Noel Brotherston

Noel Brotherston (18 November 1956 – 6 May 1995) was an international footballer for Northern Ireland.

Noel Brotherston
Personal information
Full name Noel Brotherston[1]
Date of birth (1956-11-18)18 November 1956[1]
Place of birth Dundonald,[1] Northern Ireland
Date of death 6 May 1995(1995-05-06) (aged 38)[1]
Place of death Blackburn,[1] England
Height 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[2]
Position(s) Winger
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1974–1977 Tottenham Hotspur 1 (0)
1977–1987 Blackburn Rovers 317 (40)
1987–1989 Bury 38 (4)
1988 → Scarborough (loan) 5 (0)
1989 Motala AIF
National team
1978 Northern Ireland U21 1 (0)
1980–1985 Northern Ireland 27 (3)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

A winger, Brotherston played in the Football League for Tottenham, Blackburn Rovers, Bury, and Scarborough.

Noel was well remembered for his characteristic hairstyle that seemed to emphasise his jinking runs down the wing. He was a fans' favourite at Blackburn.[3]

International career

Brotherston made his debut for Northern Ireland in a May 1980 friendly match against Scotland and won 27 international caps, scoring three goals. He represented his country in three FIFA World Cup qualification matches[4] and played at the 1982 World Cup.

Brotherston played in a famous 1–0 win for Northern Ireland over Israel that helped the team to qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time in 24 years. He also scored the winning goal against Wales in 1980 to give Northern Ireland the Home Internationals Championship trophy in the Irish Football Association's centenary year.

Personal life

Brotherston grew up in the town of Dundonald, in the east of Belfast. He lived in Bright Street, East Belfast when he was a small boy.

He became a painter and decorator in Blackburn[3] when he retired as a player. He died of a heart attack aged just 38.[3]

References
  1. "Noel Brotherston". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  2. Jackman, Mike (1994). Blackburn Rovers: the official encyclopaedia. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 36. ISBN 1-873626-70-3 – via Archive.org.
  3. Where are they now? BBC Sport, 13 April 2007
  4. Noel Brotherston – FIFA competition record


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