-47 47/48........ 1 (0)/ 0
Swindon Town... (FL) May-48 48/49-53/54 196 (0)/30
Bedford Town

LUNN William (Billy) John
Inside-Forward.
b: 8 May 1923; d: 2000
NISch-2
Distillery
Glenavon
West Bromwich A. (FL) Feb-46 46/47-47/48. 10 (0)/ 5
Bournemouth..... (FL) Feb-47 47/48-49/50. 47 (0)/19
Newport County.. (FL) Jul-50 50/51-51/52.. 6 (0)/ 1
Yeovil Town

MAGEE Eric
Winger
b: 24 August 1947
NIAmat, IL-2
Glenavon
Oldham Athletic.. (FL) Jun-67 67/68-68/69. 41 (4)/ 9
Port Vale........ (FL) Jul-69 69/70....... 11 (7)/ 1
Linfield

MAGILL Edward James (Jimmy)
Full-Back
b: 17 May 1939
NI-26, NIu23-1
Portadown
Arsenal........... (FL) May-59 59/60-64/65 116 (0)/ 0
Brighton & Hove A. (FL) Oct-65 65/66-67/68. 50 (0)/ 1

McBRIDE Stephen
Forward
b: 2 May 1964
NI-4, NIu23-1, IL-2
Linfield
Motherwell........ (SL) Feb-84 83/84....... 0 (3)/ 0
Glenavon
Linfield
Bangor
Crusaders

McCLELLAND John (Jack) T.
Goalkeeper
b: 19 May 1940; d: 1976
NI-6, NIAmat, IL-2
Glenavon
Arsenal........ (FL) Oct-60 60/61-63/64. 46 (0)/ 0
Fulham......... (FL) Dec-64 65/66-68/69. 51 (0)/ 0
Lincoln C. (L). (FL) Dec-68 68/69....... 12 (0)/ 0
Barnet

McGIBBON Patrick (Pat) Colm
Central-Defender
b: 6 September 1973
NI-7, NIB-5, NIu21-1, NISch
Portadown
Manchester U.... (FL) Aug-92 ............. 0 (0)/ 0
Swansea City (L) (FL) Sep-96 96/97........ 1 (0)/ 0
Wigan Athletic.. (FL) Mar-97 96/97-01/02 163(10)/11
Scunthorpe U (L) (FL) Feb-02 01/02........ 6 (0)/ 0
Tranmere Rovers. (FL) Aug-02 02/03........ 4 (0)/ 0
Portadown
Glentoran

McKINNEY Victor (Vic) J.
Winger
b: c.1945; Died 1989
NI-1, NIu23-1, NISch-3
Glenavon
Falkirk......... (SL) ...... 64/65-66/67. 61 (1)/ 8
Addington (South Africa)

McMAHON Eamon
Goalkeeper
b: 16 January 1933
Lurgan GAA (Clann na nGael)
Celtic.......... (SL) Dec-53 54/55........ 1 (0)/ 0
Glentoran

McMAHON Gerard (Gerry) Joseph
Winger
b: 29 December 1973
NI-17, NIB-3, NIu21-1, NIYth, NISch
Glenavon
Tottenham H..... (FL) Jul-98 94/95-95/96.. 9 (7)/ 0
Barnet (L)...... (FL) Oct-94 94/95....... 10 (0)/ 2
Stoke City...... (FL) Sep-96 96/97-97/98. 38(14)/ 3
St. Johnstone... (SL) Feb-98 98/99-99/00. 31(19)/ 1
Glenavon

NAPIER Robert John
Centre-Half
b: 23 September 1946
NI-1, NIu23-2, NIYth, NISch
Bolton Wanderers (FL) Sep-63 64/65-66/67 .69 (0)/ 2
Brighton & H. A. (FL) Aug-67 67/68-72/73 218 (1)/ 5
Bradford City .. (FL) Oct-72 72/73-74/75 106 (0)/ 3
Baltimore Comets
Mossley
San Diego Jaws
Bradford City .. (FL) Aug-76 76/77 ....... 0 (1)/ 0

McNALLY Errol Alexander
Goalkeeper
b: 27 August 1943
Portadown
Chelsea......... (FL) Dec-61 61/62-63/64.. 9 (0)/ 0
Glenavon

PARKS Albert (Albie)
Winger
b: 9 February 1926
Glenavon
Notts County.. (FL) Nov-45 46/47-47/48. 30 (0)/ 4
Glenavon

SLOAN Joshua (Paddy) Walter
Wing-Half.
b: 30 April 1920; d: 1993
NI-1, EI-2, NIWar-2
Glenavon
Manchester U.... (FL) Sep-37 ............. 0 (0)/ 0
Tranmere Rovers. (FL) May-39 39/40........ 3 (0)/ 2
Arsenal......... (FL) May-46 46/47-47/48. 33 (0)/ 1
Sheffield United (FL) Feb-48 47/48....... 12 (0)/ 2
AC Milan
Torino
Udinese
Brescia
Norwich City.... (FL) Dec-51 51/52........ 6 (0)/ 0
Peterborough U.

