Norman Uprichard
Encyclopedia
William Norman McCourt Uprichard (20 April 1928 – 31 January 2011) was a football player for Arsenal
, Portsmouth
, Swindon Town
and Northern Ireland
.
, Northern Ireland
, and as a teenager played both soccer and Gaelic football
. He won a district minor league medal with a GAC, but was subsequently banned by the GAA
and told he would not receive his medal because he had signed for Glenavon
. The GAA's 'rule 27' prohibited adult members at the time from playing or watching so-called foreign games. Uprichard was finally awarded his medal in 2004.
before signing for Arsenal
in 1948 for £1,500. He never played an Arsenal first-team game, with Ted Platt
and George Swindin
being higher in the pecking order. He was transferred to Swindon Town
in November 1949, later becoming the first choice goalkeeper.
Uprichard was featured in the 2002 book Swindon Town Football Club 100 Greats
by Richard (Dick) Mattick, a book that lists the 100 Swindon Town players that Mattick considered to be greatest. The 1952–53
season was his last at Swindon before his transfer to Portsmouth
in November 1952.
Uprichard was Eddie Lever
's first signing as Pompey manager. He was later followed by Derek Dougan
from Distillery. Uprichard played nearly 200 first-team games for Portsmouth in seven seasons. He later played for Southend United
, Hastings United
and Ramsgate Athletic.
, the first coming against Scotland
in 1951. He played in the 1958 World Cup Finals
in Sweden
alongside Billy Bingham
, Jimmy McIlroy
and Danny Blanchflower
. Despite sustaining a broken hand and an ankle injury, he kept the Czechoslovakia
attack at bay in a play-off win which secured Northern Ireland a quarter-final berth.
His final game for Northern Ireland was, like his first, against Scotland, in November 1958.
Norman died on Monday the 31st January 2011 after a long illness.
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
and Northern Ireland
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...
.
Gaelic football career
Uprichard was born in LurganLurgan
Lurgan is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town is near the southern shore of Lough Neagh and in the north-eastern corner of the county. Part of the Craigavon Borough Council area, Lurgan is about 18 miles south-west of Belfast and is linked to the city by both the M1 motorway...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, and as a teenager played both soccer and Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
. He won a district minor league medal with a GAC, but was subsequently banned by the GAA
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
and told he would not receive his medal because he had signed for Glenavon
Glenavon F.C.
Glenavon F.C. is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1889, hails from Lurgan and plays its home matches at Mourneview Park...
. The GAA's 'rule 27' prohibited adult members at the time from playing or watching so-called foreign games. Uprichard was finally awarded his medal in 2004.
Club career
Uprichard played in goal for Glenavon and later for DistilleryLisburn Distillery F.C.
Lisburn Distillery is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1880, originated in west Belfast, where it was based at Grosvenor Park at Distillery Street off the Grosvenor Road until 1971...
before signing for Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in 1948 for £1,500. He never played an Arsenal first-team game, with Ted Platt
Ted Platt
Edward "Ted" Platt is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.-Career:Born in Romford, Platt spent his early career with Colchester United of the Southern League, before moving to Arsenal in 1938. Platt made his debut for Arsenal in 1946, and made a total of 53...
and George Swindin
George Swindin
George Hedley Swindin was an English football player and manager.-Playing career:A goalkeeper, Swindin was born in Campsall, Doncaster, Yorkshire. He played as an amateur for various local clubs, including Rotherham United, before turning professional in 1934 with Bradford City...
being higher in the pecking order. He was transferred to Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
in November 1949, later becoming the first choice goalkeeper.
Uprichard was featured in the 2002 book Swindon Town Football Club 100 Greats
Swindon Town Football Club 100 Greats
Swindon Town Football Club: 100 Greats is a book by Richard Mattick published in 2002.The book lists the 100 Swindon Town players that Mattick considered to be greatest...
by Richard (Dick) Mattick, a book that lists the 100 Swindon Town players that Mattick considered to be greatest. The 1952–53
1952-53 in English football
The 1952–53 season was the 73rd season of competitive football in England.-Events:This was the closest championship win in English league history at the time, with Arsenal claiming the title by just 0.099 of a goal. Both Arsenal and Preston had identical records aside from their goal averages...
season was his last at Swindon before his transfer to Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
in November 1952.
Uprichard was Eddie Lever
Eddie Lever
Eddie Lever was the manager of the English football club Portsmouth F.C. from 1952-1958. Lever took over at Pompey in 1952 after championship-winning manager Bob Jackson joined Hull City. He is credited with discovering a 16-year old Jimmy Dickinson in the early 1940s....
's first signing as Pompey manager. He was later followed by Derek Dougan
Derek Dougan
Alexander Derek Dougan was a former Northern Ireland international footballer who played for Wolverhampton Wanderers....
from Distillery. Uprichard played nearly 200 first-team games for Portsmouth in seven seasons. He later played for Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
, Hastings United
Hastings United F.C.
Hastings United is a semi-professional English football club who currently play in the Isthmian League Premier Division and are affiliated to the Sussex County Football Association and the Hastings Football Association....
and Ramsgate Athletic.
International career
Uprichard was awarded 18 senior international caps for Northern IrelandNorthern 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...
, the first coming against Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
in 1951. He played in the 1958 World Cup Finals
1958 FIFA World Cup
The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
alongside Billy Bingham
Billy Bingham
William Laurence "Billy" Bingham, MBE is a former international footballer and football manager. He is currently a scout for English Football League Championship side Burnley....
, Jimmy McIlroy
Jimmy McIlroy
James "Jimmy" McIlroy MBE is a former football player, regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Burnley Football Club.-At Burnley:...
and Danny Blanchflower
Danny Blanchflower
Robert Dennis "Danny" Blanchflower was a former Northern Ireland international footballer and football manager, and journalist who captained Tottenham Hotspur F.C. during its double-winning season of 1961. He was ranked as the greatest player in Spurs history by The Times in 2009...
. Despite sustaining a broken hand and an ankle injury, he kept the Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia national football team
The Czechoslovakia national football team was the national association football team of Czechoslovakia from 1922 to 1993. At the dissolution of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992, the team was participating in UEFA qualifying Group 4 for the 1994 World Cup; it completed this campaign under the name...
attack at bay in a play-off win which secured Northern Ireland a quarter-final berth.
His final game for Northern Ireland was, like his first, against Scotland, in November 1958.
Norman died on Monday the 31st January 2011 after a long illness.