NIFG

NIFG will try to track all the comings-and-goings involving Northern Ireland internationals through this close-season…

Players Available:
Paul McVeigh (ex-Luton Town) STORY
Colin Murdock (ex-Shrewsbury) STORY
Steve Robinson (ex-Luton Town) STORY
Danny Sonner (ex-Wrexham) STORY
Jeff Whitley (ex-Wrexham) STORY

Other Transfer Speculation:
George McCartney to leave West Ham for AC Milan or Rangers. Martin Paterson to stay in the Championship, leaving relegated Scunthorpe for Norwich City. Chris Baird and David Healy to leave Fulham and Steve Davis to sign permanently for Rangers or join Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Newcastle or Bolton. Jonny Evans to leave Manchester United for Sunderland in a permanent deal.

Help us keep this up-to-date. Leave a comment or get in touch with any transfer news or gossip.

Sixteen years after folding mid-season, Aldershot have returned to the Football League. In their previous incarnation only one of their players won international recognition - and he was from Northern Ireland (well, his father was at least!)…

Name: Paul Agnew
Born: 15 August 1965, Lisburn
Height: 5.09 ft
Weight: 10.07 st
Position: Left-Back

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 Under-23 Cap (1990), 11 Youth Caps, Schoolboy Caps.
Club Honours: (with Grimsby) Football League Division Four Runner-Up 1989/90.

Club Career:
Club……………. –Seasons– Signed –Fee– –League– -FA Cup- -FL Cup- -Other-
Lisburn Youths
Coventry City………………………. Trial
Manchester United ………………….. Trial
Bolton Wanderers …………….. 1980 ..Youth
Cliftonville……………….. Aug-82 ..Youth
Grimsby Town…….. 83/84-94/95 Feb-84 £ 4,000 219(23)/ 3 23(1)/ 0 17(1)/ 0 12(2)/0
West Bromwich Albion 94/95-96/97 Feb-95 £65,000 .38 (1)/ 1 .0(1)/ 0 .1(0)/ 0
Ilkeston Town……. 97/98…… Aug-97 …Free (Southern League)
Swansea City…….. 97/98…… Sep-97 …Free ..7 (0)/ 0
Wisbech Town……………….. Nov-97 …Free (Southern League)
Racing Club Warwick…………. Feb-99 …Free (Southern League)
Totals…………………………… £69,000 264(24)/ 4 23(2)/ 0 18(1)/ 0 12(2)/0

Biography:
Raised on a farm near Lisburn, Paul “Aggy” Agnew impressed on the football field from a young age. He attracted the attentions of a number of English clubs before signing associate schoolboy forms with Bolton and earning schoolboy caps as a contemporary of the likes of Norman Whiteside and Alan McDonald. Back in the Irish League with Cliftonville, Agnew continued to impress with Northern Ireland’s youth team and earned the attentions of Chris Nicholl, then assistant manager at Grimsby Town. He arrived at Blundell Park in November 1983 for a trial, signing as a professional the following February. He remained with the Mariners for over a decade.

Although his early seasons with Grimsby were stifled by a succession of niggling injuries, Agnew found himself usefully employed at both left-back and centre-back. Although he scored only three goals for Grimsby, Agnew is fondly remembered for his equalising strike against Scunthorpe during the 1989/90 campaign that saw promotion from the Fourth Division. At the end of that season he was rewarded with an Under-23 cap, coming of the bench for Linfield’s Noel Bailie in a 3-2 defeat by the Republic of Ireland at Shamrock Rovers, Portadown. That same month he played for a “full” Northern Ireland side that faced Spurs in Danny Blanchflower’s testimonial – that was a close as he came to a Full cap.

From such a high spot Agnew was to suffer a frustrating following campaign. While Grimsby won a second successive promotion he was struck down with hamstring and ankle injuries, limiting him to just seven appearances. Still he was an integral part of Alan Buckley’s side that solidified itself in the second tier of English football, and when his manager departed for West Brom in October 1994, Agnew soon followed. He took the captain’s armband shortly after arriving at the Hawthorns, though he was continually troubled by injuries. After forty-one games for the Throstles, plus a dozen for the reserves, Agnew was released at the end of the 1996/97 season.

From there on Agnew drifted into non-League football around the Midlands, a brief spell with Third Division Swansea aside. He held the position of Director of Football at Whittingham FC (a midlands based youth club with links to West Brom) and coached with Sutton Coldfield College’s Football Academy. Outside of football he worked as a driving instructor and with a CCTV company.

