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 Martin O'Neill, Co. Derry: Famous Irish Soccer Player/Manager

PLAYING CAREER FACTFILE

Clubs: DISTILLERY, NOTTS FOREST, NORWICH CITY, MANCHESTER CITY, NOTTS COUNTY.

1952:  Born March 1st at Kilrea, Co. Derry, N. Ireland.

1971:  N. Ireland international debut as substitute against Russia. Transfers from Distillery to Nottingham Forest in October.

1978: Wins English 1st Division and League Cup medals (Double) with Nottingham Forest.

1979:  Martin wins another League Cup medal with Forest.

1980:  Triumph in the European Cup Final with Forest as Martin plays key role in 1- 0 victory over Hamburg.

1981:  Made 285 league appearances, scores 48 goals for Forest and transfers to Norwich City. Joins Manchester City

           after 11 league appearances for  Norwich City.

 1982: Surprise return to Carrow Road in January with only 13 league appearances for Man City.

 1983: Transfers to Notts County in August.

 1984: Wins 64th and final N. Ireland cap in 2-1 win over Finland.

CAREER FACTFILE:

Manager: WYCOMBE WANDERERS, NORWICH CITY, LEICESTER CITY, GLASGOW CELTIC, ASTON VILLA, SUNDERLAND.

1990:  Wycombe Wanderers give Martin his baptism as their new manager.

1993:  Promoted to Football League as Wycombe manager by clinching GM Vauxhall Conference.

1994: Leicester City and Nottingham Forest seek Martin as manager and he rejects both.

1995: Returns to Carrow Road, Norwich in June as new manager. Leicester City persuade Martin to become their

          clubs manager on 21st Dec 1995.

1998: Leeds United trail Martin to become manager when George Graham leaves for Spurs. Rejects move.

2000: In May Glasgow Celtic examine Martin’s career as manager of Leicester City. Leicester promoted to Premier League and

           2 League Cup titles in1997  and 2000 endorses factfile with tight budgets at Leicester City to recruit new players. 

           Glasgow Celtic decide Martin is their man and he agrees to move to Paradise in June 2000 to pilot Ireland’s

           No.1 soccer team back to former glories. Follows Liam Brady as the second Irishman to manage Celtic.

2001: Martin invents new Soccer Fever into Celtic’s Irish Army in 2000/01 overwhelming all opponents to land a historic treble

          of Scottish Premier League, League Cup and F.A. Cup titles.

2002: Celtic retain championship title and lose Cup final to arch rivals Rangers.

2003: Celtic lose UEFA Cup Final and win F.A. Cup.

2004: Premier League and F.A. Cup double repeated.

2005: Resigns as Celtic manager for family reasons.

2006: Appointed manager of Aston Villa.

2010: Resigns as Aston Villa manage

2012: Appointed Sunderland manager – 2013