Italy, Israel, England and Greece - the four previous crunch qualifiers that Northern Ireland have won

Billy Bingham played in the 1958 World Cup for Northern Ireland and managed them in the 1982 and 1986 World Cups

Shocking Italy after the 'Battle of Belfast'. Gerry Armstrong's goal against Israel. Pat Jennings' heroics denying England at Wembley. And, of course, the Steven Davis-inspired win over Greece.

Northern Ireland supporters will be hoping for more of the same against Slovakia in Thursday night's Euro 2020 play-off final at Windsor Park.

As Ian Baraclough's men aim to create history by reaching a second consecutive European Championship finals, we take a look back at the four previous crunch qualifiers which Northern Ireland have won to go through to major tournaments - and hear from some of the key players involved.

Beating Italy - at second attempt - to reach 1958 World Cup

Northern Ireland qualified for the World Cup finals - indeed any major tournament - for the first time by beating Italy 2-1 at Windsor Park on 15 January 1958, with Jimmy McIlroy and Wilbur Cush scoring the goals.

A draw would have sent the Italians through but the home win left NI top of their group with five points from four matches - two wins and a draw proving enough for manager Peter Doherty's charges to secure their appearance at Sweden 1958.

Bizarrely, though, this was the second time the match was played. Originally scheduled for a Wednesday afternoon five weeks earlier in December 1957, the referee for the match, Hungarian Istvan Zolt, got stranded in London due to fog and could not make it to Belfast.

With an English replacement referee unable to get to Belfast either, and the Italians not happy with the suggestion of a local referee, Windsor Park was full before a decision was reached, leading to a last-minute decision to play a friendly with the qualifier to follow in January.

With a 40,000-strong home crowd unimpressed, the match was anything but friendly as the sides played out an ill-tempered 2-2 draw with police having to deal with crowd trouble in a match that became known as the 'Battle of Belfast'.

On to Sweden Northern Ireland went, however, where, captained by Tottenham Hotspur's Danny Blanchflower, they became the least populous country to have qualified for a World Cup.

At the finals themselves, Peter Doherty's side reached the quarter-finals by beating Czechoslovakia 2-1 in the play-off, eventually losing 4-0 to France.

Armstrong the hero on way to Spain in 1982

Gerry Armstrong is best remembered for scoring the goal which gave Northern Ireland a 1-0 victory over hosts Spain in Valencia at the 1982 World Cup - but the striker was on target with another important strike seven months earlier as Billy Bingham's men clinched qualification in Belfast by beating Israel by the same scoreline.

The hosts only required a draw to make the finals, but made sure of qualification by finishing second behind Scotland in their qualifying group, courtesy of the victory over Israel on 18 November 1981.

More than 40,000 fans crammed into Windsor Park to enjoy the occasion - the key moment coming when Billy Hamilton nodded Jimmy Nicholl's free-kick into the path of Armstrong, who fired home.

Bingham became the first - and so far only man - to appear at a World Cup finals with Northern Ireland as both a player and a manager, having been part of Doherty's squad at the 1958 finals.

"It was the biggest crowd we ever had at Windsor Park as far as I can remember," said Armstrong. "It was unique, it was a bit of history. It was every player's dream.

"I was very confident that we had the ability to go and beat the opposition. I was looking forward to it, I really relished the big games, 'bring it on' was how I felt."

Armstrong can see similarities between his team and the current squad, and was confident enough to make a fairly bold prediction.

"The camaraderie is there. I have seen that develop over the years and it reminds me so much of the squad we had in the 1980s that qualified for two World Cups and won two British Championships.

"It is great playing at home knowing that if you win one game you qualify for a major championships. I have total faith in the players. I think we will win 2-0 and the goalscorers will be Josh Magennis and Paddy McNair."

Mexico-bound after Jennings keeps England out

Northern Ireland ensured their passage to the 1986 World Cup with a nail-biting 0-0 draw against England at Wembley in front of 70,500 spectators.

A typically stellar performance from goalkeeping legend Pat Jennings helped Bingham's men take their place at a second successive World Cup finals.

Northern Ireland finished second in their group, just two points behind an England squad managed by Bobby Robson, which included famous names like Peter Shilton, Glenn Hoddle and Gary Lineker.

The match is perhaps best remembered for the late Alan McDonald's emphatic response to suggestions by some sceptics that the outcome of the fixture may have suited both sides.

"Anyone who says that was a fix, come and see me and I'll tell them it wasn't a fix," he told a sizeable live television audience after the final whistle on 13 November 1985.

"Somehow we managed to qualify again for the '86 World Cup - we couldn't have written the script for that," said Jennings.

"I think in all the years I had played against England at Wembley we only ever won once, when Terry Neill scored in the early 1970s, but we got the point that we needed to qualify."

Looking to Thursday night, Jennings said a tactic that his side employed under Bingham could serve Baraclough's men well.

"If we can keep it nice and tight then nick a goal at the other end, that is what our success was built on. If we can get everyone buzzing, everyone doing their job and giving it 100% then there is no reason we can't win."

Fun in France after Davis defeats Greece

Having appeared at three World Cup finals, manager Michael O'Neill guided Northern Ireland to their first-ever European Championships, in France in 2016, by topping their qualification group.

After a difficult first few years in charge, O'Neill marked the transformation in his side's fortunes with a successful campaign, finishing a point ahead of Romania.

The decisive match came at Windsor Park on 8 October 2015 as two goals from Steven Davis and one from Josh Magennis sealed a 3-1 win over Greece, and with it booked the Green and White Army's ticket to France.

The ongoing redevelopment of the south Belfast stadium meant that just 11,700 fans were there to kick off the celebrations which lasted well into the night.

"The first thing I think about when someone mentions it is just 'what a night', it was such a great night for all of us," reflects former NI forward Jamie Ward, who played for O'Neill in the Greece win.

"The second thing that comes to my mind is Josh Magennis scoring with his shoulder and then crying. The rest is history as we went on and had a party in France the next summer."

The current Solihull Moors striker has made just one request of the Northern Ireland players against Slovakia.

"You have to leave everything out there. Obviously sometimes your best isn't good enough but if you can walk off saying you couldn't give any more, then so be it.

"It is a one-off game and anyone can beat anyone. I don't think it would be too much of an upset if Northern Ireland win because Northern Ireland are a bit more respected these days."