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Ireland national football team (IFA)
Encyclopedia
The Ireland national football team represented Ireland
at association football, it was organised by the Irish FA (the I.F.A.), and is the fourth oldest international team in the world. It mainly played in the British Home Championship
against England
, Scotland
and Wales
. Though often vying with Wales to avoid the wooden spoon
, Ireland did win the Championship in 1914
, and shared it with England and Scotland in 1903
.
After the partition of Ireland
in the 1920s, although the IFA's administration of club football was restricted to Northern Ireland
, the IFA national team continued to select players from the whole of Ireland until 1950, and did not adopt the name "Northern Ireland" until 1954 in FIFA
competition, and later still in the British Home Championship. The IFA's modern Northern Ireland national football team
is recognised as the successor to the original Ireland national team. During this era a separate international team
, organised by the separate Football Association of Ireland
(the F.A.I.), had briefly fielded a team called Ireland, and this team now represents the Republic of Ireland
.
, becoming the fourth international side ever to take the field. This result remains the record win for England and the record defeat for an Ireland team. The Irish line-up that day included Samuel Johnston
, who at the age of 15 years and 154 days became the youngest international debutant, which is still a record. On 25 February 1882 Ireland played their second international against Wales
at the Racecourse Ground
, Wrexham
and an equaliser from Johnston became Ireland’s first ever goal, although Ireland went on to lose 7–1, the goal also saw Johnston became the youngest ever international goalscorer.
In 1884 Ireland competed in the inaugural British Home Championship
and lost all three games. Ireland did not win their first game until 13 March 1887, a 4–1 win over Wales in Belfast. Between their debut and this game, they had a run of 14 defeats and 1 draw, the longest run without a win in the 19th century. Despite the end of this run, heavy defeats continued to blight Ireland’s record, iIncluding 3 March 1888 when they lost 11–0 to Wales, and on 23 February 1901 when they lost 11–0 to Scotland. These losses, together with the initial loss to England still constitute the record wins held by each of the other home nation teams.
However there were some brighter moments: on 7 February 1891 an Ireland team featuring Jack Reynolds
and four-goal hero Olphert Stanfield
defeated Wales 7–2, providing Ireland with their second win. Reynolds international performances attracted the interest of West Bromwich Albion
who signed him in March 1891, however it was later discovered that Reynolds was actually English. On 3 March 1894 at the Solitude Ground
in Belfast, after thirteen attempts Ireland finally avoided defeat to England, the team that included Fred Spiksley
and Reynolds, who had since switched allegiances, Ireland gained a 2–2 draw. Goals from Stanfield and W.K. Gibson
inspired Ireland to come back from 2–0 down to gain a 2–2 draw.
Lacking the strength in depth enjoyed by England
and Scotland
, Irish internationals of this era started younger and their careers lasted longer than their English or Scottish contemporaries. As a result Ireland fielded both the youngest and oldest national teams during the 19th century. Samuel Johnston had led the way in the early 1880s. Then on 27 February 1886 Shaw Gillespie, at the age of 18 became the youngest goalkeeper of the 19th century. Both Olphert Stanfield and W.K. Gibson were only 17 when they made their debuts. Another 17 year-old debutant was future Worcestershire
cricketer, George Gaukrodger
. In Johnston, Gibson and Gaukrodger, Ireland also had three of the four youngest goalscorers in the 19th century. Stanfield would go on to win 30 caps for Ireland, making him the most capped international of the century.
Ireland’s greatest success on the football field came when they won the 1914 British Home Championship
. However the foundations for that success had been laid over a decade earlier when Ireland had pioneered the use of national team coaches. The first time in the history of modern football that a national team had a coach was on 20 February 1897 when Billy Crone
was in charge of the Ireland team that lost 6–0 to England
, again for the wins against Wales
on 19 February 1898, on 4 March 1899, Ireland was coached by Hugh McAteer, and in 24 February 1900 Robert Torrans coached Ireland for the game against Wales
. In 1914 McAteer would return to coach Ireland to their greatest success.
In 1899 the IFA
also changed its rules governing the selection of non-resident players. Before then the Ireland team selected its players exclusively from the Irish League
, in particular the three Belfast
-based clubs Linfield
, Cliftonville
and Distillery
. On 4 March 1899 for the game against Wales
, McAteer included four Irish players based in England. The change in policy produced dividends as Ireland won 1–0. Three weeks later, on 25 March one of these four players, Archie Goodall
, aged 34 years and 279 days, became the oldest player to score at international level during the 19th century when he scored in a 9–1 defeat to Scotland
.
Goodall remained a regular at centre-half for Ireland until he was almost 40. On 28 March 1903, aged of 38 years and 283 days, he scored the opening goal in a 2–0 win against Wales
and became the oldest goalscorer in Ireland’s history. The goal also helped an Ireland team, that also included Jack Kirwan, Billy Scott, Billy McCracken
and Robert Milne
, clinch a share in the 1903 British Home Championship
. Until then the competition had been monopolised by England
and Scotland
. However in 1903, before goal difference
was applied, Ireland forced a three way share. Despite losing their opening game 4–0 to England, the Irish then beat Scotland for the first time with a 2–0 win at Celtic Park
.
On 15 February 1913, with a team captained by Val Harris
and including Billy Scott and two-goal hero Billy Gillespie
, Ireland beat England for the first time with a 2–1 win at Windsor Park
. In 1914
Ireland went a stage further and won the championship outright. Harris and Gillespie were joined in the squad by among others, Patrick O’Connell and Bill Lacey. Gillespie scored twice as Ireland beat Wales
2–1 away, Ireland then beat England
3–0 at Ayresome Park
, Middlesbrough
with Lacey grabbing two of the goals. They clinched the title following a 1–1 home draw with Scotland
in what would be their last match until the end of the First World War.
was partitioned
into Northern Ireland
and Southern Ireland
. In 1922, Southern Ireland gained independence as the Irish Free State
, later to become Republic of Ireland
. Amid these political upheavals, a rival football association, the Football Association of Ireland
(the F.A.I.), emerged in Dublin in 1921 and organised a separate league
and later a national team. In 1923, during a period when the home nations had dis-affiliated from the governing body, the FAI was recognised by FIFA as the governing body of the Irish Free State on the condition that it changed its name to the Football Association of the Irish Free State. At the same time, the IFA continued to organise its national team on an all-Ireland basis, regularly calling up Free State players. During this era at least one Northerner, Harry Chatton
, also played for the Irish Free State and from 1936, the FAI began to organise their own all - Ireland team. Both teams now competed as Ireland and during this era at least 39 dual internationals
were selected to represent both teams. In an era when national teams played only a few games a year, it was rare for professional players to turn down an opportunity to play at international level.
