Ray Houghton
Encyclopedia
Raymond James "Ray" Houghton (born 9 January 1962, Castlemilk
, Glasgow
, Scotland
) is a retired Scottish
-born footballer who represented the Republic of Ireland
at international level, qualifying through his Irish
father. He now contributes as an analyst and commentator with RTÉ Sport
.
Houghton is remembered by Irish soccer fans for being the scorer of two of the most important goals in the national team's history, which resulted in 1–0 victories over England
in Stuttgart
at UEFA Euro 1988, and Italy
at the Giants Stadium
in New York
at the 1994 FIFA World Cup
. His achievements with Ireland have secured him iconic status in the memories of the nation's football fans.
At club level Houghton is best remembered for his success in the great Liverpool
side of the late 1980s.
at West Ham United
where he came through the ranks and signed professional forms as a 17 year-old on 5 July 1979. Houghton's endeavour failed to make any impact at Upton Park
and after 3 years, in which he made just 1 appearance as substitute, he was on the move. On 7 July 1982 he moved on to Fulham
on a free transfer.
had Tony Gale
(later a Premier League title winner with Blackburn Rovers
), Paul Parker (who went on to win several major trophies with Manchester United
, Gerry Peyton
(Republic of Ireland
international goalkeeper) and Ray Lewington (ex-Chelsea
) to form a mixture of youth and experience which ultimately won Fulham promotion to the Second Division at the end of the 1981–82 season
. He then added Houghton to the side that would try and keep the Cottagers in the second division. They did, and comfortably so; in fact for much of the 1982–83 season
it looked as though Fulham would achieve back-to-back promotion campaigns, however, their form after the turn of the year dipped. One of the most memorable sequences of matches that happened whilst Houghton was at Fulham was the Milk Cup
3rd round tie against Liverpool in 1983. The first game finished 1–1 at Craven Cottage
as did the replay at Anfield
, Fulham then won the toss to take the second replay back to the Cottage. Many observers believe Fulham had done enough to have beaten the reigning cup holders but had let the Reds off the hook with their failure to put away the chances they created. Liverpool won the game 1–0 with a 25 yard thunderbolt from Graeme Souness
.
In May 1985, he made a guest appearance for Manchester United in Peter Foley
's testimonial.
had taken Oxford United
to the top tier of English
football. When he left for Queen's Park Rangers F.C. in 1985, his replacement, Maurice Evans
, looked to Houghton to help solidify their place in the league. He paid a bargain £147,000 for Houghton's signature on the 13 September 1985. Houghton had played 145 times for Fulham and scored 21 goals. He made his U's debut the day after his signed, the 14 September in the 2–2 draw with Liverpool at the Manor Ground.
By the end of his first season at the Manor Ground, Houghton had helped to steer Oxford clear of the relegation places, (just staying up with a win on the final day of the season), but most notably scored the second goal in the club's 3–0 League/Milk Cup
final victory over Jim Smith's new team QPR
at Wembley.
, Oxford were beaten 2–0 by Liverpool, who then offered £825,000 for his services. The deal was done and Houghton took the place of Craig Johnston
(who remained with the club until retiring at the end of the season) on the right side of Liverpool's midfield, unusually wearing the No. 9 shirt which striker John Aldridge
, his former Oxford team-mate who had made the Anfield move himself a year earlier, had asked not to wear because of the pressure of replacing Italy-bound goalscorer Ian Rush
.
Houghton was added to the new acquisitions Aldridge, Peter Beardsley
and John Barnes
to form one of the most exciting forward lines in the club's history. He made his Reds debut on 24 October 1987 in the 1–0 league victory over Luton Town
at Kenilworth Road
. His first goal for the club came on 4 November 1987 in the 1–1 draw with Wimbledon at Plough Lane
. Houghton's 62nd minute strike came just 2 minutes after he had come on as a sub for Johnston. It also kept up Liverpool's remarkable start to the campaign which saw the side rack up 29 unbeaten league matches from the start of the season.
Liverpool went on to coast to the League title
by the end of 1988, with Houghton contributing some fantastic displays as a marauding creator from the flank. He scored his share of goals too (though he was also renowned for missing great chances from close range) and contributed the first goal in the memorable, era-defining 5–0 win
over Nottingham Forest
which was later described as the performance of the century and was complimented by the game's greats such as Tom Finney
and Michel Platini
.