Football Heroes
ElectronicFishCake

Players …. League … Career …. Caps
……….. St(Sb)/Gl ………. w/GT . Tot
Players Capped by the IFA while with Grimsby
Andrews W. 105 (0)/ 2 1912-1914 .. 2 … 3
Coulter J.. 25 (0)/11 1937….. .. 2 .. 11
Davison A. 109 (0)/ 0 1997-2003 .. 1 … 3 (two spells 97/98-98/99 and 03/04)
Nicholl C.. 70 (0)/ 0 1983-1984 .. 2 .. 51 player/assistant-mananager
Scott J… 241 (0)/51 1956-1962 .. 2 … 2 also B

Other players Capped by IFA who have played for Grimsby
Walsh W….. 0 (0)/ 0 1954….. .. 0 … 5
Paterson M. 15 (0)/ 6 2006….. .. 0 … * (Loan)
Black K…. 91(49)/ 8 1996-2000 .. 0 .. 30 also B
Toner C….. * (*)/ * 2005-date .. 0 … 2
McAuley J.. 16 (0)/ 4 1920….. .. 0 … 6
Fettis A… 11 (0)/ 0 2003….. .. 0 .. 25 (Loan)
Elleman A… ? (?)/ ? 1891….. .. 0 … 2 (pre Football League)
Coyle R…. 24 (0)/ 1 1974-1975 .. 0 … 5

Players who guested for Grimsby in War-Time football
Doherty P.. 14 (0)/11 1941….. .. 0 .. 16
Baird H….. 4 (0)/ 0 1945….. .. 0 … 1
* still active

Paul Agnew played for Grimsby from 1983/84-1994/95 (219(23)/3) during which time he won a Northern Ireland Under-23 cap.
Harold Leddy, who represented the Irish League while with Shelbourne, played for the Mariners 13 times in the 1923/24 season.

Tommy Casey (12 caps 1955-1958) managed Grimsby from 1975-76.
Lawrie McMenemy, Northern Ireland manager from 1998-99 was also in charge at Blundell Park from 1971-1973, winning the Division Four title.

NIFG would like to pass its condolences to the Best family following the death of Dickie Best, father of George.

Name: Edward Kerr
Position: Outside-Left

Representative Honours: Ireland: 1 “Victory” Cap (1919).
Club Honours: (with Belfast Celtic) Irish League Champion; Irish Cup Runner-Up 1914/15; Belfast & District (War-Time) League Champion 1918/19.

Biography:
Ned “Smiler” Kerr, a man who sported an almost permanent grin, was a superbly gifted footballer, described as “an artist whose canvas was the field”. He was famed for goading defenders, not content with beating them once he would often stop, allow them to catch up, and then beat them again.

With Belfast Celtic Kerr won League titles in both peace and war-time, starring on either wing. He also played in Irish Cup and Co. Antrim Shield finals during his time at Paradise, though never tasted success in either competition.

In April 1919 Kerr was selected at outside-left for the Victory International against Scotland, replacing Glentoran’s William Moore. In a tight match there was little attacking play as the 0-0 scoreline reflected. He was the only player selected for either of the 1919 “Victory” matches that never gained Full international recognition.

(Complete up to 1963, sketchy thereafter. Spelling of names also inconsistent)

