NIFG

In the wake of Italia 90 football in the British Isles witnessed a resurgence in popularity. Panini decided to cash in on the popularity with a mini album, serving as an appetiser for their regular 1990/91 season offering. With just 80 stickers, the All-Time Greats album featured some of the stars of the game from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland (both North and South) ... - -  

642 v Belarus - 643 - 644 vs Germany International Challenge Match Thurs 5th September 2019. KO: 19:45 NORTHERN IRELAND  (NIR) 1-0 LUXEMBOURG   (LUX) (H/T 1-0) Venue:   National Football Stadium at Windsor Park, Belfast Attendance : 14,108 Referee : Bryn Markham-Jones [WAL] Assistant Referees :  Goals : NIR: K Malget [OG] (37') NORTHERN IRELAND : 4-3-3 (green shirts, white shorts, green socks) Manager : Michael O'Neill Captain : Corry Evans Team : B Peacock-Farrell [M McGovern 67'] ; C McLaughlin, T Flanagan, C Brown, S Ferguson; C Evans [L Donnelly 68'], J Thompson [S Davis 88'], G Saville [A McCalmont 60']; J Magennis, K Lafferty [S Lavery 60'], G Whyte [E Galbraith 88'] Unused subs : M McGovern (GK), T Carson (GK), J Lewis, N McGinn, M Sykes, B Burns, P McNair Booked : J Magennis (82'), T Flanagan (90+1') LUXEMBOURG: 4-4-2 (red shirts, red shorts, red socks) Coach : Luc Holtz Captain : Laurent Jans Team :  Moris [Schon 46']; Jans

Name: Robert Bowers  Born:   Height:  Weight:  Position:    International Honours: Irish League: 3 Caps.   Club Honours:    Club Career:    Cliftonville Derby County Glentoran Ards Biography:  Called up by Danny Blanchflower when 18, despite a long career he remained uncapped. He did collect inter-league honours and every domestic medal going while playing almost 600 career matches for Cliftonville, Glentoran and Ards. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Bowers https://www.glentoran.com/news/250-club-barney-bowers ⚽️ Barney Bowers who made 5️⃣2️⃣4️⃣ appearances and scored 1️⃣0️⃣8️⃣ goals for @Glentoran pic.twitter.com/1GgQsmkpPg — Marshall Gillespie (@NIStats) January 29, 2023

Name:  Born: 23 August 1997, Londonderry Height: 1.65 m / 5.05 ft Weight:  Position: Midfielder International Career: Northern Ireland: Under-21   Club Career:  Derry City Bristol City Barrow loan Rochdale loan Walsall loan Walsall Aug-20   Biography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_Holden

Born: Dundonald Position: Winger International Career: Scotland: Youth Club Career: Kilmarnock youth Everton  Tranmere loan MK Dons loan Hibernian loan Cardiff City Port Vale loan Plymouth loan Portsmouth loan St Johnstone 18/19-19/20 Jul-18 Aberdeen 19/20-22/23 Jan-20 £75k Kilmarnock 23/24-date Jun-23 Biography: Quick on either wing, Matty Kennedy represented Scotland at all youth levels up to under-21. On being announced in the Northern Ireland squad for the first time in October 2019, Michael O'Neill revealed:  "We have known about him for some time.  He was born in Dundonald, has Scottish parents and grew up in Scotland. He played for Scotland Under-21s so the paper work took longer than we thought." Kennedy left Tommy Wright's St Johnstone for Aberdeen in January 2020 . Among his rivals for a spot on the wing at Pittodrie is Niall McGinn. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matty_Kennedy

Born: 5 July 2001 Position:  Forward International Career:  Northern Ireland: Under-21 Club Career: Portadown 16/17 - date Youth https://portadownfc.co.uk/player/callum-ferris/

Born: 19 December 1998 Position:  Forward International Career:  Northern Ireland: Under-21 (2019) Club Career: Maidenhead United 16/17- date Dec-16 Youth Walton Casuals 17/18 loan Biography: A prolific goalscorer... https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/maidenheadunited/teams/6424/player/josh-kelly-1508267