Houghton did his bit in the run to that season's FA Cup
final too, scoring the winner in a hotly-contested fifth round tie at derby
rivals Everton and then clipping home a shot on the turn as Liverpool romped past Manchester City
4–0 in the quarter final. In the final, Liverpool surprisingly lost to Wimbledon
and missed out on the "double" with Houghton putting in one of the game's more disappointing individual displays.
The following season, Houghton was again a regular as Liverpool battled towards another League and FA Cup "double", though they again would be denied. More important matters than football affected Houghton and his team-mates in April 1989 however, as the Hillsborough disaster
on 15 April claimed 94 lives (with the death toll eventually reaching 96). Upon returning to the game Liverpool went win the Cup with a 3–2 extra-time victory over Everton but lost the League title with virtually the last kick of the season in the title decider
at Anfield against Arsenal
.
The following year Houghton and Liverpool regained the title when they finished 9 points ahead of Aston Villa
, although Houghton managed just 19 out of 38 league appearances in the 1989–90 season
and scored just once.
He played 32 times in the 1990–91 season
, scoring seven goals. The Reds began the season in outstanding form as their best start ever saw them win their first eight league games (including a 4–0 demolition of north-west rivals Manchester United
in mid September) and they remained top of the table until being overtaken by Arsenal
in January. The Reds were still in contention for both the league title and FA Cup when manager Kenny Dalglish
stunned the footballing world by announced his resignation on 22 February 1991. Ronnie Moran
stepped up from the coaching staff to take over as temporary manager, but by the time Graeme Souness
took over as manager in April the league title was virtually wrapped by Arsenal and an FA Cup exit to Everton
had helped make sure that 1990–91 would be a trophyless season for the Reds – a rare occurrence at Anfield
since the first half of the 1970s.
Houghton picked up another FA Cup winners' medal with Liverpool in 1992 and also had his best return in goals during his time at Anfield, finishing as the club 2nd highest goalscorer with 12 goals (only bettered by Dean Saunders
). However, new Reds manager Graeme Souness was bringing in his own players and allowed Houghton to leave, partly due to the fact that a highly promising young player on the right side of midfield was emerging in the shape of Steve McManaman
.
fending off attempts by Chelsea
manager Ian Porterfield to bring Houghton to West London
.
He made his debut on 15 August 1992 in the 1–1 draw with Ipswich Town
at Portman Road
, Villa's first game in the new FA Premier League
.
He again won the fans over with his robust style and helped Villa win the League Cup
on 27 March 1994, although he was an unused sub for a Villa side who defeated Manchester United
3–1.
This would be the only trophy that he won during his time at Villa. He did come close to collecting another title medal in his first season
at Villa Park, as Villa had led the league at several stages of the campaign, but were eventually pushed into runners-up place by Manchester United
, who were crowned champions by a 10-point margin. Houghton played a total of 117 times for Villa, scoring 11 goals.
. Palace paid £300,000 for the Irish
international hoping that his experience would help Palace stave off relegation from the Premier League, however, although they finished fourth from bottom of the league they were relegated as the Premier League was being reduced to 20 clubs. He was unable to play in the FA Cup
semi-final, as he had already played for Aston Villa earlier in the competition.
Houghton made his Palace debut, as a 33 year-old, on 1 April 1995 in the 2–1 win overManchester City
at Selhurst Park
. One of Houghton's best performances for the South London club was on 28 September 1996 in the 6–1 thrashing of Southend United
in a Division One fixture at Selhurst Park. Houghton was at the heart of everything Palace did, and scored a goal in the 38th minute. He spent just over two years years at Palace, playing 87 times and scoring 8 goals.
at Gigg Lane
.
He spent a season at Elm Park
and another at Reading's new home, the Madejski Stadium
, which saw him rack up 56 appearances in which he scored just 1 goal against Manchester City. Reading would be Houghton's last professional club, he had played 723 times during his career scoring 93 goals.
in the Nationwide
Conference
. He signed for Stevenage 24 September 1999 but only made three appearances before he finally retired from the game on 31 May 2000.
through his Buncrana, Donegal
-born father. He earned his first cap in Jack Charlton
's first match as manager, a 1–0 defeat by Wales
in a friendly international at Lansdowne Road
on 26 March 1986.
