Bingham joins Clarets

Last updated : 26 May 2008 By Tony Scholes
Bingham was the right winger alongside Jimmy McIlroy in the Northern Ireland side that played in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden but is probably best remembered as the national manager who took the Irish to two World Cups in the 1980s, one of which will always be remembered by Burnley fans because of Billy Hamilton.

Bingham played for Sunderland, Luton, Everton and Port Vale during his career and it is with Everton that I best remember him from the period in he early sixties. He was always destined to go into management and apart from Northern Ireland he also managed both Plymouth and Everton as well as clubs in other countries and for a period was a director at Blackpool.

In 1981 he was awarded the MBE for his services to football, a year before that World Cup in Spain when he became a national hero as they went beyond the first stage beating the hosts on their way.

He's now set to become involved with the Clarets as a talent spotter in Ireland and said: "The job I'll be doing is observing the Irish market for players, looking both north and south of the border.

"I'm quite happy to do a job for Burnley, hopefully find one or two real talents and then let the manager look at them. I've spoken to Owen Coyle several times and he seems a really nice guy. I just hope and pray that he trusts my judgement."

It is not the first time the Clarets have taken on a former international manager as part of the scouting network. In the late 1980s Frank Casper appointed former Scotland boss Tommy Docherty.