N. Ireland 82/86 question

jaykay74

I was only a kid but I think I remember people wanted NI to do well in the World Cups of 82/86. At least 8 year old kids did. Am I wrong on this (could well be) ? Maybe it was leftover goodwill from Best or Whiteside in the team. I was too young to wonder. Just seems strange to me now, if I'm correct that is.

There were few sweeter goals in the Charlton years that the Mclaughlin one in Belfast in 93.

gixerfixer

Never wanted them to do well TBH. Might as well cheer on Wales

jaykay74

gixerfixer wrote: »

Might as well cheer on Wales

58 was well before I was born....

aidan24326

jaykay74 wrote: »

There were few sweeter goals in the Charlton years that the Mclaughlin one in Belfast in 93.

Up until that night I didn't mind to see them doing well. But the bitterness from them that night was shocking, and McLoughlin's goal was a sweet one alright.

LuckyLloyd

jaykay74 wrote: »

I was only a kid but I think I remember people wanted NI to do well in the World Cups of 82/86. At least 8 year old kids did. Am I wrong on this (could well be) ? Maybe it was leftover goodwill from Best or Whiteside in the team. I was too young to wonder. Just seems strange to me now, if I'm correct that is.

There were few sweeter goals in the Charlton years that the Mclaughlin one in Belfast in 93.

And good that they did!! Kids shouldn't be aware of political or sectarian conflicts and be thought to hate or root against other countries because of them.

You have to remember that a lot of people in this country are fairly oblivious to stuff like politics and history either due to an overt lack of interest or through simply being too wrapped up in busy daily lives. Possibly a lot of people thought: "an Irish team in the world cup and - oh look! - some Utd / other English team players, I'll cheer them on so". That your average person would have a somewhat automatic antipathy and animosity against the English team (when the vast majority of their fans would cheer us on!!) and cheer on 'plucky' Northern Ireland is rather amusing to be fair. Given that a significant portion of the Northern Irish team fan base would despise everything about the Republic of Ireland (that night in Windsor park is an excellent example of this).

One of my good friends is from Belfast and kind of half cheers on Northern Ireland. For as it his national team by default - in many ways it doesn't represent him or his in any way, shape or form (remember the Neil Lennon incident).

Personally speaking, they are too much on the small scale for me to have a strong opinion either way. They have average players, play average football and I was two years old when they last qualified for a major championship so I have no idea what such a thing would do for their psyche of their media and fans. Whereas, it can be fun to see the English sporting press reach death defying summits on Mount Hype before tumbling painfully down the other side!

_blank_

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Personally speaking, they are too much on the small scale for me to have a strong opinion either way. They have average players, play average football

Sounds a bit like their nearest neighbours then.

LuckyLloyd

Des wrote: »

Sounds a bit like their nearest neighbours then.

Yeah, but their nearest neighbors happen to be MY national team Des. That you struggle with this concept is also something that I find amusing.

_blank_

What concept?

That I don't feel that team represents me?

It doesn't.

They bear no semblance to me.

callaway92

I always want Spain to do well if Ireland arent in the tourney..I dont know why really.

LuckyLloyd

Des wrote: »

What concept?

That I don't feel that team represents me?

It doesn't.

They bear no semblance to me.

Whatever.

eagle eye

I remember the 82 team which had Martin O'Neill, Gerry Armstrong, Jimmy Nicholl, Chris Nicholl and Billy Hamilton along with Pat Jennings in goal and the youngest player ever in a World Cup at that time Norman Whiteside and Mal Donaghy as well. I'm not sure if Sammy McIlroy was playing, he might have been injured. I remember Armstrong's goal against Spain and we were all shouting for them as well. And the Manager was Billy Bingham.
I am trying to recall who the Captain was, I think it was either Martin O'Neill or his brother whose first name escapes me.
It did all change that night in Belfast.

stovelid

When you were a kid, you liked WC teams that had ex or current players from your favourite team playing so I wanted them to do well because of Big Norman, and to a lesser extent, Sammy McIlroy. Was too young to care about the NI thing, and there was no other Irish team in the tournament.

shane86

Des wrote: »

What concept?

That I don't feel that team represents me?

It doesn't.

They bear no semblance to me.

Why, may I ask?


What happened in 1993 anyway? Ive seen numerous mentions of it here but google isnt providing anything . Bar these match reports that mention nothing serious

http://www.iht.com/articles/1993/11/18/heire.php

"The Republic had their chances to move ahead six minutes into the second half, when a direct kick by Dennis Irwin rebounded eventually to midfielder Ray Houghton, who turned on it and forced the evening's best safe from the North's PACKIE BONNER, diving to his right"

Ehhhhh.......




http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE4D6133AF93BA25752C1A965958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1

Pigman II

Have wished the North ill-will ever since that night in November 93. It's one thing to want to beat us, but Bingham and his bigots took it to a different level that night.

shane86

Pigman II wrote: »

Have wished the North ill-will ever since that night in November 93. It's one thing to want to beat us, but Bingham and his bigots took it to a different level that night.

