Tommy Cassidy facts for kids

Thomas Cassidy (born 18 November 1950 – died August 2024) was a famous Northern Ireland footballer. He played as a midfielder, which is a player who helps both attack and defend.

Tommy Cassidy played for several clubs during his career. These included Glentoran, Newcastle United, Burnley, and APOEL Nicosia. He also played 24 games for the Northern Ireland national team. He was part of the team that reached the second round of the 1982 FIFA World Cup.

After he stopped playing, Cassidy became a football manager. He managed teams like Ards, Sligo Rovers, Workington, Whitby Town, and Blyth Spartans.

Tommy Cassidy's Playing Career

Early Days in Belfast

Tommy Cassidy was born in Belfast on 18 November 1950. As a young player, he was a striker and made a big impression in the Irish League. In 1969, he scored three goals in the City Cup (Northern Ireland) Final. His team, Glentoran, won the match 7–1 against Bangor.

Soon after, Newcastle United noticed his talent. They offered £15,000 to sign him. In October 1970, Cassidy joined the English First Division club. He had only played 14 senior games for Glentoran before this big move.

Life at Newcastle United

Cassidy made his first appearance for Newcastle on 7 November 1970. It was a 2–0 loss against Southampton. It took him three seasons to become a regular player for Newcastle.

Before becoming a regular, he played in the 1973 Anglo-Italian Cup Final. Newcastle won 2–1 against Fiorentina. By this time, he was playing more as an attacking midfielder. In his first full season (1973–74), he helped Newcastle win the Texaco Cup. They also reached the FA Cup Final, but lost to Liverpool.

The next season, Cassidy had some injuries. He played only nine league games. However, he did play in the first game of the Texaco Cup Final. Newcastle won the trophy again, beating Southampton 3–1. The season after, Newcastle played in another final at Wembley. They lost 2–1 to Manchester City in the League Cup.

Playing for Northern Ireland

Cassidy's international career began in 1971. He came on as a substitute for Northern Ireland against England. The next season, he played as a substitute in a European Championship game.

His big breakthrough with Northern Ireland came in 1973–74. In his fourth game, his first as a starter, he scored the only goal. Northern Ireland won 1–0 against Scotland. This was his only goal for his country.

Throughout the mid-1970s, Cassidy played regularly for Northern Ireland. He later had a disagreement with manager Danny Blanchflower. This kept him out of the team for two years. However, he returned for Blanchflower's last few matches. He started in a 5–1 loss to England. He also came off the bench in a 1–0 win against the Republic of Ireland.

Later Career and World Cup Glory

By 1980, injuries had affected Cassidy's speed. He started playing more as a defensive midfielder. When Billy Bingham became Northern Ireland manager, he used Cassidy in this role. This allowed other attacking players to shine. Cassidy played a key part in Northern Ireland winning the 1980 Home Nation Championship. This was the first time they won it in 66 years.

Cassidy's last season for Newcastle was 1979–1980. He scored two important goals that year. One was a 20-yard shot against Queens Park Rangers. The other was a long-range goal against Sunderland on New Year's Day. He later said this goal was very memorable for him.

In 1980, Cassidy moved to Burnley for £30,000. This move did not immediately hurt his international career. However, the Northern Ireland manager started to prefer players from higher divisions.

In November 1981, Cassidy was called up for a crucial World Cup Qualifier against Israel. Northern Ireland needed to win to get to the World Cup in Spain. They won 1–0, and Cassidy joined the squad for the Finals. In Spain, he played once, coming on as a substitute. He helped his team in their famous 1–0 win over the host nation, Spain. This was a great way to end his international career.

After helping Burnley win the Third Division title, Cassidy left English football in 1983. He moved to APOEL in Cyprus. There, he won the Cypriot Cup and the Super Cup.

Tommy Cassidy's Managerial Career

Managing in Cyprus and England

After retiring as a player, Cassidy became a manager. He managed APOEL in Cyprus. He led them to win the Cypriot League Championship. He later left the club.

He then returned to England to manage Gateshead. In 1994, he went back to manage his old club, Glentoran, in Northern Ireland. He helped them win the Gold Cup early on. His time at Glentoran was sometimes difficult. They lost some cup finals and had expensive player transfers that did not work out. However, they did win the Irish Cup Final in 1996. Cassidy left Glentoran in December 1997.

In 1998, Cassidy became manager of Ards. He was sacked in October 1999, even though the team was second in the First Division.

Managing in Ireland and Later Years

Less than a month later, Cassidy took charge of Sligo Rovers. In his first home game, Sligo lost 5–3. Cassidy was sent off during the match [1]. He could not save them from being relegated that season. The next year, Sligo just missed out on promotion. Cassidy left the club that summer [2].

He then briefly worked as a scout for the Northern Ireland manager. Later, he returned to management with Workington. He led them to promotion in 2004. The next season, they were promoted again to the Football Conference Northern Division.

On 16 December 2011, he joined Blyth Spartans as manager. However, he was sacked by the club in October 2012.

Personal Life and Passing

In 2021, it was shared that Tommy Cassidy was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. He passed away from the disease on 2 August 2024, at the age of 73.

Honours and Achievements

As a Player

Glentoran

• City Cup: 1969–70

Newcastle United

• Anglo-Italian Cup: 1973
• Texaco Cup: 1973–74, 1974–75
• FA Cup runner-up: 1973–74

Burnley

• Football League Third Division: 1981–82

APOEL

• Cypriot Cup: 1983–84
• LTV Super Cup: 1984

As a Manager

APOEL

• Cypriot First Division: 1985–86
• LTV Super Cup: 1986

Glentoran

• Irish Cup: 1995–96
• Gold Cup: 1994–95

See also

In Spanish: Tommy Cassidy para niños