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) | ||
| Playing position | 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) | |
| National team | |||
| 1954–1962 | Northern Ireland | 34 | (10) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1968–1971 | Glentoran | ||
| 1980 | Hong Kong | ||
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Peter James McParland (born April 25, 1934 – died May 4, 2025) was a famous Northern Irish footballer. He played as an outside left, which means he was a forward player on the left side of the field.
Peter McParland was the last living player from the Aston Villa team that won the FA Cup in 1957. He also played 34 games for the Northern Ireland national team. He scored 10 goals for his country. One of his most important goals helped Northern Ireland reach the quarter-finals of the 1958 World Cup. He is still Northern Ireland's top scorer in a World Cup tournament.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Starting at Dundalk
Peter McParland was born in Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland. He started his football career playing for Dundalk in the League of Ireland. The manager of Aston Villa, George Martin, noticed his talent there.
Time at Aston Villa
Peter McParland was known for being good at heading the ball and shooting. He made history in English football. He was the first player to score in and win both of England's main knockout cup finals.
In 1957, he helped Aston Villa win the FA Cup in 1957. He scored two goals in the final match against Manchester United. Early in that game, he was involved in an incident where he bumped into the Manchester United goalkeeper, Ray Wood. The goalkeeper was hurt and had a broken cheekbone.
McParland also helped Aston Villa win the Second Division title in 1960. A year later, in 1961, they won the Football League Cup. He scored in the second game of the 1961 League Cup Final. Aston Villa came back from being 2-0 down to win 3-0 at Villa Park. This made them the first team to ever win the Football League Cup.
After Bobby Charlton passed away in October 2023, Peter McParland became the last living player from the 1957 FA Cup Final.
Later Clubs
After leaving Aston Villa, McParland played for Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1962. He scored 10 goals in 21 games during his short time there. The next season, he moved to Plymouth Argyle. This was his last club in the English league.
In 1965, he played for Toronto Inter-Roma FC in Canada. He scored many important goals for them. Later, he played for the Atlanta Chiefs in the North American Soccer League in 1967 and 1968. He finished his playing career as a player-manager for Glentoran. This meant he played for the team and also managed them.
Playing for Northern Ireland
McParland scored two goals in his first game for Northern Ireland against Wales in 1953–54. He played very well in the 1958 FIFA World Cup. He scored five goals in that tournament. His goals helped his team reach the quarter-finals, where they played against France.
In 2015, a film called Spirit of '58 was shown. It was about Northern Ireland's journey in the 1950s, leading up to the 1958 World Cup. Peter McParland was a big part of the film, along with other players from that team. After Billy Bingham died in 2022, McParland was the last living member of the Northern Ireland team from the 1958 FIFA World Cup.
Personal Life
Peter McParland passed away in May 2025, at the age of 91.
Honours
Aston Villa
- FA Cup: 1956–57
- Football League Cup: 1960–61
See also
In Spanish: Peter McParland para niños
