Sandy Fulton
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Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Alexander John Fulton | ||
Date of birth | 1942 | ||
Place of birth | Magherafelt, Northern Ireland | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
Enniskillen Rangers | |||
Coleraine | |||
Portadown | |||
Ballymena United | |||
Linfield | |||
Enniskillen Rangers | |||
Cliftonville | |||
International career | |||
Northern Ireland Youth | |||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Alexander 'Sandy' Fulton (1942–2001) was the first person from County Fermanagh to play representative football for Northern Ireland.
Career
Sandy Fulton made his debut in 1957 for Enniskillen Rangers at the age of 13 years and four months, scoring on his debut in the local derby against Enniskillen Corinthians and proving the old maxim that "if you are good enough then you are old enough". In 1958 Rangers won the Mulhern Cup and Mercer Cup. In the 1958 Mulhern Cup final they defeated Enniskillen Corinthians 3–0 at the Broadmeadow. Three days earlier, Corinthians had become the first team from the Fermanagh and Western to win the Irish Junior Cup.
In 1959 Fulton became the first player from the Fermanagh and Western League to make it to the Irish League when he signed for Coleraine F.C. and made his debut at the age of 15. A year later he moved to Portadown F.C. and a three-year spell with Ballymena United followed. Fulton then played for Linfield F.C. [1] before returning for a year with Enniskillen Rangers. Fulton returned to the Irish League where he played with Cliftonville F.C. until the end of his senior career.
Fulton represented Northern Ireland at Youth level during the 1960/61 season. He never broke into the English league, missing out on a trial with Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. due to a boat strike and being deemed too old for Chelsea at the age of 21.
Sandy Fulton returned to Enniskillen Rangers following his senior career.
Fulton also held the position of Chairman of the Fermanagh Table Tennis Association.
In 2007, Fulton was selected as part of the Fermanagh & Western FA Team Of The Century. [2]
As a footballer, he had supreme talent and will be remembered by those fortunate to have seen him play.