Euro 2022: Northern Ireland’s rise from the ashes to make history

“We played Scotland in November 2000 and they beat us 9-0. By the time we got back to Belfast the Irish FA had got rid of the senior team.”

The final whistle at Seaview on Tuesday felt like a seismic moment for Northern Irish football.

The outpouring of emotion was not the work of one campaign, it involved a nation rising from the ashes.

At the turn of the century, the IFA decided to invest in youth. The senior team had been absent for almost four years when a promising group of players – including Julie Nelson, Sarah McFadden, Ashley Hutton and Marissa Callaghan – were ready to step up from the under-19s.

Sara Booth, who was at the peak of her career when the senior team was scrapped, and NIFWA chairwoman Maura Muldoon pushed for change.

“We brought a paper to the IFA saying if a senior team wasn’t created tomorrow, the girls would defect to the Republic of Ireland,” she said.

“The next morning we had a team and a budget of £100,000.”

Special group of players

Despite the investment from the IFA, finances were still required to get the team off the ground.

“We had to do fundraisers, search for sponsorship and sell raffle tickets,” added Booth, who said the players had to pay £150 to compete in the Algarve Cup in 2004.

“I remember packing the bags and ironing the kit. It’s night and day to what they get now.”

With a young and enthusiastic team, NI took part in their first competitive match since 1991 in the World Cup qualifiers in 2005.

Rachel Furness, a star of the current team, netted their first competitive goal against Romania that October and hit the winner against Slovakia the following month. Pre-qualifying for the Euros in 2009 was a small, yet vital step which kept momentum moving in the right direction.

Despite missing out on several years at senior level, Booth admits the IFA made “100% the right decision” to refocus their attentions to the youth set up.

“There has been 16 years of investment in those players,” she said.

“It has paid dividends and there is a whole generation coming in behind because of what the IFA has done.”

The game changer

After hanging up her boots, Booth was tournament director when the Under-19 European Championships came to Northern Ireland in 2017.

Progress had been made with women’s football in Northern Ireland, but the tournament was about to take the country by storm and more than 5,000 fans attended NI’s opening game against Spain at Windsor Park.

“The tournament created a huge buzz and a competition of that scale was a catalyst,” said Booth, who joined Fifa as head of women’s football competitions after leaving the IFA in 2018.

“It was a platform to showcase those players and it put women’s football on the map.”

Crusaders Strikers forward Emily Wilson featured in the tournament in 2017, then aged just 15, and graduated to the senior team for the crucial Euro 2022 qualifiers against Belarus and the Faroes.

“So many more girls have got involved – younger girls in schools, academy football and older girls who hadn’t thought of playing,” said the 19-year-old.

“The Euros had a lot to do with that. The build-up was massive and the number of girls who came to that first game at Windsor was incredible.”

Made in the Irish League

Of the 29 players used by Kenny Shiels in the Euro 2022 qualifying campaign, 20 of them have played in the Irish League during his 18-month tenure.

The talent in the domestic league has been a crucial cog in Shiels’ well-oiled machine. His squad has the perfect blend of youth and experience.

Wilson made her first-team debut at Crusaders at 14 and says playing senior football at a young age benefits the national team.

“You are always learning when you are around girls who are so experienced. It makes you a better player,” she said.

“The league has improved dramatically and the competition is only growing at both club and country.

“I’ve been doing well for Crusaders and it was great that Kenny had that belief in me.

“For him to start me for both of those games just shows how much faith and trust he has in his players.”

The best is yet to come

There is growing momentum around this Northern Ireland side and Booth feels that “this is only the start”.

“You can’t help but fall in love with this exciting group of players,” said Booth, who praised Shiels’ positive style of football.

“You’d love to turn back time for the experienced players. They have shaped the new generation, and hopefully that will carry on to the generation after them, and so on.

“There has been breath-taking progress on the pitch but I don’t think you will ever change the passion or commitment. It’s in Northern Ireland’s DNA.

“They will fancy their chances and if they qualify it will be like Euro 2016. It united everyone and the women can carry the hopes of a nation.”

Wilson also feels that reaching the play-off is a “massive moment” and says the impact of the likes of Nelson, Hutton and Callaghan cannot be understated.

“A lot of girls can see that you can achieve whatever you put your mind to,” she added.

“The experienced players are an inspiration to the younger players. They have achieved so many things in their careers.

“You could see the emotion in their faces and how much it means to them.

“There are big things to come. This is the first time this has happened so I can’t wait to see what the future holds. I think it’s going to be something special.”