North's growing support looking forward to Euro 2016

As a 13-year-old in 1958, Jim Shaw listened on the "wireless" to the games after Northern Ireland famously qualified for the World Cup in Sweden.

He marvelled at the exploits of players such as Danny Blanchflower of Spurs, Manchester United Munich air disaster survivor and hero Harry Gregg and prolific goal-scorer Peter McParland of Aston Villa as they made history by getting as far as the quarter-finals, where they were defeated by France.

Back then, he didn't anticipate that he would end up as president of the Irish Football Association (IFA) and centrally involved as Northern Ireland prepares for its fourth major tournament at the Euros in France.

As well as Sweden, the North also qualified for the World Cup finals in Spain in 1982 and Mexico in 1986. This is the first time it has qualified for the European Championships.

At the weekend, in the Titanic visitor centre in Belfast, manager Michael O’Neill picked his final squad, an event that was attended by a very sprightly 84-year-old Peter McParland. Thousands of Northern Ireland “Green and White Army” supporters are shaping up for the trek to France and to the Group C games in Nice, Lyon and Paris. Just as in the Republic, the excitement and sense of hope and expectation are building.

Supporters

Shaw is a native of Glenravel, near Ballymena in Co Antrim. Now retired, he worked in the telecoms industry and was a senior executive in Invest NI. As a spectator, he attended the Spain and Mexico finals. Now, he marvels at how some 25,000 Northern Ireland

fans

are expected to travel to France to watch some or all of the games.

“From memory, in Spain, we had 3,500-5,000 supporters maximum. Mexico, I think was about 600, and Sweden before that was about 50,” he says.

Special fan zones

So far, Northern Ireland fans have 9,000 tickets for the first game in Nice against Poland, 15,000 tickets for the second game in Lyon against Ukraine and about 12,000 tickets for the final group game in Paris against Germany. Fans will scalp some more tickets, while others from Northern Ireland will view the games in the local bars or at the special fan zones in the three cities.

Gary McAllister is focused the soccer but also on ensuring that the 25,000 fans have an enjoyable and safe time in France. As head of the Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters’ Clubs, he has been busy setting up what will be “fans’ embassies” at the games in Nice, Lyon and Paris.

The amalgamation, with a team of 50 voluntary ambassadors, will operate “static embassies” in the three cities to assist any fans who have lost their passports or other belongings – or their way – or are just looking for directions to the stadiums, best pubs and restaurants.

Fans’ guide

It also has compiled a

Northern Ireland Fans’ Guide to France

, some of which were distributed at the friendly in Windsor Park on Friday night against Belarus which Northern Ireland won comfortably 3-0.

The PSNI is also sending a team of officers, led by Supt Nigel Goddard, to liaise between French police and the fans.

Everyone is conscious of the terrorist threat in France, but McAllister, like Shaw, is both hopeful and confident it will be a good tournament for Northern Ireland and the supporters.

Infamous night

Most people know about the bad days at Windsor Park and that infamous night in November 1993 when the North played the Republic in what was a sectarian cauldron. But McAllister now points to a better mood and time.

He recalls an away international against the Czech Republic in 2001 and how the fans were met by helmeted police in riot gear.

“At the end of the game the police took off their helmets and provided a guard of honour and applauded the Northern Ireland fans as they left the stadium,” says McAllister (38).

"We have been able to change people's perceptions. We are ambassadors and our message is: be an ambassador for Northern Ireland. Enjoy every minute of it and make as many friends as you can."

He says that the Republic qualifying has added to the excitement.

"Between the two teams the whole of the country is looking forward to Euro 2016, " he says.

Football rivalry

However, don’t expect much benign Northern Ireland spectator sentiment towards the Republic.

“If you asked a Scotsman would he like to see England do well, he would probably say no. We obviously want to do the better of the two teams,” says McAllister.

But now it’s a normal football rivalry, he says. “Our message always has been: come along, be a football supporter, leave any other views at home.”