Between the 1998/99 and 2012/13 seasons 48 Northern Ireland players featured in the Scottish Premier League. Of these players, nine made over 100 appearances, with Stephen Craigan (342) and Neil Lennon (214) the only ones to have topped 200. Andy Kirk holds the record for goals scored (42) with Dean Shiels (37) and Kyle Lafferty (31) the only others with more than thirty strikes. Four different players have claimed SPL winner's medals, Neil Lennon (5 times), Steven Davis (3), Kyle Lafferty (3) and Paddy McCourt (2). Five Northern Ireland-born or qualified men have managed in the SPL with Martin O'Neill the most successful having led Celtic to three titles, he is followed by one of his successors at Celtic Park, Neil Lennon, who has won two.
The SPL was replaced by the SPFL Premiership for the 2013/14 season.
An all-time Northern Ireland SPL XI (based on appearances)...
The SPL was replaced by the SPFL Premiership for the 2013/14 season.
An all-time Northern Ireland SPL XI (based on appearances)...
Player
|
Career
|
Apps/Gls
|
Clubs
|
|||
1
|
Alan Mannus (gk)
|
11/12-12/13
|
51
|
/
|
0
|
St Johnstone
|
2
|
Joshn Magennis
|
10/11-12/13
|
87
|
/
|
9
|
Aberdeen
|
3
|
Danny Griffin
|
98/99-05/06
|
136
|
/
|
6
|
St Johnstone, Dundee Utd, Aberdeen
|
4
|
Neil Lennon
|
00/01-06/07
|
214
|
/
|
3
|
Celtic
|
5
|
Stephen Craigan
|
98/99-11/12
|
342
|
/
|
5
|
Partick Thistle, Motherwell
|
6
|
Brian McLean
|
05/06-12/13
|
120
|
/
|
6
|
Motherwell, Falkirk, Dundee Utd
|
7
|
Ivan Sproule
|
04/05-12/13
|
129
|
/
|
21
|
Hibernian, Ross Co.
|
8
|
Steven Davis
|
07/08-11/12
|
152
|
/
|
18
|
Rangers
|
9
|
Andy Kirk
|
98/99-11/12
|
150
|
/
|
42
|
Hearts, Dunfermline
|
10
|
Kyle Lafferty
|
08/09-11/12
|
104
|
/
|
31
|
Rangers
|
11
|
Dean Shiels
|
04/05-11/12
|
152
|
/
|
37
|
Hibernian, Kilmarnock
|
Substitutes:
|
||||||
13
|
Jonny Tuffey (gk)
|
10/11-11/12
|
8
|
/
|
0
|
Inverness C.T.
|
14
|
James McPake
|
03/04-12/13
|
70
|
/
|
2
|
Livingston, Hibernian
|
15
|
Paddy McCourt
|
08/09-12/13
|
66
|
/
|
9
|
Celtic
|
16
|
Niall McGinn
|
09/10-12/13
|
63
|
/
|
24
|
Celtic, Aberdeen
|
17
|
Stuart Elliott
|
00/01-09/10
|
75
|
/
|
22
|
Motherwell, Hamilton Ac.
|
18
|
Sam Morrow
|
04/05-12/13
|
64
|
/
|
6
|
Hibernian, Livingston, Ross Co.
|
19
|
Billy McKay
|
11/12-12/13
|
60
|
/
|
26
|
Inverness C.T.
|
Manager:
|
||||||
Martin O'Neill
|
00/01-04/05
|
190
|
Celtic
|
|||
See also:
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