138-454: Robert Dennis Blanchflower (10 February 1926 – 9 December 1993) was a former Northern Ireland footballer, football manager and journalist who played for and captained Tottenham Hotspur , including during their double-winning season of 1960–61. He was ranked as the greatest player in Spurs history by The Times in 2009. After a lengthy playing career, he retired at the age of 38. He became
276-491: A Europe XI at Highbury , their 4–0 win over Norway in Newcastle , and their 7–0 win over Ireland at Old Trafford . On 15 April 1939, he returned to a muddy Hampden Park with England to claim a 2–1 victory in front of 142,000 rain-soaked supporters; he set up Tommy Lawton for the winner with seconds to spare. That summer was the last time England would tour Europe before Hitler 's Nazis were defeated. The first game
414-645: A qualifier for UEFA Euro 2008 , with Healy scoring a hat-trick. In June 2007, Nigel Worthington was named manager in the place of Lawrie Sanchez, who took over at Fulham . Initially, Worthington took over until the end of the Euro 2008 qualifiers, but was later given a contract until the end of the Euro 2012 qualifiers . Michael O'Neill became manager in February 2012 after Worthington had resigned in October 2011 after
552-401: A 1–0 loss against Germany in the group stage. That was enough to qualify for a Round of 16 spot where they lost 1–0 to Wales due to an unfortunate own goal by Gareth McAuley. Northern Ireland play their home matches at Windsor Park, Belfast , home of Linfield , which they have use of on a 108-year lease, giving the owners 15% of revenue, including gate receipts and TV rights. There was
690-503: A 1–4 loss to Norway in a friendly in February 2004. The run of 16 games without a win ended after his second game, a 1–0 victory in a friendly over Estonia , with a largely experimental side, in March 2004. On 7 September 2005, Northern Ireland beat England 1–0 in a 2006 World Cup qualifier at Windsor Park . David Healy scored the winner in the 73rd minute. Almost a year later, on 6 September 2006, Northern Ireland defeated Spain 3–2 in
828-501: A 3–1 win over local rivals Port Vale at The Old Recreation Ground . He played 29 First Division games in 1933–34 , as Stoke secured their top-flight status with a 12th-place finish. Matthews added a Staffordshire Senior Cup winners' medal in 1934. He continued to progress in the 1934–35 campaign and was selected by The Football League for an Inter-League game with the Irish League at The Oval , which finished 6–1 to
966-464: A Blackpool shirt in a 3–0 defeat at Arsenal on 7 October 1961. It was a fitting final bow as he always enjoyed playing against Arsenal. He had "so many wonderful memories" at Highbury. With former teammate and close friend Jackie Mudie at Stoke City, and with Tony Waddington keen to welcome Matthews back to the Victoria Ground , his return to his home-town club was sealed. However, Matthews
1104-593: A Scotland team containing a young Bill Shankly . He then travelled to Berlin for another encounter with Münzenberg, where pre-match he witnessed first hand the foreboding devotion the people showed the Führer when his motorcade drove past a café the England team were dining in. The game became infamous as The FA , themselves under instruction from the British government, informed the England team that they had to perform
1242-550: A World Cup finals match, and to have progressed from the first round of the World Cup finals. Captain of the national side at the 1958 World Cup was Danny Blanchflower , who also captained Tottenham Hotspur in the English league and was twice footballer of the year in England. His younger brother Jackie was also a key member of the national team, and won two league titles in England with Manchester United , until his career
1380-874: A boxer, but Stanley decided at the age of 13 that he wanted to be a footballer. After a rigorous training session that made Matthews vomit, his mother, Elizabeth, stood firm and made Jack realise that his son, who had one more year at school, should follow his passion for football. His father conceded that should he be picked for England Schoolboys then he could continue his footballing career; around this time his school football master picked Matthews as an outside-right , rather than as his then-preferred position of centre-half . Matthews played for England Schoolboys against Wales in 1929, in front of around 20,000 spectators at Dean Court , Bournemouth . Wolverhampton Wanderers , Birmingham City , Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion were all rumoured to be interested in Matthews in
1518-492: A bright future for the teenager, and though he could have then joined any club in the country, he signed as a professional with Stoke on his 17th birthday. Paid the maximum wage of £5-a-week (£3 in the summer break), he was on the same wage as seasoned professionals before he even kicked a ball. Despite this, his father insisted that Matthews save this money and only spend any winning bonus money he earned. He made his first-team debut against Bury at Gigg Lane on 19 March 1932;
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#17327722695651656-425: A charity game. Blackpool finished seventh in 1949–50 , and though they were never title contenders, vast crowds still turned out home and away to witness the entertaining football they displayed. At this time he received the maximum wage allowed for a professional player – £12 a week. In 1950–51 Blackpool stormed to a third-place finish, and Matthews played 44 games in league and cup. He cited his highlights of
1794-486: A defeat to Port Vale at Vale Park in the Fifth Round. Matthews missed just eight league games in 1954–55 , though journalists were keen to write him off with every occasional off-performance and missed game – "it was all balderdash", he replied. Despite his age, and more pertinently the media's constant references to his age, Arsenal manager Tom Whittaker tried, unsuccessfully, to lure Matthews to Highbury with
1932-510: A defensive midfielder at right half and was known particularly for his accurate passing, his ability to dictate the tempo of the game and his inspiring leadership. Following his retirement as a player, Blanchflower coached at Spurs for a number of years, and double-winning manager Bill Nicholson intended for Blanchflower to be his long-term successor. When Nicholson resigned from the club in 1974 however, Blanchflower found himself being passed over in favour of Terry Neill , and subsequently left
2070-477: A few days off from the club to relax in Blackpool . Finding no peace there either, Stoke chairman Albert Booth told Matthews he would not be allowed to leave the club, and 3,000 City supporters organised a meeting to make their feelings known – they too demanded that he stay. Touched by their strength of feeling and worn out by the attention he was receiving, Matthews agreed to stay. Despite playing regularly for
2208-532: A historic 1–0 win and top the first stage group. A 2–2 draw with Austria at the Vicente Calderón Stadium meant that a win against France would take them into the semi-finals, however, a French team inspired by Michel Platini won 4–1 and eliminated Northern Ireland from the competition. They also qualified for the 1986 World Cup where they went out in the Group stages . Billy Bingham ,
2346-526: A letter to The Times on 17 July 1958 opposing 'the policy of apartheid' in international sport and defending 'the principle of racial equality which is embodied in the Declaration of the Olympic Games'. On 6 February 1961, he also became the first person to turn down the invitation to appear on This Is Your Life , simply walking away from host Eamonn Andrews . Contrary to belief, this incident