How?

Again.

estebancambias

Despise the North with a passion. Delighted when they beat a big country but would never want them to qualify, especially if Ireland didn't qualify for the tournament.

How I laughed when they couldn't score for years. LOLZ.

Des I really don't get how the ROI team doesn't 'represent you' its quite comical actually.

jaykay74

shane86 wrote: »

How?

Again.

The reason for lack of info through google I'd say is that it was just before/at explosion of the web so no media reports archived I'd say. You'd have to see the game to see how poisonous the atmosphere was.

stovelid

shane86 wrote: »

How?

Again.

Just based on how much spite the crowd showed that night. I wasn't there, listened on radio I think. Sounded mad by all media and fan accounts.

IIRC, there was also grumbling about NI having the temerity to really play out of their skin to spoil our qualification chances.

Of course being Irish, we are somehow shocked by a Northie crowd wishing the same kind of ill on the Republic that we wish on England.

I also have vague memories of the NI manager (Billy Bingham?) somehow acting the bollix that night. Maybe something controversial he said. Does anybody remember?

Benedict XVI

stovelid wrote: »

Just based on how much spite the crowd showed that night. I wasn't there, listened on radio I think. Sounded mad by all media and fan accounts.

IIRC, there was also grumbling about NI having the temerity to really play out of their skin to spoil our qualification chances.

Of course being Irish, we are somehow shocked by a Northie crowd wishing the same kind of ill on the Republic that we wish on England.

I also have vague memories of the NI manager (Billy Bingham?) somehow acting the bollix that night. Maybe something controversial he said. Does anybody remember?

It also occurred at a very very tense time in Northern Ireland, only weeks before you had 9 people killed in a bomb in a fish shop on the Shankhill Rd and 8 killed in a reprisal attack in Greysteel Co. Derry.


As for the 82 world cup, I was 11 at the time and as the OP has said there seemed to be a lot of people wishing them on.That perception of goodwill probably is based on the fact that my parents were not too opinionated on what was going on in the NI and neither it seems were others in the area.
If I lived in closer to the border things may have been different

smashey

Benedict XVI wrote: »

It also occurred at a very very tense time in Northern Ireland, only weeks before you had 9 people killed in a bomb in a fish shop on the Shankhill Rd and 8 killed in a reprisal attack in Greysteel Co. Derry.


As for the 82 world cup, I was 11 at the time and as the OP has said there seemed to be a lot of people wishing them on.That perception of goodwill probably is based on the fact that my parents were not too opinionated on what was going on in the NI and neither it seems were others in the area.
If I lived in closer to the border things may have been different

We live right on the border and I can safely say that we were all shouting for NI in 1982.

gustavo

Pigman II wrote: »

Have wished the North ill-will ever since that night in November 93. It's one thing to want to beat us, but Bingham and his bigots took it to a different level that night.

Things have moved on in the North since then , maybe you should too

stovelid

Benedict XVI wrote: »

It also occurred at a very very tense time in Northern Ireland, only weeks before you had 9 people killed in a bomb in a fish shop on the Shankhill Rd and 8 killed in a reprisal attack in Greysteel Co. Derry.

Yeah, hadn't thought of that. Sean Graham bookie massacre as well.

Benedict XVI wrote: »

As for the 82 world cup, I was 11 at the time and as the OP has said there seemed to be a lot of people wishing them on.That perception of goodwill probably is based on the fact that my parents were not too opinionated on what was going on in the NI and neither it seems were others in the area.
If I lived in closer to the border things may have been different

We weren't in that (or any) tournament as well. Sure that came into as well as NI having some very big names in the team back then.

Zebra3

estebancambias wrote: »

Despise the North with a passion. Delighted when they beat a big country

That doesn't make sence. How can you despise them yet be delighted when they beat a big nation?

I for one was hoping they would crash and burn in 82 and 86. Could never understand why anyone would want them to win (or England, Scotland or Wales).

As for the game in 93, one of the big chants of the night was "black fenian bastards" which was aimed at both McGrath and Phelan. Sung by seemingly the vast majority of the crowd, something that would have WP shut down by FIFA nowadays.

For the game in WP in 94 most of the crowd had gone home by half-time.

Personally, I think it's pretty sad that they can't even get their own "national" anthem.