IFA Premiership

IFA Premiership
IFA Premiership
Countries Northern Ireland
Founded 2008
succeeding Irish Premier League (2003) and
Irish Football League (1890)
Divisions 1
Number of teams 12
Levels on pyramid 1
Relegation to IFA Championship
Domestic cup(s) Irish Cup
Irish League Cup
International cup(s) Champions League (1 place)
UEFA Europa League (2 places)
Current champions Linfield
(201011)
Most championships Linfield (50)
TV partners Sky Sports,[1] UTV, BBC[2]
Website http://www.ifapremiership.com/
201112

The IFA Premiershipformerly the Irish Premier League, and before that the Irish Football Leagueand still known in popular parlance simply as the Irish League, is the national football league in Northern Ireland, and was historically the league for the whole of Ireland. Clubs in the league are semi-professional. It should not be confused with the League of Ireland, which is the football league for the Republic of Ireland.

For three seasons from 2009/10 the League will be sponsored by Carling and marketed as the Carling Premiership.[3][4] It is run by the Irish Football Association (IFA). At the end of the season, the champion club is presented with the Gibson Cupon 26 April 2011 it was awarded to Linfield, the current holders.

The half time and full time scores are carried on the Press Association's vidiprinter service. The full time scores have featured since the start of the 1996/1997 season although the half time scores have only been carried since 2008. The Saturday results are featured in the classified results on Final Score but are not broadcast on Soccer Saturday's classified results service.

Contents

History

The Irish League is the second-oldest national league in the world, being formed a week earlier than the Scottish Football League. Only the Football League in England is older.

The Irish Football League was originally formed as the football league for all of Ireland in 1890 (although initially all of its member clubs were in fact based in what would become Northern Ireland). It became the league for Northern Ireland in 1921 after partition, with a separate league and association (the Football Association of the Irish Free Statenow called the Football Association of Ireland) – being formed for the Irish Free State (now the Republic of Ireland).

In its first season, seven of the eight teams came from Belfast, and the leagueand Irish footballcontinued to be dominated by Belfast clubs for many years. In 1892, Derry Olympic became the second non-Belfast side, but only lasted for one season. In 1900, Derry Celtic joined the league and, in 1901, a second Derry team, St Columb's Court, was added. St Columb's Court lasted just one season, before being replaced by the league's first Dublin team, Bohemians, in 1903. Another Dublin side, Shelbourne, was added in 1904. In 1911 Glenavon, from the County Armagh town of Lurgan replaced Bohemians, who resigned from the league, but were re-admitted in 1912. During 1912 there were three Dublin sides, with the addition of Tritonville, but, like Derry Olympic and St Columb's Court before them, they lasted just one season. Derry Celtic also dropped out in 1913, so that when the Irish League split in 1921, Glenavon was the only non-Belfast team left.

During the 1920s, however, the league expanded and soon achieved a wide geographic spread across Northern Ireland. Nonetheless, it was not until 1952 that a team from outside Belfast (Glenavon) was crowned champions. Derry City, now of the League of Ireland, played in the Irish League from 1929 until 1972 but eventually resigned during the Troubles after the League voted narrowly to continue a ban on their home ground imposed by the security forces, even after the security forces had lifted it.

From 199596 until 200203, the League was split into two divisions: the Premier Division and First Division. Since 2003, there has been a single division, albeit with relegation to intermediate leagues below.

In 2003, the Irish Football Association took direct charge of Northern Ireland's national league with the creation of the Irish Premier League (IPL). The Irish Football League retained a separate existence, but controlling only two feeder leagues: the First Division and Second Division. In 2004, the IFA took over control of the remaining IFL divisions and renamed them as the IFA Intermediate League First Division and Second Division, effectively winding up the Irish Football League after 114 years.

In 2008, the Irish League was re-organised again (see 2008 Reorganisation below) and re-named as the Irish Premiership. Teams were invited to apply for membership of the new league, which was reduced to 12 clubs, and places were awarded on the basis of a complicated points system combined with a "domestic licence" scheme.

The League's records from its days in operation as the league for all of Ireland stand as the records for Northern Ireland (as is the case for the Northern Ireland national football team).

Linfield are the current champions, having clinched their record 50th league title on 26 April 2011 after beating sixth placed Lisburn Distillery 40 to move 9 points clear with one game remaining.