2484-615: A list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled. Win Draw Loss Fixture Last updated after match against [REDACTED] Luxembourg on 18 November 2024. Statistics include official FIFA recognised matches only The following players were called up for the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League matches against [REDACTED] Belarus and [REDACTED] Luxembourg on 15 and 18 November 2024 respectively. Caps and goals updated as of 18 November 2024, after
2622-427: A local boxer known as the "Fighting Barber of Hanley". In the summer of 1921, Jack Matthews took six-year-old Stanley to the Victoria Ground , home of the local club Stoke City , for an open race for boys under the age of 14, with a staggered start according to age. His father placed a bet on his son winning, and he did. Matthews attended Hanley's Wellington Road School and later described himself as "in many respects
2760-403: A lucrative, if somewhat illegal approach. As Smith began to establish a new side with talents such as Jackie Mudie and Jimmy Armfield , Blackpool posted a second-place finish in 1955–56 . However, they ended up some 11 points behind champions Manchester United. Matthews believed that the performance he gave in a 3–1 win over Arsenal on the season's opening day was the finest he ever gave. At
2898-607: A major development, with links to both George Best Belfast City Airport and the Bangor railway line . The development would also include a hotel, and retail/leisure areas. The stadium itself would be used for both football and rugby union , with Glentoran and Ulster Rugby intended as tenants. Ulster GAA , however, who were a partner in the Maze proposal, stated that in the event of a new stadium being built in East Belfast, which
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#17327722695653036-507: A member of the 1958 squad, was manager for both of these tournaments. They have not qualified for any other World Cups since. Lawrie Sanchez was appointed in January 2004 after a run of 13 games without a goal under the previous manager Sammy McIlroy , which was a European record for any international team until San Marino went over 20 games without scoring between October 2008 and August 2012. That run ended after his first game in charge,
3174-536: A model pupil". He also said the kickabout games the children played helped to improve his dribbling and prepared the children for future life by giving them "a focus, a purpose, discipline, and in many respects an escape". At home he also spent "countless hours" practising dribbling around kitchen chairs he placed in his backyard. Though he would later become indelibly associated with Stoke City, Matthews grew up supporting that club's local rivals Port Vale . His father wanted him to follow in his footsteps and become
3312-518: A new headquarters facility for the IFA. In February 2013, planning permission for the redevelopment was granted. The cost of the project was estimated to be around £29.2 million, of which £25.2 million would come from government funding. It was initially planned for the work to begin in September 2013. Two months later, however, Irish Premiership club Crusaders began legal proceedings to have
3450-480: A player of 5 April 1964 at the age of 38, having played nearly 400 games in all competitions for Spurs and captained them to four major trophies. In 1965, Blanchflower briefly came out of retirement to play for Durban City . Blanchflower played three times for the club in South Africa's National Football League (NFL). Considered to be the brains of the great Tottenham team of the 60's, Blanchflower played as
3588-471: A poor Euro 2012 qualification campaign. The Northern Ireland team qualified for its first ever UEFA European Championship, Euro 2016 in France after 30 years without qualifying for a major tournament, after beating Greece 3–1 at Windsor Park on 8 October 2015. At the tournament, Northern Ireland were beaten 1–0 by Poland on 20 June 2016 followed by a 2–0 win against Ukraine on 16 June 2016 and finally
3726-556: A proposal to build a multisports stadium for Northern Ireland at the disused Maze prison outside Lisburn for the use of Rugby , Gaelic games and football. This plan was given an "in principle" go-ahead by the Irish Football Association. However, it was opposed by fans, over 85% of whom in a match day poll conducted by the Amalgamation of Northern Ireland Supporters' Clubs ("AONISC") preferred to stay at
3864-399: A respected football journalist and, later, a football manager . Blanchflower said of football: "The great fallacy is that the game is first and last about winning. It is nothing of the kind. The game is about glory, it is about doing things in style and with a flourish, about going out and beating the lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom." Blanchflower was born on 10 February 1926 in
4002-507: A second transfer request, which the Stoke board eventually accepted. He selected Blackpool as his next club as he still lived in the area following his service in the RAF; the Stoke board sanctioned the move on the condition that the deal was to remain a secret until the end of the season, not to disrupt the club's title bid. The secret was revealed in a matter of hours, as an unknown person informed
4140-469: A smaller new or redeveloped ground in the city of Belfast. The AONISC organised a protest against the move to the Maze at the game against Estonia in March 2006. The issue assumed ever greater urgency by 2007, following a series of inspections which questioned the suitability of Windsor Park to host international football. Following a reduction of capacity due to the closure of the Railway Stand,
4278-529: A study with two proposals, of which the major one would be a £20 million rebuilding of the stadium, raising the spectator capacity to 20,000. In 2011, the Northern Ireland Executive allocated £138 million for a major programme of stadium redevelopment throughout Northern Ireland, with £28 million allocated to the redevelopment of Windsor Park. In June 2012, further details of the stadium's redevelopment were released. The plan
Danny Blanchflower - Misplaced Pages Continue
4416-664: A superb performance in a 2–0 win over the Welsh before he helped England to record a 3–1 victory over World Champions West Germany, though only three of the Germans used at Wembley had been in the first XI in the World Cup final . England beat Scotland 7–2 in April 1955, and this time, Matthews linked up much better with Revie and 40-year-old Matthews was largely credited for the outstanding margin of victory. In this game, Duncan Edwards
4554-581: A testimonial match for him at White Hart Lane , but by this stage he was in the first stages of what would later be diagnosed as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease . He was eventually placed in Woodlands Nursing Home, Staines . He died there from pneumonia on 9 December 1993, aged 67. He was buried nearby at St. Jude's Cemetery, Englefield Green . Blanchflower was honoured in his home city of Belfast with an Ulster History Circle plaque recognising his outstanding achievements in
4692-509: A traditional symbolic colour for Ireland. The azure blue comes from St. Patrick's blue , which was adopted as the colour of the Anglo-Irish Order of St Patrick . While green is recognised at the de-facto national colour for Ireland, azure blue is still found in symbols of both the state and the island . The kit has been manufactured by Adidas since 2012. Prior to this, the kit was manufactured by Umbro. The Green and White Army
