He's a hero to football fans across Northern Ireland - having earned 56 caps and a reputation as one of our finest sportsmen.

Now legendary footballer Danny Blanchflower has been honoured in his home city of Belfast with an Ulster History Circle plaque recognising his outstanding achievements in the world of sport.

The blue plaque is located at 49 Grace Avenue, the childhood home of the late sportsman who earned 56 caps for Northern Ireland and is regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of Tottenham Hotspur FC.

Blanchflower's daughter Gayle was invited to join footballers Pat Jennings and Gerry Armstrong, as well as Fifa officials, for a ceremony paying tribute to the sporting hero.

Ulster History Circle chairman Chris Spurr said the group was delighted the remarkable sportsman was being honoured for his achievements.

"Danny Blanchflower's contribution to the game he loved, whether as a player with Glentoran, Spurs and Northern Ireland, or later as a manager, is acknowledged as being amongst the best," he said.

"He excelled, too, as a football journalist of note, and we are particularly grateful to Belfast City Council for its support."

Sports broadcaster Jackie Fullerton told the Belfast Telegraph that the plaque was "a lovely way to pay tribute to an iconic Northern Ireland footballer".

"I was 14 when they went to the 1958 World Cup finals in Sweden and little Northern Ireland got to the quarter finals," he said.

"He was a wonderful player at a great time in the history of the Northern Ireland team."

Fullerton also spoke about Blanchflower's "legendary status" at Spurs.

He said: "He is best remembered for being the captain of the Spurs side that captured a league and Cup double in 1961 - the first team to do that in the 20th century," he said.

"He was also the captain when Spurs became the first English side to win a European trophy in 1963."

Blanchflower retired in 1964 at the age of 38, having played nearly 400 games for Spurs.

Profile

Robert Dennis "Danny" Blanchflower was a Northern Ireland international footballer, football manager and journalist who captained Tottenham Hotspur FC during its double-winning season of 1961. With Blanchflower as captain, Spurs won their first 11 games, still a record for the top flight of English football, and won the league by eight points. They beat Leicester City in the FA Cup to become the first team in the 20th century to win the league and cup double. He is perhaps best known for his quote: "The game is about glory. It's about doing things in style, with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom."

Belfast Telegraph