In the summer of 1988, Houghton was selected for the Irish
squad which had reached its first ever major finals, the European Championships in West Germany
. The first group game on 12 June was against an England
team that included Gary Lineker
, Bryan Robson
and Houghton's club mates
Peter Beardsley and John Barnes. Houghton scored with an early looping header to win the game 1–0, his first goal for Ireland.
Ireland failed to get through the group stage after a draw against the USSR
and a defeat against eventual champions The Netherlands
.
Houghton was selected for the Irish squad which qualified for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy
. They were once again drawn in the same group as England, which included Lineker, Robson, Beardsley and Barnes as well as Paul Gascoigne
and Chris Waddle
. The game finished in a 1–1 draw. The Irish also drew with both Egypt, 0–0, and The Netherlands
, 1–1, finishing on the same points (3), goal difference (0), and goals scored (2) as the Dutch. Both teams progressed to the second round, along with England who topped the group.
On 25 June Ireland faced Romania
at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris
in Genoa
. Following a hard earned 0–0 draw, the game went to penalties with Houghton scoring the second penalty kick to help Ireland win 5–4 and qualify for the quarter-finals. Ireland were defeated 1–0 by the host nation Italy
in a closely fought match.
Houghton was selected in the Irish squad for the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States
and was once again the goalscoring hero in a shock victory. In the 11th minute of the group E match at Giants Stadium
, New York
/New Jersey
on 18 June Houghton hit a looping shot into the net to defeat Italy, gaining revenge for the defeat Ireland had suffered at the hands of the Italians four years earlier. Ireland were knocked out of the tournament at the next stage by The Netherlands.
Houghton's final appearance was as a substitute in the 1998 FIFA World Cup
play-off match with Belgium in Brussels
. Ireland lost the match 2–1 (3–2 on aggregate) with Houghton scoring his final international goal. He had represented Ireland 73 times scoring 6 goals.
Houghton has now taken up post as an ambassador for the Football Association of Ireland
(FAI).
in Ireland, talkSPORT
and Sky Sports
and Sportsxchange in the UK. Since 2002 he has also worked for Sports Interactive
as a consultant on their PC
& Xbox 360
game Football Manager
.
In 2005, he was given an honorary degree by the University of Huddersfield
, for his services to sport. He joined actor Tim Brooke Taylor and former Olympic swimmer Adrian Moorhouse
in collecting degrees.
He contributed to RTÉ Sport
's coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
.
Winner
Runner Up
Castlemilk
Castlemilk is a district of Glasgow, Scotland. It lies to the south of the city adjacent to Rutherglen, Croftfoot, Simshill and the separate village of Carmunnock...
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
) is a retired Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
-born footballer who represented 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....
at international level, qualifying through his Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
father. He now contributes as an analyst and commentator with RTÉ Sport
RTÉ Sport
RTÉ Sport is a cross platform, integrated business division of Irish broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann, responsible for the provision of sport coverage on RTÉ Radio, RTÉ Television, and RTÉ.ie....
.
Houghton is remembered by Irish soccer fans for being the scorer of two of the most important goals in the national team's history, which resulted in 1–0 victories over 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...
in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
at UEFA Euro 1988, and Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
at the Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
at the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
. His achievements with Ireland have secured him iconic status in the memories of the nation's football fans.
At club level Houghton is best remembered for his success in the great Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
side of the late 1980s.
Early career
Houghton was born in Castlemilk, Glasgow but began his football career in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
where he came through the ranks and signed professional forms as a 17 year-old on 5 July 1979. Houghton's endeavour failed to make any impact at Upton Park
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
and after 3 years, in which he made just 1 appearance as substitute, he was on the move. On 7 July 1982 he moved on to Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
on a free transfer.
Fulham F.C.
Malcolm MacDonaldMalcolm MacDonald
Malcolm John MacDonald OM, PC was a British politician and diplomat.-Background:MacDonald was the son of Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald and Margaret MacDonald. Like his father he was born in Lossiemouth, Moray...
had Tony Gale
Tony Gale
Anthony Peter "Tony" Gale is an English former footballer who is now a regular pundit on Soccer Saturday...