4830-402: A two-year contract at £50-a-week – this was double the wages he received at Blackpool. The signing was broadcast live on Sportsview , as Waddington whispered in his ear "Welcome home, Stan. For years this club has been going nowhere. Now we're on our way". Waddington delayed his return debut until 24 October 1961, when Stoke played Huddersfield Town at the Victoria Ground , the attendance
4968-457: A win over Switzerland before he returned to the first XI as England crashed out of the competition with a 4–2 defeat to Uruguay at the St. Jakob Stadium after mistakes from goalkeeper Gil Merrick . His third match of the year was a 2–0 win over Northern Ireland at Windsor Park in the 1954–55 British Home Championship , though on the pitch he did not gel well with Don Revie . Matthews then put in
5106-483: Is a major unionist area, their preference would then be to remain at Casement Park in nationalist west Belfast . The IFA were initially non-committal about any of the proposals for improving their facilities, be it rebuilding Windsor Park, or supporting either the Maze or Sydenham proposals. In September 2009, however, they issued an announcement in favour of the redevelopment of Windsor Park. Although there were no specifics to this, Linfield had previously released
5244-523: Is the name given to the fans that follow the Northern Ireland national football team. Since the defeat of England in 2005, there has been an increased demand for tickets exceeding supply. Tongue-in-cheek songs such as "We're not Brazil , we're Northern Ireland" (sung to the tune of Battle Hymn of the Republic , an American Civil War song), "It's Just Like Watching Brazil" and "Stand up for
5382-409: The 1946–47 season, during which Matthews played 23 league games and contributed to 30 of the club's 41 league goals. Stoke matched their record finish of fourth in the league, finishing just two points shy of champions Liverpool after losing to Sheffield United on the final day of the season. However, in February, Matthews was returning from a knee injury when manager McGrory told him he was not in
5520-505: The 1960–61 season. With Blanchflower as captain Spurs won their first 11 games, a record for the top flight of English football and eventually won the league by 8 points. They then beat Leicester City in the final of the FA Cup to become the first team in the 20th century to win the League and Cup double , not achieved since Aston Villa in 1897. Blanchflower was voted FWA Footballer of
5658-414: The 1964–65 season playing for the reserve side. On 1 January 1965, he became the only footballer to ever be knighted (for services to football) whilst still an active professional player. However, he never thought himself worthy of such an honour. His only first-team appearance of the season was also the last Football League game of his career; it came on 6 February 1965, just after his 50th birthday, and
Danny Blanchflower - Misplaced Pages Continue
5796-401: The 2018 World Cup , including Northern Ireland games, between 2014 and 2017. In 2015, BBC Northern Ireland acquired the live rights to show Northern Ireland's friendlies in the run-up to UEFA Euro 2016 , but the next two subsequent home friendlies against Croatia and New Zealand were shown on Premier Sports / eirSport until the contract ended before the 2018 World Cup . The following is
5934-607: The Air Raid Precautions (ARP) and in 1943 lied about his age to join the RAF . As a trainee navigator he was sent on a course to St Andrews University (where he acquired a lifelong love of golf) and in the spring of 1945 was posted to Canada for further training. By 1946, aged 20, he was back in Belfast, back at Gallaher's, and building a reputation as an outstanding footballer. While at St Andrews Blanchflower played for
6072-467: The Bloomfield district of Belfast , the first of five children born to John and Selina Blanchflower. His mother had played as a centre-forward on a women's football team. He was educated at Ravenscroft public elementary school and was awarded a scholarship to Belfast College of Technology . He left early to become an apprentice electrician at Gallaher's cigarette factory in Belfast. He also joined
6210-713: The British Home Championship . Only after impressing in an FA tour of Canada was he named as a last-minute inclusion in the England squad for the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He did not play in the win over Chile or in the infamous defeat to the United States , but played just once, in the 1–0 defeat to Spain at the Maracanã Stadium . The preparation was not ideal as the FA did not take
6348-595: The European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year awards. His nicknames included "The Wizard of Dribble" and "The Magician". Matthews kept fit enough to play at the top level until he was 50. He was also the oldest player to play in England's top football division (50 years and 5 days) and the oldest to represent the country (42 years and 104 days). He
6486-776: The Football Association of Ireland , emerged in Dublin in 1921 and organised a separate league and international team. In 1923, at a time when the home nations had withdrawn from FIFA , the FAI was recognised by FIFA as the governing body of the Irish Free State on the condition that it changed its name to the Football Association of the Irish Free State. The Irish FA continued to organise its national team on an all-Ireland basis. Between 1928 and 1946,
6624-513: The Irish Football Association (IFA). In 1921, the jurisdiction of the IFA was reduced to Northern Ireland following the secession of clubs in the soon-to-be Irish Free State , although its team remained the national team for all of Ireland until 1950, and used the name Ireland until the 1970s. The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) organises the separate Republic of Ireland national football team . Although part of
6762-645: The Irish Sea and signing for Barnsley for £6000 in 1949, at the age of 23. He transferred from Barnsley to Aston Villa for a fee of £15,000, making his debut in March 1951. He made 155 senior appearances for Villa (148 in the League), before being sold during the 1954–55 season. In 1954 Blanchflower was bought by Tottenham Hotspur for a fee of £30,000, and during his ten years at White Hart Lane he made 337 League appearances, and 382 total appearances (scoring 21 goals). The highlight of his time at Spurs came with
6900-653: The Mestalla Stadium in Valencia . They faced a partisan atmosphere with a mostly Spanish crowd and a Spanish -speaking referee in Héctor Ortiz who was unwilling to punish dirty play from the Spanish players. A mistake from Spain goalkeeper Luis Arconada , however, gifted Gerry Armstrong the only goal of the game, and despite having Mal Donaghy sent off on 60 minutes, Northern Ireland went on to record
7038-610: The Nazi salute as part of the strategy of appeasement . England won 6–3 with Matthews himself getting on the scoreboard having got the better of Münzenberg this time. The next game was a shock 2–1 defeat to Switzerland , which in turn was followed by a 4–2 win over France in Paris. Following the conclusion of this summer tour of the continent, Matthews scored in a 4–2 defeat to Wales in Cardiff , and then played in England's 3–0 win over
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#17327722695657176-626: The United Kingdom , Northern Ireland has always had a representative side that plays in major professional tournaments – whether alongside the rest of Ireland pre-1922 or as its own entity – though not in the Olympic Games, as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has always recognised United Kingdom representative sides, and currently Northern Irish athletes compete for Great Britain . Northern Ireland has competed in three FIFA World Cups , reaching
