John O'Neill (footballer, born 1958)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Patrick O'Neill | ||
| Date of birth | 11 March 1958 | ||
| Place of birth | Derry, Northern Ireland | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1977–1987 | Leicester City | 313 | (10) |
| 1987 | Queen's Park Rangers | 2 | (0) |
| 1987–1988 | Norwich City | 1 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| 1980–1986 | Northern Ireland | 39 | (1) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
John Patrick O'Neill (born 11 March 1958) is a former footballer who played for the Northern Ireland national football team, winning 39 caps, and scoring 2 goals.[1] Born in Derry, Northern Ireland, he was a member of the Northern Ireland squads that played in the World Cup tournaments of 1982 and 1986. His final appearance for the national side came in their 3-0 defeat against Brazil in the 1986 tournament.
At club level, he played for Leicester City, QPR, and Norwich City. However, his spell with the Canaries was cut short, and he made just one appearance for Norwich - against Wimbledon in 1987. On the field for just 34 minutes, an horrendous tackle from Dons player John Fashanu so severely damaged O'Neill's knee ligaments that he never played another professional game, and finished his playing career. O'Neill began legal proceedings against Fashanu for the tackle that ended his career, before settling out of court for £70,000.[2]
He was granted a testimonial at Carrow Road by Norwich in the 1988-89 season.
After his playing career ended, O'Neill had a spell managing Finn Harps of the League of Ireland. He later moved back to his home city and became a member of the board of Derry City FC for a period.
Today he is probably best known for being Jackie Fullerton's co-commentator on Northern Ireland international games and particularly for his excited laughter whenever NI score.
International goal
- Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 12 September 1984 | Windsor Park, Belfast |  Romania | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1986 World Cup qualifier |
References
External links
- John O'Neill, Post War English & Scottish Football League A - Z Player's Database
- John O'Neill at National-Football-Teams.com
- Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk
- Information re O'Neill's international career
- John O'Neill at National-Football-Teams.com
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