Green and white army
Encyclopedia
The Green and White Army is the name given to the very noisy and energetic fans that follow the Northern Ireland national football team
. Famed for their passionate support, the Green and White Army turn every Northern Ireland match, whether home or away, into a sea of green.
With the backing of the Green and White Army, Windsor Park
, the home of the Northern Ireland national football team
has built up a reputation of having one of the most vociferous and vocal support of any footballing nation. Often, the support at Windsor Park is referred to as the teams "12th man"
. After Northern Ireland beat England
1-0 at Windsor Park on the 7th September 2005, the manager Lawrie Sanchez
said "The fans were also magnificent and we played with an extra man - they raised the team, they believed in the team and the team gave it back in bundles."
Despite the ferocious backing they give to their own team, the Green and White Army are also renowned for their friendliness. When the Green and White Army visited Poland
during the 2006 World Cup Qualifiers
more than 1,000 of them peacefully took over the city square in Warsaw
. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves and showed what sporting occasions should be like. After the match, "Polish supporters united to clap the Green and White army as they left the ground."
The Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters clubs acts as the recognised voice of the Green and White Army and co-ordinates many activities on their behalf. The Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs promotes and encourages camaraderie between fans, has been at the centre of creating a carnival atmosphere on match days (most notably through the creation of a recognised singing section for member clubs at Windsor Park) and has been instrumental in raising the profile of the Green And White Army in Northern Ireland and across Europe. In addition, it regularly articulates the views of fans to the Irish Football Association and liaises with other fans groups such as the and FSF
. The group was formed in 1999, initially to co-ordinate the activities of the various independent supporters clubs which existed at the time, but has now evolved into a much larger organisation which represents over 60 clubs with over 2,000 members.
The GAWA (Green and White Army) received recognition for the good work they've done in promoting "football for all" in Northern Ireland by being awarded the internationally recognised, Brussels International Supporters Award. The award was presented to representatives of the Northern Ireland supporters on the 6th September 2006, the same day Northern Ireland played against Spain
and won 3-2, which was one of their greatest victories in recent years.
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
. Famed for their passionate support, the Green and White Army turn every Northern Ireland match, whether home or away, into a sea of green.
With the backing of the Green and White Army, Windsor Park
Windsor Park
Windsor Park is a football stadium in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the home ground of Linfield F.C. and the Northern Ireland national football team. It is also where the Irish Cup and Irish League Cup finals are played.-History:...
, the home of the Northern Ireland national football team
Northern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
has built up a reputation of having one of the most vociferous and vocal support of any footballing nation. Often, the support at Windsor Park is referred to as the teams "12th man"
12th Man (football)
The 12th man or 12th player is a term used to describe the fans within a stadium during association football or American football games. This term has a different meaning in cricket, referring to the first substitute player who fields when a member of the fielding side is injured...
. After Northern Ireland beat England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
1-0 at Windsor Park on the 7th September 2005, the manager Lawrie Sanchez
Lawrie Sanchez
Lawrence Philip "Lawrie" Sanchez is a former Northern Irish football manager, and a former player. He is currently the manager of League Two side Barnet...
said "The fans were also magnificent and we played with an extra man - they raised the team, they believed in the team and the team gave it back in bundles."
Despite the ferocious backing they give to their own team, the Green and White Army are also renowned for their friendliness. When the Green and White Army visited Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
during the 2006 World Cup Qualifiers
2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
A total of 197 teams entered the qualification process for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, competing for a total of 32 spots in the final tournament. Germany, as the host, qualified automatically, leaving 31 spots open for competition...
more than 1,000 of them peacefully took over the city square in Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
. They thoroughly enjoyed themselves and showed what sporting occasions should be like. After the match, "Polish supporters united to clap the Green and White army as they left the ground."
The Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters clubs acts as the recognised voice of the Green and White Army and co-ordinates many activities on their behalf. The Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs promotes and encourages camaraderie between fans, has been at the centre of creating a carnival atmosphere on match days (most notably through the creation of a recognised singing section for member clubs at Windsor Park) and has been instrumental in raising the profile of the Green And White Army in Northern Ireland and across Europe. In addition, it regularly articulates the views of fans to the Irish Football Association and liaises with other fans groups such as the and FSF
Football Supporters' Federation
The Football Supporters' Federation is an organisation representing football fans in England and Wales. It campaigns across a range of issues and supports fan representation on clubs' boards, lower ticket prices, and the reintroduction of safe standing areas at grounds in the top two tiers of...
. The group was formed in 1999, initially to co-ordinate the activities of the various independent supporters clubs which existed at the time, but has now evolved into a much larger organisation which represents over 60 clubs with over 2,000 members.
The GAWA (Green and White Army) received recognition for the good work they've done in promoting "football for all" in Northern Ireland by being awarded the internationally recognised, Brussels International Supporters Award. The award was presented to representatives of the Northern Ireland supporters on the 6th September 2006, the same day Northern Ireland played against Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
and won 3-2, which was one of their greatest victories in recent years.