Between 1928 and 1946 the IFA were not affiliated to FIFA and the two Ireland teams co-existed, never competing in the same competition.
, the British Home Championship resumed in October 1919, opening with Ireland taking on England at Windsor Park. The championship winning team had since broken up, and in their first game, Ireland fielded eight debutants, and despite only losing one game in the first post war competition, they finished the tournament with in last place.
Ireland never refound the form of their 1914 winning season, and only managed two second places in the following twenty years. However they did have a number of excellent match performance including beating England 2–1 at Windsor Park on 10 October 1923 with a team featuring Tom Farquharson
, Sam Irving
, Bobby Irvine
and Billy Gillespie
. During the 1920s, Billy Gillespie set the Irish FAs record of thirteen goals in an international career, of which seven of these came at the expense of England. Gillespie's record was eventually equalled by Colin Clarke in 1992 and broken by David Healy
in 2004, thus holding the record for nearly 80 years.
Throughout Ireland's formative years they exclusively played against England
, Scotland
and Wales
, both in friendlies and in the British Home Championship
. However in the 1920s there were occasions when Ireland played other teams, including France
, Norway
and South Africa
, for various reasons, such as the amount of amateur players involved, the status of these internationals has been disputed.
On 10 October 1927 Gillespie and Irving were joined by Elisha Scott
as they defeated England 2–0 at Windsor Park, in the following match a defeat by Wales in Belfast put the championship beyond reach, however in 25 February 1928 an inspired goalkeeping performance from Scott helped Ireland defeat Scotland 1–0, their first win against the Scots in eighteen years, gaining the side their best season finish since 1914.
On 2 February 1930 Ireland beat Wales 7–0 with Joe Bambrick
, playing at his home club
ground scoring six of the seven goals. This remains the teams record win to this day, and Bambrick's six goals was the highest tally by any player in a single match in the history of the competition, and remains unequaled to this very day.
However Ireland spent the remainder of the decade in the bottom half of the table, only managing to avoid last place on three occasions. Following war
breaking out in Europe, the British home championship was again suspended with Ireland finishing the 1939
competition where they had spent most of the last two decades, at the bottom of the table, having lost all their games.
eleven, which was effectively a Great Britain side containing Matt Busby
, Stanley Matthews
, Tommy Lawton
and Stan Mortensen
. The game was a high scoring affair with Ireland losing 8–4, with all four Ireland goals coming from the future manager Peter Doherty
. The performance of Doherty was such that the match commentator, Maurice Edelston
, stated "He was almost a one-man team - and if Ireland had two Dohertys that day, I shudder to think what might have happened".
In 1946, when the Home Nations resumed official internationals, the IFA-FAI split was highlighted as England played both teams in the same week. The English FA
requested each association to select only players from its jurisdiction, "quoting the International Federation rule to that effect".
The FAI complied, but not the IFA, and two players from the 7–2 defeat in Belfast on 28 September played again in the 1–0 defeat in Dublin on 30 September. On 27 November, seven players born in the 26 counties, including Johnny Carey
, Peter Farrell
and Con Martin
, played in the IFA side's 0–0 draw with Scotland
. The draw helped the team finish as runners-up in the 1947 British Home Championship
. From then until the 1949–50 season the IFA regularly selected five to seven players born in the Free State and were rewarded with some respectable results, including a 2–0 win against Scotland
on 4 October 1947 and a 2–2 draw with England
at Goodison Park
on 5 November.
The Irish FA, along with the other Home Nations, rejoined FIFA in order to compete in the World Cup
; the 1950 British Home Championship
was used as the qualifying group. Ireland hosted the first ever world cup qualifier in which a home nation side competed, losing 8–2 to Scotland in Belfast, and eventually finishing bottom of the group only managing to take a point, away to Wales. During the match against Wales
at the Racecourse Ground
, Wrexham
, the IFA fielded an all-Ireland team for the last time. The team included four players - Tom Aherne
, Reg Ryan
, Davy Walsh
and the captain Con Martin
- who were born in the Irish Free State
, and all four of whom had previously played for the FAI international team in their qualifiers and as a result had played for two different associations in the same FIFA World Cup
tournament.
The FAI took steps to prevent players from what was now the Republic of Ireland
turning out for the IFA's Ireland team. All UK-based players from the Republic were pressured to sign an undertaking not to play for the IFA. Jackie Carey was the last to comply, in April 1950. Rule 35(b) of the FAI articles provided that players based in the Republic would be denied clearance certificates for transfers
abroad unless they gave a similar undertaking. The IFA complained to FIFA; in April 1951, FIFA replied that the FAI rule 35(b) was contrary to its regulations, but also that the IFA team could not select "citizens of Eire
". An exception was for British Home Championship games, as a 1923 IFAB
agreement at Liverpool
prevented FIFA intervention in relations between the four Home Nations. However, the exception would only apply "if the F.A. of Ireland do not object", and was never availed of.
IFA and FAI teams both continued to compete as Ireland. At FIFA's 1953 congress, its Rule 3 was amended so that an international team must use "that title ... recognised politically and geographically of the countries or territories". The FAI initially claimed Rule 3 gave them the right to the name Ireland (see names of the Irish state
), but FIFA subsequently ruled neither team could be referred to as Ireland, decreeing that the FAI team be officially designated as the Republic of Ireland
, while the IFA team was to become Northern Ireland
. The IFA objected and in 1954 was permitted to continue using the name Ireland in Home Internationals, based on the 1923 agreement. This practice was discontinued in the late 1970s.