League format

Each team plays each other three times, making a total of 33 fixtures per team before the "split", when the top six teams play each other for a fourth time to settle the championship and European qualification issues, and the bottom six teams play each other to settle relegation issues. This makes a total of 38 fixtures. After the "split", teams in the top six cannot finish lower than 6th place, and teams in the bottom six cannot finish higher than 7th place, regardless of the results in the final 5 games. The League campaign begins in August and continues until the first Saturday in May. Most fixtures are played on Saturday afternoons, with occasional fixtures on Friday evenings, and some mid-week games, usually on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings. Traditionally, there are Bank Holiday afternoon fixtures on Boxing Day, New Years Day and Easter Tuesday.

Three points are awarded for a win, and one point for a draw. The team with the most points at the end of the season wins the championship. If two teams finish level on points, goal difference is used to separate them. If teams are still level on goal difference, then the team with the most goals scored is placed highest. Points can be deducted for breaches of rules: for example, fielding an ineligible player.

The League champions qualify to represent Northern Ireland in the following seasons Champions League, and the runners-up and third-placed teams qualify for the new Europa League. If the Europa League place that is reserved for the Irish Cup winners (or runners-up, in the event that the Cup winners have also won the League championship) is taken by the team in second or third place, then the fourth-placed team is entered into the Europa League. In order to compete in any of these European competitions, however, clubs must possess a UEFA licence. In the event that a team qualifies without such a licence, lower-placed teams may take their place.

The four highest-placed teams in the Premiership also qualify automatically for the next seasons all-Ireland Setanta Cup. The fifth- and sixth-placed teams may also qualify if either or both of the winners (or runners-up, in the event that the Irish Cup winners have also finished first or second) of the Irish Cup and League Cup have qualified via the League. (The League Cup runners-up cannot qualify.)

The bottom-placed team is relegated to the IFA Championship and the second-bottom-placed team must take part in a two-legged play-off match against the second-placed team in the Championship, and is relegated if it loses. (In the event that the Championship winners do not possess a domestic licence, there is no automatic relegation and, instead, the bottom-placed team takes part in the play-off against the second-placed Championship team. In the event that neither the Championship winners nor runners-up has a domestic licence, there is no relegation.)

The twelve Premiership teams also compete for the Irish League Cup: the second-most important cup competition after the Irish Cup.

UEFA coefficient and ranking

As of 13 July 2011, the IFA Premiership's UEFA coefficient points total is 2.583. It is currently ranked by UEFA as the 45th best league in Europe out of 53.

2008 reorganisation

For the 200809 season, the League system for Northern Ireland was re-organised. It was renamed as the IFA Premiership, and reduced to twelve teams, included on the basis not only of their performance in the 200708 season, but in the previous two seasons, and other off-the-field criteria as follows. Each applicant club was assessed by an independent panel and awarded points against the following criteria:

Sporting (maximum 450 points) – based on league placings, Irish Cup, League Cup and European performances in 200506, 200607 and 200708; with points also awarded for running youth teams, women's teams and community development programmes.

Finance (maximum 200 points) – based on solvency, debt management and cash-flow projection.

Infrastructure (maximum 150 points) – based on stadium capacity, changing provisions, sanitary facilities, field of play, floodlighting, existence and standard of control room, first aid room, drug testing room and media facilities.

Business planning (maximum 50 points)

Personnel (maximum 100 points) – based on qualification and experience of staff

Attendances (maximum 50 points)

Portadown were relegated to the IFA Championship as a result of submitting their application for the IFA Premiership 29 minutes past the deadline for consideration.[5]

Premiership members for 201112

Club
Finishing position
in 201011
First season in
top division
First season of
current spell in
top division
Total seasons
in top division
Ballymena United 9th 192829 192829 73
Carrick Rangers 1st in IFA Championship 198384 201112 21
Cliftonville 4th 189091 189091 111
Coleraine 7th 192728 199697 77
Crusaders 2nd 194950 200607 62
Donegal Celtic 11th 200607 201011 4
Dungannon Swifts 8th 200304 200304 9
Glenavon 10th 191112 200506 89
Glentoran 3rd 189091 189091 111
Linfield 1st 189091 189091 111
Lisburn Distillery 6th 189091 200203 105
Portadown 5th 192425 200910 80

List of champions and runners-up

Irish Football League

Season Champions
(number of titles)
Runners-up Third Leading goalscorer Goals
189091 Linfield (1) Ulster Distillery Robert Hill (Linfield) 20
189192 Linfield (2) Ulster Lancashire Fusiliers Tim Morrison (Linfield) 21
189293 Linfield (3) Cliftonville Distillery Robert Hill (Linfield)

James Percy (Cliftonville)

9
189394 Glentoran (1) Linfield Cliftonville Michael McErlean (Linfield) 9
189495 Linfield (4) Distillery Glentoran George Gaukrodger (Linfield)

