Former Northern Ireland international footballer and manager Billy Bingham has died aged 90.
Bingham famously managed Northern Ireland to the World Cup finals in 1982 and 1986 and is considered to be their most successful manager.
He also played for Northern Ireland at the 1958 World Cup finals in Sweden.
Bingham's playing career spanned three decades as he started with Glentoran in 1948 and played for Sunderland, Luton, Everton and Port Vale before hanging up his boots in 1965.
However it was a manager that he made the biggest impact. He began his managerial career at Southport the same year he retired as a player, and spent three years there before taking charge of Northern Ireland for his first spell at the helm.
He was able to combine his work as Northern Ireland manager with roles that saw him take charge of Plymouth and then Linfield before eventually standing down from the Northern Ireland job in 1971.
Bingham continued to manage, taking charge of the Greek national team before a four-year stint as Everton boss.
He would also manager POAK and Mansfield but the most successful era of his managerial career came when he returned to Northern Ireland in 1980 as he would remain there for the next 13 years.
During that time Bingham led Northern Ireland to consecutive World Cup finals in 1982 and 1986 during a golden era for the team.
Bingham was in charge of Northern Ireland until 1993 with their final game of the 1994 World Cup qualification campaign coming against the Republic of Ireland in Windsor Park.
In a famously hostile encounter, Northern Ireland set out to try and deny Jack Charlton's side the single point they needed to qualify for Italia 90.
Jimmy Quinn's opening goal was cancelled out by a late equaliser by Alan McLoughlin, and after the game there was an terse exchange between Bingham and Charlton with the latter's side have secured their World Cup place.
In a statement the IFA confirmed the news and paid tribute to their former manager.
"He was everything that a Northern Ireland manager needs to be – tactically astute, innovative and inspirational. He led the team to British Championship glory in 1980 and 1984, qualified for two World Cups in 1982 and 1986, and recorded the first home and away victories over West Germany in the qualification for the Euros in 84.
"The Association would wish to send its condolences to Billy's wider family circle."
