As much as I enjoy international football, I have never really been absolutely buzzing for international breaks to come around. They always seem to disrupt the domestic football and there aren’t as many matches. At the minute, however, any distraction form the Premier League is a welcome one. Things haven’t been pretty on the banks of the Thames, to put it mildly. So instead of talking about Fulham’s disaster of a season, I thought I’d talk about another favourite topic of mine, Northern Irish and Irish players who have played throughout the years in our famous white shirt. I’ll limit to just my top 5, as I have a game to get to tonight at Windsor Park at 1945!
- Aaron Hughes
The Hangeland-Hughes partnership will go down as one of the greatest centre back pairing in Fulham’s Premier League history. Under the guidance of Roy Hodgson Fulham became defensively sound, something that we badly crave this season, and Hughes was vital in this. He racked up 250 appearances for Fulham across all competitions and scored a handful of goals along the way. He was a crucial part of both the Greatest Escape year in 2008 and then the Europa League run of 2010. He is my all time favourite Northern Irish player and captain .
2. Ollie Norwood
It might have only been a loan deal, but the decision to bring Norwood to Fulham turn out to be a stroke of genius. Norwood has always had a touch of quality about him, we have known that for years in Northern Ireland. He might try a Hollywood pass too often for some, but it’s that vision that has been so important for Northern Ireland. Last season at Fulham we badly needed someone to step in for Cairney when he was injured, and Norwood was the one to do that. He might not quite be the level of Cairney but he is what we needed at the time. And who could forgot THAT tackle in the dying seconds of the play-off final that prevented Aston Villa’s final chance? What a guy.
3. Damien Duff
Damien Duff was one of those players who when they are signed, you get very excited about. He may have been slightly past his prime but we all knew what he was capable of from his time at Chelsea and Newcastle. He was one of those players who had a sweet left foot, but played on the right for the majority of his time at Fulham. The Craven Cottage crowd used to get such a buzz when he would cut in from the right and have a pop at goal. He always had a bit of magic about him and I loved seeing him play at Fulham.
4. Chris Baird
Bairdinho. When he announced his retirement this year I was genuinely gutted. He has been such an important figure for club and country for years and there aren’t many out there quite like him. Baird was one of the most versatile players at Fulham, and he was happy to play wherever was required. He was a typical ‘leave everything on the pitch’ kind of guy, and those goals at Stoke City will stay in Fulham folklore forever.
5. Rodney McAree
Not many players can say that they have a chant that is still sang around a club 20years or so after they have left, but Rodney McAree can. I was too young to remember said goal, but I doubt there are many Fulham fans out there who don’t know about McAree’s goal up at Carlisle. Rodney also happens to be one of the nicest guys in football. He gave me one of my first exclusive interviews a couple of years back, something that I really appreciated. He owns a little part of Fulham history so he is rightfully remembered by the Fulham faithful.