TAGGART Gerald (Gerry) Paul
Central-Defender
b: 18 October 1970
NI-51, NIu23-2, NIYth, NISch
Glenavon
Manchester City. (FL) Jul-89 88/89-89/90. 10 (2)/ 1
Barnsley........ (FL) Jan-90 89/90-94/95 209 (3)/16
Bolton Wanderers (FL) Aug-95 95/96-97/98. 68 (1)/ 4
Leicester City.. (FL) Jul-98 98/99-03/04 105(12)/ 9
Stoke City (L).. (FL) Dec-03 03/04........ 8 (0)/ 2
Stoke City...... (FL) Feb-04 03/04-05/06. 47 (0)/ 3
Tamworth

TILLEY Peter
Wing-Half
b: 13 January 1930; d: 2008
Witton Athletic
Arsenal......... (FL) May-52 53/54........ 1 (0)/ 0
Bury............ (FL) Nov-53 53/54-57/58. 86 (0)/12
Halifax Town.... (FL) Jul-58 58/59-62/63 183 (0)/17
Mossley

UPRICHARD William Norman McCourt
Goalkeeper
b: 20 February 1928
NI-12
Distillery
Arsenal......... (FL) Jun-48 ..............0 (0)/ 0
Swindon Town.... (FL) Nov-49 49/50-52/53. 73 (0)/ 0
Portsmouth...... (FL) Nov-52 52/53-58/59 182 (0)/ 0
Southend United. (FL) Jul-59 59/60....... 12 (0)/ 0
Hastings United

WILSON Ambrose Maxwell
Wing-Half.
b: 10 October 1924
Belfast Celtic
Glenavon
Swansea Town.... (FL) Sep-50 50/51........ 1 (0)/ 0
Distillery
Portadown

Trevor McCullough

Name: Trevor McCullough
Born: c.1953, Holywood
Height: 5.11 ft
Weight: 11.07 st
Position: Goalkeeper

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 Amateur Cap (1974), 8 Youth Caps, 1 Schoolboy Cap (1969).
Club Honours: (with Glentoran) City Cup Winner 1974/75; Gold Cup Runner-Up 1974/75; Co. Antrim Shield Runner-Up 1974/75; (with Glenavon) Irish Cup Runner-Up 1980/81.

Club Career:

Clubs	Seasons	Signed	Fee	League	Europe	Other
Glentoran	70/71-77/78	1970	-	*138(0)/0	9(0)/0	-
Short Bros	-	-	-	-	-	-
Glenavon	-	1978	-	-	2(0)/0	-
TOTALS		£-		-	11(0)/0	-

* all domestic games.

Biography:
Trevor McCullough had the honour of playing as Northern Ireland's goalkeeper in their final ever amateur international match.

Signed by Peter McParland for Glentoran in the 1969/70 season McCullough initially had to play second fiddle to Albert Finlay. McCullough was given his first lengthy run in the firstteam when Finlay was in dispute with the club at the start of the 1971/72 season and during this spell he played in both UEFA Cup games against Eintracht Brunswick of West Germany, becoming the then youngest goalkeeper to appear in a European game.

It wasn't until after the departure of Alan Patterson for Sheffield Wednesday in 1973/74 that McCullough really made a firstteam spot his own. He won great praise for his performances in Norway against Brann Bergen in the Cup Winners Cup as Glentoran memorably reached the quarter-final stage. At the end of that season he added amateur international honours to those he had won as a youth. McCullough continued to improve in stature over the following few seasons until displaced by Denis Matthews in the 1976/77 season.

Having fallen out of the reckoning at the Oval he briefly moved into junior football with Shorts before returning to senior football with Glenavon in the 1978/79 season. He offered great experience and earned further respect as the Lurgan Blues lost narrowly to Standard Liege in the UEFA Cup in 1979 and reached the Irish Cup final in 1981.

Northern Ireland Amateur Cap Details:
06-04-1974 Wales... A L 0-1

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

Picture: Glenavon goalkeeper, Trevor McCullough, gets there first as Horst Riedl (Standard Liege) challenges in the UEFA Cup tie at Mourneview Park (18 September 1979) [NI Soccer Yearbook 1980-81 (Ed. Malcolm Brodie)]

Euro 2016 Finals

UEFA European Championships

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We're off to France!

Northern Ireland have been drawn in Group C.

Group Stage:

GROUP A	GROUP B	GROUP C	GROUP D	GROUP E	GROUP F
France (1)	England (1)	Germany (1)	Spain (1)	Belgium (1)	Portugal (1)
Romania (3)	Russia (2)	Ukraine (2)	Czech Rep. (3)	Italy (2)	Iceland (4)
Albania (4)	Wales (4)	Poland (3)	Turkey (4)	Rep.Ireland (4)	Austria (2)
Switzerland (2)	Slovakia (3)	N. Ireland (4)	Croatia (2)	Sweden (3)	Hungary (3)

Seedings in brackets.
Top two in each group progress to the second round along with the four best third place teams.

