“It feels like nothing matters in our private universe” – Neil Finn.
Through the years, not every decent footballer born in Northern Ireland has played for Northern Ireland, or even opted to play for Northern Ireland. There are always the oddballs. For one reason or another, they have moved away from the mighty six and they have chosen another country. In a series of posts, the Arconada…Armstrong! team will fill in the cracks on such footballers. Here, these guys are Northern Irish Footballers Who Played For New Zealand.
1.Noel Barkley
Born: Larne, Northern Ireland (1961).
New Zealand caps: 37 (1986-1991).
New Zealand goals: 5.
Clubs: Larne, Crusaders, Mount Maunganui, Papatoetoe, Mount Wellington, Newcastle Breakers, Waitakere City.
Position: Striker.
Geek Unique Fact: Noel Barkley is the record goalscorer for a Northern Irish born player for a country that isn’t the original Ireland team.
Noel was actually unlucky, in that he was still in Northern Ireland playing for Crusaders while his future country, New Zealand were at the World Cup. In 1982, both Northern Ireland and New Zealand were there and Noel was 21 at the time, 4 years older than Norman Whiteside who played. Later though, Noel certainly made his presence felt and was capped by New Zealand in two separate decades. Not only that, he was their player of the year three times. He’s nothing short of a legendary Northern Irishman.
2.Jim Bell
Born: Portadown, Northern Ireland (1935).
New Zealand caps: 2 (1960).
New Zealand goals: 1.
Clubs: Linfield, Northern Wellington, Onehunga, Newmarket Sparta, Mount Albert – Ponsonby, Mount Roskill and Three Kings United.
Position: Winger.
Geek Unique Fact: Jim Bell played only two matches for New Zealand and they won both.
Jim Bell set the trend. Born in 1935 in Portadown, on the books of Belfast Linfield as a youth before finally being capped by New Zealand 3 decades after he was born. In 1960, Jim scored one of New Zealand’s goals in their 5-1 win over Tahiti and also starred in a 2-1 win over Fiji. Jim was still playing competitive football this century! He retired in the year 2000, aged 65 and died in 2019.
3.Tony Ferris
Born: Northern Ireland (1961).
New Zealand caps: 13 (1988 – 1991)
New Zealand goals: 0.
Clubs: Mount Maunganui.
Position: Midfielder.
Geek Unique Fact: Tony Ferris is the only Northern Ireland born international footballer to play against England in the 1990s.
There are a fair few Northern Irish born players who have been capped by New Zealand. Another one is Tony Ferris. Ferris made his full All Whites debut in a 2–0 win over Saudi Arabia on the 21st of June 1988. Tony won 13 caps spanning two decades, and even made his final appearance in a match against England in 1991. Interestingly, his shirt from that match was recently on sale!
4.John Hill
Born: Belfast, Northern Ireland (1931).
New Zealand caps: 17 (1980 – 1982)
New Zealand goals: 0.
Clubs: Glentoran, Gisborne City.
Position: Defender.
Geek Unique Fact: John Hill is the only Northern Irish born player to represent New Zealand at a World Cup.
John Hill is legendary. He is still the only Northern Irish born player to represent New Zealand at the World Cup and he did that in a tournament that Northern Ireland were also in, back in the 1982 heyday. New Zealand defied the odds to qualify as one of the Asian (as far as FIFA were concerned back then) teams, knocking out the likes of Australia and China on route and qualifying along with Kuwait. At the tournament, John Hill played in the 5-2 defeat to Scotland in the Group Stage. Brazil were in the same group and although John didn’t play against the country Brazil, a common teaser is that he did play against Brazil at the World Cup – Alan Brazil. That was his last cap for the All Whites.
John Hill in the Belfast Telegraph
New Zealand and Northern Ireland at the World Cup
Northern Ireland and New Zealand were both at the 1982 World Cup. It’s the only time both countries qualified at the same time. Although New Zealand were unbeaten at World Cup 2010, they only had 3 points from 3 draws and they were eliminated. They’ve never fared better than any of Northern Ireland’s three World Cups thus far.
1958 – Northern Ireland (Last 8 – Quarter Finals)
1982 – Northern Ireland (Last 12)
1982 – New Zealand (Last 24 0 group stage exit)
1986 – Northern Ireland (Last 24 – group stage exit)
2010 – New Zealand (Last 32 – group stage exit despite being unbeaten)
Northern Ireland goalscorers against New Zealand
Northern Ireland have played New Zealand at full level only once. That match was at Windsor Park in Belfast in June 2017 and Northern Ireland won 1-0, Liam Boyce scoring the game’s only goal.
Liam Boyce – 1
Northern Ireland’s record against New Zealand
Northern Ireland have played New Zealand at full level only once. That match was at Windsor Park in Belfast in June 2017 and Northern Ireland won 1-0, Liam Boyce scoring the game’s only goal.
Northern Ireland’s record against New Zealand
Northern Ireland 1-0 New Zealand (Belfast, June 2017)
Worth a mention
These footballers didn’t quite fit into the subject of this article, but for sure are worth a mention.
1.Matt Guildea – Matt Guildea won 6 full caps for New Zealand and was born in Ireland. However, it is not clear whether he was born in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland. He could be one of us, but he probably isn’t.
2.Billy McClure – Although born in Liverpool, I was unable to find out if Billy McClure has any Northern Irish roots or not. What he definitely has are full New Zealand caps, 30 of them and 5 goals as well as being at the World Cup in Spain in 1982.
3.Gordon Barker – Alderney born, Gordon Barker was eligible to play for Northern Ireland. Of course, he probably wouldn’t have made it onto the team anyway, but what he did do was he won one cap for New Zealand in 1954. He may well be the only Alderney (Channel Islands) born footballer to win a full cap for a FIFA nation.
Other links to recommended football stories…
- A list of non-Northern Ireland born Northern Ireland international footballers
- Northern Irish born players that played for United States of America
- Northern Irish born players that played for Australia
- 100 football memories from 100 countries
- Crazy Footballers – Journeymen loyal
- Northern Ireland league players at World Cups
- Top 5 Football Podcasts to listen to
- Countries whose players have won the European Cup
- Visiting the home of the penalty kick – Milford, Northern Ireland
- Guided tour of the Oval Grounds, Belfast
- Countries that have won the World Cup
- Who won the World Cup in 1942?
- Who won the World Cup in 1946?
- Reminiscing the time that Wimbledon played Real Madrid
Other links –
- A list of non-Australia born Australia international footballers
- A list of dual Ireland international footballers