Player….. …… Caps Career
A
Adams…… N….. …5 (21-26)
Addis…… D….. …4 (23-27)
Adair…… E….. …2 (58)
Agnew…… D….. …1 (50)
Agnew…… J….. …1 (31)
Alexander.. M….. …1 (34)
Allen…… C….. …1 (35)
Allen…… S….. …1 (38)
Anderson… A….. …1 (25)
Anderson… D….. …6 (59-62)
Anderson… J….. …2 (61)
Anderson… W….. …1 (47)
Andrews…. I….. …6 (61-63)
Andrews…. W….. …1 (23)
Andrews…. T….. …2 (51)
Annesley… W….. …1 (12)
Ard…….. W….. …4 (54-55)
Armstrong.. W….. …1 (48)
Auld……. J….. …1 (12)
B
Balfe…… J….. …2 (07-0
Bambrick… J….. …1 (27)
Banks…… S….. …3 (36)
Bailie….. O….. …1 (55)
Barr……. H….. ..14 (55-62)
Beattie…. D….. …5 (57-59)
Beattie…. K….. …5 (57-59)
Bell……. H….. …1 (38)
Bennett…. H….. …1 (20)
Berminghm.. J….. …1 (31)
Billingsley J….. …2 (34-35)
Bingham…. J….. …1 (31)
Blair…… J….. …2 (07-08)
Blair…… J….. …1 (59)
Bookman…. L….. …1 (12)
Boyd……. J….. …1 (25)
Braithwaite R….. …6 (55-57)
Brolly….. R….. …9 (53-57)
Bruce…… J….. …1 (24)
Bruce…… W….. …2 (35)
Buchanan… J….. …2 (50)
Buckley…. A….. …1 (35)
Bunting…. G….. …1 (47)
Burnett…. A….. …1 (20)
Burns…… …… …1 (25)
Burns…… H….. …5 (35-38)
C
Callaman… W….. …1 (07)
Campbell… Albert …4 (58-59)
Campbell… Alan.. …1 (62)
Campbell… S….. …4 (54-55)
Campbell… W….. …2 (20-22)
Campbell… W….. …1 (63)
Calow…… C….. …1 (52)
Capes…… E….. …2 (61)
Carey…… F….. …1 (21)
Carlisle… A….. …1 (63)
Carlisle… R….. ..?? (1970s)
Cassidy…. T….. …1 (59)
Chambers… J….. …1 (21)
Chambers… R….. …1 (22)
Chapman…. S….. …3 (55-56)
Clarke….. B….. …2 (34)
Clarke….. N….. …6 (59-61)
Clarke….. F….. …1 (60)
Clements… D….. …1 (63)
Collins…. R….. …3 (22-25)
Conkey….. J….. …1 (58)
Connell…. A….. …5 (34-36)
Corr……. P….. …1 (51)
Cowan…… T….. …1 (22)
Cowan…… W….. …2 (55-56)
Coyle…… F….. …1 (53)
Crawford… C….. …1 (38)
Croft…… Tucker …1 (25)
Creighton.. J….. …1 (57)
Crossan…. J….. …3 (57-58)
Crozier…. J….. …1 (59)
Crymble…. J….. …1 (30)
Cubit…… G….. …6 (52-55)
Cummings… J….. …3 (57-58)
Cunningham. H….. …8 (48-54)
Curley….. T….. …2 (63)
D
Davidson… A….. …1 (28)
Davis…… J….. ..10 (53-56)
Dobbin….. J….. …3 (51-52)
Doherty…. A….. …1 (60)
Doherty…. J….. …7 (28-31)
Doherty…. T….. …2 (61)
Donnelly… L….. …2 (10-11)
Dornan….. J….. …1 (36)
Dougan….. D….. …2 (57)
Dubois….. A….. …1 (49)
Duffy…… P….. …1 (37)
Dunlop….. J….. …2 (50-51)
E
Evans…… J….. …1 (23)
Ewing…… S….. …1 (47)
F
Falloon…. R….. …2 (25-30)
Fisher….. C….. …2 (58)
Forde…… H….. …5 (57-60)
Foye……. A….. …2 (08-09)
Foye……. R….. …2 (36)
Frame…… T….. …2 (22)
Fulton….. R….. ..19 (26-38)
Fulton….. W….. …1 (28)
Fusco…… C….. …1 (62)
G
Galway….. Fusi’r …1 (32)
Gallagher.. J….. …1 (59)
Gamble….. S….. …1 (55)
Gardner…. A….. …6 (27-33)
Gavin…… P….. …1 (20)
Geary…… J….. …1 (27)
Gubb……. J….. …7 (35-38)
Giffin….. R….. …4 (55-57)
Gillespie.. P….. …1 (59)
Gilliland.. K….. …1 (57)
Gilmore…. V….. …1 (55)
Gordon….. J….. …1 (39)
Gorman….. F….. …2 (52)
Gorman….. J….. …1 (52)
Gorman….. J….. …1 (63)
Gough…… …… …1 (25)
Gough…… R….. …3 (56-57)
Grace…… J….. …1 (21)
Graham….. J….. …1 (38)
Graham….. S….. …1 (49)
Green…… G….. …1 (63)
Gregg…… H….. …1 (52)
H
Haines….. H….. …1 (21)
Hale……. D….. …1 (60)
Halliday… T….. …2 (62)
Hannon….. D….. …5 (08-20)
Hare……. W….. …2 (34)
Harris….. J….. …4 (20-24)
Hasty…… P….. …5 (55-61)