Joe McAllen (Linfield)

4
189596 Distillery (1) Cliftonville Linfield unknown
189697 Glentoran (2) Cliftonville Linfield Johnny Darling (Linfield)

Richard Peden (Linfield)

6
189798 Linfield (5) Cliftonville Glentoran unknown
189899 Distillery (2) Linfield Cliftonville unknown
18991900 Belfast Celtic (1) Linfield Distillery unknown
190001 Distillery (3) Glentoran Belfast Celtic unknown
190102 Linfield (6) Glentoran Distillery unknown
190203 Distillery (4) Linfield Glentoran unknown
190304 Linfield (7) Distillery Glentoran unknown
190405 Glentoran (3) Belfast Celtic Linfield unknown
190506 Cliftonville (1)

Distillery (5) (title shared)

Linfield unknown
190607 Linfield (8) Shelbourne Distillery unknown
190708 Linfield (9) Cliftonville Glentoran unknown
190809 Linfield (10) Glentoran Shelbourne unknown
190910 Cliftonville (2) Belfast Celtic Linfield unknown
191011 Linfield (11) Glentoran Belfast Celtic unknown
191112 Glentoran (4) Distillery Belfast Celtic unknown
191213 Glentoran (5) Distillery Linfield unknown
191314 Linfield (12) Glentoran Belfast Celtic unknown
191415 Belfast Celtic (2) Glentoran Linfield unknown
191519 League suspended due to the First World War
191920 Belfast Celtic (3) Distillery Glentoran unknown
192021 Glentoran (6) Glenavon Linfield unknown
192122 Linfield (13) Glentoran Distillery unknown
192223 Linfield (14) Queens Island Glentoran unknown
192324 Queen's Island (1) Distillery Linfield unknown
192425 Glentoran (7) Queen's Island Belfast Celtic unknown
192526 Belfast Celtic (4) Glentoran Larne unknown
192627 Belfast Celtic (5) Queen's Island Distillery Joe Bambrick (Glentoran) 28
192728 Belfast Celtic (6) Linfield Newry Town unknown
192829 Belfast Celtic (7) Linfield Glentoran Joe Bambrick (Linfield) 43
192930 Linfield (15) Glentoran Coleraine Joe Bambrick (Linfield) 50
193031 Glentoran (8) Linfield Belfast Celtic Fred Roberts (Glentoran) 55
193132 Linfield (16) Derry City Belfast Celtic unknown
193233 Belfast Celtic (8) Distillery Linfield Joe Bambrick (Linfield) 40
193334 Linfield (17) Belfast Celtic Glentoran unknown
193435 Linfield (18) Derry City Belfast Celtic unknown
193536 Belfast Celtic (9) Derry City Linfield unknown
193637 Belfast Celtic (10) Derry City Linfield unknown
193738 Belfast Celtic (11) Derry City Portadown unknown
193839 Belfast Celtic (12) Ballymena United Derry City unknown
193940 Belfast Celtic (13) Portadown Glentoran unknown
194047 League suspended due to the Second World War
194748 Belfast Celtic (14) Linfield Ballymena United Jimmy Jones (Belfast Celtic) 28
194849 Linfield (19) Belfast Celtic Glentoran Billy Simpson (Linfield) 19
194950 Linfield (20) Glentoran Distillery Sammy Hughes (Glentoran) 23
195051 Glentoran (9) Linfield Glenavon Sammy Hughes (Glentoran)

Walter Allen (Portadown)

23
195152 Glenavon (1) Distillery Coleraine Jimmy Jones (Glenavon) 27
195253 Glentoran (10) Linfield Ballymena United Sammy Hughes (Glentoran) 28
195354 Linfield (21) Glentoran Glenavon Jimmy Jones (Glenavon) 32
195455 Linfield (22) Glenavon Cliftonville Fay Coyle (Coleraine) 20
195556 Linfield (23) Glenavon Bangor Jimmy Jones (Glenavon) 26
195657 Glenavon (2) Linfield Glentoran Jimmy Jones (Glenavon) 33
195758 Ards (1) Glenavon Ballymena United Jackie Milburn (Linfield) 29
195859 Linfield (24) Glenavon Glentoran Jackie Milburn (Linfield) 26
195960 Glenavon (3) Glentoran Distillery Jimmy Jones (Glenavon) 29
196061 Linfield (25) Portadown Ards Trevor Thompson (Glentoran) 22
196162 Linfield (26) Portadown Ballymena United Mick Lynch (Ards) 20
196263 Distillery (6) Linfield Portadown Joe Meldrum (Distillery) 27
196364 Glentoran (11) Coleraine Derry City Trevor Thompson (Linfield) 21
196465 Derry City (1) Coleraine Crusaders Kenny Halliday (Coleraine)