Born: 7 June 2001, Edinburgh (SCO) Height: 6.02 ft / 1.88 m Position:  Forward International Career:  Northern Ireland: Under-21, Youth Club Career: Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale Youth Hearts Youth Dunfermline 18/19- date May-18 Youth Biography:  Born and raised in Scotland to a father from Northern Ireland and a mother from England, Lewis McCann's brother is also a footballer who has played in the Northern Ireland set-up. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_McCann

Name: Daniel Finlayson Born: 19 January 2001 Height: 6.03 ft / 1.91 m Weight:  Position:  Defender International Career:  Northern Ireland: Under-21, Under-19 Club Career Teams ....... -Seasons- Signed -Fee- League FA Cup FL Cup Other Rangers ..... 19/0-20/1 Jul-17   Youth .................... 4(1)/0 Orange County 2020 ....  Feb-20 .Loan .9(3)/0   (USL) St Mirren ... 20/1 .... Oct-20 .Loan St Mirren ... 21/2 .... May-21 .Free .................... 1(0)/0 Kelty Hearts. 21/2 .... Oct-21 .Loan 19(4)/1 4(0)/0  Linfield..... 22/3-date Jun-22  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Finlayson

Born: 3 October 1989, Belfast Position:  Midfielder International Career:  Northern Ireland: Under-21, Under-19, Under-17 Club Career: Crusaders Youth Nottingham Forest Youth St Johnstone 17/18- date Jun-17 Free Linfield 18/19 loan Biography: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyle_McClean

Born: 22 December 1999, Sheffield (ENG) Position: Left-Back International Career:  Northern Ireland: Under-21, Under-19 Club Career: Doncaster R.  16/17-20/21   Youth Buxton .....  17/18 ..... Feb-18 loan (Northern Premier League) Hartlepool U  18/19 loan (National League) Port Vale ..   21/22- date  Sep-21 free Grimsby Town 21/22 Jan-22   loan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Amos_(footballer,_born_1999)

Born: 20 January 1988 Position:  Defender International Career:  Northern Ireland: Under-21, Youth Stevenage St Albans loan Glentoran https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Kerr

Name: Born: 26 February 2000 Height: Weight: Position: Defender International Career:  Northern Ireland: Under-21, Schools Club Career: Crusaders  Glenavon.  16/17-21/22   Jun-16 Coleraine 22/23 ..... Jun-22 Biography: To follow. Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details:

Born: 16 April 1999, Nottingham (ENG) Height: 6.02½ ft / 1.89 m Position:  Defender International Career:  Northern Ireland: Under-21 Club Career: Dunkirk AFC Dunkirk Notts Co 17/18-19/20 Jul-17  Leek Town Sep-17 loan Alfreton Town Jan-18   loan Grantham Town Nov-18   loan Boston United Nov-19   loan Eastleigh loan Biography: Central defender, eligible for Northern Ireland through his grandparents. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierce_Bird https://www.nottscountyfc.co.uk/news/2018/october/bird-second-call-up/

Name: Born: 23 February 1999 Height: Weight: Position: Goalkeeper Representative Honours:  Northern Ireland: Under-21 Club Career: Teams ........ -Seasons- Signed -Fee- League Swindon Town ........... Jul-12 Youth 0/0 Chelsea ................ Jul-15   Youth 0/0 Chippenham ... 17/8 .... Jul-17 .Loan Warrenpoint T. 18/9 ....   Jan-19 .Loan Exeter City .. 19/0 ....   Feb-20   Youth 0/0 Brentford .... 20/1 ....   Sep-20 .Free 0/0 FC Midtjelland 2021-2022   Jul-21   .Free Vendsyssel ... 2023 ....   Feb-23   .Free Biography: To follow.

