Jimmy McIlroy
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | James McIlroy | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1949–1950 | Glentoran | ? | (?) |
| 1950–1962 | Burnley | 439 | (116) |
| 1962–1965 | Stoke City | 98 | (16) |
| 1965–1967 | Oldham Athletic | 39 | (1) |
| Total | 576 | (133) | |
| International career | |||
| 1951–1965 | Northern Ireland | 55 | (10) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
James "Jimmy" McIlroy (born 25 October 1931, Lambeg, near Lisburn, Northern Ireland) is a former football player, regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Burnley.
At Burnley
Starting his footballing career at Belfast club Glentoran, McIlroy was signed by Burnley manager Frank Hill, who handed the youngster his league debut in the 1-1 draw against Sunderland at Roker Park in October 1950, just four days before his 19th birthday.
McIlroy's inclusion in the team was due to the sale of Harry Potts, his future manager of Burnley, who had just been sold to Everton.
McIlroy played in the second of the two greatest periods in Burnley's history, coinciding with Harry Potts's tenure as manager, when they became 1959-60 English League champions, appeared in the 1962 FA Cup Final and featured in European Competitions.
He played 439 times for the Clarets and scored 116 goals for the club. He is also Burnley's most capped international, appearing for his native Northern Ireland on 51 occasions, scoring 10 goals.
After Burnley
Many Burnley fans viewed his 1963 transfer to Stoke City as an act of treachery by club chairman Bob Lord. McIlroy learned that Lord had sold the player by reading of it in a newspaper; Lord had not even told McIlroy himself. After McIlroy's time at Stoke, he had a period managing Oldham, followed by a few weeks in charge of Bolton, a period that brought an end to a great footballing career. He retired to the Burnley area and is still a regular attender of Burnley home matches. He was given Freedom of the Borough in December 2008 and was given a testimonial match by Burnley FC in 2009.[1]
The Jimmy McIlroy Stand
Burnley's stadium, Turf Moor has a stand named in McIlroy's honour. The stadium's eastern stand was rebuilt in the late 1990s after the Beehole End was demolished and was named "The Jimmy McIlroy Stand".
International goals
Scores and results list Northern Ireland's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 October 1956 | Belfast, Northern Ireland |  England |
1-1 | 1957 British Home Championship |
| 2 | 1 May 1957 | Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Portugal |
3-0 | 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3 | 6 November 1957 | London, England | England |
3-2 | 1958 British Home Championship |
| 4 | 15 January 1958 | Belfast, Northern Ireland |  Italy |
2-1 | 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 15 October 1958 | Madrid, Spain |  Spain |
2-6 | Friendly match |
| 6 | 5 November 1958 | Glasgow, Scotland |  Scotland |
2-2 | 1959 British Home Championship |
| 7 | 22 April 1959 | Wrexham, Wales |  Wales |
4-1 | 1959 British Home Championship |
| 8 | 3 May 1961 | Athens, Greece |  Greece |
1-2 | 1962 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 10 May 1961 | West Berlin, Germany |  West Germany |
1-2 | 1962 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 10 | 22 November 1961 | London, England | England |
1-1 | 1962 British Home Championship |
Honours
- 1931 births
- Living people
- Bolton Wanderers F.C. managers
- Burnley F.C. players
- 1958 FIFA World Cup players
- Glentoran F.C. players
- Northern Ireland international footballers
- Football managers from Northern Ireland
- Association footballers from Northern Ireland
- Oldham Athletic A.F.C. managers
- People from County Antrim
- Stoke City F.C. players