Glendale GAWA - from Black & White to Green & White

NICKNAME :
Glendale GAWA

MEMORIES OF FIRST N. IRELAND MATCH :
Billy Bingham’s Testimonial against Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United 12th August 1994. I was only aged about 9 at the time but can remember Andy Cole running riot the whole game. I was sat in the North Stand as the Kop was still just the concrete terracing.
The Newcastle and Northern Ireland fans were in full song that night it was class. The Toon Army brought over there massive flag which stretched across most of the top tier of the North Stand. George Best also made an appearance late on in the game but I couldn’t understand why he got such a big cheer from all the fans as this over-weight scruffy beard man staggered around the pitch for 10mins. It was later my dad tried to explain to me how good Best was in his prime.
My first full International Match was the 2-0 Home win against Albania 1996 with Big Iain Dowie scoring a brace. It was at this point I had caught the Norn Iron bug and continue to support home and away.


FAVOURITE MOMENTS AT WINDSOR :
Being present in the Kop when Healy scored ‘that goal’ against England 1-0, that fantastic hat-trick against Spain 3-2 and that marvellous double against Sweden 2-1 to send us top of the group. Must also mention our first goal under Lawrie against Norway to end the goal drought was great along with seeing France parade as World Champions at Windsor was great.

MEMORIES OF FIRST AWAY TRIP :
Wales Away 2004
After being hammered 3-0 by Poland in the opener on the Saturday the mood about going to Wales wasn’t great. We had booked flights to Birmingham pretty much at the last minute but couldn’t get anywhere to stay so ended up on a mates hotel floor. Arriving in Cardiff was amazing GAWA flags everywhere we seemed to had taken over there capital for the day.
The beer was flowing all day in the sunshine and the match itself made the trip even more special. The ‘Cardiff nine’ was supreme and being interviewed on Sky Sports News was also a great highlight I just wish I could remember what I actually said.

FAVOURITE / WORST AWAY TRIP / GROUND(S) :
Favourite trip either Wales away or Denmark were brilliant both national stadiums were fantastic and the atmosphere created at both games by the GAWA were class. The least favourite part of any GAWA away trips was our stay in Friedrichshafen for 1 night before the Liechtenstein away game, never again!!


Oh what an atmosphere !

MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT SUPPORTING N.I. :
Being beat by Armenia or Canada at Home.

FAVOURITE N.I. GOAL(S) :
Healy against England. Everytime I see it replayed or I hear the commentary the great memories come back!!

FAVOURITE N.I. PLAYER(S) OF ALL TIME :
Sir David Healy

FAVOURITE N.I. PLAYER(S) OF CURRENT SQUAD :
Sir David Healy

FAVOURITE N.I. MANAGER :
Lawrie Sanchez. With the limited talent of players he had available, Lawrie produced a team that performed miracles that rivals the great teams of the 80’s.

DREAM N.I. TEAM (INCLUDING 3 SUBS) :
Maik Taylor
Jonny Evans / Aaron Hughes / Gerry Taggert
Keith Gillespie / Neil Lennon / Steve Davis / George Best
Norman Whiteside / Iain Dowie / David Healy

BEST AND WORST N.I. KITS :
Best: Current Umbro Home Green or the Away 82 replica top
Worst: Olympic Sport Green and Navy Home Shirt

FAVOURITE REPLICA SHIRT OR OTHER N.I. MERCHANDISE :
NI Nationwide Jacket

THOUGHTS ON THE MAZE :
100% Against the Maze. Edwin Poots must listen to the fans who attend the matches. Look at how the Millennium Stadium and St James Park unites a city when major sporting matches are on. There are plenty of neutral locations within Belfast to build a stadium no bigger than 28,000 for Football, Rugby and GAA to all play at. The maze is the middle of nowhere with nothing round it.

YOUR IDEAL N.I. HOME STADIUM :
Ideally I would love a 25,000 Stadium in the Titanic Quarter modelled on the Reebok Stadium in Bolton

IF N.I. DO NOT QUALIFY FOR MAJOR TOURNAMENTS, WHAT OTHER INTERNATIONAL TEAM WOULD YOU SUPPORT:
I enjoy watching England build themselves up to be the best team in the World to fail at major competitions. Other than that I quite like the Dutch, they play good football and there fans are class.

DO YOU FOLLOW FOOTBALL AT JUNIOR, IRISH LEAGUE OR CROSS-CHANNEL LEVEL? :
Newcastle United

INTEREST IN OTHER SPORTS :
Enjoy watching all other sports but especially like ladies beach volleyball!

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THE BANGOR N.I.S.C. DEVELOP? :
More club events e.g. Night at the Races etc, Family Fun Days


HOPES AND FEARS FOR THE FUTURE OF FOOTBALL IN GENERAL AND N.I. IN PARTICULAR :
Irish League Football needs radical changes to improve the structure of football in the province. The revenue the IFA are to receive from SKY TV must go into the Grassroots clubs to help develop from the bottom up. For years the IFA have been a mickey-mouse organisation so its time they become much more professional and help support the national team at a time where we are on a high.
The debate over the maze needs resolved soon with Windsor Park crumbling away the need of a top class stadium in Belfast is needed asap, but please not the maze.
More and more Northern Irish eligible players opting to play for the Republic of Ireland rather than us for whatever reasons.