Dennis Guy (Glenavon)

19
196566 Linfield (27) Derry City Glentoran Sammy Pavis (Linfield) 28
196667 Glentoran (12) Linfield Derry City Sammy Pavis (Linfield) 25
196768 Glentoran (13) Linfield Coleraine Sammy Pavis (Linfield) 30
196869 Linfield (28) Derry City Coleraine Danny Hale (Derry City) 21
196970 Glentoran (14) Coleraine Ards Des Dickson (Coleraine) 21
197071 Linfield (29) Glentoran Distillery Bryan Hamilton (Linfield) 18
197172 Glentoran (15) Portadown Ards Peter Watson (Distillery)

Des Dickson (Coleraine)

15
197273 Crusaders (1) Ards Portadown Des Dickson (Coleraine) 23
197374 Coleraine (1) Portadown Crusaders Des Dickson (Coleraine) 24
197475 Linfield (30) Coleraine Glentoran Martin Malone (Portadown) 15
197576 Crusaders (2) Glentoran Coleraine Des Dickson (Coleraine) 23
197677 Glentoran (16) Glenavon Linfield Ronnie McAteer (Crusaders) 20
197778 Linfield (31) Glentoran Glenavon Warren Feeney (Glentoran) 17
197879 Linfield (32) Glenavon Ards Tommy Armstrong (Ards) 21
197980 Linfield (33) Ballymena United Glentoran Jimmy Martin (Glentoran) 17
198081 Glentoran (17) Linfield Ballymena United Des Dickson (Coleraine)

Paul Malone (Ballymena United)

18
198182 Linfield (34) Glentoran Coleraine Gary Blackledge (Glentoran) 18
198283 Linfield (35) Glentoran Coleraine Jim Campbell (Ards) 15
198384 Linfield (36) Glentoran Cliftonville Martin McGaughey (Linfield)

Trevor Anderson (Linfield)

15
198485 Linfield (37) Coleraine Glentoran Martin McGaughey (Linfield) 34
198586 Linfield (38) Coleraine Ards Trevor Anderson (Linfield) 14
198687 Linfield (39) Coleraine Ards Ray McCoy (Coleraine)

Gary Macartney (Glentoran)

14
198788 Glentoran (18) Linfield Coleraine Martin McGaughey (Linfield) 18
198889 Linfield (40) Glentoran Coleraine Stephen Baxter (Linfield) 17
198990 Portadown (1) Glenavon Glentoran Martin McGaughey (Linfield) 19
199091 Portadown (2) Bangor Glentoran Stephen McBride (Glenavon) 22
199192 Glentoran (19) Portadown Linfield Harry McCourt (Omagh Town)

Stephen McBride (Glenavon)

18
199293 Linfield (41) Crusaders Bangor Steve Cowan (Portadown) 23
199394 Linfield (42) Portadown Glenavon Darren Erskine (Ards)

Stephen McBride (Glenavon)

22
199495 Crusaders (3) Glenavon Portadown Glenn Ferguson (Glenavon) 27
199596 Portadown (3) Crusaders Glentoran Garry Haylock (Portadown) 19
199697 Crusaders (4) Coleraine Glentoran Garry Haylock (Portadown) 16
199798 Cliftonville (3) Linfield Portadown Vinny Arkins (Portadown) 22
199899 Glentoran (20) Linfield Crusaders Vinny Arkins (Portadown) 19
19992000 Linfield (43) Coleraine Glenavon Vinny Arkins (Portadown) 29
200001 Linfield (44) Glenavon Glentoran Davy Larmour (Linfield) 17
200102 Portadown (4) Glentoran Linfield Vinny Arkins (Portadown) 30
200203 Glentoran (21) Portadown Coleraine Vinny Arkins (Portadown) 29

Irish Premier League

Season Champions
(number of titles)
Runners-up Third Leading goalscorer Goals
200304 Linfield (45) Portadown Lisburn Distillery Glenn Ferguson (Linfield) 25
200405 Glentoran (22) Linfield Portadown Chris Morgan (Glentoran) 19
200506 Linfield (46) Glentoran Portadown Peter Thompson (Linfield) 25
200607 Linfield (47) Glentoran Cliftonville Gary Hamilton (Glentoran) 27
200708 Linfield (48) Glentoran Cliftonville Peter Thompson (Linfield) 29

