NIFG

Football in (Northern) Ireland has always had to compete on a multitude of fronts, not least against the two "other" football codes, Gaelic and rugby. Never mind the handful of "gridiron" players that have appeared in the past few decades, though I think Rugby League still remains a real oddity on these shores. No matter what we believe is "real" football, rugby union was here first. Trinity College's team was founded in 1854 and the two original Irish Unions (the IFU in Dublin and the Belfast-based Northern Football Union of Ireland) were both founded in 1874, amalgamating in 1879 to form the IRFU as we know it today. That year, the first ever officially organised football match between Irish teams saw Cliftonville face Quidnuncs, a team of local rugby players, and the rugger players won 2-1. As such, at least three ( Billy McWha [Albion RFC/Knock FC], Alex Dill [RBAI/Knock FC] and James Hamilton [Knock RFC/Knock FC]) of the Ireland side that t

Northern Ireland programmes 1882-1889 1889-1895 1896-1902 1902-1908 1909-1920 1920-1926 1926-1931 1932-1938 1939-1952 1952-1957 1957-1961 1961-1964 1964-1968 1968-1972 1972-1975 1975-1978 1978-1980 1981-1983 1983-1986 1986-1989 1989-1992 1992-1995 1995-1997 1998-2000 2000-2003 2003-2005 2005-2007 2007-2010 2010-2012   2012-date B U23 U21 Representative 1978-2000 2000-2003 2003-2007 2007-2010 2011-2014   2015-date --- 101 05-09-15 Scotland H 102 08 - 09 - 15 Iceland A Can you fill this space? Get in touch 103 13 - 10 - 15 FYR . Macedonia H 104 12 - 11 - 15 France A Can you fill this space? Get in touch 105 17-11-15 Ukraine H 106 29 - 03 - 16 Scotland A 107 02-09-16 Iceland H 108 06 - 09 - 16 FYRo . Macedonia A

vs Hungary - 605 - vs Finland Euro 2016 Qualification Group F Thursday, 8 October 2015. KO: 19:45 GMT NORTHERN IRELAND (NIR)  3-1  GREECE (GRE) * NORTHERN IRELAND QUALIFY FOR EURO 2016 * Venue: Windsor Park, Belfast Attendance: 11,700 Referee:  Bas Nijhuis (NED) Assistant referees:  Rob van de Ven (NED), Charles Schaap (NED) Fourth official:  Bas van Dongen (NED) Additional assistant referees:  Kevin Blom (NED), Peter Janssen (NED) Goals: NIR: Davis 35, 58 , Magennis 49 ; GRE: Aravidis 87 NORTHERN IRELAND (green shirts, white shorts, green socks) Manager: Michael O'Neill (Game: 29. Won 7, Drew 10, Lost 12). Captain: Steven Davis McGovern; McNair [McCullough 85 ], Brunt, McAuley, C. Evans, Ward [McGinn 81 ], Davis, Magennis [Boyce 78 ], Norwood, Dallas Unused subs: Carroll (gk), Mannus (gk), Hodson, McArdle, Ferguson, Reeves, McCourt, Grigg, McKay. GREECE (white shirts, blue shorts, white socks) Manager:  Kostas Tsanas Captain: Vasilis Torisidis K

Name: William Anderson Born: Ballymena Height: Weight: Position: Inside-Forward Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 Amateur Cap (1947) . Club Honours: (with Ballymena) Irish Cup Runner-Up 1950/51 . Club Career: Teams Seasons Signed Fee League FA Cup Other Ballymena United 46/47-47/48 Aug-46 Amateur 33/3 4/0 7/1 Ballyclare Comrades - - - (Intermediate) Ballymena United 50/51-51/52 Aug-50 Amateur 14/0 5/1 8/2 TOTALS - £0 47/3 9/1 15/3 Biography: William ‘Nipper’ Anderson, was an immediate post-war inside forward whose exploits in the Intermediate leagues earned him a promotion to senior football with his hometown team, Ballymena United in August 1946. Recruited by manager William Reid, Anderson was

Name: Robert Averell Born: Magherafelt Height: 6’00” Weight: 11.01 st Position: Central defender Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 4 Amateur Caps (1969-1970) . Club Honours: (with Ballymena)   Irish Cup Runner-Up 1969/70, 1973/74 ; Ulster Cup Runner-Up 1971/72 ; City Cup Winner 1971/72 ; Gold Cup Winner 1974/75 ; Gold Cup Runner-Up 1975/76 ; County Antrim Shield Winner 1975/76 . Club Career: Teams Seasons Signed Fee League FA Cup Europe Other Coleraine -67/68 - - - - - - Ballymena United 68/69-71/72 Aug-68 Amateur 77/ 3 9/0 - 80/5 Toronto Metros 1972 - 1973 Mar-72 Free 24/ 2 (NASL) - - Ballymena United 72/73-77/78 Jan-73 Free 77/ 7 10/0 - 75/4 TOTALS - £0 178/12 19/0 - 155/9 Biography: Ballymena manager Al