Northern Ireland v Bulgaria

always ‘placed’ the ball rather than blasting it; on referees – arguing with them is pointless. And he also opines: on footballers’ wives – they should be allowed to accompany the team when on tour; on encouraging young Irish players – a school of excellence should be set up by Irish League clubs and the Irish FA; on football grounds – all-seater stadia should be introduced for crowd safety. In the old days there were giants in the land but Peter the Great towered head and shoulders above them all!. Words Cunningham Peacock

In 1942 a packed Windsor Park saw Ireland defeat an army team full of Scottish and English internationals by three goals to two. The following year Ireland won a second challenge match against the Army 4-2. However, a third game against the Combined Services, who fielded such glittering stars as Stanley Matthews, Tommy Lawton and Raich Carter, proved too much for the green jerseys. Peter scored all four Irish goals in a game that ended 8-4 for the visitors. ‘Spotlight on Football’ is more than just an account of Peter’s playing career. He includes chapters stating his opinion on many aspects of the game in 1947 and they are all issues that we recognise today: on penalty kicks – he

51

www.irishfa.com