Craig Cathcart

THE former Manchester United defender made quite an impact on his debut for Northern Ireland as not only did he help them to a rare competitive away win but he played a part in the winning goal as well! 

Boss Nigel Worthington gave the central defender his first Northern Ireland cap in a EURO 2012 qualifier in Slovenia playing him in an unaccustomed left-back position from where he set up the only goal of the game for Corry Evans.

Cathcart, a product of the excellent Northern Ireland youth system, has faced fierce competition for his favoured centre-back role, which has limited his number of International appearances he has made since his debut.

His football education began at Manchester United, but in four years at Old Trafford he failed to make the breakthrough into the first team despite gaining experience on loan at Antwerp, Plymouth and Watford.

He eventually left the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ for Blackpool, who were then in the Premier League, for the bargain price of just £300,000 in September 2010.

Cathcart suffered relegation from the Premier League in his first season at Bloomfield Road and in four years he clocked up 117 games for the Tangerines scoring two goals before departing for Watford in summer of 2014.

He scored his first International goal in the 1-1 draw in Finland in October 2015 and is also now an automatic choice for Watford in the Premier League.