Venues:
The tournament will run from 10th June - 10th July across ten host cities.

Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux Bordeaux (42,115)	Stade Bollaert-Delelis Lens (38,223)
Stade Pierre-Mauroy Lille (50,186)	Stade des Lumières Lyon (59,286)
Stade Vèlodrome Marseille (67,394)	Allianz Riviera Nice (35,624)
Parc des Princes Paris (47,000)	Stade de France Saint-Denis (81,338)
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard Saint-Etienne (41,965)	Stadium Municipal Toulouse (33,300)

Northern Ireland Fixtures:

12/06/16 18:00 CET / 17:00 BST Poland (Nice) Lost 0-1
16/06/16 18:00 CET / 17:00 BST Ukraine (Lyon) Won 2-0
21/06/16 18:00 CET / 17:00 BST Germany (Paris) Lost 0-1
25/06/16 18:00 CET / 17:00 BST Wales (Paris) Lost 0-1

Northern Ireland Squad:

	12	Roy CARROLL Goalkeeper Age: 38 Notts Co Caps: 44
	Alan MANNUS Age: 34 Goalkeeper St. Johnstone Caps: 8		23
	1	Michael McGOVERN Age: 31 Goalkeeper Hamilton Academical Caps: 10
	Conor McLAUGHLIN Age: 24 Defender Fleetwood Town Caps: 17		2
	22	Lee HODSON Age: 24 Defender MK Dons Caps: 15
	Gareth McAULEY Age: 36 Defender West Bromwich Alb. Caps: 60 / Goals: 7		4
	5	Jonny EVANS Age: 28 Defender West Bromwich Alb. Caps: 48 / Goals: 1
	Chris BAIRD Age: 34 Defender Derby County Caps: 77		6
	15	Luke.McCULLOUGH Age: 22 Defender Doncaster Rovers Caps: 5
	Paddy McNAIR Age: 21 Defender Manchester United Caps: 8		17
	18	Aaron HUGHES Age: 36 Defender Melbourne City Caps: 99 / Goals: 1
	Craig CATHCART Age: 27 Defender Watford Caps: 27 / Goals: 2		20
	7	Niall McGINN Age: 28 Midfielder Aberdeen Caps: 41 / Goals: 2
	Steven DAVIS Age: 31 Midfielder Southampton Caps: 82 / Goals: 8		8
	13	Corry EVANS Age: 25 Midfielder Blackburn Rovers Caps: 33 / Goals: 1
	Stuart DALLAS Age: 25 Midfielder Leeds United Caps: 13 / Goals: 1		14
	16	Oliver NORWOOD Age: 25 Midfielder Reading Caps: 33
	Jamie WARD Age: 30 Midfielder Nottingham Forest Caps: 21 / Goals: 2		19
	3	Shane FERGUSON Age: 24 Midfielder Millwall Caps: 24 / Goals: 1
	Will GRIGG Age: 24 Forward Wigan Athletic Caps: 8 / Goals: 1		9
	10	Kyle LAFFERTY Age: 28 Forward Norwich City Caps: 50 / Goals: 17
	Conor.WASHINGTON Age: 24 Forward Queens Park Rangers Caps: 3 / Goals: 2		11
	21	Josh MAGENNIS Age: 26 Forward Kilmarnock Caps: 18 / Goals: 1
	Michael O'NEILL Age: 46 Manager - Caps: 31 / Goals: 4		MO

Age/caps/goals correct at date of squad announcement (28th May 2016). Clubs listed are permanent clubs at the close of the 2015/16 season.

Michael O'Neill's coaching staff will include: Jimmy Nicholl (assistant manager), Austin MacPhee (assistant coach/analyst), Stephen Robinson (first team coach), Maik Taylor (goalkeeping coach), 

The players will be looked after by: David White (team doctor), Caroline Woods (head physio), Darren McMaster (physio), Richard McCann (head of sports science), Paul Prentice (therapist), Paul Walsh (sport scientist)

Further support will come from: Stephen Ferguson & Colin McGiffert (kitmen), Raymond Millar (kit & equipment officer), Neil Devlin (hotel & player liaison), Craig Stanfield (football operations manager), David Currie (international teams administration manager)

The provisional 28 man squad also included: Daniel Lafferty (Burnley), Michael Smith (Peterborough United), Ben Reeves (MK Dons), Liam Boyce (Ross County) and Billy McKay (Wigan Athletic). UEFA requires squads to be officially lodged by the 31st May. Replacements may be called-up in the event of injury or illness right up to Northern Ireland's opening match. As well as the 23 traveling squad members, Joel Cooper (Glenavon) and Paul Smyth (Linfield) have joined the squad for training exercises.

Links:

UEFA: Northern Ireland's record against Group C opponents