7314-567: The University College Dundee football team which was coached by former Celtic , Dundee United and Scotland trainer Jack Qusklay . His younger brother Jackie (1933–1998) was also a Northern Irish international footballer and played for Manchester United before his playing career was ended by injuries sustained in the Munich air disaster of February 1958. Blanchflower signed for Glentoran in 1946, before crossing
7452-403: The pitch , do it in the knowledge that you have my full support." He assembled a talented frontline in Matthews, Stan Mortensen , Jimmy McIntosh , and Alex Munro ; with an emphasis on entertaining football. The Seasiders finished in ninth place and reached the 1948 FA Cup final . On 23 April 1948, the eve of the final , Matthews won the inaugural Football Writers' Association Footballer of
7590-420: The same FIFA World Cup tournament . After complaints from the FAI, FIFA intervened and restricted players' eligibility based on the political border. In 1953 FIFA ruled neither team could be referred to as Ireland, decreeing that the FAI team be officially designated as the Republic of Ireland, while the IFA team was to become Northern Ireland. Until the 1950s, the major competition for Northern Ireland/Ireland
7728-680: The " Match of the Century ". He blamed the FA and the selectors for the heavy loss, though he had great admiration for the Hungarians, particularly Ferenc Puskás . He did not play in England's 7–1 defeat to Hungary in Budapest in May 1954. However, he was in the squad for the 1954 FIFA World Cup in Switzerland. Matthews helped England to a 4–4 draw with Belgium , though was left out of
7866-519: The " Matthews final ". Bolton were leading 3–1 with 35 minutes to go, but Matthews had "the game of his life" in "the greatest ever FA Cup final" and spurred his team on to a last gasp 4–3 victory. He always credited the team and especially Mortensen for the victory and never accepted the nickname of the "Matthews final". He helped the Tangerines to record a sixth-place finish in 1953–54 , though hopes of retaining their FA Cup title were ended with
8004-461: The "Potters" won the game 1–0 and Matthews learned how physical and dirty opponents could be – and get away with it. After spending the 1932–33 pre-season training intensely by himself (as opposed to playing golf with his teammates), Mather selected Matthews in 15 games, enough to earn him in a winners medal after Stoke were crowned Second Division champions, one point ahead of Tottenham Hotspur . On 4 March 1933 he scored his first senior goal in
8142-484: The 1968–69 season he was the regular commentator for Yorkshire Television . Anton Weinberg's 1985 Channel 4 documentary film The Keller Instinct featured an appearance by Blanchflower, who spoke approvingly of his late friend musicologist Hans Keller 's advocacy of inventive, tactically creative football. He retired from his position as a writer for the Sunday Express in 1988. On 1 May 1990, Tottenham held
8280-516: The BBC's Junior Sportsview in 1959 and ITV's Junior Criss Cross Quiz in the mid 60s. He was the colour commentator for the CBS television network broadcasts of National Professional Soccer League (NASL) matches in the United States in 1967. His candour about the fledgling league's shortcomings distressed network executives, as he recounted in a 10 June 1968 Sports Illustrated article he authored. In
8418-594: The Brussels International Supporters Award for their charity work, general good humour and behaviour and efforts to stamp out sectarianism. Representatives of the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters' Clubs received the award from UEFA and EU representatives prior to the Northern Ireland–Spain game at Windsor Park in September 2006. Northern Ireland Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure , Carál Ní Chuilín ,
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#17327722695658556-414: The England selectors, and representing The Football League , Matthews was given his England debut at Ninian Park in 1934. Matthews scored the third goal as England beat the Welsh 4–0. His second game would be the infamous Battle of Highbury , where he set up Eric Brook for the first goal of a 3–2 win over world champions Italy . The Italians turned the match into a "bloodbath", and it ended up as
8694-542: The English. His England debut followed, and so did a further game for the Football League against the Scottish League. Stoke finished the season in 10th place. In 1935–36 Matthews continued to improve, adding the double body swerve technique to his increasing arsenal of tricks. Largely out of the international picture, he put in 45 games for the "Potters" as Stoke finished fourth under Bob McGrory –
8832-460: The IFA made it known that they wished to terminate their contract for the use of the stadium. A report on health and safety in October 2007 indicated that the South Stand might have to be closed for internationals, which would further reduce the stadium's capacity to 9,000. In April 2008, Belfast City Council announced that they had commissioned Drivers Jonas to conduct a feasibility study into
8970-514: The IFA were not affiliated to FIFA and the two Ireland teams co-existed, never competing in the same competition. On 8 March 1950, however, in a 0–0 draw with Wales at the Racecourse Ground in a FIFA World Cup qualifier , the IFA fielded a team that included four players who were born in the Irish Free State. All four players had previously played for the FAI in their qualifiers and as a result had played for two different associations in
9108-413: The IFA which had seen slow progress in the previous two years. Steps taken to eradicate the sectarian element within the support have been successful. Lennon has been quick to praise these initiatives. He also praised the "Football For All" Outstanding Achievement Award Winner Stewart MacAfee for the work he has done to create a more inclusive atmosphere at international games. People like Stewart are
9246-641: The Irish FA also changed its rules governing the selection of non-resident players. Before then the Ireland team selected its players exclusively from the Irish League, in particular the three Belfast-based clubs Linfield , Cliftonville and Distillery . On 4 March 1899, for the match against Wales, McAteer included four Irish players based in England. The change in policy produced dividends as Ireland won 1–0. Three weeks later, on 25 March, one of these four players, Archie Goodall , aged 34 years and 279 days, became
9384-480: The Portuguese, with Matthews scoring the 10th. In September, he put in one of his finest performances in an England shirt as he set up all of England's five goals in a 5–2 victory over Belgium . In April 1948, he once again travelled with England to Hampden Park, helping his country to a 2–0 victory. However, after the match, he was the subject of an FA inquiry after he claimed tea and scones on his expenses (at
9522-473: The Ulstermen" are popular at home matches. One of the first footballing celebrities was former Manchester United and Northern Ireland footballer George Best . The 1968 European Footballer of the Year , Best won 37 caps and scored 9 goals for his country. Leading up to the Euro 2016 , YouTuber Sean Kennedy released the song "Will Grigg's on Fire", a parody about Northern Irish national Will Grigg to
