BREAKING NEWS: Legendary British football manager passes away aged 90

Billy Bingham, the legendary manager of Northern Ireland’s international football team has died aged 90.

Billy Bingham MBE, the manager who took Northern Ireland to two consecutive World Cup finals in the 1980s, has passed away today, Friday, June 10, at the age of 90. He achieved legendary status in the country after this incredible sporting feat.

“Billy holds a unique place in the football hearts of Northern Ireland in that he both played at, and managed in, World Cup final tournaments with Northern Ireland, being part of Peter Doherty’s historic team of 1958 in Sweden and then managing Northern Ireland in the 1982 and 1986 finals”, read a statement released by the Irish Football Association.

Bingham led Northern Ireland’s campaigns in 1982 and again in 1986. His men in green were responsible for one of the most famous World Cup upsets in history when Tottenham player Gerry Armstrong’s single goal gave them a 1-0 victory over hosts Spain in the 1982 tournament.

As a player, Bingham enjoyed success in a 17-year career with spells at Sunderland, Luton Town, and Everton, before retiring from the game in 1965. Between 1951 and 1963, he won 56 caps for Northern Ireland, scoring 10 international goals, and played at the 1958 FIFA World Cup. 

Moving into management, stints with notable clubs including Everton, Greece, PAOK and more followed. He landed his first job as international manager of Northern Ireland in 1967, which ran until 1971. His second spell from 1980 to 1993 will be the one forever etched into the history of football fans in Northern Ireland though.

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