QuoteThanks for that EG.
I only read recently that Jimmy Hill also turned Pat down for Coventry and left him off to Watford (a much smaller club at the time) when he was at Newry Town.
Arsenal have only ever won two European Trophies - the Fairs Cup in 1970 and the ECWC in 1994. And during his 8 years at Highbury, Arsenal's only honour was an FA Cup Final win, plus two Final defeats, in all three of which PJ played.Originally Posted by gspain
Lukic was in goal for the Arse when they played L'pool in the 1987 Final:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1987_Fo...ague_Cup_Final
Jennings had effectively retired from football at the end of the 1984-85 season (his last at Highbury), with his last cap (110th) as a Gooner being a WC Qualifier in May 1985.
However, he reverted to his spiritual home of White Hart Lane for the following season - effectively to use their training facilities to keep fit, I would guess. Anyhow, he played all of NI's 3 remaining Qualifiers in Autumn 1985, keeping 3 clean sheets in three away games vs Turkey, Romania and England, to clinch qualification for Mexico 1986!
He was still on Tottenham's books the following Spring, when he played two home friendlies for NI and I am also proud to say I was there when he played a solitary final senior game for Spurs, at home to Liverpool in the Screen Sport Super Cup (a short-lived TV competition played to fill the gaps caused by English clubs ban from European competition after Heysel).
Quiz buffs will be interested to know that he also signed for Everton as cover for a short period towards the end of the 1985-86 Season (I imagine Southall was their keeper at the time), without playing for them, but during his spell at Goodison he won his 116th NI cap in our final WCF warm-up friendly against Morocco in April.
He then won his final three caps out in Mexico, with the last (119th) being against Brazil on his 41st Birthday. Fittingly, he had re-registered with Spurs again by the time these came round.
As it happens, though by now very firmly retired from the pro game, he continued to make occasional guest appearances for charity etc. For example, according to his Wikipedia entry: "He guested for Shamrock Rovers in a testimonial for Shay Brennan shortly after the World Cup in 1986".
And he also was granted a Testimonial of his own by NI on 3rd December 1986. In order to gain tax exempt status, such Benefit Matches may not be organised by an employer (in this case, IFA) or involve the official team. Consequently, this game was organised by Co-Operation North (an All-Ireland charity, iirc?), and involved a "Pat Jennings Select XI" playing an "International XI".
Does anyone have any details of this latter match - I daresay a few of Pat's ROI international friends may have played?
Thanks for that EG.
I only read recently that Jimmy Hill also turned Pat down for Coventry and left him off to Watford (a much smaller club at the time) when he was at Newry Town.
He made some spectacular saves in that game.
Thanks Ealing Green, great post about a great player
Tbh, he was even better, outstanding in fact, in the previous game, where NI defeated a v.strong Romania team* 1-0 on their own patch. A draw would have been adequate for Romania to have qualified, but following our victory, it meant we "only" needed a draw in out last game at Wembley to overtake them.
From memory, we protected Big Pat reasonably well and having already qualified, the England players weren't exactly risking breaking a leg against us. That said, there was still local pride on their part in playing against their clubmates in front of a big crowd and with the exception of Kerry Dixon and Paul Bracewell, all of the England players were regulars the following Summer out in Mexico:
WORLD CUP QUALIFIER
13/11/1985, London, Wembley Stadium, 70.500
ENGLAND 0-0 NORTHERN IRELAND [HT 0-0]
ENGLAND:
Peter Shilton [Southampton] [75/0]
Gary Stevens [Everton] [5/0]
Kenny Sansom [Arsenal] [59/1]
Glenn Hoddle [Tottenham Hotspurs] [28/7]
Mark Wright [Southampton] [11/0]
Terry Fenwick [Queen's Park Rangers] [13/0]
Paul Bracewell [Everton] [3/0]
Ray Wilkins [c] [AC Milan-ITA] [74/3]
Kerry Dixon [Chelsea] [4/4]
Gary Lineker [Everton] [10/6]
Chris Waddle [Tottenham Hotspurs] [11/1]
[COACH: Bobby Robson]
NIR: Pat Jennings, Jimmy Nicholl, Mal Donaghy, John O'Neill, Alan McDonald, Sammy McIlroy, David McCreery, Steve Penney (Gerry Armstrong 59'), James Quinn, Ian Stewart (Nigel Worthington 72'), Norman Whiteside
Referee: Fredriksson (Sweden)
Afterwards, the Romanians somewhat predictably complained about a "fix", ignoring their own defeats home and away to NI previously, plus one glorious Jennings save in the Wembley game (from a "Hoddle Special") that should have been "Save of the Season". And their claim also prompted one of the great post-match interviews, with a young Alan McDonald, who had just won his second NI cap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14NUb...eature=related
(Big Pat also features towards the end of this clip, where Brazilian Captain Clodoaldo presents him with a cake and shirt on the eve of his 41st Birthday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r0yL...eature=related )
* - Romania went on to qualify for the next three World Cups, btw
Pat Jennings is still the best goalkeeper I've ever seen. Incredible player. His performance in the 82 World Cup against Spain was just immense. The English can talk about Banks and Shilton, but Jennings was a class apart.
Out for a spell, got neglected, lay on the bench unselected.
Paul Rowan actually done this not so long ago:
Caught In Time
All Ireland XI v Brazil, 1973
by Paul Rowan
It was the team that dared not speak its name. Thirty years ago, the first and only AlI-Ireland football team of modern times gathered at Lansdowne Road to take on world champions Brazil, who boasted the likes of Jairzinho, Rivelino, Clodoaldo and Dirceu in their ranks. The Irish played in the green-and-white hoops of the famous Dublin club Shamrock Rovers and called themselves The Shamrock Rovers All Ireland XI. In reality, they provided a vivid demonstration of the effectiveness of an all-Ireland team - an aspiration that many in Ireland hanker after to this day, though it provokes bitter opposition in other quarters.