9660-634: The World Cup in 1986 . On 18 February 1882, 15 months after the founding of the Irish FA, Ireland made their international debut against England , losing 13–0 in a friendly played at Bloomfield in Belfast . This remains the record defeat for the team, and also England's largest winning margin. On 25 February 1882, Ireland played their second international, against Wales at the Racecourse Ground , Wrexham, and an equaliser from Johnston became Ireland's first ever goal. In 1884, Ireland competed in
9798-583: The Year in 1958 and 1961. In 1962 he helped Spurs win the FA Cup , scoring a penalty in the final against Burnley. In 1963 he captained his side to victory over Atlético Madrid in the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup . During his time with Spurs he also had a short spell with Toronto City , alongside fellow Football League players Stanley Matthews and Johnny Haynes . Making his debut in 1949, he earned 56 caps for Northern Ireland , and in 1958 captained his country when they reached
9936-436: The Year award . Despite taking the lead twice in the match, Blackpool lost out 4–2 to Matt Busby 's Manchester United in the final, with Matthews assisting Mortensen for Blackpool's second. Injury limited him to only 28 appearances in 1948–49 , as Blackpool struggled to a 16th-place finish. He spent the summer touring theatres in a variety act with his brother Ronnie, though he was troubled by an ankle injury he picked up in
10074-558: The building of a Sports Stadium in Belfast which could accommodate international football, which was followed at the beginning of May 2008 by speculation that the Maze Stadium project was going to be radically revised by Peter Robinson , the finance and personnel minister in the Northern Ireland Assembly , so that any construction might be used for purposes other than football, rugby union and Gaelic games. Given
10212-400: The club himself. He became manager of Northern Ireland for a brief spell in 1978, and was then appointed as Chelsea boss. However, he won only five of his 32 games in charge and he left them in September 1979. He was one of only a handful of players to have been awarded the title of FWA Footballer of the Year on two occasions, winning in both 1958 and 1961. He was one of many signatories in
10350-401: The club's best finish. He played 42 games in 1936–37 , including the club's record 10–3 win over West Brom at the Victoria Ground . At the end of the season, he was paid a loyalty bonus of £650, though the Stoke board initially insisted he was only due £500 as he had spent his first two years at the club as an amateur – this attitude left a sour taste in Matthews' mouth. Stoke slipped down
10488-426: The club. In 1957, at the age of 42, Matthews travelled to Ghana to play some exhibition games for Ghanaian club Hearts of Oak . On 26 May 1957, Matthews made his 'debut' for Hearts of Oak at Accra Sports Stadium against Asante Kotoko in front of 20,000 spectators. Similar attendances were recorded for Matthews' next two games against Sekondi Hasaacas and Kumasi Cornerstone . As a result of Matthews' visit to
10626-408: The competition seriously, and the hotel had "unpalatable" food and no training facilities. After playing only in two further games, a 4–4 draw with a Europe XI and a 3–1 win over Northern Ireland, he found himself back on the international scene following his heroics in the 1953 FA Cup final . He was selected to play Hungary 's Golden Team on 25 November 1953, in a 6–3 defeat that became known as
10764-463: The cost of sixpence). Regardless of this treatment by the FA, the next month he helped England record a 4–0 victory over Italy in Turin . Folklore said that he beat Alberto Eliani only to have the audacity to then pull a comb from his shorts pocket and comb his hair; the reality was that he used his hand to wipe his sweating brow in the beating Italian sun. However, the legend would follow him around
10902-410: The country, he was installed as a "soccerhene" (soccer chief). Matthews' visit to Ghana also convinced Ghana's first prime minister Kwame Nkrumah that sport could help the development of Ghanaian football, as well as push the ideals of Pan-Africanism . Ghana won their first Africa Cup of Nations six years later in 1963 under the management of Charles Gyamfi . Back in England, Smith's replacement
11040-606: The director of football development at the IFA, recalled how the team struggled to even get a sponsor for their kit because the image of Northern Irish football was so poor. Attendance at matches was low; at a 1999 game against France, then reigning World Cup champions, IFA could not sell out the ground and there were problems with "sectarian singing and racist abuse." Neil Lennon , a Roman Catholic Celtic player who had been subject to sectarian abuse from Northern Ireland fans while playing for Northern Ireland in Windsor Park,
11178-552: The end of the campaign, Matthews was named the winner of the inaugural European Footballer of the Year award , having narrowly defeated Alfredo Di Stéfano 47 to 44 in the poll. Remaining a key first-team member in 1956–57 , injury restricted him to 25 league appearances, though Blackpool claimed a creditable fourth-place finish. Matthews scored his 18th and final goal for Blackpool in a 4–1 league victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Bloomfield Road on 3 September 1956. Blackpool finished seventh in 1957–58 , after which Joe Smith left
11316-400: The entirety of the football family". In September 2013, sports minister Carál Ní Chuilín said that she was still committed to making sure the redevelopment went ahead as scheduled, after previously stating that she would not sign off on the funding until the IFA resolved "governance issues" surrounding David Martin's return to the role of deputy president. In December 2013, three months after
11454-487: The first XI for the game against Arsenal; the press reported this as a bust-up. Relations between McGrory, the Stoke City board, and Matthews had indeed always been sour – though once again a story that the players sided against Matthews were untrue. Recalled against Brentford , only after the game did he find out that this was only because he was a last-minute replacement for an injured Bert Mitchell . Matthews put in
11592-473: The first senior Sinn Féin representative to attend an international at Windsor Park, commended "the very real efforts that have been made by the IFA to tackle sectarianism at their matches" after a match in August 2011. Twenty years after Lennon's resignation, Northern Ireland international games regularly sell out and women and children were "noticeable" amongst the spectators. Premier Sports currently have
11730-463: The game after picking up early injuries; this injury forced him to sit out the following encounter with Romania . Following the war , his return for England came against Scotland on 12 April 1947 at Wembley , in a match which finished as a 1–1 draw. In the summer he took part in England's tour of Switzerland and Portugal . Following a surprise defeat to the Swiss, England cantered to a 10–0 win over
11868-420: The hotel he and his wife ran. It was during this time that he cut red meat from his diet to begin his new near-vegetarian diet. At this point new Stoke manager Frank Taylor enquired as to whether he might bring Matthews back to the club; all parties agreed to the idea in principle until Joe Smith put his foot down to ensure he stayed, with an inspirational speech he promised Matthews that an FA Cup winners medal
12006-621: The inaugural Ballon d'Or in 1956 , that May he was recalled to the England front line for an encounter against Brazil in a crowded Wembley in what was the first friendly match played by both teams. England won the match 4–2, though the Brazilians would later become world champions in 1958 . He then refused to take part in that summer's European tour, having already committed himself to his second summer of coaching in South Africa. In his next international game, against Northern Ireland on 6 October 1956, aged 41 years and 248 days, he became
