Northern Ireland v Germany, Thurs 5th October

According to the Bible, confession is good for the soul… WHEN IS THIS HOODOO GOING TO END?

Steven Davis and Mesut Ozil tussle in Paris last year.

starred in Spain for Celta Vigo but never broke into the international team where John McClelland, Chris Nicholl and John O’Neill held sway). And I am always prepared to express an opinion on our best ever XI; definitely in for me would be Cush, Donaghy and Whiteside. Or perhaps more controversially I could look at our worst XI. I also like to consider why the late 1970s all-Arsenal back three combo of Jennings, Rice and Nelson were eclipsed by the threesome that were first choice and took us to the 1982 World Cup finals - Jennings, Nicholl and Donaghy. I even organised my wedding around Northern Ireland matches (doesn’t everyone?) and before anyone complains Mrs Campbell was complicit in the planning!

With that in mind the time has come for this Northern Ireland fan to unburden himself of the guilt accumulated so many years ago in an effort to move onwards. Anyone who knows me will understand that I can be a bit of a Northern Ireland geek. I am happy to discourse on all subjects green and white and content to debate the relative merits of the international careers of Ronnie Blair (five caps in 1975 and 1976) and Bertie Lutton (six caps between 1970 and 1974). I am also open to discuss who was the best one cap wonder (probably David Stewart - one cap in a 3-0 demolition of Belgium in 1978 ) or who was the best Northern Ireland player never to make an international appearance (maybe Jim Hagan who

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