John Gough (footballer)

John Gough was an Irish football goalkeeper who played in the Irish League for Queen's Island and Ballymena during the 1920s and also won a solitary international cap for Ireland.

John Gough
John Gough pictured in May 1929[1]
Personal information
Full name John Gough
Place of birth Belfast, Ireland
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
?–1928 Queen's Island
1928—1930 Ballymena 48 (0)
Total 48 (0)
National team
1923–1924 Irish League XI 2 (0)
1924 Ireland 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Gough was a well decorated member of the Queen's Island team that experienced great success in the Irish League during the 1920s. The club and John's defining season came during the 1923-24 campaign when they won four domestic trophies (Irish League championship, Irish Cup, City Cup and County Antrim Shield).

During his impressive season, Gough was selected to represent Ireland against South Africa in a friendly game at Solitude in September 1924. This was the South African's first ever official international game. The full cap added to the two caps he had won between 1923 and 1924 for the Irish League representative team[2]

Queen's Island's success quickly deteriorated and in September 1928, John left the club to join the newly elected Ballymena team.[3] It proved a shrewd decision as Gough won another Irish Cup winners' medal in 1929, as the Braidmen defeated Belfast Celtic in final in their first ever season. He was also part of the team for a return to the Irish Cup final a year later, as Ballymena were defeated by Linfield.

John Gough was not retained by the Ballymena selection committee during the summer of 1930. It is unclear if he continued to play competitive football after his release. He returned to Ballymena in an off-field role 1934 as he formed part of the Management Committee of the new Ballymena United club which had been formed following the sudden demise the old club.

Club honours

Queen's Island

  • Irish League winner (1): 1923-24
  • Irish Cup winner (1): 1923-24
  • City Cup winner (3): 1922-23, 1923–24, 1924-1925
  • County Antrim Shield winner (1): 1923-24
  • Irish League runner-up (3): 1922-23, 1924–25, 1926–27

Ballymena

International caps
CapDateVenueOpponentScoreCompetition
124 September 1924Solitude, Belfast South AfricaLost 1-2 [4]Friendly

Statistics
Club Season League Irish Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ballymena 1928–29 Irish League 24050150440
1929–30 24040110390
Career Total 48090260830

References
  1. Picture courtesy of Ballymena United Football Club
  2. Irish League Greats - Irish League Representatives 1893-2007
  3. Coleman, N. (2015). The Official History of Ballymena United FC. Ballyhay Books.
  4. Northern Ireland Football Greats - Disputed Internationals
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