Club Career: The Dublin-born goalkeeper left Bulfin United for Everton in May 1949, where he started out on £7 a week. He doubled his earnings within a year when he made the first team at Goodison Park where he stayed for eight years, making 201 league appearances (Peter Farrell, Tommy Eglington and Don Donovan were amongst his team-mates). Had three successful years at Stoke City, before moving on to Darlington and Port Vale, where he finished his career under then manager Stanley Matthews in 1966.

International Career: Succeeded Southampton's Fred Kiernan in goal for Ireland but had a debut to forget in Madrid (June 1952), where Spain won 6-0. Won another 16 caps, his last away to Czechoslovakia in May 1959 (lost 4-0). Noel Dwyer of West Ham, and later Swansea, took his place in goal.

Where Is He Now? Now 67, O'Neill is settled in Southport with his wife Angela and two sons. Ran a small taxi business for a time but retired from ill-health when he was 60. Still attends all Everton's home games and last year he was at the reunion of the Irish Schoolboys' team that had a famous victory over England 50 years ago.