Euro 2020: Fan presence gives NI advantage says goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell
- Published
600 fans attended Northern Ireland's Nations Cup game against Austria in October
Goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell says the presence of over 1,000 fans inside Windsor Park for Northern Ireland's Euro 2020 play-off final against Slovakia will make a considerable difference to the occasion.
Fans will be socially distanced around the Belfast stadium on Thursday as Northern Ireland aim to qualify for their second consecutive Euros.
"When we do have fans regardless of the numbers that are going to be there, it's certainly going to be an advantage," said Peacock-Farrell.
"It's well known and well documented how good our fans are, and anyone who does come to a game will see it first hand, the noise they create and the passion they have.
"It's not the largest stadium, but what it is is probably one of the loudest.
"With the emotional side of the game in terms of not having fans that's quite hard.
"One of the best bits of being able to play in front of fans, the energy in the stadium, the atmosphere, you really do miss it.
There were 600 supporters in attendance for Northern Ireland's home Nations League defeat by October in Austria.
A further 460 will be inside the stadium on Thursday as the hosts welcome a Slovakian side that knocked out the Republic of Ireland in a semi-final penalty shootout.
Peacock-Farrell made a crucial penalty shootout contribution in Northern Ireland's win in Sarajevo
Northern Ireland also required spot kicks to book their final place, with Burnley keeper Peacock-Farrell the shootout hero against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Peacock-Farrell kept out Haris Hajradinovic's penalty to give his side the advantage, and continue the impressive start to his international career.
"As a striker you score the goals, you get that kind of gratification whereas as a keeper you never get the opportunity to do that until a penalty situation comes around," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Sportsound.
"It's always nice to be able to have an affect throughout the game and when it comes to the penalties it's a mental challenge and it's one that I enjoy."
2016 memories driving squad
Having made his international debut in 2018, Peacock-Farrell was not part of the Northern Ireland squad that reached the last 16 of Euro 2016.
After missing out on the 2018 World Cup in a play-off final defeat by Switzerland, Thursday's game provides the squad with a chance to reach another major tournament, with next year's rescheduled finals potentially 90 minutes away.
"Being in the camps now, (Euro 2016) was a massive deal for the players, one that I'm kind of jealous of in a way," said Peacock-Farrell.
"They managed to experience that kind of occasion and rightly so, and they played really well when they got there.
"The noise round the camp now is 'we've done it once, let's go do it again'."