Wilbur Cush
Encyclopedia
Wilbur W. "Billy" Cush was a former Northern Ireland
footballer
.
He was born and died in Lurgan
, Northern Ireland
.
Cush represented Northern Ireland at the 1958 World Cup
, scoring the winning goal in their first ever final stages World Cup
match, a 1-0 win over Czechoslovakia
in Sweden. In total he earned 26 caps and scored 5 goals for Northern Ireland.
He started his career in his native Northern Ireland with Glenavon F.C.
. In 1956/57, he was named as the Ulster Footballer of the Year
. He moved to Leeds United
in 1957 and took over the captaincy from recently departed Leeds legend John Charles
. Cush was a very versatile player who could play at centre-back and centre-forward. His performances at Elland Road
earned him his call up to Northern Ireland for the 1958 World Cup
. Overall at Leeds he made 90 appearances and scored 9 goals. In 1960 he moved to Portadown F.C.
later moving back to his first club, Glenavon F.C.
, as a player and later a coach. With his football career over, Wilbur became a butcher in Lurgan. He died in 1981.
Wilbur Cush was also a platoon Sergeant in the Ulster Special Constabulary (1920–1970). He served in Lurgan (J division County Armagh)and The Birches station County Armagh. He received the USC Long Service Medal.
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...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
.
He was born and died in Lurgan
Lurgan
Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and in the north-eastern corner of the county. Part of the Craigavon Borough Council area, Lurgan is about 18 miles south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway...
, 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...
.
Cush represented Northern Ireland at the 1958 World Cup
1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
, scoring the winning goal in their first ever final stages 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...
match, a 1-0 win over Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
in Sweden. In total he earned 26 caps and scored 5 goals for Northern Ireland.
He started his career in his native Northern Ireland with Glenavon F.C.
Glenavon F.C.
Glenavon F.C. is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1889, hails from Lurgan and plays its home matches at Mourneview Park...
. In 1956/57, he was named as the Ulster Footballer of the Year
Ulster Footballer of the Year
The Ulster Footballer of the Year is the older of two association football player of the year awards in Northern Ireland. It is awarded by Castlereagh Glentoran Supporters' Club to the player who is adjudged by an independent committee to have been the best of the season in the IFA Premiership...
. He moved to Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
in 1957 and took over the captaincy from recently departed Leeds legend John Charles
John Charles
William John Charles, CBE , commonly known as John Charles, was a Welsh international footballer best remembered for spells with Leeds United and Juventus. Rated by many as the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Wales, he was equally adept at centre-forward or centre-back...
. Cush was a very versatile player who could play at centre-back and centre-forward. His performances at Elland Road
Elland Road
Elland Road is an all-seater football stadium in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has been the permanent residence of Leeds United A.F.C...
earned him his call up to Northern Ireland for the 1958 World Cup
1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
. Overall at Leeds he made 90 appearances and scored 9 goals. In 1960 he moved to Portadown F.C.
Portadown F.C.
Portadown F.C. is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club which plays in the IFA Premiership.The club was founded in the late 1880s and joined the Irish League in 1924. It is based in Portadown in County Armagh and plays its home games at Shamrock Park...
later moving back to his first club, Glenavon F.C.
Glenavon F.C.
Glenavon F.C. is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1889, hails from Lurgan and plays its home matches at Mourneview Park...
, as a player and later a coach. With his football career over, Wilbur became a butcher in Lurgan. He died in 1981.
Wilbur Cush was also a platoon Sergeant in the Ulster Special Constabulary (1920–1970). He served in Lurgan (J division County Armagh)and The Birches station County Armagh. He received the USC Long Service Medal.