Name: Born: 31 March 2000 Height: Weight: Position:  Goalkeeper Representative Honours:  Northern Ireland: Under-21, Youth, Schools.      Club Career: Cliftonville 17/18-21/22 Youth 23(-)/0 (all games) Portadown ..  18/19 ...... loan Dungannon Sw 21/22- date Jan-22 Biography: Goalkeeper, made his Cliftonville debut against Linfield on 28th April 2018 before spending the following term on loan at Portadown. A former schools and international, he made his Northern Ireland Under-21 debut against Mexico when still a few days shy of his 19th birthday. Transferred to Dungannon Swifts in January 2022 . To follow. Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details: 25-03-2019 Mexico W 2-1

Name: Harry David Robinson Born: 26 September 2000, Preston (Eng) Height:  Weight:  Position:  Forward / Midfielder Representative Honours:  Northern Ireland: Under-21, Under-19, Under-16, Under-15 Club Career: Teams ......... -Seasons- Signed Fee League FA Cup FL Cup Europe Ridgeway Rovers ............... Youth Glenavon ......  15/6-16/7 Oldham Athletic ............  -17 .... 0(1)/0 Crusaders ..... 19/0 ....   Aug-19   loan Motherwell .... 19/0-20/1   Mar-20 .... 0(1)/0 ............. 0(1)/0 Queen o/t South 20/1 ....   Sep-20   loan 1(2)/0 ...... 1(1)/0 Clyde ......... 21/2  Biography: Son of Stephen . Soccerbase

Forward Northern Ireland: Under-21 Glentoran Cliftonville Jan-21

Name: Born: 22 September 2002, Belfast Height: 6.00 ft / 1.83 m Weight: 11.11 st / 75 kg Position:  Midfielder / Full-Back Representative Honours:  Northern Ireland: Under-21. Club Career: Teams ....... -Seasons- Signed -Fee- League FA Cup FL Cup Europe Other Linfield .....................   Youth 0(0)/0 Wolver'ton W.  .........  c/s-19 Youth 0(0)/0 St Pat's Ath.  2022  ....  Jan-22  . Loan Linfield  ....   23/4  ....   Jun-23  . Free 7(2)/2  ......  1(0)/0 4(0)/1 Colerane .... 23/4 .... Jan-24 .Free  Biography: Jack Scott was still just short of his 17th birthday when first capped by Northern Ireland Under-21s, the second youngest player ever to be selected at that age group. A product of Linfield's Academy set-up, he joined Wolves as a scholar in the summer of 2019. He quickly established himself on the right hand side of their Under-23 side's defence. In January 2022 he signed an extended contract before joining St Pat's on a season long loan. In 2023 Scott ret

Name: Caolan Stephen Boyd-Munce Born: 26 January 2000, Belfast Height:  Weight:  Position:  Midfielder Representative Honours:  Northern Ireland: Under-21, Under-19, Under-17, Under-16, Under-15. Club Career: Teams ....... -Seasons- Signed -Fee- League FA Cup FL Cup Glentoran ... 15/6 .... ......   Youth 0(1)/0 Birmingham C. 19/0-21/2   Jul-16 Youth 1(6)/0 0(1)/0 0(1)/0 Redditch Utd. 18/9 .... Aug-18 .Loan (Southern League) Middlesbrough 21/2-22/3 Jan-22 Undis 0(2)/0 1(0)/1 1(0)/0 St Mirren ...  22/3-date Mar-23 .Free Biography: WIkipedia Fri 13:15 - Signs for Boro Sat 12:29 - Scores for Boro Not a bad 24 hours for @boyd_munce ! What did you make of the 21-year-old’s debut? #Boro | #UTB | #BBCFACup pic.twitter.com/c9vPjqxPVe — BBC Sport Tees (@BBCTeesSport) January 8, 2022

Name: Alfie John McCalmont Born:  25 March 2000, Thirsk (ENG) Height: 5.09 ft / 1.75 m Weight: 10.03 st / 64.8 kg Position:  Midfielder Representative Honours:  Northern Ireland: Full, Under-21, Youth Club Career: Teams .... -Seasons- Signed -Fee- League FA Cup FL Cup Other Leeds Utd . 19/0-date Jan-19   Youth .................... 1(1)/0* Oldham Ath  20/1 ....   Sep-20  . Loan 31(4)/8 3(0)/0 ...... 1(0)/2 Morecambe . 21/2 .... Jul-21   . Loan 18(8)/1 3(0)/0 1(0)/0 1(0)/0 Carlisle U 22/3 .... Jan-23  . Loan 11(5)/2 ............. 3(0)/0 Carlisle U 23/4 .... Jun-23  Central Coast Mariners Jul-24 *Under-21 Biography: Highly rated Leeds midfielder, Alfie McCalmont made his enior debut in an EFL Cup match against Salford in August 2019 .  Having been included in a Northern Ireland training squad during the summer of 2019, he was awarded his first senior cap in a friendly against Luxembourg that September. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfie_McCalmont

