Northern Ireland v Germany

On 20 January 2007 Keith Gillespie (Sheffield United) was sent off following an incident with a Reading player at Bramall Lane after being on the pitch for zero seconds of play. Gillespie appeared as a second half substitute, committed the offence and was red-carded before play resumed.

The fastest ever recorded goal at the national stadium by a Northern Ireland player is 56 seconds – and it has happened on two occasions. The first was on 25 May 1979 when Blackpool striker Derek Spence scored his final international goal in a British Home International clash with Wales, a game which eventually ended in a 1-1 draw. Danny Wilson equalled the feat nine years later with a spectacular 20-yard volley in a 1-1 friendly draw with Poland on 23 March 1988. It was the then Luton Town midfielder’s only ever goal for his adopted country.

Milestone goals at Windsor Park: 50th Eddie McMorran v Wales (BHI) 15 April 1953 100th George Best v Albania (WCQ) 7 May 1965 150th John McClelland v Turkey (ECQ) 30 March 1983 200th Iain Dowie v Liechtenstein (ECQ) 20 April 1994 250th Kyle Lafferty v Liechtenstein (ECQ) 22 August 2007 300th Chris Brunt v Azerbaijan (WCQ) 11 November 2016

Northern Ireland players have converted a total of 21 penalties at the national stadium since 1910. Former Sunderland and Sparta Rotterdam forward Johnny Crossan has scored the most, with four of his 10 goals for Northern Ireland coming from the spot at Windsor Park. Only two other players have ever scored more than one penalty on home turf: current skipper Steven Davis, who has scored two, and the Irish Football Association’s Elite Performance Director, Jim Magilton, who has also converted twice from 12 yards.

The largest ever attendance for a full international match at the stadium was on 8 October 1960 when 60,000 spectators crammed into Windsor Park for the visit of England. The visitors won 5-2 that day with goals from Jimmy Greaves (2), Bobby Charlton, Bobby Smith and Bryan Douglas. Billy McAdams replied for the home side.

Between November 1979 and May 1983 Northern Ireland were unbeaten at Windsor Park for a total of 11 matches (eight wins and three draws), a record that still stands to this day. The sequence was broken when Wales won 1-0 in a British Home International encounter on 31 May 1983.

All statistics correct prior to Northern Ireland’s game with Luxembourg

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