Norman Uprichard
{{Short description|Northern Irish footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name= Norman Uprichard
| image =
| fullname = William Norman McCourt Uprichard
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1928|04|20|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Lurgan, Northern Ireland
| death_date = {{death date and age|2011|1|31|1928|4|20|df=yes}}
| death_place =
| position = Goalkeeper
| years1 =
| years2 =
| years3 = 1948–1949
| years4 = 1949–1952
| years5 = 1952–1959
| years6 = 1959–1960
| clubs1 = Glenavon
| clubs2 = Distillery
| clubs3 = Arsenal
| clubs4 = Swindon Town
| clubs5 = Portsmouth
| clubs6 = Southend United
| clubs7 = Hastings United
| clubs8 = Ramsgate Athletic
| caps1 =
| caps2 =
| caps3 = 0
| caps4 = 73
| caps5 = 182
| caps6 = 12
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| goals3 = 0
| goals4 = 0
| goals5 = 0
| goals6 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 1951–1958
| nationalteam1 = Northern Ireland
| nationalcaps1 = 18
| nationalgoals1 = 0
}}
William Norman McCourt Uprichard (20 April 1928 – 31 January 2011{{Cite web | url=http://www.irishfa.com/news/item/6231/norman-uprichard/ | title=Norman Uprichard | date=31 January 2011 | publisher=Irish Football Association | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110313224908/http://www.irishfa.com/news/item/6231/norman-uprichard | archive-date=13 March 2011 | url-status=dead}}) was a football player for Arsenal, Portsmouth, Swindon Town and Northern Ireland.{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/norman-uprichard-goalkeeper-who-helped-northern-ireland-reach-the-1958-world-cup-quarter-finals-2212535.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220621/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/norman-uprichard-goalkeeper-who-helped-northern-ireland-reach-the-1958-world-cup-quarter-finals-2212535.html |archive-date=21 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Norman Uprichard: Goalkeeper who helped Northern Ireland reach the 1958 World Cup quarter-finals|date=2011-02-12|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2020-01-22}}
Gaelic football career
Uprichard was born in Lurgan, Northern Ireland, and as a teenager played both soccer and Gaelic football. He won a district minor league medal with St. Peter's GAC, but was subsequently banned by the GAA and told he would not receive his medal because he had signed for Glenavon. The GAA's 'rule 27' prohibited adult members at the time from playing or watching so-called foreign games. Uprichard was finally awarded his medal in 2004.[http://www.irishnews.com/page.asp?tser=ser&sid=451683 Irish News] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151231010631/http://www.irishnews.com/page.asp?tser=ser&sid=451683 |date=31 December 2015 }}
Association football career
=Club career=
Uprichard played in goal for Glenavon and later for Distillery before signing for Arsenal in 1948 for £1,500. He never played an Arsenal first-team game, with Ted Platt and George Swindin being higher in the pecking order. He was transferred to Swindon Town in November 1949, later becoming the first choice goalkeeper.{{cite web|url=http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/ForceFrames.htm?http://www.swindon-town-fc.co.uk/PlayingRecord.asp?PersonID=UPRICHAN&Season=1951-1952|title=Norman Uprichard: Stats|website=Swindon Town FC.co.uk}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
The 1952–53 season was his last at Swindon before his transfer to Portsmouth in November 1952.
Uprichard was Eddie Lever's first signing as Pompey manager.[http://www.pompeyweb.co.uk/managers/lever.htm Pompey web] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013081501/http://www.pompeyweb.co.uk/managers/lever.htm |date=13 October 2007 }} He was later followed by Derek Dougan from Distillery. Uprichard played nearly 200 first-team games for Portsmouth in seven seasons. He later played for Southend United, Hastings United and Ramsgate Athletic.
=International career=
Uprichard was awarded 18 senior international caps for Northern Ireland, the first coming against Scotland in 1951. He played in the 1958 World Cup Finals in Sweden alongside Billy Bingham, Jimmy McIlroy and Danny Blanchflower. Despite sustaining a broken hand and an ankle injury, he kept the Czechoslovakia attack at bay in a play-off win which secured Northern Ireland a quarter-final berth.[http://www.planetworldcup.com/CUPS/1958/wc58groupa.html Planet World Cup]
His final game for Northern Ireland was, like his first, against Scotland, in November 1958.
Norman died on Monday 31 January 2011 after a long illness.
Footnotes
{{reflist}}
References
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20151231010631/http://www.irishnews.com/page.asp?tser=ser&sid=451683] The Irish News, 2 February 2004]
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080327082027/http://nifg.co.uk/?cat=15 Northern Ireland's Footballing Greats]}}
- {{cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/norman-uprichard-goalkeeper-who-helped-northern-ireland-reach-the-1958-world-cup-quarterfinals-2212535.html |title=Norman Uprichard: Goalkeeper who helped Northern Ireland reach the 1958 World Cup quarter-finals |work=The Independent|location=London |first=Ivan |last=Ponting |date=12 February 2011 |accessdate=2011-02-13}}
{{Northern Ireland Squad 1958 World Cup}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Uprichard, Norman}}
Category:Association footballers from Lurgan
Category:Men's association football goalkeepers
Category:Northern Ireland men's international footballers
Category:1958 FIFA World Cup players
Category:Glenavon F.C. players
Category:Lisburn Distillery F.C. players
Category:Portsmouth F.C. players
Category:Swindon Town F.C. players
Category:Southend United F.C. players
Category:Ramsgate F.C. players
Category:Hastings United F.C. (1948) players