, with their first international being played at Bloomfield. Subsequent home games during the 1880s were played at the Ulster Cricket Ground, also known as Ballynafeigh Park, the home of Ulster F.C.
. During the 1890s the Solitude Ground
, the home stadium of Cliftonville
, hosted 11 home internationals. In the early 20th century occasional internationals were also played at Grosvenor Park, the then home of Distillery
, and the Balmoral Showgrounds
.
On 17 March 1900, Saint Patrick's Day
, Ireland played their first game in Dublin, losing 2–0 at Lansdowne Road
to England
. On 26 March 1904 Ireland played their first game at Dalymount Park
, a 1–1 draw with Scotland
. Between 1904 and 1913 Dalymount hosted at least one Irish international in the years when Ireland had more than one home match. The other games were played at Windsor Park
, completed in 1905. After the partition of Ireland
, all subsequent home internationals were played in Belfast
, mainly at Windsor Park but occasionally at Celtic Park, the home of Belfast Celtic.
From the beginning Ireland wore a variety of colours, including green, white, and blue. The first colours were "royal blue jerseys and hose and white knickers". St. Patrick's blue
, however, emerged as the established colour from before the First World War until September 1931. Blue has been a national colour of Ireland
since the Norman era
and has been used by several other Irish sports teams, including Dublin GAA
, Leinster Rugby
and Dublin City
. In 1931 the shirts were changed to green, the colour still worn by the modern Northern Ireland
team. The official reason given for the change was to avoid a clash with Scotland
, who also wore blue.
Ireland's initial logo was a stylised Celtic cross
with a harp in the centre, which in a modern form is used by the current team, however this had been replaced in the 1930s until the 1950s with a Shamrock
badge. This change occurred at a time when the IFA was competing with the FAI to have the true Ireland team, and at this time the shamrock was also being worn by the FA of Ireland's international side.
Selection was the responsibility of a committee, with no individual manager in the modern sense. Coaches were appointed on a match by match basis, among them Billy Crone
(1897), Hugh McAteer (1898, 1899, 1914) and Robert Torrans (1900).
, FIFA
ruled that all its member associations must provide "broken-time" payments to cover the expenses of players from their country who participated. In response to what they considered to be unacceptable interference, the football associations of Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales held a meeting at which they agreed to resign from FIFA. As a result, Ireland did not compete in the first three World Cup competitions.
This article is designed to read equally as both an early history of NI, and an article about a defunct Ireland team, and is hence listed in categories "history" and "defunct"
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
at association football, it was organised by the Irish FA (the I.F.A.), and is the fourth oldest international team in the world. It mainly played in the British Home Championship
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
and Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
. Though often vying with Wales to avoid the wooden spoon
Wooden spoon (award)
A wooden spoon is a mock or real award, usually given to an individual or team which has come last in a competition, but sometimes also to runners-up. Examples range from the academic to sporting and more frivolous events...
, Ireland did win the Championship in 1914
1914 British Home Championship
The 1914 British Home Championship was the last British Home Championship played before the First World War. The competition was played between January and April 1914 and won by Ireland with a team that included Patrick O’Connell, Billy Gillespie, Val Harris, Louis Bookman, Samuel Young and Bill...
, and shared it with England and Scotland in 1903
1903 British Home Championship
The 1903 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations.Unusually, the trophy was shared by three of the Home Nations all of whom scored four points. At the time, goal difference was not used to differentiate teams...
.
After the partition of Ireland
Partition of Ireland
The partition of Ireland was the division of the island of Ireland into two distinct territories, now Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . Partition occurred when the British Parliament passed the Government of Ireland Act 1920...
in the 1920s, although the IFA's administration of club football was restricted to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, the IFA national team continued to select players from the whole of Ireland until 1950, and did not adopt the name "Northern Ireland" until 1954 in FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
competition, and later still in the British Home Championship. The IFA's modern Northern Ireland national football team
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
is recognised as the successor to the original Ireland national team. During this era a separate international team
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
, organised by the separate Football Association of Ireland
Football Association of Ireland
The Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...
(the F.A.I.), had briefly fielded a team called Ireland, and this team now represents the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
1800s
On 18 February 1882, two years after the founding of the Irish FA, Ireland made their international debut against England, losing 13–0 in a friendly played at Bloomfield Park in BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, becoming the fourth international side ever to take the field. This result remains the record win for England and the record defeat for an Ireland team. The Irish line-up that day included Samuel Johnston
Samuel Johnston (footballer)
Samuel Johnston was a Northern Irish footballer who made his international debut for Ireland at the age of 15 years 154 days - a record which stands to this day. Johnston, who played as a centre forward, played club football for Distillery between 1881 and 1888.-References:...
, who at the age of 15 years and 154 days became the youngest international debutant, which is still a record. On 25 February 1882 Ireland played their second international against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
at the Racecourse Ground
Racecourse Ground
The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium AKA The Racecourse Ground is a stadium located in Wrexham, North Wales. It is the home of Wrexham F.C. and, since 2010, the Crusaders Rugby League team who play in the engage Super League...
, Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
and an equaliser from Johnston became Ireland’s first ever goal, although Ireland went on to lose 7–1, the goal also saw Johnston became the youngest ever international goalscorer.
In 1884 Ireland competed in the inaugural British Home Championship
1884 British Home Championship
The 1884 British Home Championship was the inaugural international football tournament, played between the Home Nations of the British Isles which at the time made up the constituent nations of the United Kingdom; England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland...
and lost all three games. Ireland did not win their first game until 13 March 1887, a 4–1 win over Wales in Belfast. Between their debut and this game, they had a run of 14 defeats and 1 draw, the longest run without a win in the 19th century. Despite the end of this run, heavy defeats continued to blight Ireland’s record, iIncluding 3 March 1888 when they lost 11–0 to Wales, and on 23 February 1901 when they lost 11–0 to Scotland. These losses, together with the initial loss to England still constitute the record wins held by each of the other home nation teams.
