David Healy turned 30 last week. He’ll celebrate another landmark on Wednesday night.

Against Israel in the international friendly at Windsor Park, Healy will win his 75th cap.

Not bad for a lad from Killyleagh who more often that not had to settle for a place on the bench when he was coming through the ranks with the Northern Ireland under-21 squad.

While the then coach of the kids, Roy Millar, may not have appreciated Healy’s talents, Sammy McIlroy certainly did.

Indeed, Sammy’s faith in a 20-year-old Healy was one of the highlights of his managerial stint with Northern Ireland.

McIlroy surprised many by starting the young Manchester United forward in a friendly against Luxembourg in 2000. Healy scored twice and has hardly looked back since in a green shirt.

Nine and a half years later, the man known as King David to the Northern Ireland fans has played 74 times scoring 35 goals, which for the record is 22 more than anyone else has managed for our wee country.

It would be considered a superb scoring ratio at international level for say Germany, Spain or England, all of whom he has netted against, but for a nation as small as ours, it’s truly astonishing.

His appearance record is none too shabby either.

And in many respects just as impressive as his goals.

Remarkably, in a period when there were more withdrawals from the Northern Ireland squad than you would see at a Belfast city centre cash machine on pay day (pre-credit crunch), Healy played in 38 out of a possible 38 internationals in his first four and a half years at the highest level.

Only suspension, after a controversial red card against Wales in the Millennium Stadium during an eventful 2-2 draw, stopped him maintaining his perfect run.

A member of the Green and White Army recently told me for that loyalty to the cause alone, let alone all those unforgettable goals, he deserves to reach 100 caps.

Right now though Healy is happy to make it to 75.

He’s certain to play in midweek, even if it may be from the bench with manager Nigel Worthington considering looking at all his striking options ahead of the remaining World Cup qualifiers.

The Sunderland striker says: “When I won my first cap I didn’t imagine then I would make it to 75.

“When I started playing for Northern Ireland I would have thought winning 30 caps was fantastic and then when I reached that figure I would have been happy to reach 50.

“If selected Wednesday should be a landmark night for me and my family. I’ll be a very proud man at Windsor.

“Obviously I would love to reach 100 caps, that would be incredible, but to be honest I’m not sure if it will happen. It seems a long way off.

“More realistically I’ll aim to get to 80 caps and if I do that then it would mean a lot to me to try and become the most capped outfield player for Northern Ireland, though overhauling Mal Donaghy’s record of 91 would take some doing.

“If all goes okay for them in terms of staying free of major injuries I genuinely believe that Steve Davis and Jonny Evans will eventually become the most capped outfield players and Jonny may even give the amazing target set by Pat Jennings (119 caps) a go.

“I remember Jonny’s first cap that night when we beat Spain 3-2 at Windsor Park. He was good then, but look how far he has come on since. He’s been sensational for Manchester United and Northern Ireland and he’s going to get even better.”

Smiling, Healy adds: “I looked after Jonny when he came into the squad for that Spain game. I hope he remembers that when he is a superstar!”

Healy has had that label with Northern Ireland fans for some

time, though he is not one to take their hero worship for granted, feeling that after four internationals without a goal, it’s about time he found the net again, especially with the vital World Cup matches on the way.

“I know it is billed as a friendly, but it is still important for us to build momentum ahead of the remaining World Cup qualifiers,” says Healy.

“It would be good to go into the crucial double header next month against Poland and Slovakia on the back of a victory.

“And from a personal point of view I’m desperate to score again for Northern Ireland. I haven’t done that for a while and I feel I owe the Kop a goal.

“The Northern Ireland fans have always been supportive of me, even in recent games when I haven’t been scoring. I’ve always appreciated that and want to pay them back for that support against Israel and in the World Cup qualifiers that are coming up.”

You wouldn’t bet against him, but few over the course of the last year would have been wagering on Healy to play at club level, never mind score.

Since moving to Sunderland last summer, and even for a few months before that at Fulham, he has endured a frustrating time having to watch the action rather than be in the thick of it.

In his Belfast Telegraph column last week, Healy revealed that he was willing to fight for his place and would only consider leaving if new boss Steve Bruce told him he was not in his plans at Sunderland, though you wonder how long he will maintain that admirable attitude, if he continues to be left on the sidelines at the Stadium of Light.

He says: “Last season, especially in the last few months, was tough. It got to the stage that I knew that I wouldn’t be involved and for someone like me who just wants to play football, it was a difficult period.

“With a new season though comes new hope. I’ve been working hard in pre-season trying to impress our new manager Steve Bruce.

“We have brought in strikers Darren Bent and Frasier Campbell, so I’m well aware that there is plenty of competition up front, but I’m willing to fight for my place.

“I’m the first to admit that the last 12 months haven’t been the best for me, but I have enough confidence in my ability to believe that the next 12 months will be a lot better at club level and with Northern Ireland.”