IFA Programme 2016

DID YOU KNOW?

The first ever qualifying game in the competition to take place at Windsor Park was on 1 October 1949 when Scotland chalked up an emphatic 8-2 victory in front of 55,000 spectators. Despite that disastrous start Northern Ireland do have quite an impressive home record in the competition, having won 27 of the 57 matches played at Windsor, drawing 13 and losing just 17.

Northern Ireland have scored a total of 132 goals in 123 World Cup qualifying games since 1949. Those goals have been spread among 65 players with all-time record goalscorer David Healy (pictured) topping the charts with a tally of nine in 31 appearances. The leading goalscorers in World Cup qualifying

When Northern Ireland reached the World Cup Finals in Spain in 1982 they did not concede a goal in any of their four qualifiers at Windsor Park. They started off their campaign with a 3-0 win over Sweden and followed it up with a 1-0 success over Portugal, a scoreless draw with Scotland and another single goal victory over Israel.

games are: David Healy

9 in 31 games 5 in 17 games 5 in 6 games 4 in 19 games 4 in 12 games

Gerry Armstrong Johnny Crossan

Iain Dowie

Jimmy McIlroy James Quinn 4 in 22 games Norman Whiteside 4 in 9 games

Northern Ireland’s heaviest ever defeat in a qualifying campaign was a 9-2 reverse against England at Maine Road, Manchester, on 16 November 1949 in front of a crowd of 69,762. Fulham goalkeeper Hugh Kelly made his debut in goal for the visitors that day, however he fared much better in his second international outing when he kept a clean sheet against Wales in a scoreless draw in Wrexham the following March.

Goalkeeper Pat Jennings (pictured) played a total of 40 games in the World Cup, including the Finals of 1982 and 1986. His first ever match in the competition was on 14 October 1964 when Northern Ireland defeated Switzerland 1-0 at Windsor Park while his last

appearance came on his 41st birthday on 12 June 1986 when Brazil defeated Billy Bingham’s side 3-0 in Mexico. He kept a total of 16 clean sheets in those 40 games.

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