12144-630: The inaugural British Home Championship and lost all three games. Ireland did not win their first game until 19 February 1887, a 4–1 win over Wales in Belfast. Between their debut and this game, they had a run of 14 defeats and 1 draw, the longest run without a win in the 1800s. Despite the end of this run, heavy defeats continued. On 3 March 1888, they lost 11–0 to Wales and three weeks later, on 24 March, lost 10–2 to Scotland . Further heavy defeats came on 15 March 1890 when they lost 9–1 to England, on 18 February 1899 when they lost 13–2 to England and on 2 February 1901 when they lost 11–0 to Scotland. In 1899,
12282-599: The last games of the period was an FA Cup Sixth Round second-leg tie clash between Stoke and Bolton Wanderers ; the match ended in tragedy in what would be known as the Burnden Park disaster – 33 people died and 500 were injured. Matthews sent £30 to the disaster fund and could not bring himself to train for several days afterwards. Matthews' father died in 1945. From his deathbed, he made his son promise him two things: to look after his mother and to win an FA Cup final . The regular Football League returned in time for
12420-405: The league in an extremely tight 1937–38 season, and, annoyed by rumours circulating the city of resentment in the dressing room against him for his England success, Matthews requested a transfer in February; his request was denied. His request became public knowledge, and, disturbed by the attention and harassment he was receiving from Stoke supporters urging him to stay, Matthews decided to take
12558-623: The losing side in the 1948 and 1951 FA Cup finals, he helped Blackpool to win the cup with a formidable personal performance in the " Matthews final " of 1953. In 1956, he was named the winner of the inaugural Ballon d'Or , a prize given to the best European footballer each year. Between 1934 and 1957, he won 54 caps for England , playing in the FIFA World Cup in 1950 and 1954 , and winning nine British Home Championship titles. Following an unsuccessful stint as Port Vale 's general manager between 1965 and 1968, he travelled around
12696-428: The main game itself, two teams of legends were formed, a Stan's XI (consisting of Football League players) and an International XI (including Ferenc Puskás , Alfredo Di Stefano , Josef Masopust and Lev Yashin ). The International side won 6–4, and Matthews was carried shoulder-high from the field at full time by Puskás and Yashin. After playing for England Schoolboys , playing in a trial at Roker Park in front of
12834-432: The match against [REDACTED] Luxembourg . The following players have been called up to the Northern Ireland squad during the last 12 months. = Player withdrew due to a positive COVID test or from being in close contact with someone with a positive COVID test. = Withdrew due to an injury. = Preliminary squad / standby. = Retired from the national team. = Serving suspension. = Player withdrew from
12972-556: The most lenient and easy-going NCOs in the forces. He played 69 Wartime League and Cup games for Stoke and also made 87 guest appearances for Blackpool . In addition to these, he also played a handful of games for Scottish sides Airdrieonians , Morton and Rangers , where he collected a Charity Cup winners' medal, and also played for an unofficial Scotland XI and Arsenal against FC Dynamo Moscow in extremely thick fog. He also played 29 times for England , though no caps were awarded as these were unofficial games. One of
13110-466: The most violent match that Matthews would ever be involved in. His third cap came in a 3–0 over Germany at White Hart Lane on 4 December 1935, after Ralph Birkett was unable to play due to injury; Matthews was outplayed by his opposite number Reinhold Münzenberg in both attack and defence. Matthews was jeered by England supporters and condemned by the press. He would have to wait until 17 April 1937 for another chance in an England shirt, when he
13248-513: The national side, Matthews put in 38 games for Stoke in 1938–39 , helping them to a seventh-place finish – there would not be another full season of Football League action until 1946. The war cost Matthews his professional career from the age of 24 to the age of 30. He instead joined the Royal Air Force and was based just outside Blackpool, with Ivor Powell his NCO . He rose to the rank of corporal , though he admitted to being one of
13386-562: The odd point. In 1961, during the English off-season, he played abroad in the Eastern Canada Professional Soccer League with Toronto City , appearing in 14 matches. He returned for the 1965 season, playing in another five matches for Toronto City. He started the 1961–62 season behind Hill in the pecking order, only getting his place back in time for a 4–0 win over Chelsea after Hill picked up an injury. He made his 440th and final appearance in
13524-595: The oldest England player ever to score an international goal. He played three of England's four qualification games for the 1958 FIFA World Cup : a 5–1 victory over the Republic of Ireland , and the 5–2 and 4–1 wins over Denmark. On 15 May 1957, Matthews became the oldest player ever to represent England , when at 42 years and 104 days old he turned out for the victory over the Danes in Copenhagen . Despite calls by
13662-477: The oldest player to score in international football during the 19th century when he scored Ireland's goal in a 9–1 defeat to Scotland. In 1920, Ireland was partitioned into Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland . In 1922, Southern Ireland gained independence as the Irish Free State , later to become a republic under the name of Ireland . Amid these political upheavals, a rival football association,
13800-413: The oldest team in the Football League . Matthews scored his only goal of the season in the final home game of the campaign, as Luton Town were beaten 2–0, the result ensured Stoke gained promotion to the top flight. Stoke went up as Second Division champions. Matthews was voted FWA Footballer of the Year for the second time in his career, 15 years after he was made the award's inaugural winner. When he
13938-589: The press for him to be included in the 1958 World Cup squad, this time the selectors did not bow to the pressure. Yet after 23 years, nobody would ever enjoy a longer career with the England team. He was the subject of This Is Your Life in 1956 when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre. He was one of many signatories in a letter to The Times on 17 July 1958 opposing "the policy of apartheid" in international sport and defending "the principle of racial equality which
14076-619: The press. On 10 May 1947, immediately after a Great Britain versus Rest of Europe match in Glasgow (Britain won 6–1), he made the move for £11,500, at the age of 32. The match raised £30,000 for the four Home Nations Football Associations, and since the eleven British players received £14 each, Matthews questioned where exactly this money ended up – he doubted that much of it ended up as funding for grass-roots football. Smith told Matthews, "There are no shackles here ... express yourself ... play your own game and whatever you do on
14214-451: The process judicially reviewed. As owners of the site, rivals Linfield were in line to receive not only a redeveloped stadium, but also £200,000 per annum from the IFA in land rent instead of the existing agreement which entitled Linfield to 15% of match revenue. Crusaders believed this to be against European Union competition law as well as a form of state aid towards Linfield. In a hearing that took place on 22 May 2013, Crusaders' request