Brazil were on a European tour, but the chances of them corning to Dublin seemed remote. However, a Dubliner, Louis Kilcoyne, was a Fifa-recognised agent and knew the Brazilian Joao Havelange, who was about to become Fifa president. Kilcoyne contacted his brother-inlaw, John Giles, the Leeds United player and Republic of Ireland captain. Giles in turn sounded out his Northern Ireland counterpart, Derek Dougan, who leapt at the idea. But Dougan quickly found that the old enmities between the two associations, the IF A in Belfast and the F AI in Dublin, began to assert themselves.
"I put the idea of north and south corning together to play Brazil at a meeting in London with the two senior officials of the IFA - Harry Cavan, the president, and Billy Drennan, the secretary ;' Dougan remembers. "My hands were wet with the sweat of nervous tension.
Here, I thought, we were talking about history in the making, talking about building bridges. Then came the moment I will remember for the rest of my life. Mr Cavan received the neWs as if a bomb had hit him. I was confronted by a stony silence.
"Cavan informed me tersely that he would put the matter to the IFA. Drennan was enthusiastic, but I never heard from either again. I had been captain of Northern Ireland for the previous four years, but after that meeting I never played again. Cavan told the manager not to pick me.
That didn't stop me, and we gave the world champions one hell of a game."
The team comprised five players from Northern Ireland and six from the Republic. They boasted some of the top names from the English First Division. In front of 35,000 spectators at Lansdowne Road, Brazil won 4-3, with goals from Paulo Cesar (2), Jairzinho and Valderniro. Mick Martin, Dougan and Terry Conroy , replied for the Ireland XI and both sides received a standing ovation.
No sport reflects the sectarian divide in Ireland more than football. It is one of a handful of sports on the island in which the political divide is replicated, and the cold war between the two associations has hardly thawed despite the steps towards reconciliation. The split goes back to the 1920s, when games between northern and southern sides were often marred by Sectarian battles between fans, and the club allegiances were formed on religious lines. The 1970s were another deeply troubled time, but the animosity between the associations had always been there.
"It was the time of the Troubles," recalled Conroy. "And we wanted to come together and make a statement that people at this level could get on. We knew our associations did not want to power-share. They made positive noises, but kicked the idea into touch." Subsequent success on both sides of the border has also kept most supporters sated. Northern Ireland qualified for the 1982 and 1986 World Cups; the Republic enjoyed moments of glory at Euro 88, Italia 90, USA 94 and last year's World Cup. But Northern Ireland are going through one of the worst runs in their history - they haven't scored in seven matches and are 107th in the world rankings - while the Republic have also struggled since the World Cup.
1 John Giles
An influential figure who was about to become player-manager of the Republic, combining that with club duties at Leeds United. Later managed Shamrock Rovers and West Brom, but fell out of love with direct involvement in the game and is now a media pundit and avid golfer at his Birmingham base.
2 Pat Jennings
The great Tottenham and Arsenal goalkeeper earned a record 119 caps with Northern Ireland. A man for whom the phrase "gentle giant" should have been invented, he has returned to Spurs as a part-time goalkeeping coach, though on Friday could be found on the golf course as part of his work for the peace-building charity, Cooperation Ireland.
3 David Craig
After leaving-Belfast Craig enjoyed a 14-year career at Newcastle, playing 351 League games before taking up a coaching post at Carlisle United. He moved back to Newcastle, where he became a milkman and then ran a newsagent's in North Shields. He is a care worker in the northeast.
4 Paddy Mulligan
Represented the Republic 50 times during spells at Chelsea, Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion. He fell on hard times after a messy divorce and some poor investment decisions. At one point he was living in a hostel in Dublin, but with the help of the former Republic of Ireland players' trust fund he is back on his feet and works I in the construction industry .
5 Tommy Carroll
Another Dublin full-back to have fallen on hard times, Carroll earned 17 caps during spells at Birmingham and Ipswich Town. Fell out with his manager, Bobby Robson, at Ipswich to such an extent that they had to be separated by coaching staff as the fists started flying. Ran his own business on retirement, but recently suffered a stroke that has confined him to a wheelchair.
6 Allan Hunter
A solid centre-back who won 53 caps ,with Northern Ireland, mostly during his time at Ipswich Town. Stayed in the area on retirement and works as a teacher with special-needs children.
7 Mick Martin
Martin made more than 500 League appearances for Manchester United, Newcastle and others, and played 52 times for the Republic. After spells coaching at Newcastle and Celtic, he is a pundit for Metro Radio on Tyneside.
8 Terry Conroy
The red-haired forward is another Dubliner who became a Stoke City stalwart in the 1970s. Still works at the Potteries club, selling corporate boxes.
9 Martin O'Neill
Charismatic figure who, as a Catholic captaining Northern Ireland during their 1982 World Cup campaign, did much to foster relations between the two communities. His knowledge of sectarian hatred will have been heightened by his three-year tenure as Celtic manager.
10 Derek Dougan
Fine centre-forward who became a Wolves legend, scoring 219 goals in 532 League appearances. A chairman of the Professionals Footballers' Association, he passionately espoused an All Ireland team an unusual stance for a Protestant from east Belfast. Also a prolific author - he lives in Wolverhampton.
11 Don Givens
Similar in playing style to Dougan, Givens won 56 caps for the Republic and was for a long time their leading scorer. Now coaching his country's Under-21 team.
From The Sunday Times 13 April 2003. Sports Section p.28
And they said Martin O'Neill was an ex-Derry City player
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