Irish FA chiefs have paid tribute to their late colleague Craig Stanfield who was instrumental in delivering Wednesday night’s UEFA Super Cup to the National Stadium at Windsor Park.
Mr Stanfield, who had been a longtime employee of the association for three decades, died suddenly at the age of 50 after falling ill at his family home in February 2020.
The popular administrator was the IFA’s Football Operations Manager, a key post that also saw him oversee the smooth running of Northern Ireland’s home fixtures.
He was also central in helping plan the national team’s preparations for the Euro 2016 finals in France and successfully delivering the Super Cup to Belfast.
Champions League winners Chelsea and Villarreal, who beat Manchester United in the Europa League final in May, face each other in the glamour ‘curtain raiser’ on Wednesday night (8pm).
On its official Twitter account, the Irish FA said Mr Stanfield had been “instrumental in bringing the European showpiece to Belfast” and was “sorely missed”.
The tweet read: "As we look ahead to tonight’s @UEFA #SuperCup, we pause to remember our late colleague, Craig Stanfield. Craig, who sadly passed away in February 2020, was instrumental in bringing the European showpiece to Belfast. He is sorely missed."
At the time of his death, Irish FA chief executive Patrick Nelson described Mr Stanfield as “extremely popular” and “a vital part of the IFA family for 30 years”.
An attendance of 13,000 will watch Chelsea take on Spanish club Villarreal at Windsor Park, with the game shown live on BT Sport.