14352-474: The quarter-final stage in the 1958 and 1982 tournaments. Northern Ireland held the accolade of being the smallest nation to qualify for a World Cup Finals from their first appearance in 1958 until 2006, when Trinidad and Tobago qualified for the 2006 World Cup . At UEFA Euro 2016 , the team made its first appearance at the European tournament and reached the round of 16. Northern Ireland last qualified for
14490-448: The quarter-finals after beating Czechoslovakia 2–1 in the play-off. They were knocked out by France , losing 4–0. In the 1958 competition, Northern Ireland became the least populous country to have qualified for the World Cup, a record that stood until Trinidad and Tobago qualified for the 2006 World Cup . Northern Ireland remains, however, the least populous country to have qualified for more than one World Cup finals tournament, to win
14628-421: The quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup . He was the first Northern Irishman to achieve a half century of caps when he played against Wales in 1962. On 4 December 1957 he captained the Northern Ireland team against Italy in Belfast , in a bad tempered game that came to be known as the "Battle of Belfast"; Blanchflower attempted to keep the peace as the game turned nasty. He finally announced his retirement as
14766-485: The rights to home games were sold to Sky in 2007. In May 2013, Sky acquired the rights to all Northern Ireland qualifying games for UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup . From 2008 to 2013, BBC Northern Ireland held the rights to highlights of all of Northern Ireland's home international qualifiers. But in May 2013, ITV secured a deal to show highlights of the European Qualifiers for Euro 2016 and
14904-473: The rights to show all of Northern Ireland's competitive international fixtures up until 2024. Highlights of qualifiers are shown on BBC Northern Ireland with rights to World Cup Finals and European Championships held jointly by BBC and ITV - both channels shared coverage of Northern Ireland's games at Euro 2016 . Dating from the 1960s, Northern Ireland's games were shown live on BBC Northern Ireland , with highlights on network BBC via Sportsnight until
15042-510: The season as a 2–0 win at Sunderland , a 4–4 draw at Arsenal , and a 4–2 defeat at Newcastle United . They also reached the 1951 FA Cup final , where they were favourites to beat opponents Newcastle; However, Matthews ended up with a second runners-up medal thanks to a brace from Jackie Milburn . After picking up an ankle injury in November, he missed most of the 1951–52 campaign and was forced to spend most of his time instead working at
15180-417: The social scene to focus on improving his game. In one of these games, against Manchester City , he attempted to run at the left-back and take him on with a deft swerve as the defender committed himself to a challenge, rather than follow the accepted wisdom of the day which was first to wait for the defender to run at the attacker – his new technique "worked a treat". The national press were already predicting
15318-423: The squad due to non-injury issue. Stanley Matthews Sir Stanley Matthews CBE (1 February 1915 – 23 February 2000) was an English footballer who played as an outside right . Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the British game and one of the greatest players of all time, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing football, as well as being the first winner of both
15456-914: The tight maximum wage that had been enforced upon the English game and only abolished a few years before his retirement. The game was played at the Victoria Ground on 28 April 1965. By that time, Matthews had decided to retire as a player, and the pre-match entertainment consisted of another match of two veteran teams featuring many legends of the game. Harry Johnston led out a team consisting of Bert Trautmann , Tim Ward , George Hardwick , Jimmy Hill , Neil Franklin , Don Revie , Stan Mortensen , Nat Lofthouse , Jimmy Hagan , Tom Finney and Frank Bowyer (reserve). Walley Barnes led out an opposing team consisting of Jimmy O'Neill, Jimmy Scoular , Danny Blanchflower , Jimmy Dickinson , Hughie Kelly , Bill McGarry , Jackie Mudie, Jackie Milburn , Jock Dodds , Ken Barnes , and Arthur Rowley (reserve). In
15594-492: The time that is needed to build a new stadium, in the absence of significant work improving Windsor Park, it seemed to be likely that Northern Ireland might be forced to play their home games at a venue outside Northern Ireland for a period. In March 2009, proposals were announced for the construction of a new 25,000-seat stadium in the Sydenham area of East Belfast as an alternative to the Maze proposal. This would form part of
15732-451: The tune of " Freed From Desire " by Gala. The song became a popular chant and internet sensation. A studio version was released by London-based production duo Blonde , going on to reach number seven in the iTunes UK Top 100. A small element of Northern Ireland's support was, in the past, regarded as sectarian. In 2000 the IFA launched the "Football For All" campaign to tackle sectarianism and racism at Northern Ireland games. Michael Boyd,
15870-457: The unsung heroes who have been brave enough to challenge sectarianism and who have actively created a more fun, safe and family-orientated atmosphere at international games. Fans like Stewart have made the atmosphere at Northern Ireland football games in recent years the envy of Fans across not only Europe but World football. From a personal point of view I would like to thank them for their efforts. In 2006, Northern Ireland's supporters were awarded
16008-509: The wake of his appearance for England Schoolboys . The Stoke City manager Tom Mather persuaded Matthews' father to allow Stanley to join his club's staff as an office boy on his 15th birthday for pay of £ 1-a-week. Matthews played for Stoke's reserve team during the 1930–31 season, coming up first against Burnley . After the game, his father gave his usual realist assessment: "I've seen you play better and I've seen you play worse". Matthews played 22 reserve games in 1931–32 , shunning
16146-459: The work was originally scheduled to begin, the redevelopment was finally given the green light. The sports minister signed off on £31 million to complete the project. The redevelopment finally got under way on 6 May 2014 after the 2013–14 domestic season had finished, eight months later than originally planned. The work was completed in 2015. Northern Ireland football team's traditional colours are green, white and azure blue. Green has long been
16284-400: The world in later life, and spectators in the crowd were convinced that they had witnessed it. Later in the year, he played in a goalless draw with Denmark , a 6–2 win over Northern Ireland , a 1–0 win over Wales , and a 6–0 triumph over Switzerland. Manager Walter Winterbottom began to look for a more defensive winger, and so used Matthews just once in 1949 – a 3–1 defeat to Scotland in
16422-427: The world of sport. The blue plaque is located at 49 Grace Avenue, his childhood home. The Danny Blanchflower Playing Fields in East Belfast, owned by Belfast City Council, was named after him. Plans to redevelop the site date to include more professional football facilities started in the mid-2000s and went through several revisions. By 2020, construction of a new stadium and grounds for Harland & Wolff Welders F.C.
