Euro 2016: It’s ‘Bean’ a long time coming for Alan the local green and white army
They’ve been all over the world supporting their team, but next week will mark a unique occasion for local Northern Ireland fans – among them Alan Simpson.
“Bean,” as he is affectionately known, is a member of the city’s NI Supporters Club and will be with the green and white army at the European Championship in France.
The former firefighter had successful footballing career with Coleraine and Ballymena United in the Irish League, which saw him play in European competitions six times.
It’s been 30 years since Northern Ireland last qualified for a major competition, the World Cup in Mexico in 1986, so you can only imagine what the atmosphere will be like when “Bean” and over 40 other club members, climb onto the bus in Foyle Street this Thursday to embark on their dream journey to France.
The road to France for “Bean” (58) stretches back 50 years, when he first began actively supporting Northern Ireland.
“I went to my first match in 1966 with my father and we went right up until the troubles started.
“After that, I stopped going for a while, because I didn’t like what was happening at Windsor Park.”
What “Bean” didn’t like, and what has hung like a black cloud over the Northern Ireland football scene and unfairly tainted decent fans such as him, was the dark element of sectarianism that existed at home matches.
That has been addressed by the IFA under the guidance of their ‘Football For All’ head of development Michael Boyd, and as a result the atmosphere in the Windsor Park of today is a million miles away from what it was like at the height of the troubles.
“Bean“ added: “I went to the game against the Faroe Islands there two years ago, and the only evidence of sectarianism I witnessed was from a couple of young beer guzzlers singing a King Billy song on the way into the ground.
“Inside, there was none of the paramilitary paraphernalia or sectarian chanting that I’d seen on television over the years, and the loudest chant of the evening was one of appreciation for Derry’s Paddy McCourt when he went out to warm up.
“It has changed so much. I would have absolutely no qualms about taking anybody, no matter what side of the fence or walk of life, up to Windsor Park now.”
But he’d have to draw the line, he admits jokingly, at wearing a Republic of Ireland shirt, which very nearly happened by accident recently.
He explained: “My wife, who I won’t name to spare her blushes, came back from shopping and said ‘I got you a Northern Ireland shirt’.
“Well, I looked at it and started spelling out ‘I, R, E, L…’ and said to her ‘that’s not a Northern Ireland shirt’.
“I might give it to Jim Barr (chairman of the Derry Republic of Ireland Supporters Club) if I bump into him in France.”
Photo shows “Bean” (on left) with fellow Northern Ireland supporters Russell King and David Dougherty who will also be making the trip to France.