Pat Jennings

Newry Town & Watford

After playing for a local under-18 side in Newry at the age of 11 (named Shamrock Rovers, not to be confused with the Dublin club of the same name), Jennings concentrated on Gaelic football until he was sixteen years old, when he made his football comeback with his hometown side Newry Town. After impressing with the team he moved to English Third Division side Watford in May 1963. Jennings again impressed in his first season in England, playing every league game for his club, and making two international appearances that season. He was signed by Tottenham Hotspur for £27,000 in June 1964.

Tottenham Hotspur

Jennings spent thirteen years at White Hart Lane, where he played in 472 league games for Spurs, and 591 in all competitions. He won the FA Cup in 1967, the League Cup in 1971 and 1973, and the UEFA Cup in it first season in 1972. He also scored once, in the 1967 FA Charity Shield, from his own area, kicking the ball from his hands and sending a large punt down the field that bounced over Manchester United goalkeeper Alex Stepney and into the net. In 1973 the Football Writers' Association named him as its footballer of the year. Three years later he won PFA's version of the award – he was the first goalkeeper to receive this accolade, and until 2025 remains only one of two, along with Peter Shilton.

Arsenal

On 6 August 1977, he was transferred to Tottenham's arch-rivals, Arsenal, with Tottenham, who had just been relegated,…

On 15 April 1964, whilst playing for Watford, Jennings made his Northern Ireland debut in a British Home Championship match against Wales. Northern Ireland won the game 3–2, with George Best also making his international debut. Jennings made four appearances in Northern Ireland's best-ever performance at the 1982 World Cup, conceding only one goal in the three first group stage games — including a 1–0 victory with ten men against hosts Spain — before letting four past him against eventual group D winners France in the second group stage games. Despite retiring from club football in 1985, Jennings played his final international game at the 1986 FIFA World Cup on his 41st birthday, making him the World Cup's oldest-ever participant until Roger Milla broke his record at 42 in 1994, who also had his record broken by Faryd Mondragón at 43 years in 2014 and Essam El Hadary at 45 years in 2018, the latter two goalkeepers, like Jennings. The match was Northern Ireland's final group game, a 3–0 defeat against Brazil. In total, Jennings participated in the qualifying stages of six World Cups between 1966 and 1986.

Jennings married Eleanor Toner, a singer from Newry, in 1967. They have four children: Mairead, Siobhan, Ciara and Patrick Junior, a goalkeeper. Jennings is Catholic.

Jennings was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to association football in the 1976 Birthday Honours; he was promoted to Officer of the same Order (OBE) in the 1987 New Year Honours for services to football, particularly in Northern Ireland, and promoted further to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to association football and charity. On 8 November 2023, Jennings unveiled a statue in his honour in Kildare Street, Newry. Tottenham Hotspur

FA Cup: 1966–67 Football League Cup: 1970–71, 1972–73 FA Charity Shield: 1967 UEFA Cup: 1971–72 Arsenal

FA Cup: 1978–79; runner-up: 1977–78, 1979–80 Northern Ireland

British Home Championship: 1979–80, 1983–84 Individual

Rothman's Golden Boots Awards: 1973, 1974 FWA Footballer of the Year: 1972–73 Ballon d'Or nominee: 1973, 1975, 1985 PFA Players' Player of the Year: 1975–76 PFA First Division Team of the Year: 1973–74, 1975–76 World XI: 1973 FWA Tribute Award: 1986 Football League 100 Legends: 1998 English Football Hall of Fame: 2003