(later a Premier League title winner with Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
), Paul Parker (who went on to win several major trophies with Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, Gerry Peyton
Gerry Peyton
Gerald "Gerry" Joseph Peyton is a former football goalkeeper, and currently the goalkeeping coach at Arsenal....
(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....
international goalkeeper) and Ray Lewington (ex-Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
) to form a mixture of youth and experience which ultimately won Fulham promotion to the Second Division at the end of the 1981–82 season
1981-82 in English football
The 1981–82 season was the 102nd season of competitive football in England.It was also the first season that the Three points for a win system was introduced.- First Division :Three points for a win was introduced for the first time in England...
. He then added Houghton to the side that would try and keep the Cottagers in the second division. They did, and comfortably so; in fact for much of the 1982–83 season
1982-83 in English football
The 1982–83 season was the 103rd season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Bob Paisley's last season as Liverpool manager ended on a high as they topped the First Division with a comfortable lead. Bob Paisley retired as Liverpool manager with a record 21 prizes in nine years. His...
it looked as though Fulham would achieve back-to-back promotion campaigns, however, their form after the turn of the year dipped. One of the most memorable sequences of matches that happened whilst Houghton was at Fulham was the Milk Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
3rd round tie against Liverpool in 1983. The first game finished 1–1 at Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage
Craven Cottage is the name of a football stadium in the Hammersmith and Fulham area that has been the home ground of the association football team Fulham F.C. since 1896....
as did the replay at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
, Fulham then won the toss to take the second replay back to the Cottage. Many observers believe Fulham had done enough to have beaten the reigning cup holders but had let the Reds off the hook with their failure to put away the chances they created. Liverpool won the game 1–0 with a 25 yard thunderbolt from Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
.
In May 1985, he made a guest appearance for Manchester United in Peter Foley
Peter Foley
Peter Foley is a retired footballer. Born in England he went on to represent the Republic of Ireland at under-21 level. After retirement he managed numerous semi-professional clubs around Oxfordshire & Wiltshire...
's testimonial.
Oxford United F.C.
Jim SmithJim Smith (footballer)
James Michael "Jim" Smith is a retired English footballer and manager. As a player, he made 249 appearances in the Fourth Division of The Football League, representing Aldershot, Halifax Town, Lincoln City and Colchester United, and played for three-and-a-half years for Boston United of the...
had taken Oxford United
Oxford United F.C.
Oxford United Football Club is an English association football club based in Oxford, Oxfordshire. The club play in League Two, following promotion from the Conference National in May 2010. The club had been a non-League side since their relegation from the Football League in the 2005–06 season. The...
to the top tier of English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football. When he left for Queen's Park Rangers F.C. in 1985, his replacement, Maurice Evans
Maurice Evans (footballer)
Maurice George Evans was a football player with Reading Football Club, and later manager of Shrewsbury, Reading and Oxford United....
, looked to Houghton to help solidify their place in the league. He paid a bargain £147,000 for Houghton's signature on the 13 September 1985. Houghton had played 145 times for Fulham and scored 21 goals. He made his U's debut the day after his signed, the 14 September in the 2–2 draw with Liverpool at the Manor Ground.
By the end of his first season at the Manor Ground, Houghton had helped to steer Oxford clear of the relegation places, (just staying up with a win on the final day of the season), but most notably scored the second goal in the club's 3–0 League/Milk Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
final victory over Jim Smith's new team QPR
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
at Wembley.
Liverpool F.C.
At the start of the 1987–88 season1987-88 in English football
The 1987–88 season was the 120th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool won the league title with a comfortable nine-point margin and just two defeats all season....
, Oxford were beaten 2–0 by Liverpool, who then offered £825,000 for his services. The deal was done and Houghton took the place of Craig Johnston
Craig Johnston
Craig Johnston is a former football player who was one of the first Australians to make a major impact in the English game. He is remembered for his time spent with Liverpool throughout the 1980s...
(who remained with the club until retiring at the end of the season) on the right side of Liverpool's midfield, unusually wearing the No. 9 shirt which striker John Aldridge
John Aldridge
John William Aldridge is a former Republic of Ireland international footballer and football manager...