16560-520: The world, coaching enthusiastic amateurs. His experiences included coaching in South Africa, where despite the harsh apartheid laws of the time he established an all-black team in 1975 in Soweto known as "Stan's Men". Stanley Matthews was born on 1 February 1915 in a terraced house in Seymour Street, Hanley , Stoke-on-Trent , Staffordshire. He was the third of four sons born to Jack Matthews,
16698-437: Was Ron Suart , who wanted Matthews to stay out wide and did not value his contribution as Smith did. Suart limited Matthews to 19 league appearances in 1958–59 . Matthews was then used just 15 times in 1959–60 , as Suart signed Arthur Kaye to take his place. Local lad Steve Hill also vied for the outside-right position. He enjoyed more games in 1960–61 , playing 27 league games as the club narrowly avoided relegation by
16836-484: Was 35,974 – more than treble the previous home game – and Matthews set up one of City's goals in a 3–0 win. He went on to score three goals in 21 games in the rest of the 1961–62 campaign. Waddington signed hardman Eddie Clamp to protect Matthews in the 1962–63 season, and the two would also become close friends off the pitch. Along with veteran teammates Jackie Mudie , Jimmy O'Neill , Eddie Stuart , Don Ratcliffe , Dennis Viollet , and Jimmy McIlroy , Stoke had
16974-632: Was 48, he picked up this award, and he became the oldest award winner by a wide margin, which remains so more than half a century later. After picking up an injury, he missed January onwards of the 1963–64 campaign and thereby missed the 1964 Football League Cup final defeat to Leicester City , playing in just nine of Stoke's 42 First Division matches that season. Discovering that niggling injuries, which would have cost him one day out of action, now required more than two weeks' worth of rest to recover from, Matthews decided to retire after one more season, taking his playing career into his 50th year. He spent
17112-685: Was against Italy, who gave the English a warm reception despite Benito Mussolini 's breast-beating and the bad blood of five years previous. Again the World Champions, the Italians managed to salvage a 2–2 draw at the San Siro after scoring with a clear handball; this time Matthews left the field with a chipped hip bone for his efforts. The next game was a 2–1 loss to Yugoslavia , with Matthews and captain Eddie Hapgood passengers in
17250-594: Was an inaugural inductee to the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 to honour his contribution to the English game. Matthews spent 19 years with Stoke City , playing for the Potters from 1932 to 1947 and again from 1961 to 1965. He helped Stoke to the Second Division title in 1932–33 and 1962–63 . Between his two spells at Stoke, he spent 14 years with Blackpool , where, after being on
17388-461: Was ended by injuries suffered in the Munich air disaster of February 1958. Despite the presence of world class forward George Best , another Manchester United player, for the 1960s and 1970s, Northern Ireland failed to qualify for any major tournaments. Northern Ireland also qualified for the 1982 World Cup . Their opening game was against Yugoslavia at La Romareda stadium in Zaragoza . It
17526-406: Was granted. It was ruled that it was a possibility for the redevelopment to be classed as state aid towards Linfield. The aspect of the challenge concerning competition law, however, was dismissed. In July 2013, Crusaders agreed to a possible settlement brought forward by the judicial review. The details of the settlement were not made public, but Crusaders said that it had the "potential to benefit
17664-402: Was issued a death threat by Loyalists and retired from international football in 2002 as a result. Former Security Minister Jane Kennedy said the threat against Lennon 'disgraced Northern Ireland in the eyes of the world' and widened the divide between the association and Catholic players and supporters. However, the incident represented a turning point in the campaign against sectarianism in
17802-399: Was making his England debut; when Matthews made his, Edwards had not even been born. Matthews went on England's unsuccessful tour of the continent in 1955, as the selectors erratic choices helped to ensure a 1–0 defeat to France, a 1–1 draw with Spain , and a 3–1 defeat to Portugal . Left out against Denmark, he was back in the team in October for a 1–1 draw with Wales. Having been awarded
17940-432: Was necessitated by injuries to both Peter Dobing and Gerry Bridgwood . The opponents that day were Fulham , and Stoke won the game 3–1. Though he felt he had retired too early and could have carried on playing for another two years, this brought an end to his 35-year professional career. Stoke City arranged a testimonial match in honour of Matthews; it was much needed as he had spent most of his career constricted to
18078-497: Was not broadcast live on air, but was being recorded to be shown at the beginning of the live transmission. "I consider this programme to be an invasion of privacy", he explained. "Nobody is going to press gang me into anything." Blanchflower commentated on a match for ITV as early as 3 January 1956 – the final of the Southern Junior Floodlit Cup between West Ham and Chelsea . He also hosted editions of
18216-497: Was not impressed when the Blackpool board demanded a £3,500 transfer fee, with one director being so bold as to tell him "You forget. As a player, we made you." Having kept secret from Stoke a niggling knee injury Matthews had been carrying, Blackpool got their £3,500 for the player. At Stoke, Matthews played Second Division football for the first time in 28 years. Despite Stoke being strapped for cash, Tony Waddington gave him
18354-498: Was selected to play in front of 149,000 spectators against the auld enemy at Scotland 's Hampden Park . He was physically sick before the match, as he would be before any big game. The "Hampden Roar" a big factor; the Scots won 3–1 despite a good English performance. After another game against Wales, Matthews scored a hat-trick in a 5–4 win against Czechoslovakia . In 1938 he played eight games for England, starting with defeat to
18492-411: Was still possible, telling him that "a lot of people think I'm mad, but even though you're 37, I believe your best football is still to come." Despite spending some three months of the season out with a muscle injury, the 1952–53 campaign proved Smith's words to be accurate, as a 38-year-old Matthews won an FA Cup winners medal in a match which was, despite Mortensen's hat-trick , subsequently dubbed
18630-429: Was the British Home Championship . The team won the competition eight times, taking the title outright on three occasions. They were the last winners of the now defunct competition held in 1984 , and hence still are the British champions, and the trophy remains the property of the Irish FA. Northern Ireland's best World Cup performance was in their first appearance in the finals, the 1958 World Cup , where they reached
18768-422: Was the international debut of 17-year-old Norman Whiteside , who became the youngest player ever in the World Cup finals, a record that still stands. The game finished goalless. Five days later, they drew 1–1 with Honduras , which was a disappointment, and many believed had doomed Northern Ireland's chances of advancing in the competition. They needed a win against hosts Spain in the third and final group game at
18906-442: Was to redevelop Windsor Park into an 18,000 all-seater stadium with a series of phased works originally intended to begin in the summer of 2013. The redevelopment would include the demolition of the existing East and South Stand structures, to be replaced by new purpose built stands that would partially enclose the stadium; complete renovation of the existing North and West Stands; and construction of both new conferencing facilities and
19044-468: Was underway in the park, to be followed by nature trails and community projects. Tottenham Hotspur Individual Northern Ireland national football team The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in men's international association football . From 1882 to 1950, all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team , organised by
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