However there were some brighter moments: on 7 February 1891 an Ireland team featuring Jack Reynolds
Jack Reynolds (footballer born 1869)
John "Jack" Reynolds was a footballer who played for, among others, West Bromwich Albion, Aston Villa and Celtic. As an international he played five times for Ireland before it emerged that he was actually English and he subsequently played eight times for England...
and four-goal hero Olphert Stanfield
Olphert Stanfield
Olphert Martin Stanfield also referred to as Olphie Stanfield or Ollie Stanfield was an Irish footballer who played for Distillery and Ireland during the 1880s and 1890s. Stanfield was a complete forward, capable of scoring with either foot and his head. He was also comfortable playing as...
defeated Wales 7–2, providing Ireland with their second win. Reynolds international performances attracted the interest of West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
who signed him in March 1891, however it was later discovered that Reynolds was actually English. On 3 March 1894 at the Solitude Ground
Solitude (football ground)
Solitude is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the home ground of Cliftonville. The stadium holds 6,224, but is currently restricted to 2,180 under safety legislation. The stadium was built in 1890....
in Belfast, after thirteen attempts Ireland finally avoided defeat to England, the team that included Fred Spiksley
Fred Spiksley
Fred Spiksley was an English footballer and coach, who played as a forward for Sheffield Wednesday F.C. and England. He also played for Gainsborough Trinity, Glossop North End, Leeds City, Watford and in 1907 became the only professional footballer to play for the Corinthians...
and Reynolds, who had since switched allegiances, Ireland gained a 2–2 draw. Goals from Stanfield and W.K. Gibson
William Kennedy Gibson
William Kennedy Gibson was an Irish footballer and political activist.Although born in Glasgow, Gibson's family were from Belfast, and Gibson moved there at a young age. Gibson was a talented footballer who played for Cliftonville F.C. while still at school...
inspired Ireland to come back from 2–0 down to gain a 2–2 draw.
Lacking the strength in depth enjoyed by England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
, Irish internationals of this era started younger and their careers lasted longer than their English or Scottish contemporaries. As a result Ireland fielded both the youngest and oldest national teams during the 19th century. Samuel Johnston had led the way in the early 1880s. Then on 27 February 1886 Shaw Gillespie, at the age of 18 became the youngest goalkeeper of the 19th century. Both Olphert Stanfield and W.K. Gibson were only 17 when they made their debuts. Another 17 year-old debutant was future Worcestershire
Worcestershire County Cricket Club
Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire...
cricketer, George Gaukrodger
George Gaukrodger
George Warrington Gaukrodger was a cricketer who played more than 100 times in first-class cricket for Worcestershire between 1900 and 1910; he also played once for the Players against the touring Australians in 1902.Being partially domiciled in Ireland and hailing from an Irish family, Yorkshire...
. In Johnston, Gibson and Gaukrodger, Ireland also had three of the four youngest goalscorers in the 19th century. Stanfield would go on to win 30 caps for Ireland, making him the most capped international of the century.
British champions
1914 British Home Championship
The 1914 British Home Championship was the last British Home Championship played before the First World War. The competition was played between January and April 1914 and won by Ireland with a team that included Patrick O’Connell, Billy Gillespie, Val Harris, Louis Bookman, Samuel Young and Bill...
. However the foundations for that success had been laid over a decade earlier when Ireland had pioneered the use of national team coaches. The first time in the history of modern football that a national team had a coach was on 20 February 1897 when Billy Crone
Billy Crone
Billy Crone also referred to as William Crone was an Irish footballer who played for Distillery and Ireland during the 1880s and 1890s. After retiring as a player he also coached both Distillery and Ireland. On February 20, 1897 he became the first coach in the history of modern football to take...
was in charge of the Ireland team that lost 6–0 to England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, again for the wins against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
on 19 February 1898, on 4 March 1899, Ireland was coached by Hugh McAteer, and in 24 February 1900 Robert Torrans coached Ireland for the game against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
. In 1914 McAteer would return to coach Ireland to their greatest success.
In 1899 the IFA
Irish Football Association
The Irish Football Association is the organising body for association football in Northern Ireland, and was historically the governing body for Ireland...
also changed its rules governing the selection of non-resident players. Before then the Ireland team selected its players exclusively from the Irish League
IFA Premiership
The IFA Premiership – formerly the Irish Premier League, and before that the Irish Football League–and still known in popular parlance simply as the Irish League, is the national football league in Northern Ireland, and was historically the league for the whole of Ireland. Clubs in the league are...
, in particular the three Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
-based clubs Linfield
Linfield F.C.
Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team....
, Cliftonville
Cliftonville F.C.
Cliftonville Football & Athletic Club is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. Founded on 20 September 1879 by John McCredy McAlery in the suburb of Cliftonville in north Belfast, it is the oldest football club in Ireland and celebrated its 130th...
and Distillery
Lisburn Distillery F.C.
Lisburn Distillery is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1880, originated in west Belfast, where it was based at Grosvenor Park at Distillery Street off the Grosvenor Road until 1971...
. On 4 March 1899 for the game against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
, McAteer included four Irish players based in England. The change in policy produced dividends as Ireland won 1–0. Three weeks later, on 25 March one of these four players, Archie Goodall
Archie Goodall
Archibald Lee Goodall , commonly referred to as Archie Goodall, is a former Irish footballer who played for, among others, Derby County and Ireland. Goodall made 423 appearances and scored 52 goals for County...
, aged 34 years and 279 days, became the oldest player to score at international level during the 19th century when he scored in a 9–1 defeat to Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
.