Name: Alistair McCann  Born: 4th December 1999, Edinburgh (SCO)  Height: 5.09 ft / 1.75 m Weight: 10.01 st / 63.9kg Position: Midfielder  Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: Full, Under-21, Youth Club Honours: (with St Johnstone)   Scottish Cup Winner 2020/21 ; Scottish League Cup 2020/21 Club Career St Johnstone Biography:  Ali McCann received his first senior call-up in October 2020. A defensive central midfielder, he qualified for Northern Ireland through his father. His brother Lewis is also a professional footballer and has won Northern Ireland Youth caps. McCann enjoyed a superb 2020/21 season with St Johnstone, claiming a Scottish Domestic Cup Double . Wikipedia Ali's brother Ross is a gifted rugby sevens player, representing Scotland and earning selection for the Team GB squad for the Tokyo Olympics. Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details: 10-10-2019 Denmark A L 1-2 

Name: Jake Dunwoody Born: 28 September 1998, Glossop (ENG) Position: Midfielder Representative Honours:  Northern Ireland: 15 Under-21 Caps / 1 Goal Club Career: Teams ....... --Seasons-- Signed -Fee- League FA Cup FL Cup Europe Manchester C. ..................  Youth .0(0)/0 Stoke City .....................  Youth .0(0)/0 Leek Town ... 16/17 ..... Sep-16  . Loan  Curzon Ashton 17/18 ..... Jan-18  . Loan Derry City .. 2020 ...... Jul-20 .Free .3(3)/0 1(0)/0 HIFK ........ 2020 ......   Jan-21 .Free 20(1)/1   (Finnish Premier) SJK Seinäjoki 2021 ......   Nov-21   (Finnish Premier) Oulo  Biography: To follow. Wikipedia Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details: - Summary: 12(3)/1.

Name: Cameron Palmer Born: 15th May 2000, York (Eng) Height: Weight: Position:  Midfielder Club Honours: (with Linfield) NIFL Premiership Champion 2020/21, 2021/22 ; Irish Cup Winner 2020/21 . Representative Honours:  Northern Ireland: 8 Under-21 Caps, 3 Under-19 Caps / 1 Goal; Scotland: 1 Under-17 Cap. Club Career: Teams ... -Seasons- Signed -Fee- -League- FA Cup FL Cup Europe Other Pickering SC ............. Youth (Canada) Ajax SC .... .............. Youth  (Canada) Whitby Iroquois SC  ....... Youth   (Canada) Rangers ............. 2018 Youth .0 (0)/0 ...... ...... ...... 2(1)/0* Partick T  19/0 .... Jul-19 .Loan 10 (3)/1 1(0)/0 4(2)/0 Orange Co  2020 .... Feb-20 .Loan .9 (4)/1  (USL) Clyde ... 20/1 .... Oct-20 .Loan .1 (2)/0 Linfield . 20/1-22/3 Jan-21 Undis 33(16)/4 4(2)/1 5(0)/1 5(6)/0 1(2)/0 Glentoran  23/4-date Jul-23 .Free * Under-21 appearances in SPFL Challenge Cup Biography: Born in England to a Belfast-born father, Cammy Palmer spent most of his childhood in Canada. The f

