IFA Programme 2016

STADIUM FACTS Northern Ireland have scored a total of 292 goals in their 234 games at Windsor Park in the last 106 years. Not surprisingly the player with the most international goals at the ‘Shrine’ is David Healy with an impressive tally of 19. Jimmy Quinn and

at the ground was, of course, by David Healy in the never-to-be-forgotten 3-2 win over Spain on 6 September 2006. The most consecutive wins Northern Ireland have ever recorded at Windsor Park is five between 21 September 1982 and 14 November 1984. If Michael O’Neill’s charges defeat San Marino this evening they will equal that record. Northern Ireland’s longest unbeaten run at the ground came between 21 November 1979, Danny Blanchflower’s last game in charge, and 28 May 1983 when they drew 0-0 with England – a run of 11 games. William Johnston became the first substitute to score for Northern Ireland at Windsor when he found the net in a 4-1 friendly win against Mexico on 22 June 1966. Twelve players have managed that feat since, the last one being Will Grigg in the 3-0 win over Belarus back in May. England have been the most frequent visitors to the ground over the years having played 32 games in Belfast. Northern Ireland have won only four of those encounters, the first coming in 1913 when two goals from Billy Gillespie gave them a 2-1 victory. Gillespie was again on target 10 years later when another 2-1 success was recorded. Following a 2-0 win in 1927, there was a 78-year wait before another home success and David Healy’s memorable winner against Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side in 2005. The most goals that Northern Ireland have ever scored in a single game at Windsor Park is five, which has happened twice. The first occasion was in April 1971 when they beat Cyprus 5-0, the second came on 15 November 1995 when Bryan Hamilton’s side defeated Austria 5-3 in a European Championship tie - a game in which current International boss Michael O’Neill scored twice. The fastest ever hat-trick by an opposition player at the ground was on 4 September 1999 when Arif Erdem scored three in just three minutes as Turkey ran out 3-0 winners in a European Championship qualifier. The fastest hat-trick by an opposing player coming on as a substitute was by Germany’s Oliver Bierhoff on 20 August 1997 when he found the net three times inside six minutes to give the visitors a 3-1 World Cup qualifier victory.

Kyle Lafferty, who have both scored 10 goals each at Windsor, are the only other players to have reached double figures.

Northern Ireland’s complete record at Windsor Park is:

P

W

D

L

F

A

WCQ 57

27 26 18 15 86

13 11 18 14 56

17 17 40 18 92

83 71 84 54

61 59

ECQ

54 76 47

BIC

153

FR

59

Total: 234

292

332

The first International match played at the stadium was held on 19 March 1910 when Ireland defeated Scotland 1-0 in a British International Championship contest in front of 17,000 supporters. Frank Thompson scored the only goal of the game in the 54th minute. The largest attendance ever recorded at what is now the National Football Stadium was 59,000 when England ran out 2-0 winners on 2 October 1954. In contrast the lowest crowd ever to attend an international fixture was 2,500 on 26 May 1989 when Chile defeated Northern Ireland 1-0 in a friendly. One of the reasons given for the low turnout that evening was the live television coverage of the First Division title decider between Liverpool and Arsenal. There have been four hat-tricks scored by Northern Ireland players at Windsor Park. The first was by Billy McAdams in a 4-3 World Cup qualifying defeat to West Germany on 26 October 1960. Jonny Crossan was the next player to achieve the feat in a 4-1 World Cup qualifier victory over Albania on 7 May 1965. Next up was George Best whose treble came in a 5-0 success over Cyprus in a European Championship tie on 21 April 1971. The last and probably the most famous hat-trick to be scored

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