Peter McParland facts for kids
McParland in 2013
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Peter James McParland | ||
| Date of birth | 25 April 1934 | ||
| Place of birth | Newry, Northern Ireland | ||
| Date of death | 4 May 2025 (aged 91) | ||
| Position(s) | Outside left | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1951–1952 | Dundalk | 14 | (2) |
| 1952–1962 | Aston Villa | 293 | (98) |
| 1962–1963 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 21 | (10) |
| 1963–1964 | Plymouth Argyle | 38 | (15) |
| 1964–1965 | Worcester City | (11) | |
| 1965 | Toronto Inter-Roma | ||
| 1965 | Peterborough United | 0 | (0) |
| 1965–1967 | Worcester City | (7) | |
| 1967–1968 | Atlanta Chiefs | 54 | (14) |
| 1968–1971 | Glentoran | 7 | (3) |
| Total | 427 | (160) | |
| International career | |||
| 1954–1962 | Northern Ireland | 34 | (10) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1968–1971 | Glentoran | ||
| 1980 | Hong Kong | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Peter James McParland (born April 25, 1934 – died May 4, 2025) was a famous Northern Irish footballer. He played as an outside left, which is a forward position on the wing.
Peter McParland was the last surviving member of the Aston Villa team that won the FA Cup in 1957. In that important game, he scored two goals! He made history as the first player to score in and win both of England's main domestic cup finals.
McParland also played for the Northern Ireland national team. He earned 34 "caps" (appearances) and scored 10 international goals. He scored five goals in the 1958 FIFA World Cup, helping his team reach the quarter-finals. This makes him Northern Ireland's top scorer in a World Cup tournament. His international captain, Danny Blanchflower, who is in the English Football Hall of Fame, called McParland "the finest ever inside forward in British football."
Contents
Club Football Career
Peter McParland was born in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland.
Starting at Dundalk
He began his football journey playing for Dundalk in the League of Ireland. It was there that Aston Villa manager George Martin noticed his talent.
Aston Villa: A Football Legend
McParland was known for being great at heading the ball and striking it powerfully. He holds a special place in English football history. He was the first player to score in and win both of England's major knockout cup finals.
- FA Cup Victory (1957): During his time with Aston Villa, McParland won the FA Cup in 1957. He scored two goals in the final against the strong team of Manchester United. In that game, he was involved in an incident where he shoulder-charged the Manchester United goalkeeper, Ray Wood. At the time, this was allowed. Wood was left unconscious with a broken cheekbone. McParland was very kind to Wood after this, and they remained friends. After the sad Munich air disaster, McParland was one of the people who carried the coffin at the funeral of player Duncan Edwards.
- League Cup Success (1961): McParland also helped Aston Villa win the Second Division title in 1960. He then won the Football League Cup in 1961. He scored in the second game of the 1961 League Cup Final. Aston Villa was losing 2–0 from the first game but came back to win the second game 3–0 at Villa Park. This made them the first winners of the Football League Cup.
After the death of Bobby Charlton in October 2023, Peter McParland became the last surviving player from the 1957 FA Cup Final.
Later Clubs and Coaching
After leaving Aston Villa, McParland played for Wolverhampton Wanderers for a short time in 1962. He scored 10 goals in 21 games there. The next season, he moved to Plymouth Argyle. He also played for Worcester City in the Southern League.
In 1965, McParland played for Toronto Inter-Roma FC in Canada. He scored many memorable goals there. Later, he played for the Atlanta Chiefs in the North American Soccer League in 1967 and 1968. He finished his career as a player-manager for Glentoran.
International Football Career
Peter McParland scored two goals in his first game for Northern Ireland against Wales in the 1953–54 season. He played very well for Northern Ireland in the 1958 FIFA World Cup. He scored five goals in that tournament, helping his team reach the quarter-finals against France.
In April 2015, a documentary film called Spirit of '58 was shown. It featured Peter McParland and other surviving players from that 1958 team. The film told the story of Northern Ireland's journey in the 1950s, leading up to the 1958 World Cup. After Billy Bingham passed away in June 2022, McParland was the last surviving member of the Northern Ireland team that played in the 1958 FIFA World Cup.
A team supporter named Billy Hunter shared how kind McParland was to him during the 1958 World Cup Finals.
Peter McParland's Passing
Peter McParland passed away on May 4, 2025, at the age of 91.
Career Achievements
Aston Villa
- FA Cup, 1956–57
- Football League Cup, 1960–61
See also
In Spanish: Peter McParland para niños