Goodall remained a regular at centre-half for Ireland until he was almost 40. On 28 March 1903, aged of 38 years and 283 days, he scored the opening goal in a 2–0 win against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
and became the oldest goalscorer in Ireland’s history. The goal also helped an Ireland team, that also included Jack Kirwan, Billy Scott, Billy McCracken
Billy McCracken
Billy McCracken was a Northern Irish association football player. His position was defender....
and Robert Milne
Robert Milne (footballer)
Robert George Milne is a former footballer who played for the Gordon Highlanders, Linfield and Ireland during the 1890s and early 1900s. Born in Scotland, Milne was stationed in Ireland with the Gordon Highlanders and played 7 games for the regimental football team as they won the Irish Cup in 1890...
, clinch a share in the 1903 British Home Championship
1903 British Home Championship
The 1903 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations.Unusually, the trophy was shared by three of the Home Nations all of whom scored four points. At the time, goal difference was not used to differentiate teams...
. Until then the competition had been monopolised by England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. However in 1903, before goal difference
Goal difference
In sports such as ice hockey and association football, goal difference is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points....
was applied, Ireland forced a three way share. Despite losing their opening game 4–0 to England, the Irish then beat Scotland for the first time with a 2–0 win at Celtic Park
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
.
On 15 February 1913, with a team captained by Val Harris
Val Harris
Valentine Harris , commonly referred to as Val Harris, was an Irish footballer who played Gaelic football for Dublin and soccer for, among others Shelbourne, Everton and Ireland...
and including Billy Scott and two-goal hero Billy Gillespie
Billy Gillespie
Billy Gillespie was a football player for Sheffield United over a twenty year period from 1913 to 1932, scoring over 137 League and Cup goals in 492 games for the South Yorkshire side....
, Ireland beat England for the first time with a 2–1 win at Windsor Park
Windsor Park
Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...
. In 1914
1914 British Home Championship
The 1914 British Home Championship was the last British Home Championship played before the First World War. The competition was played between January and April 1914 and won by Ireland with a team that included Patrick O’Connell, Billy Gillespie, Val Harris, Louis Bookman, Samuel Young and Bill...
Ireland went a stage further and won the championship outright. Harris and Gillespie were joined in the squad by among others, Patrick O’Connell and Bill Lacey. Gillespie scored twice as Ireland beat Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
2–1 away, Ireland then beat England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
3–0 at Ayresome Park
Ayresome Park
-External links:**-References:...
, Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
with Lacey grabbing two of the goals. They clinched the title following a 1–1 home draw with Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
in what would be their last match until the end of the First World War.
Irish FA v FA of Ireland
In 1920 IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
was partitioned
Partition of Ireland
The partition of Ireland was the division of the island of Ireland into two distinct territories, now Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . Partition occurred when the British Parliament passed the Government of Ireland Act 1920...
into Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and Southern Ireland
Southern Ireland
Southern Ireland was a short-lived autonomous region of the United Kingdom established on 3 May 1921 and dissolved on 6 December 1922.Southern Ireland was established under the Government of Ireland Act 1920 together with its sister region, Northern Ireland...
. In 1922, Southern Ireland gained independence as the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
, later to become Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. Amid these political upheavals, a rival football association, the Football Association of Ireland
Football Association of Ireland
The Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...
(the F.A.I.), emerged in Dublin in 1921 and organised a separate league
League of Ireland
The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
and later a national team. In 1923, during a period when the home nations had dis-affiliated from the governing body, the FAI was recognised by FIFA as the governing body of the Irish Free State on the condition that it changed its name to the Football Association of the Irish Free State. At the same time, the IFA continued to organise its national team on an all-Ireland basis, regularly calling up Free State players. During this era at least one Northerner, Harry Chatton
Harry Chatton
James Harold "Harry" Chatton , commonly referred to as Harry Chatton, was an Irish footballer who played for several clubs in the Scottish League, the American Soccer League and the League of Ireland. Chatton was a dual internationalist and played for both Ireland teams - the IFA XI and the FAI XI...
, also played for the Irish Free State and from 1936, the FAI began to organise their own all - Ireland team. Both teams now competed as Ireland and during this era at least 39 dual internationals
Dual Irish international footballers
Dual Irish international footballers are a group of Irish international footballers who, between 1908 and March 1950, played for the international teams selected by both the Irish Football Association and the Football Association of Ireland...
were selected to represent both teams. In an era when national teams played only a few games a year, it was rare for professional players to turn down an opportunity to play at international level.
Between 1928 and 1946 the IFA were not affiliated to FIFA and the two Ireland teams co-existed, never competing in the same competition.
Inter-war years
Following the end of hostilitiesWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the British Home Championship resumed in October 1919, opening with Ireland taking on England at Windsor Park. The championship winning team had since broken up, and in their first game, Ireland fielded eight debutants, and despite only losing one game in the first post war competition, they finished the tournament with in last place.
Ireland never refound the form of their 1914 winning season, and only managed two second places in the following twenty years. However they did have a number of excellent match performance including beating England 2–1 at Windsor Park on 10 October 1923 with a team featuring Tom Farquharson
Tom Farquharson
Tom Farquharson was an Irish footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Cardiff City F.C. between 1921 and 1934. A dual internationalist, he also played for both Ireland teams - - the FAI XI and the IFA XI. In 1927 Farquharson was a member of the Cardiff City team that became the only non-English...
, Sam Irving
Sam Irving
Samuel Johnstone Irving was an Irish footballer and manager.-Career:Irving began his footballing career in the North-East of England, playing for a number of non-League clubs, and in 1911 having an unsuccessful trial with Newcastle United...
, Bobby Irvine
Bobby Irvine (footballer born 1900)
Robert William "Bobby" Irvine was an Irish footballer. He played as a centre or inside forward....
and Billy Gillespie
Billy Gillespie
Billy Gillespie was a football player for Sheffield United over a twenty year period from 1913 to 1932, scoring over 137 League and Cup goals in 492 games for the South Yorkshire side....
. During the 1920s, Billy Gillespie set the Irish FAs record of thirteen goals in an international career, of which seven of these came at the expense of England. Gillespie's record was eventually equalled by Colin Clarke in 1992 and broken by David Healy
David Healy (footballer)
David Jonathan Healy, MBE is a Northern Ireland international footballer who plays as a striker for Scottish Premier League champions Rangers...
in 2004, thus holding the record for nearly 80 years.
