From Wembley glory to Woodvale – the football legends who swapped goals for wickets

WOODVALE Cricket Club can boast one of the most remarkable footballing connections in Irish sport, having fielded not one but two FA Cup Final goalscorers among their ranks.

Sammy Smyth and the legendary Jackie Milburn both enjoyed their finest hours at Wembley before swapping football boots for cricket whites at the Ballygomartin Road club.

Add in Billy McCleery, a dual international who achieved extraordinary success in both sports, and Woodvale's association with the beautiful game is one that few cricket clubs anywhere could hope to match.

Smyth was one of the heroes of Wolverhampton Wanderers' 1949 FA Cup triumph, scoring in their 3-1 Wembley victory over Leicester City. The Belfast-born forward had joined Wolves in 1947 for £1,100 following spells with Distillery, Linfield and Dundela, and quickly established himself as an important member of Stan Cullis's side.

He proved the difference in their dramatic semi-final encounters against Manchester United, scoring in the initial 1-1 draw before grabbing the winner four minutes from time in the replay at Goodison Park, watched by more than 72,000 spectators.

Wolves faced Leicester in the final, with Jesse Pye scoring twice to establish a 2-0 interval lead. Leicester pulled one back, but Smyth settled matters with a wonderful individual goal to secure the trophy. His subsequent career took him to Stoke City and Liverpool before returning to Northern Ireland, having won nine international caps and scored five goals.

Yet Smyth was equally at home behind the stumps, keeping wicket for Woodvale and featuring in their 1952 NCU Challenge Cup triumph over Armagh. His younger brother Jackie followed in his footsteps, also keeping wicket and playing in Woodvale's 1961 final defeat by Lisburn.

If Smyth's Wembley achievements were impressive, those of Jackie Milburn were positively legendary. The Newcastle United icon collected three FA Cup winners' medals in five seasons, scoring twice in the 2-0 victory over Blackpool in 1951.

That final had been billed as an opportunity for Stanley Matthews to showcase his extraordinary talents, but Milburn stole the headlines with two second-half goals. Even Matthews reportedly acknowledged afterwards that it had been Milburn's match.

A year later Newcastle defeated Arsenal 1-0 through a late George Robledo goal, before Milburn again made Wembley history in 1955. Just 45 seconds had elapsed when he headed Newcastle in front against Manchester City, setting an FA Cup Final record that stood until 1997 when Chelsea's Roberto Di Matteo bettered it as they beat Middlesborough. Newcastle eventually won 3-1, completing a remarkable hat-trick of cup triumphs.

Milburn's association with Woodvale began after his arrival at Linfield as player-manager in 1957. He became an instant favourite at Windsor Park, winning nine trophies during his three-year spell and finishing as the Irish League's leading goalscorer in successive seasons.

Such was the close connection between the football and cricket clubs that the familiar routine for many supporters was 'Linfield in the winter and Woodvale in the summer.'

It was only natural, therefore, that 'Wor Jackie' should find himself turning out for Woodvale. He is pictured in a 1957 Woodvale side alongside George Uprichard, George Wilson and the Reverend Ronnie Craig.

His appearance created enormous excitement, with supporters flocking to see the Newcastle legend in the unlikely surroundings of a Belfast cricket ground. The superstar's batting, however, didn't quite match his footballing exploits. He managed a solitary run before being dismissed, although that mattered little to the delighted spectators.

For Billy McCleery, however, cricket was far more than a summer diversion. The Belfast-born all-rounder was one of the finest players of his generation, appearing in an astonishing 14 NCU Challenge Cup finals with Lisburn, Ulster and Woodvale, collecting nine winners' medals.

A stylish, attacking batsman and lively fast-medium bowler, McCleery was a genuine match-winner whose appearances invariably attracted considerable interest. He represented Ireland at cricket, making his debut against Sir Julien Cahn's XI at Ormeau in July 1930.

His football career was equally distinguished. After beginning with Cliftonville and Queen's Island, he earned a move to Blackburn Rovers, where he established himself in the first team before injury interrupted his progress. A spell with Shelbourne followed before he joined Linfield, where he enjoyed outstanding success, collecting four Irish League titles and four Irish Cups.

Indeed, the story goes that his Woodvale cricket subscription helped persuade him to return to Windsor Park, underlining the close relationship between the two clubs. McCleery also represented Ireland at football and later managed Linfield. One of his proudest managerial achievements came in April 1956 when he guided an Irish League representative side to a stunning 5-2 victory over the Football League at Windsor Park. Few sportsmen could match his record of success across two entirely different games.

And Woodvale's remarkable footballing connections form part of a wider Irish cricket tradition.

Another FA Cup-winning captain, Noel Cantwell, was an accomplished cricketer who represented Ireland five times between 1956 and 1959. The Corkman, a left-handed batsman and right-arm medium pacer, played for Bohemians and Cork County while building an outstanding football career.

After impressing at West Ham, he joined Manchester United and captained them to a 3-1 FA Cup Final victory over Leicester City in 1963. He also won 36 international football caps for the Republic of Ireland before moving into management with Coventry City and Peterborough United.

And even England international Dennis Tueart had an unlikely connection with North-West cricket. Tueart was already an FA Cup winner with Sunderland in 1973 before producing one of Wembley's most spectacular goals three years later. His sensational overhead kick secured Manchester City's 2-1 victory over Newcastle United in the 1976 League Cup Final, an unforgettable strike that became a regular feature of television football highlights. He later appeared in City's 1981 FA Cup Final replay defeat by Tottenham Hotspur.

His cricketing connection came during the 1970s when he turned out in a game for Ardmore, having been friendly with Eamon McLaughlin from their Sunderland days. It was another reminder of an era when footballers regularly spent their summers enjoying cricket, and the boundaries between the two sports were considerably less rigid than today.

Ireland Women international Mary Waldron was also a fine footballer as well as cricketer. She in fact won four FAI cup medals with three different clubs, scoring an injury time winner in the 2008 final, as well as being on the scoresheet in 2011.

Few clubs though can rival Woodvale's remarkable roll of honour. To have numbered Sammy Smyth, Jackie Milburn and Billy McCleery among their cricketers is an extraordinary distinction. Between them they brought FA Cup glory, international recognition and countless footballing honours to their respective clubs.

But when summer arrived, it was cricket that brought them together. Wembley may have made them famous, but Woodvale could proudly call them their own.