Northern Ireland fans mark fifty years since Troubles exile from Windsor Park

During what would prove to be the bloodiest year of the terrorist campaigns, the Northern Ireland team was forced to stage its ‘home’ games in England from February 16, 1972 onwards for security reasons.

The decision to prevent our international rivals from travelling to Windsor Park and would last until April 1975 when Yugoslavia arrived in Belfast to a heroes’ welcome.

The run of 18 consecutive ‘home’ games away began in Yorkshire when Northern Ireland hosted Spain for a European Championship qualifier at Hull City’s Boothferry Park ground.

Around 20,000 people attended that game and watched a talented Spanish side take a first half lead, only to be pegged back by a goal from Third Division Port Vale striker Sammy Morgan on his debut – assisted by a certain George Best.

Sammy McIlroy also made his debut during that first home match on the road.

The other grounds to host the games were at Sheffield Wednesday, Everton, Fulham and Coventry City.

It was Yugoslavia – a county rife with ethnic tensions that would ultimately lead to widespread violence and war – that would travel to Belfast in April 1975 to restore a degree of normality to the local football scene.

England would follow within weeks, being held to a 0-0 draw in a British Home Championship game.

To mark the 50th anniversary of those ground-breaking encounters, Bessbrook Northern Ireland Supporters Club is hosting an evening with Sammy Wilson and long-serving Arsenal and NI full-back Sammy Nelson on behalf of the Amalgamation of Official NI Supporters Clubs (AONISC) and Irish FA Foundation.

On display will be an impressive array of memorabilia – charting the history of a team that has repeatedly punched well above its weight, qualifying for three World Cup