, his former Oxford team-mate who had made the Anfield move himself a year earlier, had asked not to wear because of the pressure of replacing Italy-bound goalscorer Ian Rush
Ian Rush
Ian James Rush, MBE, is a retired football player from Flint, Wales. He is best remembered as a player for Liverpool, where he was among the top strikers in the English game in the 1980s and 1990s. He also had spells playing at Chester City, Juventus, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield...
.
Houghton was added to the new acquisitions Aldridge, Peter Beardsley
Peter Beardsley
Peter Andrew Beardsley MBE is an English former footballer who played between 1979 and 1999. He once set a record transfer fee in the game and represented his country 59 times between 1986 and 1996, once as captain...
and John Barnes
John Barnes (footballer)
John Charles Bryan Barnes MBE is an English football manager and former player.During his playing career, Barnes had successful periods at Watford and Liverpool in the 1980s and 1990s, winning the First Division twice, the FA Cup twice, and playing for England 79 times...
to form one of the most exciting forward lines in the club's history. He made his Reds debut on 24 October 1987 in the 1–0 league victory over Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
at Kenilworth Road
Kenilworth Road
Kenilworth Road Stadium is a football stadium in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. It has been home to Luton Town Football Club since 1905, when financial complications forced the club to leave its previous location at Dunstable Road...
. His first goal for the club came on 4 November 1987 in the 1–1 draw with Wimbledon at Plough Lane
Plough Lane
Plough Lane was a football stadium in Wimbledon, south west London. It was the home ground of Wimbledon Football Club from September 1912 to May 1991, when the club moved their first team home matches to Selhurst Park as part of a groundshare agreement with Crystal Palace. Both clubs' reserve teams...
. Houghton's 62nd minute strike came just 2 minutes after he had come on as a sub for Johnston. It also kept up Liverpool's remarkable start to the campaign which saw the side rack up 29 unbeaten league matches from the start of the season.
Liverpool went on to coast to the League title
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
by the end of 1988, with Houghton contributing some fantastic displays as a marauding creator from the flank. He scored his share of goals too (though he was also renowned for missing great chances from close range) and contributed the first goal in the memorable, era-defining 5–0 win
Liverpool 5–0 Nottingham Forest (1988)
In April 1988, with the 1987–88 season drawing to an end, Liverpool played Nottingham Forest three times in the space of twelve days. The first game, on April 2, was a League game at Forest's City Ground, with the home team winning 2–1. A week later the two teams met at Hillsborough in an FA Cup...
over Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
which was later described as the performance of the century and was complimented by the game's greats such as Tom Finney
Tom Finney
Sir Thomas Finney, OBE is a former English footballer, famous for his loyalty to his league club, Preston North End, and for his performances in the English national side....
and Michel Platini
Michel Platini
Michel François Platini is a former French football player, manager and current president of UEFA. Platini was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top goalscorer and voted the best player. He participated in the 1978, 1982...
.
Houghton did his bit in the run to that season's FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
final too, scoring the winner in a hotly-contested fifth round tie at derby
Merseyside derby
The Merseyside derby is the name given to any football match contested between Everton and Liverpool football clubs, the two most successful clubs from the city of Liverpool in England...
rivals Everton and then clipping home a shot on the turn as Liverpool romped past Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
4–0 in the quarter final. In the final, Liverpool surprisingly lost to Wimbledon
Wimbledon F.C.
Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
and missed out on the "double" with Houghton putting in one of the game's more disappointing individual displays.
The following season, Houghton was again a regular as Liverpool battled towards another League and FA Cup "double", though they again would be denied. More important matters than football affected Houghton and his team-mates in April 1989 however, as the Hillsborough disaster
Hillsborough disaster
The Hillsborough disaster was a human crush that occurred on 15 April 1989 at Hillsborough, a football stadium, the home of Sheffield Wednesday F.C. in Sheffield, England, resulting in the deaths of 96 people, and 766 being injured, all fans of Liverpool F.C....
on 15 April claimed 94 lives (with the death toll eventually reaching 96). Upon returning to the game Liverpool went win the Cup with a 3–2 extra-time victory over Everton but lost the League title with virtually the last kick of the season in the title decider
Liverpool 0–2 Arsenal (26 May 1989)
The final match of the 1988–89 English Football League season was contested on 26 May 1989, between Liverpool and Arsenal, at Liverpool's Anfield ground. By sheer coincidence, it was the match between the top two teams in the First Division and the teams were close enough on points for the match to...
at Anfield against Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
.
