League Football in Northern Ireland

[Dutch Uncle]

Thought some on here might be interested in how some football in Grant McCann’s Northern Ireland is panning out this season. Anyone not interested please just ignore. Mods – although football related, please feel free to move to off topic if you feel more appropriate.

Linfield, managed by David Healy - Rovers former loanee and cult hero over here, have just been crowned champions. This will be to the despair of at least one poster and Glentoran supporter on here who refers to them (as many do) as the Blue Sh*te. They are certainly the most wealthy club over here with the largest support base and playing their home games at the National Windsor Park stadium. To put that into perspective, home games attendances are averaging about 2400. Their main rivals recently have been Crusaders, but historically their great rivals and enemies have been the aforementioned Glentoran. Glentoran are going through tough times, but have recently announced they have paid off about 93% of 1.7M debt they had about 6 years ago. The ‘Mighty Glens’ are trying to hang on to 7th place (the last playoff place for a Europe League spot) and are averaging about 1600 for a Home game. However the Oval, the Glens quaint but dilapidated old ground overlooking the iconic Belfast Shipyards, is often full to its 6000 capacity when Linfield visit. My wife grew up about 100 yards from the Oval. As for standard, Linfield IMHO might be mid to lower table Conference standard, and they are way above the rest.

Lower down the pyramid are my local team Bangor FC. They celebrated their centenary last year and have played in the top flight as recently as 2009, and finished runners up in the early 1990s and won the Cup and League Cup in 1993. In 2015 they missed out on promotion to the top division on penalties in the playoff final. However today is reminiscent of Rovers time in the Conference. Bangor, population ca 60000, is easily large enough to support a top level club, but two seasons ago they fell out of tier 3 (the lowest national league) and play in a regional league at tier 4. To regain their national level they need to win their league, and then playoffs with the winners of two parallel leagues. Last season they finished second 1 point behind the leaders.

This season they have played no fewer than 20 cupties in 6 cup competitions and now have a fixture pileup. With 8 matches to go they have played 20 league games, won 19 and drawn 1 but are far from sure to win their league. Their part time players are now playing three games a week, nearly all away. Unfortunately they are on the very edge of their geographic region and last week made three journeys (Tues Thurs, Sat) of about 200 miles round trip each. They won all 3. Three more this week, but at least the Saturday match is at home. They still have to play both their main rivals, and need 16 points from their last 8 games to win the league. So far they have scored no fewer that 147 goals. Average crowds are about 200 in a stadium capacity about 2000, but local rivals Ards, currently in the top league but almost certainly to be relegated, are temporarily groundsharing and averaging about 1100.

How the other half lives and plays…… before Brexit.

[RedJ]

I like to keep up with Northern Irish football, been following Linfield for a few years now because of Healy.

It's a shite standard but it's not that bad to watch, to be honest.

[RedRover45]

I've managed to visit four of the Irish league and am planning to do the rest, hopefully two or three at a time. Is the old Ards ground still standing ? What's the future plans, are they going to permanently groundshare with Bangor ?

[Dutch Uncle]

I've managed to visit four of the Irish league and am planning to do the rest, hopefully two or three at a time. Is the old Ards ground still standing ? What's the future plans, are they going to permanently groundshare with Bangor ?

I only know hat is covered on their wiki page - the old ground was sold and demolished to clear debts, and they do not yet have any approved plans for a new ground. By the way it is only 5 miles from Newtonards to Bangor so it is very close.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ards_F.C.

[Lesonthewest]

That's a great read Dutch, & I will certainly be watching for Bangors results.

[Dutch Uncle]

That's a great read Dutch, & I will certainly be watching for Bangors results.

Thanks Les. Probably the easiest place to find the results and reports is the club's oficial site which is not bad.

http://bangorfc.com/

[Dutch Uncle]

By the way the Brexit reference is not just in passing - two clubs share the Brandywell Stadium in Derry - Derry City who play in the League of Ireland and Institute FC who play in the Northern Ireland FL. I believe the stadium is located just within Nortern Ireland. What will happen with a hard border?

[Draytonian III]

C’mon You Glens, look out for Larne next season being bankrolled by the owner of Purple Bricks,tried to buy Joe Gormley from Cliftonville and rumoured to be a lot more higher profiled players over there. I think the Glens cleared a lot of their debt by selling some land between the airport and Victoria Park ( ask the wife where it is ). If Ballymena-hay ( another one to ask the wife) had sorted their pitch out they could have run The Blue Sh**e closer to the title.
The NI League Show is on BBC1 NI and I-player every week,it’s proper mesters football

[paddy drfc]

I lived in  Lurgan in the 70s so i always look out for Glenavon's results

[Bristol Red Rover]

By the way the Brexit reference is not just in passing - two clubs share the Brandywell Stadium in Derry - Derry City who play in the League of Ireland and Institute FC who play in the Northern Ireland FL. I believe the stadium is located just within Nortern Ireland. What will happen with a hard border?

I think we've discovered the sticking point in the negotiations.

[Dutch Uncle]

Update (for Les and others):

Bangor FC won another three matches last week (Tues/Thurs/Sat), won on Tues and tonight beat their main rivals and have clinched first position in their league with three matches still to play.

It looks very much like the two parallel leagues will be won by teams who have not applied to be promoted, meaning there is a good chance of Bangor being back in the NI Football League without playoffs (to be confirmed)

[Draytonian III]

Two of the forwards for Bangor FC are ex Glentoran, Michael Halliday and Matty Burrows, with the latter coming 3rd in a world wide goal of year about 10 years ago, a back heeled volley from edge of the area, it’s on you tube. Bangor can certainly support a higher league team, I’ve been to ground,admittedly to watch Ards vs The Glens, but it is a nice ground and only about 3/4 of mile from the station.