Name: Shea Martin Gordon Born: 16 May 1998, Derryloughan Height: 5.10 ft / 1.79m Weight: Position:  Midfielder Representative Honours:  Northern Ireland: Under-21, Under-19, Under-17. Club Honours: (with Partick) SPFL League One Champion 2020/21. Club Career: Teams ......... -Seasons- Signed -Fee- League FA Cup FL Cup Other Dungannon Swifts ............... Youth Sheffield Utd............ May-16 Youth .0 (0)/0 Stalybridge Celtic ...... Sep-16 .Loan (National League North) Motherwell .... 16/7-18/9 Jan-17 ...... 2 (2)/0 Partick Thistle 18/9 .... Jul-18 .Loan .9 (0)/2 ....... 5(0)/2 Partick Thistle 19/0-21/2 May-19 .Free 21(24)/7 2(1)/1 10(1)/3 2(1)/0 Queen o/t South 22/3 .... Jan-22 .Loan .9 (3)/1  Larne Jun-22 Biography: To follow. Wikipedia Northern Ireland Under-21 Capt Details:

Defender Northern Ireland: Under-21 Club Career: Crusaders Youth Blackpool Youth Larne ....  Loan Ballymena U. Biography: BBC Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details: ..

Name: Born: 20 September 2000, Newtownabbey Height: 6.00 ft / 1.83 m Weight: 13.05 st / 85 kg Position: Left-Back / Centre-Back Northern Ireland: Under-21, 5 Under-19 Caps. Club Honours: (with Ballymena) Irish Cup Runner-Up 2019/20 ; NIFL Cup Runner-Up 2017/18 ; Co. Antrim Shield Runner-Up 2017/18 ;  (with Larne) Co. Antrim Shield Winner 2021/22. Awards: Ulster Young Footballer of the Year 2018/19. Club Career: Teams .... -Seasons- Signed -Fee- League- FA Cup FL Cup Europe Other Ballymena.  17/8-20/1 ......   Youth 75(4)/8 6(2)/2 8(0)/0 4(0)/0 7(0)/0 Larne ....  21/2-22/3 Jul-21 ..... 35(-)/3 ...... ...... 2(0)/0 C. Palace.  22/3-23/4  Aug-22 .....  .0(0)/0 .................... 2(0)/0* Port Vale.  23/4 .... Jul-23 .Loan .8(3)/0 ...... 2(0)/0 MK Dons ...  23/4 .... Jan-24 .Loan 17(0)/1  Motherwell 24/5-date Jun-24 .Free  *EFL Trophy for U21s Biography: Captain of Northern Ireland at Under-19 and Under-21 level, Kofi Balmer earned a move to Crystal Palace in 2022. Balmer was elevated to

Born: 15 February 1999, Armagh Height: 1.91 m Weight: Position: Centre-Back International Career:  Northern Ireland: Under-21, Youth Club Career Armagh City Derry City Twitter https://www.derrycityfc.net/player/eoin-toal/

Born: 4 July 1998, Newry Height: 1.85 m Position: Centr-Back International Career:  Northern Ireland: Under-21 Club Career: Glenavon Glentoran Jan-20 https://www.glentoran.com/first-team-squad/caolan-marron https://www.glentoran.com/news/team-talks-caolan-marron

Name:  Born: 19 August 2001, Craigavon Height: 1.93 m Weight:  Position:  Goalkeeper International Career:  Northern Ireland: Under-21, Youth Club Career: Teams .......... -Seasons- Signed -Fee- League Portadown ...... 15/6-16/7 ...... Youth Dungannon Swifts 17/8 ....   Jul-17  Celtic.......... 18/9-20/1 Feb-18 ..... 0(0)/0 Liverpool ...... 20/1-22/3   Feb-21 .Free 0(0)/0 Stalybridge Celt  21/2 .... Jan-22 .Loan  (Northern Premier League) Haka (Finland) . 2024-date Jan-24   Northern Ireland Under-21 Cap Details: 14/10/19 Romania A L 0-3 https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=107134 http://www.dungannonswiftsfc.com/2017/07/15/goalkeeper-hughes-signs-for-swifts/ Liverpool FC LFC History Hughes was on the bench for a Premier League game at Sheffield United within a few weeks of signing for Liverpool. It was the first time a Northern Ireland-born player had been in the matchday squad for a Liverpool league game since Sammy Smyth in 1954. Hughes was promoted from an Under-2