Hatton….. S….. …2 (61-62)
Healey….. J….. …1 (08)
Heaney….. F….. …2 (14-21)
Hedley….. J….. …1 (54)
Hegan…… J….. …1 (14)
Hegarty…. H….. …4 (47-49)
Herron….. J….. …1 (20)
Hewitt….. H….. …4 (32-34)
Hickinson.. J….. …1 (55)
Hicks…… J….. …1 (51)
Hill……. J….. …1 (53)
Hood……. W….. …1 (37)
Hooper….. R….. …3 (07-9)
Hooper….. Dr W.. …1 (10)
Hopkins…. J….. …1 (21)
Horlacher.. F….. …1 (31)
Horner….. R….. …1 (39)
Howard….. R….. …1 (20)
Humphries.. W….. …2 (56-57)
Hunter….. V….. …4 (58-60)
I
Irvine….. R….. …1 (39)
Irvine….. W….. …1 (47)
Irwin…… D….. …1 (63)
J
Jackson…. S….. …1 (21)
Jamison…. J….. …1 (28)
Jennings… J….. …1 (30)
Johnston… E….. …4 (58-60)
Johnston… T….. …1 (14)
Johnston… W….. …6 (61-62)
Johnstone.. R….. …2 (38-39)
Jones…… J….. …5 (29-31)
Jones…… W….. …1 (17)
Jordan….. J….. …1 (56)
K
Kavanagh… D….. …2 (50)
Keenan….. W….. …1 (60)
Kearney…. G….. …1 (61)
Kelleher… D….. …6 (38-49)
Kelly…… A….. …2 (30)
Kennedy…. Jack.. …2 (61)
Kennedy…. John.. …1 (59)
Kennedy…. J….. …1 (61)
Kennedy…. W….. …1 (54)
Kernaghan.. N….. …2 (35)
Kerr……. W….. …1 (30)
Kilpatrick. A….. …2 (37)
Kingsmore.. B….. …1 (57)
Kinkead…. J….. …2 (61-62)
L
Lawther…. David. …6 (55-59)
Lawther…. Derek. …1 (59)
Leckey….. E….. …2 (34)
Leddie….. W….. …1 (12)
Lewis…… D….. …1 (63)
Lewis…… J….. …2 (52)
Lillie….. J….. …2 (36)
Lowry…… H….. …2 (56)
Lunn……. F….. …2 (53)
Lyner…… J….. …1 (25)
Lyness….. A….. …3 (36-37)
Lyness….. W….. …1 (29)
Lynn……. T….. …1 (30)
Lyttle….. E….. …1 (23)
Lytton….. H….. …1 (11)
Mc
McAlinden.. K….. …1 (47)
McAteer…. H….. …1 (27)
McAuley…. J….. …1 (11)
McAuley…. J….. …1 (47)
McAvoy….. W….. ..?? (1960s)
McCaffrey.. D….. …1 (54)
McCann….. J….. …4 (49-51)
McCann….. P….. …6 (08-14)
McCappin… E….. …1 (37)
McCarthy… J….. …5 (37-39)
McCartney.. D….. …1 (57)
McCartney.. W….. …1 (50)
McCavana… T….. …5 (48-50)
McCaw…… N….. ..10 (31-35)
McCleary… W….. …1 (22)
McCleary… WJ…. ..14 (48-57)
McClelland. J….. …1 (60)
McClure…. G….. …1 (07)
McComb….. C….. …1 (12)
McConkey… WJ…. …2 (28-30)
McConnell.. V….. …2 (12-14)
McConnell.. W….. …2 (13-14)
McCourt…. G….. …1 (26)
McCracken.. C….. …1 (27)
McCracken.. E….. …1 (38)
McCullough. W….. …3 (61-62)
McCurley… D….. …2 (57)
McCurry…. F….. …7 (35-39)
McCurry…. H….. …4 (53-54)
McDermott.. M….. …1 (59)
McDonnel… J….. …4 (10-13)
McDowell… E….. …3 (34-35)
McDowell… G….. …1 (53)
McElhinney. M….. …2 (08-09)
McFaul….. I….. …2 (62)
McFarlane.. J….. …1 (30)
McGarry…. K….. ..15 (48-57)
McGill….. T….. …1 (23)
McGrillen.. J….. …2 (23-24)
McGuire…. R….. …1 (30)
McIlreavy.. A….. …2 (22-23)
McIlroy…. C….. …1 (34)
McIlveen… S….. …1 (39)
McKay…… N….. …1 (37)
McKeague… …… …1 (25)
McKee…… F….. …5 (10-21)
McKenzie… G….. …1 (11)
McKinney… E….. …1 (29)
McKinney… M….. …1 (24)
McKinney… V….. …1 (62)
McKinstry.. J….. …2 (57-59)
McKnight… E….. …1 (33)
McLelland.. J….. …1 (32)
McLoughlin. J….. …2 (51)
McMahon…. J….. …7 (30-33)
McMillan… W….. …2 (33)
McNeill…. J….. …5 (32-36)
McVeigh…. M….. ..12 (50-57)
McWilliams. M….. …1 (47)
M
Magee…… P….. …1 (57)
Magee…… S….. …7 (60-63)
Maguire…. R….. …1 (27)
Magwood…. C….. …1 (12)
Mahood….. J….. …2 (25-26)
Mahood….. S….. …1 (25)
Martin….. D….. …4 (32-33)
Martin….. D….. …2 (09-10)
Masters…. M….. …8 (48-55)
Matier….. G….. …1 (59)
