Noel Bailie

Noel Bailie MBE (born 23 February 1971) is a former semi-professional footballer from Northern Ireland who spent his entire career playing for Linfield. He played as a sweeper (Central Defence) and wore shirt number 11.

Noel Bailie
Personal information
Date of birth (1971-02-23) 23 February 1971
Place of birth Belfast, Northern Ireland
Playing position(s) Central defender
Youth career
Hillsborough Boys Club
1986–1989 Linfield
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1989–2011 Linfield 1,013 (11)
National team
1990–1994 Northern Ireland U21 2 (0)
1990 Northern Ireland U23 1 (0)
1990–1995 Irish League XI 2 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Playing career

Noel joined Linfield in 1986 from Hillsborough Boys' Club and this has been his only club for almost 25 years. Noel began playing in the Swifts and made his first team debut on Saturday 30 March 1989 away to Ballymena in the County Antrim Shield first round tie at the age of 17. Noel played his 1,000th game for the Blues on 24 April 2010.[1] Bailie has played under four Linfield managers - Roy Coyle, Eric Bowyer, Trevor Anderson and David Jeffrey. In 1993–94 he was named as the Ulster Footballer of the Year.[2] Noel played his 1000th game for Linfield in a 0–0 draw against Crusaders on the 24 April 2010 getting a guard of honour from both sets of players as well as spectators as he left the pitch after the match. He played his final league game in Linfield's 1–0 win over Portadown on 30 April 2011, his 1013th appearance for the club, where he lifted the IFA Premiership trophy.

Bailie's number 11 jersey was retired by the club upon his retirement as a player at the end of the 2010–11 season. Bailie was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to football in Northern Ireland.[3][4]

Honours
  • Irish Premier League (10): 1992–93, 1993–94, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11
  • Irish Cup (7): 1993–94, 1994–95, 2001–02, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10

See also

References
  1. "Bailie in 1000th match for Blues". 24 April 2010. Retrieved 25 February 2018 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  2. M. Brodie (ed.), Northern Ireland Soccer Yearbook 2009–2010, p. 102. Belfast:Ulster Tatler Publications
  3. "No. 60534". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 June 2013. p. 14.
  4. "Paul Lawrie & Christian Horner get OBEs in Birthday Honours list". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
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