Throughout Ireland's formative years they exclusively played against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
and Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
, both in friendlies and in the British Home Championship
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
. However in the 1920s there were occasions when Ireland played other teams, including France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
, Norway
Norway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
and South Africa
South Africa national football team
The South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in...
, for various reasons, such as the amount of amateur players involved, the status of these internationals has been disputed.
Elisha Scott
Elisha Scott was an Irish football goalkeeper who most notably played for Liverpool from 1912 to 1934 .-Life and playing career:...
as they defeated England 2–0 at Windsor Park, in the following match a defeat by Wales in Belfast put the championship beyond reach, however in 25 February 1928 an inspired goalkeeping performance from Scott helped Ireland defeat Scotland 1–0, their first win against the Scots in eighteen years, gaining the side their best season finish since 1914.
On 2 February 1930 Ireland beat Wales 7–0 with Joe Bambrick
Joe Bambrick
Joe Bambrick, , was a former footballer who at club level played for Chelsea, Walsall, Glentoran, and Linfield.-Biography:Bambrick scored 12 goals in 11 games for Ireland, including six in one game against Wales....
, playing at his home club
Linfield F.C.
Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team....
ground scoring six of the seven goals. This remains the teams record win to this day, and Bambrick's six goals was the highest tally by any player in a single match in the history of the competition, and remains unequaled to this very day.
However Ireland spent the remainder of the decade in the bottom half of the table, only managing to avoid last place on three occasions. Following war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
breaking out in Europe, the British home championship was again suspended with Ireland finishing the 1939
1939 British Home Championship
The 1939 British Home Championship was a football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1938–39 seasons and was the last edition of the tournament to be completed before the outbreak of the Second World War in August 1939 suspended all professional sporting competitions...
competition where they had spent most of the last two decades, at the bottom of the table, having lost all their games.
End of an era
During the Second World War all home internationals were suspended, however, during this period Ireland played an unofficial match against a combined servicesBritish Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
eleven, which was effectively a Great Britain side containing Matt Busby
Matt Busby
Sir Alexander Matthew "Matt" Busby, CBE, KCSG was a Scottish football player and manager, most noted for managing Manchester United between 1945 and 1969 and again for the second half of the 1970–1971 season...
, Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews
Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
, Tommy Lawton
Tommy Lawton
Thomas "Tommy" Lawton was an English association footballer who rose to fame a short time before the outbreak of the Second World War and enjoyed a successful career which lasted until well into the 1950s....
and Stan Mortensen
Stan Mortensen
Stanley Harding "Stan" Mortensen was an English professional footballer, most famous for his part in the 1953 FA Cup Final , in which he became the only player ever to score a hat-trick in a Wembley FA Cup Final...
. The game was a high scoring affair with Ireland losing 8–4, with all four Ireland goals coming from the future manager Peter Doherty
Peter Doherty (footballer)
Peter Dermot Doherty was a Northern Ireland international footballer and manager who played for Manchester City.An inside left, he was one of the top players of his time, winning a league title with Manchester City, an F.A. Cup final with Derby County in which he scored, and gained 16 caps for...
. The performance of Doherty was such that the match commentator, Maurice Edelston
Maurice Edelston
Maurice Edelston was a British footballer, who later became a sports commentator. Born in Hull, England, he was son of the Hull City footballer Joe Edelston, who was his manager at Reading for a while. At the age of 18, he played in the football tournament in the 1936 Berlin Olympics for Great...
, stated "He was almost a one-man team - and if Ireland had two Dohertys that day, I shudder to think what might have happened".
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
requested each association to select only players from its jurisdiction, "quoting the International Federation rule to that effect".
The FAI complied, but not the IFA, and two players from the 7–2 defeat in Belfast on 28 September played again in the 1–0 defeat in Dublin on 30 September. On 27 November, seven players born in the 26 counties, including Johnny Carey
Johnny Carey
John Joseph "Johnny" Carey , also known as Jackie Carey, was an Irish footballer and manager. As a player Carey spent most of his career at Manchester United, where he was team captain from 1946 until he retired as a player in 1953...
, Peter Farrell
Peter Farrell
Peter Desmond Farrell was an Irish footballer who played as an a right-half for, among others, Shamrock Rovers, Everton and Tranmere Rovers. As an international, Farrell also played for both Ireland teams - the FAI XI and the IFA XI...
and Con Martin
Con Martin
Cornelius Joseph Martin , commonly referred to as Con Martin, is a former Irish footballer. Martin initially played Gaelic football with Dublin before switching codes and embarking on a successful soccer career, playing for, among others, Drumcondra, Glentoran, Leeds United and Aston Villa...
, played in the IFA side's 0–0 draw with Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. The draw helped the team finish as runners-up in the 1947 British Home Championship
1947 British Home Championship
The 1947 British Home Championship was a football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1946–47 seasons, the first professional football seasons in Britain since the end of the Second World War...
. From then until the 1949–50 season the IFA regularly selected five to seven players born in the Free State and were rewarded with some respectable results, including a 2–0 win against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
on 4 October 1947 and a 2–2 draw with England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
on 5 November.
The Irish FA, along with the other Home Nations, rejoined FIFA in order to compete in the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
; the 1950 British Home Championship
1950 British Home Championship
1950 British Home Championship was one of the most significant competitions of the British Home Championship football tournament. This year saw the competition doubling up as Group 1 in the qualifying rounds for the 1950 FIFA World Cup. It was the first time that either England, Wales, Scotland or...
was used as the qualifying group. Ireland hosted the first ever world cup qualifier in which a home nation side competed, losing 8–2 to Scotland in Belfast, and eventually finishing bottom of the group only managing to take a point, away to Wales. During the match against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
at the Racecourse Ground
Racecourse Ground
The Glyndŵr University Racecourse Stadium AKA The Racecourse Ground is a stadium located in Wrexham, North Wales. It is the home of Wrexham F.C. and, since 2010, the Crusaders Rugby League team who play in the engage Super League...
, Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, the IFA fielded an all-Ireland team for the last time. The team included four players - Tom Aherne
Tom Aherne
Thomas Aherne , also referred to as Bud Aherne, is a former Irish footballer and hurler. He played football for Belfast Celtic and Luton Town and was a dual internationalist, playing for both Ireland teams – the IFA XI and the FAI XI...
, Reg Ryan
Reg Ryan
Reginald Alphonso Ryan , also referred to as Paddy Ryan, is a former Irish footballer who played for West Bromwich Albion, Derby County and Coventry City. Ryan was also a dual international, playing for both Ireland teams - the FAI XI and the IFA XI. He was the last player to represent both teams...
, Davy Walsh
Davy Walsh
David Joseph Walsh , commonly referred to as Davy Walsh or Dave Walsh, is a former Irish footballer who played as a centre forward for, among others, Linfield, West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa. Walsh was a dual international and played for both Ireland teams – the FAI XI and the IFA XI...
and the captain Con Martin
Con Martin
Cornelius Joseph Martin , commonly referred to as Con Martin, is a former Irish footballer. Martin initially played Gaelic football with Dublin before switching codes and embarking on a successful soccer career, playing for, among others, Drumcondra, Glentoran, Leeds United and Aston Villa...
- who were born in the Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
, and all four of whom had previously played for the FAI international team in their qualifiers and as a result had played for two different associations in the same FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
tournament.
The FAI took steps to prevent players from what was now the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
turning out for the IFA's Ireland team. All UK-based players from the Republic were pressured to sign an undertaking not to play for the IFA. Jackie Carey was the last to comply, in April 1950. Rule 35(b) of the FAI articles provided that players based in the Republic would be denied clearance certificates for transfers
Transfer (football)
In professional association football, a transfer is the action taken whenever a player under contract moves between professional clubs. It refers to the transferring of a player's registration from one professional association football club to another. In general, the players can only be...
abroad unless they gave a similar undertaking. The IFA complained to FIFA; in April 1951, FIFA replied that the FAI rule 35(b) was contrary to its regulations, but also that the IFA team could not select "citizens of Eire
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
". An exception was for British Home Championship games, as a 1923 IFAB
International Football Association Board
The International Football Association Board is the body that determines the Laws of the Game of association football.-Operations:...
agreement at Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
prevented FIFA intervention in relations between the four Home Nations. However, the exception would only apply "if the F.A. of Ireland do not object", and was never availed of.
IFA and FAI teams both continued to compete as Ireland. At FIFA's 1953 congress, its Rule 3 was amended so that an international team must use "that title ... recognised politically and geographically of the countries or territories". The FAI initially claimed Rule 3 gave them the right to the name Ireland (see names of the Irish state
Names of the Irish state
There have been various names of the Irish state, some of which have been controversial. The constitutional name of the contemporary state is Ireland, the same as the island of Ireland, of which it comprises the major portion...
), but FIFA subsequently ruled neither team could be referred to as Ireland, decreeing that the FAI team be officially designated as the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
, while the IFA team was to become Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
. The IFA objected and in 1954 was permitted to continue using the name Ireland in Home Internationals, based on the 1923 agreement. This practice was discontinued in the late 1970s.
Home grounds
Up until 1899 Ireland played all their home internationals in BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, with their first international being played at Bloomfield. Subsequent home games during the 1880s were played at the Ulster Cricket Ground, also known as Ballynafeigh Park, the home of Ulster F.C.
Ulster F.C.
Ulster Football Club is a former Irish football club based in Ballynafeigh, Belfast. It was initially founded in 1877 as a rugby club, but later switched codes to association football. It was subsequently a founding member of the Irish Football League in 1890...
. During the 1890s the Solitude Ground
Solitude (football ground)
Solitude is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the home ground of Cliftonville. The stadium holds 6,224, but is currently restricted to 2,180 under safety legislation. The stadium was built in 1890....
, the home stadium of Cliftonville
Cliftonville F.C.
Cliftonville Football & Athletic Club is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. Founded on 20 September 1879 by John McCredy McAlery in the suburb of Cliftonville in north Belfast, it is the oldest football club in Ireland and celebrated its 130th...
, hosted 11 home internationals. In the early 20th century occasional internationals were also played at Grosvenor Park, the then home of Distillery
Lisburn Distillery F.C.
Lisburn Distillery is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1880, originated in west Belfast, where it was based at Grosvenor Park at Distillery Street off the Grosvenor Road until 1971...
, and the Balmoral Showgrounds
King's Hall, Belfast
The King's Hall Complex is a multi-purpose venue located on the Lisburn Road, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is the largest exhibition venue in Northern Ireland and prior to the completion of the Odyssey and the Waterfront Hall, was the only large concert venue in Northern Ireland...
.
On 17 March 1900, Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick , the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of :Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion , the Eastern...
, Ireland played their first game in Dublin, losing 2–0 at Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road
Lansdowne Road was a stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union that has been the location of a number of sports stadiums. It was used primarily for rugby union and for association football matches as well as some music concerts...
to England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
. On 26 March 1904 Ireland played their first game at Dalymount Park
Dalymount Park
Dalymount Park is an Irish football stadium situated on Dublin's Northside. It is the home of Bohemian F.C., who have played there since the early 20th century. Affectionately known as 'Dalyer' by fans, it was also historically the "home of Irish football" holding Irish internationals and FAI Cup...
, a 1–1 draw with Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. Between 1904 and 1913 Dalymount hosted at least one Irish international in the years when Ireland had more than one home match. The other games were played at Windsor Park
Windsor Park
Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...
, completed in 1905. After the partition of Ireland
Partition of Ireland
The partition of Ireland was the division of the island of Ireland into two distinct territories, now Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland . Partition occurred when the British Parliament passed the Government of Ireland Act 1920...
, all subsequent home internationals were played in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, mainly at Windsor Park but occasionally at Celtic Park, the home of Belfast Celtic.
