A POWERFUL and quick winger with a cannonball shot.

That is just one description from the early career of Northern Ireland international and future Worcester City playmaker Peter McParland.

He was one of three former internationals to be snapped up for City's 1964-65 team that saw an explosive attack grace St George’s Lane, adding elegant skills and classy goalscoring to the fearsome frontline.

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McParland’s pedigree could not be questioned having scored both goals in Aston Villa’s 2-1 victory over Manchester United in the 1957 FA Cup final before notching what proved to be the winner in the first Football League Cup final four years later.

By then he had already established himself with Northern Ireland, making his debut before turning 20 and racking up 34 international appearances and scoring 10 goals including appearances in the 1958 World Cup in Sweden.

That background inspired legendary Wolves boss Stan Cullis to shell out £30,000 for his services.

Despite a bright start at Molineux his first-team opportunities were limited and a move to Plymouth Argyle followed. With time beginning to take its toll, he then joined City on a technical free transfer.

McParland made an ideal start with a goal on his competitive debut in the 3-0 win over Romford in August 1964 and won a place in the hearts of the City faithful with a stellar hat-trick in a 4-0 FA Cup victory over Bromsgrove.

He went on to accumulate 23 goals in 51 appearances during that maiden campaign before lining up with Atlanta Chiefs in America during the closed season.

On his return he weighed in with a further 14 goals in 63 appearances during a 1965-55 season that featured a whopping 28 cup games for City. McParland was the second-highest appearance maker behind ex-Cardiff man Trevor Peck who played 66 times.

Despite those exhausting exploits Worcester had only the Midland Floodlit League title to show for their efforts, losing in a two-legged Worcestershire Senior Cup final to Kidderminster – the team that also ended their FA Cup hopes in a third qualifying round replay.

McParland was one of many ex-internationals at the club when the financial situation again became tight at City, leading to the release of many players.

Eddie Clamp announced his retirement and Dai Ward moved to Bath with top scorer Tommy Crawley heading to Nuneaton. McParland took the opportunity to move into full-time football in the United States, following Terry Awford, Reg Cutler, Bernard Edmunds, Granville Palin and Dave Tennant through the door.

After a couple of seasons in America, McParland retired to become a full-time coach and then joined Glentoran as manager. He later moved back to Bournemouth where he ran a property business and coached in Cyprus, Kuwait, Libya and Hong Kong.