Sandy Fulton
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[edit] Background
Alexander 'Sandy' Fulton (1945-2001) was the first person from County Fermanagh to play representative football for Northern Ireland.
[edit] Career
Sandy Fulton made his debut in 1957 for Enniskillen Rangers at the tender age of 13 years and four months, scoring on his debut in the local derby against Enniskillen Corinthians and proving the old maxim that if you are good enough then you are old enough. In 1958 Rangers won the Mulhern Cup and Mercer Cup. In the 1958 Mulhern Cup final they defeated Enniskillen Corinthians 3-0 at the Broadmeadow. Three days earlier, Corinthians had become the first team from the Fermanagh and Western to win the Irish Junior Cup.
In 1959 Fulton became the first player from the Fermanagh and Western League to make it to the Irish League when he signed for Coleraine and made his debut at the age of 15 in a 3-0 victory over Coleraine. A year later he moved to Portadown and a three year spell with Ballymena followed. Sandy then played for Linfield before returning for a year with Enniskillen Rangers and then it was back to the Irish League where he played with Cliftonville until the end of his senior career.
Sandy represented Northern Ireland in the Home Nations Tournament, playing against an England side that included Geoff Hurst at Old Trafford and a Scotland team that included Alex Ferguson. He never broke into the the English league, missing out on a trial with Wolves due to a boat strike and being deemed too old for Chelsea at the age of 21.
Sandy Fulton returned to Enniskillen Rangers following his senior career, generously contributing to the club on and off the field.
As a footballer, he had supreme talent and will be remembered by all those fortunate to have seen him play.