Name: Robert Joseph Burns Born: 7 October 1999, Antrim Height: 5.08 ft / 1.73 m Weight:  Position :  Defender / Midfielder International Career: Northern Ireland: Under-21, Under-19, Under-18, Under-17, Under-15. Club Career: Lisburn Youth ............... Youth Cliftonville ................ Youth Glenavon  .  15/16-17/28 Jun-15 Youth 36(3)/5  Knockbreda 16/17 ..... Jan-16 . loan Hearts ... 18/19-19/20 May-18 Undis .3(2)/1 1(0)/0 3(1)/0 3(0)/0 Livingston 18/19 ..... Aug-18  . loan .3(5)/0 Newcastle Jets ....... Sep-19  . loan 12(4)/0  (A-League) Barrow ... 20/21- date Aug-20  . Free Glentoran .  20/21 ..... Sep-20  . loan 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

Name: Nathan James Gartside Born: 8 March 1988, Maydown Height: 1.88 m Position: Goalkeeper International Career:  Northern Ireland: Under-21, Youth Club Career: Institute Youth Watford Youth Chelmsford City loan Derry City Free Biography: Nathan Gartside had already appeared on the bench for the Watford football team when his career and life were near brought to a premature end by an inflamed heart. Gartside rebuilt his career after joining Derry City and in March 2021 was called into the senior international panel. He had to withdraw from the squad before departure for Italy as there was an administrative oversight regarding his heart medication being registered with UEFA. https://www.the42.ie/nathan-gartside-watford-derry-city-interview-4231125-Sep2018/

Name: Ethan Stuart William Galbraith Born: 11 May 2001, Glengormley Height: 5.09 ft / 1.75 m Weight: 10.05 st / 67 kg Position: Midfielder International Career: Northern Ireland: Full, Under-21, 1 Under-19 Cap, 5 Under-17 Caps. Club Career: Teams ..... -Seasons- Signed -Fee- League FA Cup FL Cup Europe Other Carnmoney Colts ............ Youth Ballyclare Comrades ........  Youth Glentoran ................... Youth .0(0)/0 Linfield ................... Youth .0(0)/0 Man. United 19/0-22/3 May-18 Youth .0(0)/0 ...... ...... 0(1)/0 4(0)/1* Doncaster R 21/2 .... Aug-21. Loan 27(6)/1 1(0)/0 ............. 1(1)/0 Salford C. . 22/3 .... Sep-22. Loan 27(5)/4 2(0)/0 ............. 4(0)/0 Ley. Orient 23/4-date Jun-23. Free  * Under-21 games in EFL Trophy Biography: A star through Northern Ireland's youth set-up, Ethan Galbraith made his senior debut against Luxembourg in September 2019 when just 18. He made his debut for Manchester United two months later in a Europa League tie against Kazakhs

Name: Ciaron Maurice Brown Born: 14 January 1998, Hillingdon Position: Defender International Career: Northern Ireland: Full, Under-21 Club Career: Bedfont Sports  (Combine Counties League Premier) Wealdstone (National League South) Cardiff City Livingston 18/19  loan Livingston 19/20 loan Livingston 20/21  loan Oxford 21/22 loan Biography: Born in London, Brown qualifies for Northern Ireland through his Belfast-born mother. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciaron_Brown Northern Ireland Caps: 09-19 Luxembourg H FR

The EFL Championship Play-Off Final is reportedly the most valuable single match in world sport, valued at up to £160 million for the winner ! The Football League play-off system began in fairly humble circumstances in the late-1980s when the game in England was in a major slump. The short-term aim was to allow restructuring of the League's four divisions, with a longer term goal of keeping excitement alive for longer as clubs in mid-table would potentially have something to play for through to the final few matches of the season. Nowadays, the match has all the razmataz of a big final as the teams battle it out for a place in the promised land of the Premier League. It is interesting to note the Northern Ireland players who have featured in the match, some sneaking into the Premier League via the "back-door" and others who have suffered the heartbreak of missing out on satisfying a life-time ambition of playing in one of the world's elite stages... Year