Friday 27 May 2016 16:37, UK
As Northern Ireland prepare to face Belarus in their final warm-up game before Euro 2016, Paul Gilmour pays tribute to four stalwarts.
Four years ago an inexperienced Northern Ireland side were on the end of a 6-0 drubbing by the Netherlands, who were preparing for Euro 2012.
It was early in Michael O'Neill's reign and the game had been arranged before he arrived. A sea of orange and carnival atmosphere greeted the players at the Amsterdam Arena as a rampant Arjen Robben, Wesley Sneijder and Robin van Persie gave their supporters a perfect send-off.
Who would have thought that in 2016 it would be Northern Ireland competing on Europe's biggest stage with the Dutch nowhere in sight?
As O'Neill's side prepare to play on home soil for the final time before a historic first European Championships, four players in particular may get more of an ovation that most.
Roy Carroll (38), Gareth McAuley (36), Chris Baird (34), and Aaron Hughes (36) may decide that Euro 2016 is the perfect way to bring down the curtain on their international careers, and while none of them have publicly revealed if that is the case, McAuley has suggested he will speak to O'Neill after the tournament.
Should Friday be the night Windsor Park witnesses them in a Northern Ireland shirt for the last time, all four can bow out of Belfast knowing they played key roles in qualifying.
Carroll, who was brought back into the international set-up by O'Neill after a six-year hiatus, saved a penalty at home to the Faroe Islands at a time the visitors were threatening to get back into the game.
In Budapest, after playing Romania on a Friday night, he played for Notts County at Coventry 18 hours later. He goes into Euro 2016 as a newly-signed Linfield player so won't be giving up on Windsor completely.
West Brom defender McAuley won his 50th cap during qualifying. He scored vital goals and was an integral part of the defence. Having recently signed a contract extension to stay at the Hawthorns, he may see Euro 2016 as the perfect way to end his international career - and what a loss he will be.
If Hughes plays against Belarus he will win his 99th cap and could reach 100 in Slovakia. Hughes is Northern Ireland's most capped outfield player. Only Pat Jennings has played more.
He retired from international football in 2011 but O'Neill talked him round. The former Newcastle and Fulham centre-back was an influential figure in the early part of the campaign when NI won their first three games.
Baird was a revelation in the qualifying campaign, providing excellent cover in front of the back four. His passion for the shirt has been evident over the years and at 34, he may yet feel he has one more campaign in him.
At a sold-out Windsor Park on Friday, there will be flags, colour and noise on what will be a proud night for the second smallest populated Euro 2016 nation.
McAuley, Hughes, Baird and Carroll can expect more - the adulation of an adoring crowd for years of dedicated service to Northern Irish football.
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