Legendary goalkeeper Pat Jennings’ collection is up for auction​

​Among the many storied items to go under the hammer are: FA Cup Final shirts, swap shirts from legends like George Best, Dino Zoff and Gary Bailey. Also included is Pat’s International Debut, his historical 100th International shirt (when he became the first Northern Ireland player to reach that milestone) and his 119th and final appearance shirts.

Newry's favourite son is widely recognised as one of the greatest goalkeepers in the history of the sport. He is also seen as one of the sports most outstanding ambassadors, loved and admired by everyone who has a passion for football.

As a teenager Jennings played GAA at his school Abbey CBS, Newry as a midfielder. “In those days in Catholics schools didn't play soccer, but I played in a street soccer league,” he told the Newry Reporter when we spoke in the Pat Jennings Lounge at Windsor Park, surrounded by the vast collection of shirts and memorabilia up for auction –testament to an incredible career.

“It was an under-19 league and I was playing in goals when I was 11, out in the Meadow, which is now Jennings Park.” But what followed in the next few years was a series of events that led to his first appearance at Wembley Stadium.

“My brother Brian, who had played in that street league with me, was playing with Newry United and he came in one night saying, 'half of the goalkeepers are going to England to look for work. The boys want you down - you might get a game.' I was working with my dad in the timber gang in the mountain outside Newry for Haldane Shields. I said, 'are you joking? I'll finish up with a cold shower at the end of the night - no chance.' But he was back the next week and I went down on the Thursday night. We played against Annalong on the Saturday, I kept a clean sheet and that was me, started with Newry United.” Pat joined Newry Town the following year and after three months Chairman Sam McCullough put his name forward for selection the Irish Youth team for the upcoming European Tournament. “At 17 I'd never been out of Ireland, and I wasn't jumping up and down at the prospects, but the trial was cancelled that year because of bad weather.”

Still, fate persevered and the following year Newry were playing Crusaders in the cup. Their Chairman was on the selection committee for the youth team. He asked Pat to join and after winning two legs against the southern youth team, they represented Ireland in the European Youth tournament and played in the final at Wembley – and the rest, as they say...

Pat played 119 international matches for Northern Ireland in an international career which lasted for over 22 years. During his career, he played for Newry Town, Watford and in the top division with Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, winning the FA Cup with both of the north London rivals. In total, Jennings made over 1000 top level appearances and despite being a goalkeeper, scored from play in the 1967 FA Charity Shield.