Team colours and emblems
| Early Ireland colours |
From the beginning Ireland wore a variety of colours, including green, white, and blue. The first colours were "royal blue jerseys and hose and white knickers". St. Patrick's blue
St. Patrick's Blue
St. Patrick's blue is a name applied to several shades of blue considered as symbolic of Ireland. In British usage, it refers to various sky blue shades associated with the Order of St. Patrick. In modern usage in the Republic of Ireland, it may be a darker shade. While green is now the usual...
, however, emerged as the established colour from before the First World War until September 1931. Blue has been a national colour of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
since the Norman era
Norman Ireland
The History of Ireland 1169–1536 covers the period from the arrival of the Cambro-Normans to the reign of Henry VIII of England, who made himself King of Ireland. After the Norman invasion of 1171, Ireland was under an alternating level of control from Norman lords and the King of England...
and has been used by several other Irish sports teams, including Dublin GAA
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
, Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
and Dublin City
Dublin City F.C.
Dublin City Football Club was an Irish association football club that played in the League of Ireland. They were formed in 1999 after a split within Home Farm Everton and they originally played as Home Farm Fingal before changing their name for the 2001–02 season...
. In 1931 the shirts were changed to green, the colour still worn by the modern Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
team. The official reason given for the change was to avoid a clash with Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
, who also wore blue.
Ireland's initial logo was a stylised Celtic cross
Celtic cross
A Celtic cross is a symbol that combines a cross with a ring surrounding the intersection. In the Celtic Christian world it was combined with the Christian cross and this design was often used for high crosses – a free-standing cross made of stone and often richly decorated...
with a harp in the centre, which in a modern form is used by the current team, however this had been replaced in the 1930s until the 1950s with a Shamrock
Shamrock
The shamrock is a three-leafed old white clover. It is known as a symbol of Ireland. The name shamrock is derived from Irish , which is the diminutive version of the Irish word for clover ....
badge. This change occurred at a time when the IFA was competing with the FAI to have the true Ireland team, and at this time the shamrock was also being worn by the FA of Ireland's international side.
Team selection
SeeSelection was the responsibility of a committee, with no individual manager in the modern sense. Coaches were appointed on a match by match basis, among them Billy Crone
Billy Crone
Billy Crone also referred to as William Crone was an Irish footballer who played for Distillery and Ireland during the 1880s and 1890s. After retiring as a player he also coached both Distillery and Ireland. On February 20, 1897 he became the first coach in the history of modern football to take...
(1897), Hugh McAteer (1898, 1899, 1914) and Robert Torrans (1900).
Honours
Up to 19501950 British Home Championship
1950 British Home Championship was one of the most significant competitions of the British Home Championship football tournament. This year saw the competition doubling up as Group 1 in the qualifying rounds for the 1950 FIFA World Cup. It was the first time that either England, Wales, Scotland or...
- British Home ChampionshipBritish Home ChampionshipThe British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
- Winners 19141914 British Home ChampionshipThe 1914 British Home Championship was the last British Home Championship played before the First World War. The competition was played between January and April 1914 and won by Ireland with a team that included Patrick O’Connell, Billy Gillespie, Val Harris, Louis Bookman, Samuel Young and Bill...
: 1 - Shared title 19031903 British Home ChampionshipThe 1903 British Home Championship was an international football tournament between the British Home Nations.Unusually, the trophy was shared by three of the Home Nations all of whom scored four points. At the time, goal difference was not used to differentiate teams...
: 1 - Runners up 19041904 British Home ChampionshipThe 1904 British Home Championship football tournament was a low scoring affair, won by a powerful England side who were followed by the unfancied Irish in second place...
, 19261926 British Home ChampionshipThe 1926 British Home Championship was an international football tournament played during the 1925–26 season between the British Home Nations...
, 19281928 British Home ChampionshipThe 1928 British Home Championship was an international football tournament played during the 1927–28 season between the British Home Nations. The competition was won by Wales who did not lose a game and only dropped a single point during the tournament...
, 19381938 British Home ChampionshipThe 1938 British Home Championship was a football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1937–38 season. The competition was won by England after they defeated Ireland and Wales in their opening games...
, 19471947 British Home ChampionshipThe 1947 British Home Championship was a football tournament played between the British Home Nations during the 1946–47 seasons, the first professional football seasons in Britain since the end of the Second World War...
: 5
- Winners 1914
World Cup record
During the preparations for the 1928 Olympic Football TournamentFootball at the 1928 Summer Olympics
Football at the 1928 Summer Olympics tournament, won by Uruguay against Argentina, would be the precursor to the first FIFA World Cup held in 1930 in Uruguay.-Medalists:-Background:...
, FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
ruled that all its member associations must provide "broken-time" payments to cover the expenses of players from their country who participated. In response to what they considered to be unacceptable interference, the football associations of Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales held a meeting at which they agreed to resign from FIFA. As a result, Ireland did not compete in the first three World Cup competitions.
- 19301930 FIFA World CupThe 1930 FIFA World Cup was the inaugural FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Uruguay from 13 July to 30 July 1930...
- Did not enter - 19341934 FIFA World CupThe 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934....
- Did not enter - 19381938 FIFA World CupThe 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:...
- Did not enter - 19501950 FIFA World CupThe 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
- Did not qualify
See also
- Dual Irish international footballersDual Irish international footballersDual Irish international footballers are a group of Irish international footballers who, between 1908 and March 1950, played for the international teams selected by both the Irish Football Association and the Football Association of Ireland...
- Northern Ireland national football teamNorthern Ireland national football teamThe Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
- Republic of Ireland national football teamRepublic of Ireland national football teamThe Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
- Shamrock Rovers XI vs BrazilShamrock Rovers XI vs BrazilAn association football friendly match was played in Lansdowne Road in Dublin in July 1973 between Brazil and a team billed as Shamrock Rovers XI, made up of international players from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland...
: an exhibition match in 1973 between BrazilBrazil national football teamThe Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
and a cross-border team of Irish internationals.
External links
- The Irish FA
- IFFHS
- RSSSF