.jpg) Statue of Peacock in Coleraine | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Robert Peacock | ||
| Date of birth | 29 September 1928 | ||
| Place of birth | Coleraine, Northern Ireland | ||
| Date of death | 22 July 2004 (aged 75) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1946–1948 | Coleraine | 5 | (1) |
| 1948–1949 | Glentoran | 8 | (1) |
| 1949–1961 | Celtic | 318 | (33) |
| 1961–1971 | Coleraine | ? | (?) |
| 1962 | →Morton (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1962 | →Hamilton Steelers (loan) | ? | (?) |
| International career | |||
| 1949–1961 | Northern Ireland | 32 | (1) |
| 1955 | United Kingdom | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1961–1974 | Coleraine F.C. | ||
| 1962–1967 | Northern Ireland | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
John Robert 'Bertie' PeacockMBE (29 September 1928 – 22 July 2004) was aNorthern Ireland internationalfootballer and manager who played forCeltic.
After starting his career with local sideColeraine F.C., Peacock moved on to Belfast clubGlentoran in 1947. After two years he was signed byGlasgow club,Celtic, where he would go on to become captain and a club legend. During his time at the club he won oneleague title, twoScottish Cups and twoScottish League Cups. In 1962, he played in theEastern Canada Professional Soccer League withHamilton Steelers, where he served as aplayer-coach.[1]
Peacock won 31 caps forNorthern Ireland. He featured alongsideHarry Gregg,Danny Blanchflower andBilly Bingham in the team that reached the last eight in the1958 World Cup, the country's furthest progress to date.
Peacock became Northern Ireland manager a year after his retirement as a footballer in 1961, givingGeorge Best his first start. In the 1960s he returned to Coleraine, winning theIrish League title in 1974. Peacock briefly came out of retirement when he came on as a substitute againstShamrock Rovers in theTexaco Cup in September 1971. It was his last game for Coleraine as they lost 3–0 atThe Showgrounds (Coleraine).
He was also assistant manager to Billy Bingham during Northern Ireland's1982 World Cup campaign, where they famously knocked out hostsSpain inValencia.[2]
Alongside Jim Weir and Victor Leonard, Peacock was one of the founders of theMilk Cup. Held in his native Coleraine, the youth football competition started with sixteen teams in 1982 and rose to become one of the most respected tournaments in the world.
In 1986 he was awarded theMBE for his services to football. He died in 2004, aged 76.
In June 2006 a statue of Peacock was commissioned. The memorial stands in Coleraine and was unveiled byPat Jennings in July 2007, at the opening of the 25th Milk Cup.[3][4]
Also in 2006, a youth football club was formed in his honour: Bertie Peacocks Youths. This club has a range of teams from under-7 to under-16. In only two years, the teams have been very successful - the under-11s in particular, winning the Down and Connor League, the Down and Connor Knock-Out Cup and becoming Northern Ireland Boys Champions all in the 2008 season. This club has had much encouragement from the wide supporters of Bertie Peacock.[citation needed]
Coleraine
| Preceded by | Celtic F.C. captain 1957–1961 | Succeeded by |
