Northern Ireland v Azerbaijan Offical Match Programme

NEVER MEET YOUR HEROES? PAH!

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8LMW GEQI MRXS Q] QMRH EX PEWX QSRXLŭW SJƤGMEP opening of the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park which, of course, coincided with the San Marino match. Each of the former living Northern Ireland managers was invited, however with Dave Clements in America, Billy Bingham unable to travel due to ill health and Messrs Hamilton, Sanchez and Worthington unavailable for one reason or another the cadre of former managers was reduced to four. That quartet included Lawrie McMenemy (still strident in his views stated in that strong Geordie accent), Sammy McIlroy (always popular with the fans), Jim Platt (quiz question: what was the match Jim Platt was in charge of the Northern Ireland team for?) and Terry Neill. Terry, originally from Bangor, was an Arsenal stalwart, playing more than 200 times for the Gunners. He managed Northern Ireland from 1971 to 1975. He played 59 times for us, captaining the team before he became player-manager in 1971

F] [LMGL WXEKI LI [EW JYPƤPPMRK XLI WEQI VSPI JSV Hull City. From Hull he moved to Arsenal’s North London rivals Spurs, managing them for two seasons FIJSVI ƤRMWLMRK LMW QEREKIVMEP GEVIIV EX XLI Highbury ground he had come to call home, thus becoming one of the few footballers to move between the two North London giants. Of course all this football stats stuff is fairly immaterial because for me Terry, as long as he lives and breathes, will always be a hero. Why? Well, there are only two living Northern Ireland footballers who have had the audacity to score winning goals against England, but only one who performed that feat at Wembley. We all know the legend that is David Healy, Northern Ireland’s record goalscorer, and his I\TPSMXW EKEMRWX )RKPERH MR &IPJEWX SR 7ITXIQFIV 2005. Fewer of us, I imagine, will recall Terry Neill’s winner at Wembley on 23 May 1972.

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