Burnley's Steve Jones, Kyle Lafferty and Michael Duff are key members of the Northern Ireland squad hoping to qualify for a place in Euro 2006. We went to Belfast to find out what the Irish think of the Clarets trio.

FIVE minutes before kick-off and Windsor Park is electric.

A wild cauldron of noise and optimism, the intensity is nothing like in the Championship or, indeed, the Premiership.

Seconds before the teams marched out, scenes are terrific. The Kop, raw in its noise, bounces to thousands of men, women and children sporting the famous Green jersey.

Flags are everywhere. The highly-charged Green and White Army are engulfed in a cascade of scarves, wigs and banners. A giant 20ft shirt is unfurled and held aloft.

A montage emerges in the main stand and everybody is ready. Then there are songs.

'Come on Norn Iron, let's have a sing-a-long', pipes the announcer. And so they all do, very loudly.

It's a heck of an experience, a hairs on the back of the neck moment. One can only imaginehow Michael Duff, Steve Jones and Kyle Lafferty, Burnley's three local boys, feel as they step out into this madness.

Windsor Park is in desperate need of modernisation. It's a world away from the luxury grounds of other home nations, Hampden Park, Millennium Stadium and, when it is finally built, Wembley Stadium.

But what it lacks in size, comfort and aesthetics, it makes up for with atmosphere.

Quite frankly, when a crowd is this passionate, this vociferous, backing their side to the hilt, there is no more intimidating venue.

Apparently, it is like this every time, regardless of the opposition, whether it be Spain, as it will be on Wednesday evening, or England, who were left battered, bruised and taunted after crashing in Belfast earlier this year.

That 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Sven Goran Eriksson's men had brought fresh hope, fresh expectation to Northern Ireland supporters that their team are beginning to find their way again at international level, following too long a spell in the doldrums.

A renewed sense of expectation and optimism was born. Added to that, there is an 18-year-old giving them extra cause for cheer.

Clarets striker Lafferty is all the talk here. He's only young - and still very much learning the tools of the trade at Turf Moor - but folk in Northern Ireland believe they possess a huge talent in their ranks.

There is no over-the-top hype. Lawrie Sanchez - and Burnley manager Steve Cotterill - refuseto put pressure on Lafferty's broad shoulders.

However, supporters here are excited about the Enniskillen teenager and delighted to see him make his competitive international debut against Iceland.

He already had three caps in the bag, from friendlies away from home, and opened his senior account against Finland last month.

Lafferty came off the bench with almost half an hour to play, to great applause.

And from the wreckage of a disastrous Northern Ireland performance, in which poor defending gifted Iceland three first-half strikes, Lafferty emerged as one of the few shining lights.

Lafferty was a top scorer for NFC Kesh in the Fermanagh & Western League - throughout all of their junior levels - before the Clarets picked him up.

Several years ago, he helped sweep aside Ardoyne FC 3-1 in the final of the IFA Junior Cup.

"That was the one time we came across Kyle and he was exceptional," said Seamus Sullivan, Ardoyne's senior team manager.

"Every year, he was their best player, scoring lots of goals. He's an exceptional talent. As long as he keeps his feet on the ground, he'll go a long way for Northern Ireland."

Another astute talent spotter is distinguished Malcolm Brodie, former sports editor of the Belfast Telegraph and who has covered Northern Ireland internationals since the 1940's.

Brodie said: "Lafferty has blossomed fantastically due to a lot of coaching he has got in the Under 21 squad managed by Roy Millar.

"He's certainly been groomed to get to the top for Northern Ireland. The fans have taken to him and realise just what a prospect he is.

"What impresses me is his humility, his desire to impose his game and to be completely professional.

"He has, like most other young players, a burning desire to wear the green jersey and succeed.

"The fact he is at Burnley, a club which Northern Ireland supporters realise has a tremendous background of Ulster players being groomed there, is a good thing."

It was never the easiest of situations for Lafferty to make his grand entrance.

The contest was all over after 37 minutes, Northern Ireland three down to strikes from Gunnar Heldar Thorvaldsson, Hermann Hreidarsson and star man Eidur Gudjohnsen.

Lafferty was introduced with just less than half-an-hour left, but was never handed a properforward role, first operating on the right wing before switching flanks.

He posed a danger on the left, winning every aerial battle, keeping passes nice and simpleand, encouragingly, linked up reasonably well with leading frontman David Healy.

Clarets defender Michael Duff also emerged from the bench with 14 minutes remaining.

It was not long enough to make a telling contribution, but Duff can consider himself unlucky not to feature for longer given a disjoined performance from the centre-halves of Stephen Craigan and Aaron Hughes.

Steve Jones was left kicking his heels as an unused substitute. His pace and trickery would have given Northern Ireland an extra option in attack, but Sanchez opted to bring on Warren Feeney.

There is a stronger chance that Lafferty, Duff and Jones may get the starting nod against the Spanish in two days time.