The following year Houghton and Liverpool regained the title when they finished 9 points ahead of Aston Villa
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
, although Houghton managed just 19 out of 38 league appearances in the 1989–90 season
1989-90 in English football
-European competitions:English clubs were still banned from competing in European competitions following the Heysel Stadium disaster.- First Division :...
and scored just once.
He played 32 times in the 1990–91 season
1990-91 in English football
The 1990–91 season was the 111th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Arsenal won the league. Runners-up spot was achieved by Liverpool, who had led the table for much of the first half of the season but had been shell-shocked in February by the sudden resignation of manager...
, scoring seven goals. The Reds began the season in outstanding form as their best start ever saw them win their first eight league games (including a 4–0 demolition of north-west rivals Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
in mid September) and they remained top of the table until being overtaken by Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in January. The Reds were still in contention for both the league title and FA Cup when manager Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
stunned the footballing world by announced his resignation on 22 February 1991. Ronnie Moran
Ronnie Moran
Ronnie Moran is a former Liverpool captain and coach, who has twice served as caretaker manager...
stepped up from the coaching staff to take over as temporary manager, but by the time Graeme Souness
Graeme Souness
Graeme James Souness is a Scottish former professional football player and manager.Souness was the captain of the successful Liverpool team of the early 1980s and player-manager of Rangers in the late 1980s as well as captain of the Scottish national team. He also played for Tottenham Hotspur,...
took over as manager in April the league title was virtually wrapped by Arsenal and an FA Cup exit to Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
had helped make sure that 1990–91 would be a trophyless season for the Reds – a rare occurrence at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
since the first half of the 1970s.
Houghton picked up another FA Cup winners' medal with Liverpool in 1992 and also had his best return in goals during his time at Anfield, finishing as the club 2nd highest goalscorer with 12 goals (only bettered by Dean Saunders
Dean Saunders
Dean Nicholas Saunders is a former Wales international footballer who played as a striker in a professional career which lasted from 1982 until 2001. He is the manager of Doncaster Rovers....
). However, new Reds manager Graeme Souness was bringing in his own players and allowed Houghton to leave, partly due to the fact that a highly promising young player on the right side of midfield was emerging in the shape of Steve McManaman
Steve McManaman
Steven McManaman is a retired English footballer who played as a midfielder, winger and playmaker. Having spent his playing career at two of European football's most successful clubs of the 20th century, Liverpool and Real Madrid, as well as a spell at Manchester City, McManaman is the most...
.
Aston Villa F.C.
So after 202 appearances and 38 goals in his 5 successful years at Liverpool Houghton joined Aston Villa for £900,000, with Villa manager Ron AtkinsonRon Atkinson
Ronald Ernest Atkinson, commonly known as "Big Ron" and "Bojangles" is an English former football player and manager. In recent years he has become one of Britain's best-known football pundits...
fending off attempts by Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
manager Ian Porterfield to bring Houghton to West London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
He made his debut on 15 August 1992 in the 1–1 draw with Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town F.C.
Ipswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
at Portman Road
Portman Road
Portman Road is an association football stadium in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. It has been the home ground of Ipswich Town F.C. since 1884. The stadium has also hosted a number of England youth international matches, and one senior England friendly international match, against Croatia in 2003...
, Villa's first game in the new FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
.
He again won the fans over with his robust style and helped Villa win the League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
on 27 March 1994, although he was an unused sub for a Villa side who defeated Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
3–1.
This would be the only trophy that he won during his time at Villa. He did come close to collecting another title medal in his first season
1992-93 in English football
The 1992–1993 season was the 113th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:This season saw the birth of the FA Premier League. This meant a break-up of the 104-year-old Football League that had operated until then with four divisions....
at Villa Park, as Villa had led the league at several stages of the campaign, but were eventually pushed into runners-up place by Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, who were crowned champions by a 10-point margin. Houghton played a total of 117 times for Villa, scoring 11 goals.
Crystal Palace F.C.
On 23 March 1995 (transfer deadline day) Houghton left Villa Park to join Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
. Palace paid £300,000 for the Irish
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,...
international hoping that his experience would help Palace stave off relegation from the Premier League, however, although they finished fourth from bottom of the league they were relegated as the Premier League was being reduced to 20 clubs. He was unable to play in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
semi-final, as he had already played for Aston Villa earlier in the competition.
