Over the years I attended football with my Dad watching Northern Ireland play in many matches down the years. Nobody could possibly count the matches we went to, but there were lots and the matches were fantastic. Sometimes we would play Germany, other times it was Belgium or Liechtenstein or Austria.
"We're on the top again", as Van Morrison said.
Win, draw or...lose (and let's be truth - every match we play could end in any of those three ways - we are unpredictable). But the Faroe Islands seemed to be a match that Northern Irish fans thought we might win. It was essential for qualifying for the Euros so the team was in top form and had extra training ahead of the match in Torshavn, the nation's capital city.
"We're not Brazil, we're Northern Ireland" - Northern Ireland fans
We'd draw 1-1 with Honduras then beat Spain 1-0 away (and win the group), we will draw 1-1 with Armenia then grab a sensational 1-1 away to European Champions Germany. You know what - we will lose 3-0 at home to Iceland then dick Spain 3-2 with a Healy hat-trick within FIVE days. Yes - this is the rollercoaster ride of supporting Northern Ireland. And we love it.
"We've been to Sweden, Spain and Mexico. Drinking all over the world" - Status Quo made into a GAWA song
It was a 0-0 draw with Romania that kept the momentum going and we wanted more. We wanted to win the group that time and heading to the Faroe Islands for this classic match was a cert for any hardcore Northern Ireland fan. In fact, people were booking flights a few months before. It was crazy and it was important.
Some of us arrived in Sorvagur by bus into the Faroe Islands. From a little guesthouse there, it was a bus to the capital city where the rest of the GAWA (the Green and White Army) were meeting and partying ahead of the big match. Everything was marvellous and there was singing and flag displaying in the Cafe Nature in Torshavn. This place was bouncing and the fans looked really lively. It was incredible.
The usual crowd was here in force - all partying in either Cafe Natur or Glitnir bar. It's like a community of followers when you support Northern Ireland. It's all a bit crazy. The fans like Toddy, Glenda, Shaun Schofield, Jonny Blair, Karen Turkington, Sinti, they were all here to party in Toshavn. It was five years ago that La La Lafferty had bagged a goal in a 1-1 draw, at the time that was a shock result.
On the music decks was Jim Rainey who was there in 1982 when Northern Ireland shocked the football world. A lad called Justin from Ballyclare spun the decks with Moby Andrew Milliken in the bar round the corner and these Ulster boys were here to party. These are the same fans that have supported the team for years and years.
"It's the Ulster boys making all the noise everywhere we go" - Northern Ireland fans
It was time for the big match and we don't win many away matches - the home wins are important, but it is the away wins that are the clinchers. In the 1980s we beat Romania 1-0 and then even got a 0-0 draw in England, which are really good results and helped our qualification for the World Cup.
"I still love you the girl from Mars" - a song by Tim Wheeler from Ash
"We're on the top again", as Van Morrison said.
Win, draw or...lose (and let's be truth - every match we play could end in any of those three ways - we are unpredictable). But the Faroe Islands seemed to be a match that Northern Irish fans thought we might win. It was essential for qualifying for the Euros so the team was in top form and had extra training ahead of the match in Torshavn, the nation's capital city.
"We're not Brazil, we're Northern Ireland" - Northern Ireland fans
We'd draw 1-1 with Honduras then beat Spain 1-0 away (and win the group), we will draw 1-1 with Armenia then grab a sensational 1-1 away to European Champions Germany. You know what - we will lose 3-0 at home to Iceland then dick Spain 3-2 with a Healy hat-trick within FIVE days. Yes - this is the rollercoaster ride of supporting Northern Ireland. And we love it.
"We've been to Sweden, Spain and Mexico. Drinking all over the world" - Status Quo made into a GAWA song
It was a 0-0 draw with Romania that kept the momentum going and we wanted more. We wanted to win the group that time and heading to the Faroe Islands for this classic match was a cert for any hardcore Northern Ireland fan. In fact, people were booking flights a few months before. It was crazy and it was important.
Some of us arrived in Sorvagur by bus into the Faroe Islands. From a little guesthouse there, it was a bus to the capital city where the rest of the GAWA (the Green and White Army) were meeting and partying ahead of the big match. Everything was marvellous and there was singing and flag displaying in the Cafe Nature in Torshavn. This place was bouncing and the fans looked really lively. It was incredible.
The usual crowd was here in force - all partying in either Cafe Natur or Glitnir bar. It's like a community of followers when you support Northern Ireland. It's all a bit crazy. The fans like Toddy, Glenda, Shaun Schofield, Jonny Blair, Karen Turkington, Sinti, they were all here to party in Toshavn. It was five years ago that La La Lafferty had bagged a goal in a 1-1 draw, at the time that was a shock result.
On the music decks was Jim Rainey who was there in 1982 when Northern Ireland shocked the football world. A lad called Justin from Ballyclare spun the decks with Moby Andrew Milliken in the bar round the corner and these Ulster boys were here to party. These are the same fans that have supported the team for years and years.
"It's the Ulster boys making all the noise everywhere we go" - Northern Ireland fans
It was time for the big match and we don't win many away matches - the home wins are important, but it is the away wins that are the clinchers. In the 1980s we beat Romania 1-0 and then even got a 0-0 draw in England, which are really good results and helped our qualification for the World Cup.
"I still love you the girl from Mars" - a song by Tim Wheeler from Ash
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