Maynes….. A….. …1 (35)
Maze……. S….. …1 (54)
Meldrum…. D….. …2 (60)
Meldrum…. J….. …4 (60-62)
Mercer….. H….. …1 (09)
Miller….. J….. …7 (30-34)
Milligan… J….. …2 (59-60)
Mills…… R….. …3 (20-21)
Mitchell… A….. …2 (62)
Mitchell… E….. …3 (33-35)
Mitchell… G….. …7 (32-34)
Moffett…. T….. …1 (57)
Moore…… J….. …2 (51)
Moore…… S….. …1 (26)
Moore…… SS…. …1 (33)
Moore…… W….. …4 (38-39)
Montgomery. F….. …9 (51-55)
Mortishead. F….. …1 (28)
Morton….. V….. …1 (31)
Moss……. R….. …2 (55-56)
Munster…. P….. …4 (57-58)
Murdough… J….. …1 (21)
Murphy….. M….. …2 (58)
Murray….. G….. …1 (34)
N
Neville…. F….. …2 (12-14)
Newbury…. R….. …2 (56)
Nixon…… R….. …1 (62)
O
O’Flaherty. J….. …1 (21)
O’Flanagan. K….. …2 (49-50)
O’Hehir…. J….. …1 (09)
O’Kane….. E….. …1 (53)
Olphert…. R….. …2 (39)
Olpherts… J….. …1 (09)
Orr…….. H….. …1 (58)
P
Parke…… S….. …1 (61)
Parkhill… J….. …2 (63)
Paterson… A….. ..?? (1970s)
Patterson.. J….. …6 (60-63)
Pavis…… N….. …1 (58)
Peck……. D….. …1 (20)
Peden…… J….. …1 (22)
Pollock…. W….. …2 (27-28)
Preston…. J….. …2 (36)
Preston…. J….. …2 (47-48)
Priestley.. T….. …3 (32-33)
Q
Quail…… J….. …2 (60-61)
Quinn…… J….. …2 (25-30)
R
Rafferty… J….. …1 (29)
Rainey….. J….. …1 (30)
Rea…….. R….. …4 (56-57)
Reed……. W….. …2 (24-25)
Reynolds… E….. …1 (63)
Reynolds… R….. …2 (60)
Risk……. H….. …2 (21-22)
Robertson.. J….. …4 (08-13)
Robinson… C….. …1 (27)
Robinson… J….. …1 (24)
Robinson… H….. …1 (58)
Roche…… I….. …2 (30-31)
Roden…… G….. …1 (39)
Ronnell…. A….. …1 (38)
Rosbotham.. J….. …2 (36-37)
Ruddy…… J….. …1 (28)
Russell…. E….. …3 (58-58)
Russell…. J….. …1 (49)
S
Scott…… J….. …3 (52-54)
Scott…… P….. …1 (63)
Seymour…. H….. …2 (13-14)
Seymour…. J….. …1 (07)
Shannon…. A….. …2 (37)
Shaw……. R….. …1 (29)
Sherry….. J….. …2 (07-08)
Shields…. G….. …2 (23-24)
Shields…. J….. …1 (54)
Shiels….. D….. …1 (58)
Shiels….. D….. …1 (20)
Shiells…. B….. …5 (52-55)
Silcock…. G….. …1 (26)
Simpson…. J….. …1 (57)
Simpson…. W….. …1 (26)
Skelton…. R….. …6 (31-33)
Slemin….. J….. …1 (09)
Sloan…… A….. …4 (22-25)
Sloan…… D….. …1 (62)
Sloan…… W….. …1 (26)
Sloan…… H….. …2 (07-8)
Small…… J….. …1 (62)
Smith…… A….. …1 (13)
Smyth…… J….. …2 (60)
Smyth…… S….. …1 (47)
Snowden…. S….. …1 (27)
Spence….. J….. …1 (62)
Steele….. A….. …2 (21)
Stewart…. A….. …5 (59-61)
Stewart…. T….. …1 (57)
Swann…… J….. …1 (48)
Sykes…… A….. …1 (61)
T
Tait……. J….. …1 (13)
Tarrant…. R….. …3 (35-37)
Thompson… A….. …1 (28)
Thompson… F….. …3 (07-11)
Thompson… N….. …1 (61)
Thompson… R….. …1 (26)
Thunder…. P….. …3 (09-11)
Todd……. A….. …2 (38)
Trainor…. R….. …4 (58-59)
Truesdale.. W….. …1 (54)
Turkington. T….. …2 (63)
V
Vance…… J….. …1 (25)
Vincent…. W….. …1 (39)
Vincent…. G….. …1 (29)
W
Wallace…. J….. …4 (38-39)
Walsh…… T….. …1 (60)
Warburton.. R….. …1 (63)
Watson….. A….. …2 (28-29)
Watt……. W….. …1 (51)
Watters…. F….. …1 (53)
Webb……. C….. …1 (09)
Weatherup.. J….. …2 (59)
Weir……. F….. …1 (39)
Weir……. W….. …5 (51-54)
White…… J….. …1 (53)
White…… W….. …1 (28)
Wilkin….. T….. …1 (36)
Wilkin….. W….. …2 (13-14)
Williamson. D….. …2 (49)
Wilson….. J….. …6 (47-51)
Wilson….. T….. …1 (25)
Wilson….. V….. …3 (61-62)
Wishart…. W….. …1 (34)
Wright….. B….. …1 (60)
Wright….. J….. …4 (07-13)
Wright….. J….. …2 (10-11)