Houghton made his Palace debut, as a 33 year-old, on 1 April 1995 in the 2–1 win overManchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
at Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park
Selhurst Park is an English football stadium located in the London suburb of South Norwood in the Borough of Croydon. It is the current home ground of Crystal Palace Football Club. Its present capacity is 26,309.-History:...
. One of Houghton's best performances for the South London club was on 28 September 1996 in the 6–1 thrashing of Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
in a Division One fixture at Selhurst Park. Houghton was at the heart of everything Palace did, and scored a goal in the 38th minute. He spent just over two years years at Palace, playing 87 times and scoring 8 goals.
Reading F.C.
Houghton signed for Reading on a free transfer on 15 July 1997. He made his debut the following month on 9 August in the 1–1 league draw with BuryBury F.C.
Bury Football Club is an association football team based in Bury, Greater Manchester. The team currently play in League One. The club's nickname is The Shakers which was bestowed upon them by club chairman JT Ingham, an industrialist and ironmonger of the late 1890s.-Formation of the club and the...
at Gigg Lane
Gigg Lane
Gigg Lane is an all-seater football stadium in Bury, Greater Manchester, England. Historically within Lancashire, it was built for Bury F.C. in 1885, and has been their home ever since.-History:...
.
He spent a season at Elm Park
Elm Park (stadium)
Elm Park was a football stadium in the West Reading district of the English town of Reading. It was the home of Reading Football Club from 1896 until 1998, when they moved to the new Madejski Stadium....
and another at Reading's new home, the Madejski Stadium
Madejski Stadium
The Madejski Stadium is a stadium in Reading, Berkshire, England. The stadium is the home of Reading Football Club and to the rugby union club London Irish as tenants. It also provides the finish for the Reading Half Marathon...
, which saw him rack up 56 appearances in which he scored just 1 goal against Manchester City. Reading would be Houghton's last professional club, he had played 723 times during his career scoring 93 goals.
Stevenage Borough F.C.
Houghton wound his career down at Stevenage BoroughStevenage Borough F.C.
Stevenage Football Club is an English football club based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire. The club currently participate in League One, the third tier of English football, having won promotion from League Two in the 2010–11 season...
in the Nationwide
Nationwide Building Society
Nationwide Building Society is a British building society, and is the largest in the world. It has its headquarters in Swindon, England, and maintains significant administration centres in Bournemouth and Northampton...
Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
. He signed for Stevenage 24 September 1999 but only made three appearances before he finally retired from the game on 31 May 2000.
International career
Houghton qualified to play international football for the Republic of IrelandRepublic 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....
through his Buncrana, Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
-born father. He earned his first cap in Jack Charlton
Jack Charlton
John "Jack" Charlton, OBE, DL is a former footballer and manager who played for Leeds United in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and was part of the England team who won the 1966 World Cup...
's first match as manager, a 1–0 defeat by 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 a friendly international 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...
on 26 March 1986.
In the summer of 1988, Houghton was selected for the Irish
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,...
squad which had reached its first ever major finals, the European Championships in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. The first group game on 12 June was against an 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...
team that included Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker
Gary Winston Lineker, OBE , is a former English footballer, who played as a striker. He is a sports broadcaster for the BBC, Al Jazeera Sports and Eredivisie Live...
, Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson OBE is an English football manager and a former player. He is best known for playing in midfield for Manchester United, where he was the longest serving captain in club history. He was the manager of Sheffield United, being relieved of his first team duties at the club in February 2008...
and Houghton's club mates
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
Peter Beardsley and John Barnes. Houghton scored with an early looping header to win the game 1–0, his first goal for Ireland.
Ireland failed to get through the group stage after a draw against the USSR
USSR national football team
The Soviet Union National Football Team was the national football team of the Soviet Union. It ceased to exist after the break up of the Union...
and a defeat against eventual champions The Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
.
Houghton was selected for the Irish squad which qualified for the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. They were once again drawn in the same group as England, which included Lineker, Robson, Beardsley and Barnes as well as Paul Gascoigne
Paul Gascoigne
Paul John Gascoigne , commonly referred to as Gazza, is a retired English professional footballer.Playing in the position of midfield, Gascoigne's career included spells at Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough, Everton and Gansu Tianma, where he scored at least a goal...
and Chris Waddle
Chris Waddle
Christopher Roland "Chris" Waddle is a former footballer from England. He played for a number of clubs in the 1980s and 90s, including Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield Wednesday in England, and Olympique de Marseille in France...
