Sammy Hatton
Encyclopedia
Sammy Hatton was a Northern Irish
footballer
who played in the Irish League
as a centre-half with Linfield
in the 1960s. He won two international caps for Northern Ireland
. He also played for the Northern Ireland amateur team and earned one cap for the Irish League representative side.
He made his name with Ards
, for whom he was the club's player of the year in 1960/61, after which he was signed by Linfield. In his first season at Windsor Park
, he was part of Linfield's seven-trophy-winning team, playing 52 games and winning the League title, the Irish Cup
, City Cup
, Ulster Cup
, Gold Cup
, County Antrim Shield
and North-South Cup
. The following season, he won two international caps, being called into the Northern Ireland team to replace Terry Neill
for 2-0 European Nations Cup
victory against Poland
in Katowice
, and again for the Home International
match that year against Scotland
. That season also saw a second Irish Cup winner's medal; a competition which he won for a third time in his last season, 1969/70. He also won two further Irish League championships: in 1965/66 and 1968/69.
In 1967/68 he was named Ulster Footballer of the Year
.
In 1970, he was released by Linfield, but stayed on as a youth coach. From 1972-73 he coached the first team.
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...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who played in the Irish League
IFA Premiership
The IFA Premiership – formerly the Irish Premier League, and before that the Irish Football League–and still known in popular parlance simply as the Irish League, is the national football league in Northern Ireland, and was historically the league for the whole of Ireland. Clubs in the league are...
as a centre-half with Linfield
Linfield F.C.
Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team....
in the 1960s. He won two international caps for 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...
. He also played for the Northern Ireland amateur team and earned one cap for the Irish League representative side.
He made his name with Ards
Ards F.C.
Ards F.C. is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in IFA Championship 1. The club, founded in 1900, is from Newtownards, but plays its home matches at Dixon Park in Ballyclare, which it shares with Ballyclare Comrades...
, for whom he was the club's player of the year in 1960/61, after which he was signed by Linfield. In his first season at 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:...
, he was part of Linfield's seven-trophy-winning team, playing 52 games and winning the League title, the Irish Cup
Irish Cup
For the equivalent tournament in the Republic of Ireland, see FAI Cup.The Irish Cup is the national cup knock-out competition in Northern Irish football. Inaugurated in 1881, it is the fourth oldest national cup competition in the world...
, City Cup
City Cup (Northern Ireland)
The City Cup is a now-defunct cup competition which involved competitors from Northern Ireland. It was run by the Irish Football Association. It had previously been known as the Dunville Cup and ceased to exist in 1976...
, Ulster Cup
Ulster Cup
The Ulster Cup was an annual football competition held by the Irish Football League for senior clubs. It was held on fifty-one occasions until being suspended after the 1998/99 season and discontinued after a one-off re-appearance in 2002/03. The last three editions were only open to First...
, Gold Cup
Gold Cup (Northern Ireland)
The Gold Cup is a now-defunct cup competition which involved competitors from Ireland and from 1921 onwards, just for Northern Ireland. It was initially run by the New Irish Football Association but later, and mainly, by the Irish Football Association....
, County Antrim Shield
County Antrim Shield
The County Antrim Shield is a football competition in Northern Ireland. The competition is open to senior teams who are members of the North East Ulster Football Association , often plus intermediate teams who...
and North-South Cup
North-South Cup
The North-South Cup was a short-lived all-Ireland football tournament. It was played for two seasons in the 1960s and on both occasions won by teams from Northern Ireland.-Finals:-Note:...
. The following season, he won two international caps, being called into the Northern Ireland team to replace Terry Neill
Terry Neill
William John Terence "Terry" Neill is a Northern Ireland former football player and manager.-Playing career:Born in Belfast, Neill played as a youth for Bangor, before moving in December 1959 to Arsenal. He spent a year in Arsenal's youth side, before making his debut against Sheffield Wednesday...
for 2-0 European Nations Cup
European Championship
-List:Athletics* European Athletics ChampionshipsAustralian rules football* EU CupAuto racing* European Championship * European Formula Two Championship * European Touring Car Championship...
victory against Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
in Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
, and again for the Home International
British Championship
The British Championship is the most prestigious ice hockey cup competition in the United Kingdom, and also the longest established ice hockey competition. It has been run under various formats and titles since 1930 and contested annually since 1966...
match that year 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...
. That season also saw a second Irish Cup winner's medal; a competition which he won for a third time in his last season, 1969/70. He also won two further Irish League championships: in 1965/66 and 1968/69.
In 1967/68 he was named Ulster Footballer of the Year
Ulster Footballer of the Year
The Ulster Footballer of the Year is the older of two association football player of the year awards in Northern Ireland. It is awarded by Castlereagh Glentoran Supporters' Club to the player who is adjudged by an independent committee to have been the best of the season in the IFA Premiership...
.
In 1970, he was released by Linfield, but stayed on as a youth coach. From 1972-73 he coached the first team.