Name: Robin Burke
Born: c.1942
Height: 5.11 ft
Weight: 10.07 st
Position: Right-Back

Representative Honours: Northern Ireland: 1 Under-23 Cap (1963).
Club Honours:

Club Career:
Clubs…. –Seasons– Signed Euro
Millbrook (Larne)
Portadown ……….. ..1958 .2/0

Biography:
Signed by Portadown from Millbrook in Larne at the age of 15, Robin Burke was described as a “cool, classy back”. At 19 he played in the Irish Cup Final, though he finished on the wrong end of a 4-0 defeat by the Tommy Dickson inspired Linfield. The following season he played in the Port’s first European matches, entering the Cup Winners’ Cup in lieu of Double winning Linfield. The Mid-Ulster side were given a bye into the second round were the bowed out 8-3 on aggregate to OFK Belgrade.

In February 1963 Burke appeared for Northern Ireland’s Under-23 side in a 5-1 defeat by Wales at the Vetch Field, Swansea.

Results and scorers in Friendly matches under Nigel Worthington…

—————————

Name: Robert Gallee Burke
Born: 5 November 1934, Ballymena
Position: Inside-Right

Representative Honours: Irish FA Representative; Irish League: 1 Cap (1963).

Club Career:
Clubs……….. –Seasons– Signed -League- FA Cup
Albertville
Burnley……… 55/56…… Sep-55 19(0)/ 5 1(0)/0
Chester……… 58/59…… Jun-58 .0(0)/ 0
Ballymena United

Biography:
In the 1950s the Irish FA regularly hosted the British Army for representative matches. The teams that were selected by Peter Doherty in these games featured fringe internationals, experienced Irish League campaigners and possible stars of the future in what could be considered the “B” international games of the day. One such “star of the future” to appear in these games was Burnley’s Bobby Burke, a player who had been plucked from junior football in his native Ballymena by Burnley in 1955.

Burke made a bright start at Turf Moor, playing in twenty matches mainly at inside-right, as stand-in for Jimmy McIlroy. However, when his fellow Ulster-man returned to the squad for the 1956/57 season Burke was sidelined and his final appearance in claret and blue came against Luton in April 1956. The following October brought his selection for the Irish FA in a 2-1 defeat by the Army.

After two seasons without any firstteam action, Burke left Burnley to sign for Chester. His stay at Sealand was brief and by the end of the ‘fifties he was back in Ballymena, playing for United. While with the Braidmen he represented the Irish League, playing in a 3-1 win over the League of Ireland in March 1963.