. The game finished in a 1–1 draw. The Irish also drew with both Egypt, 0–0, and The Netherlands
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
, 1–1, finishing on the same points (3), goal difference (0), and goals scored (2) as the Dutch. Both teams progressed to the second round, along with England who topped the group.
On 25 June Ireland faced Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris
Stadio Luigi Ferraris
Stadio Comunale Luigi Ferraris, also known as the Marassi from the name of the ward where is located, is a multi-use stadium in Genoa, Italy. It opened in 1911 and is one of the first and oldest stadiums still in use for football and other sports in Italy.Hosts since its birth the inside of Genoa,...
in Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
. Following a hard earned 0–0 draw, the game went to penalties with Houghton scoring the second penalty kick to help Ireland win 5–4 and qualify for the quarter-finals. Ireland were defeated 1–0 by the host nation Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
in a closely fought match.
Houghton was selected in the Irish squad for the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and was once again the goalscoring hero in a shock victory. In the 11th minute of the group E match at Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium
Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
/New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
on 18 June Houghton hit a looping shot into the net to defeat Italy, gaining revenge for the defeat Ireland had suffered at the hands of the Italians four years earlier. Ireland were knocked out of the tournament at the next stage by The Netherlands.
Houghton's final appearance was as a substitute in the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
play-off match with Belgium in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. Ireland lost the match 2–1 (3–2 on aggregate) with Houghton scoring his final international goal. He had represented Ireland 73 times scoring 6 goals.
Houghton has now taken up post as an ambassador for 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...
(FAI).
Media career
Houghton is now in demand as a pundit on the game, working for outlets such as RTÉRaidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
in Ireland, talkSPORT
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
and Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
and Sportsxchange in the UK. Since 2002 he has also worked for Sports Interactive
Sports Interactive
Sports Interactive Limited is a computer games development company currently based in Old Street, Central London and owned by the Japanese software and video game company Sega. It is the developer of the popular games Football Manager, NHL Eastside Hockey Manager and Championship Manager Quiz, and...
as a consultant on their PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
& Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
game Football Manager
Football Manager
Football Manager is a series of football management simulation games developed by Sports Interactive and published by Sega. The game began its life in 1992 as Championship Manager; however, following the break-up of their partnership with original publishers Eidos Interactive, Sports Interactive...
.
In 2005, he was given an honorary degree by the University of Huddersfield
University of Huddersfield
The University of Huddersfield is a university located in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England.- History :The University traces its roots back to a Science and Mechanic Institute founded in 1825...
, for his services to sport. He joined actor Tim Brooke Taylor and former Olympic swimmer Adrian Moorhouse
Adrian Moorhouse
Adrian David Moorhouse MBE is a British former swimmer who dominated British swimming in the late 1980s. He won the 100 m breaststroke gold medal at the Seoul Olympics. Since then Moorhouse, a former pupil of Bradford Grammar School, has translated his sporting success to a successful career...
in collecting degrees.
He contributed to RTÉ Sport
RTÉ Sport
RTÉ Sport is a cross platform, integrated business division of Irish broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann, responsible for the provision of sport coverage on RTÉ Radio, RTÉ Television, and RTÉ.ie....
's coverage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
.
"Fan favourite"
Throughout his career Houghton became a fan favourite wherever he played, a true gentleman whose workrate and honesty was much admired. This fact was underlined in the summer of 2006 when he finished in 52nd place in the poll 100 Players Who Shook The Kop. More than 110,000 Liverpool supporters from all over the world voted for their top 10 Liverpool players of all time on the official Liverpool Football Club web site.
Liverpool
Winner
- 1987/88 League ChampionshipFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
(Level 1) - 1988/89 Charity Shield
- 1988/89 FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
- 1989/90 League ChampionshipFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
(Level 1) - 1990/91 Charity Shield Shared
- 1991/92 FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
Runner Up
- 1987/88 FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
- 1988/89 League ChampionshipFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
(Level 1) - 1990/91 League ChampionshipFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
(Level 1)