The ones that got away

Dieg O'Maradona?

Edited by newrynyuk - 08 Mar 2013 at 6:06pm

http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/double-caps.html

Examples there of players playing for different countries throughout the entire 20th century.

Citizenship was always the key.

Deco79 wrote: my girlfriend is paddys grand daughter... I asked him about being able to play for Ireland and he told me at the time you had to play for the country of birth! he told me he envied shay brennan after him getting capped when the rules changed in the mid 60's after him being capped by Scotland...

I still believe he is wrong, he may have been ineligble because he had already played for Scotland underage or for some other reason and couldnt switch but I doubt it was 'because he was born in Scotland' in the 50's ? that he couldnt play for ireland

The NI lads like Lennon didn't really get away - convention at the time was clear.

Brian Labone always said he'd have likely to have played for us (his first wife was form the North Circular Road - would have been eligible under the "Paul Butler" clause) and Peter Reid said he would have played if asked before he got called up for England (massive Irish family).  Paul Power waited for a call up for years that never came.  His family are all from Waterford.

And you can be sure any Ward that played in the English or Scottish Leagues was eligible for Ireland - Mark Ward (now in jail but a fine footballer in his day, and confirmed Irish family in his book (travellers IIRC)), Ashley Ward, Peter Ward, Paul Ward, Gerry Ward all spring to mind.

Franny Jeffers was eligible but he told me to f off when I asked him if he was ever thinking of declaring before he got called up for England (he was at Rangers at the time and probably thought I was media looking to stir the sh1t).

He wouldn't have been eligible to play for the IFA given their agreement not to pick players born in England, Wales or Scotland (this agreement lasted until very recently (maybe the Whitley in the late 90s were the first to break convention), which is why Kernaghan played for us).

Other UK and Commonwealth countries, and people born outside GB & NI, who got british passport were fair game though.  I think this is why Le Tissier player for England, Van Den Hauwe played for Wales etc.

Some Ulster Born Protestants on that list who would probably rather not play international football, if it meant playing with us!

Rory McIlroy.

Peter Reid ex Everton........I know his brother Sean played U21s or B

I'm nearly sure Mike Phelan is one who could have also!