Who got the exclusive rights? Channel 5?
90 years old. Only the good die young.
It should also be pointed out that Billy Bingham appointed Martin O’Neill as the Ireland captain at the height of the Troubles, a brave step appointing a Roman Catholic to that position for which he received many death threats from hardline loyalists.
Outside of a few temporary ceasefires, the two and a half week period in 1982 across which Ireland played their 5 matches in the 1982 World Cup saw one of the lowest death rates of the first decade and a half of the Troubles as a province United behind the mixed Ireland team that Billy Bingham created.
Billy Bingham was also advocating in the 1980’s for an all purpose stadium in Belfast for soccer, rugby and Gaelic games - a good 20 years before the GAA abolished what was viewed by many as the deeply sectarian and bigoted Rule 42.
Is there any book available to read o the history of northern irish football. I’d say it would be a fascinating read
Cormac Moore’s book is a good read.
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Start with the Old Testament.
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For fucks sake Mike, no it wouldn’t.
Bingham was bigoted oul bollocks. I hope he died roaring.
Im not talking specifically about Bingham. Im saying in general.
Exactly, there is nothing interesting about football on Northern Ireland, believe me.
The GAA in Northern Ireland is on thenother hand a fascinating subject.
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You mean the Ireland international team that’s been around since the early 1880’s?
Obviously his carry on in November 1993 was shocking but I have heard differing things about him.
As has the Ku Klux Klan. Whats your point?
As I have already outlined, Billy Bingham was long viewed as an ecumenical figure in Ireland soccer throughout his long career. EPL footix wouldn’t have much of a grasp of such matters though and are only ever interested in sensationalism and cheap soundbites.
The boorish behaviour of Jack Charlton the manager of the partitionist Eire soccer team in the build up to that match at Windsor Park in 1993 and disparaging comments about the Ireland team regrettably were a contributory factor to the tensions of that night.
We’re not hearing it from the same people so. Outside of his bigotry, there was far worse.
Boorish behavior from an English man causing tension in Northern Ireland! Who would of thunk it?
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The gas thing about that night at Windsor Park is there were more people who consider themselves Irish from childhood playing for the NI team that night than the republic
Billy Bingham was an ecumenical figure in getting Roman Catholics back playing for the Ireland team that has represented the whole of the island in international soccer since the 1880’s. That is indisputable.
Former Llanelli, Wales and British Lions (captain) out half, Phil Bennett. RIP
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Philip Baker Hall RIP
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RIP - he was immense in Magnolia.
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