IFA Premiership

Season Champions
(number of titles)
Runners-up Third Leading goalscorer Goals
200809 Glentoran (23) Linfield Crusaders Curtis Allen (Lisburn Distillery) 19
200910 Linfield (49) Cliftonville Glentoran Rory Patterson (Coleraine) 30
201011 Linfield (50) Crusaders Glentoran Peter Thompson (Linfield) 23

Bold indicates Double winnersi.e. League and Irish Cup winners

Italic indicates Treble Winnersi.e. League, Irish Cup and at least one other senior trophy

Irish Football League First Division

Season Champions
(number of titles)
Runners-up Third
199596 Coleraine (1) Ballymena United Omagh Town
199697 Ballymena United (1) Omagh Town Bangor
199798 Newry Town (1) Bangor Distillery
199899 Distillery (1) Ards Bangor
19992000 Omagh Town (1) Ards Limavady United
200001 Ards (1) Lisburn Distillery Armagh City
200102 Lisburn Distillery (2) Institute Dungannon Swifts
200203 Dungannon Swifts (1) Ballymena United Limavady United

Performance by club

Club Winners Runners-up Winning years
Linfield
50
20
189091, 189192, 189293, 189495, 189798, 190102, 190304, 190607, 190708, 190809, 191011, 191314, 192122, 192223, 192930, 193132, 193334, 193435, 194849, 194950, 195354, 195455, 195556, 195859, 196061, 196162, 196566, 196869, 197071, 197475, 197778, 197879, 197980, 198182, 198283, 198384, 198485, 198586, 198687, 198889, 199293, 199394, 19992000, 200001, 200304, 200506, 200607, 200708, 200910, 201011
Glentoran
23
23
189394, 189697, 190405, 191112, 191213, 192021, 192425, 193031, 195051, 195253, 196364, 196667, 196768, 196970, 197172, 197677, 198081, 198788, 199192, 199899, 200203, 200405, 200809
Belfast Celtic
14
4
18991900, 191415, 191920, 192526, 192627, 192728, 192829, 193233, 193536, 193637, 193738, 193839, 193940, 194748
Lisburn Distillery
6 (inc. 1 shared)
8
189596, 189899, 190001, 190203, 190506, 196263
Portadown
4
9
198990, 199091, 199596, 200102
Crusaders
4
3
197273, 197576, 199495, 199697
Glenavon
3
10
195152, 195657, 195960
Cliftonville
3 (inc. 1 shared)
5
190506, 190910, 199798
Coleraine
1
9
197374
Derry City
1
7
196465
Queen's Island
1
3
192324
Ards
1
1
195758

Total titles won by town or city

Twelve clubs have been champions, and the overwhelming majority have been from Belfast.

Town or city Number of titles Clubs
Belfast
100
Linfield (50), Glentoran (23), Belfast Celtic (14), Distillery (6 (1 shared)), Crusaders (4), Cliftonville (3 (1 shared)), Queen's Island (1)
Portadown
4
Portadown (4)
Lurgan
3
Glenavon (3)
Coleraine
1
Coleraine (1)
Derry
1
Derry City (1)
Newtownards
1
Ards (1)

History and trivia

The first Irish League champions were Linfield, and the first runners-up were Ulster. After the first season, the league expanded to ten clubs, but shrank after only one season to six clubs for the 189293 season. Only four clubs competed in 189293 and 189394, then six clubs for the following season, until a membership of eight was achieved for the 190102 season. With the exception of one season (191213) in which there were ten clubs, membership stayed at eight until the southern clubs resigned in 1920, anticipating the formation of the separate League of Ireland in what would become the Irish Free State. (The League was suspended from 1915 to 1919 because of the First World War.) Only five and six clubs competed in 192021 and from 192123 respectively, but expansion began with the admission of four new clubs in 1923, another two in 1924 and a further two in 1927, giving a membership of fourteen from 1927 until the League was suspended in 1940 because of the Second World War. When the League resumed in 1947 it was reduced to twelve clubs, and stayed at this number until 1983 when membership was increased to fourteen. In 1990, a further two clubs brought the membership to sixteen, and the League was divided into two divisions (the Premier and First Divisions) of eight in 1995, with promotion and relegation between the two. In 1996 the results from the Premier Division and the First Division started to be featured on the Press Association vidiprinter. In 1997, membership increased again to eighteen, with ten in the Premier Division and eight in the First Division. Between 1999 and 2003, the League had a record twenty clubs in membership. From 1999 to 2002, ten clubs each competed in the Premier and First Divisions and in 200203 there were twelve in the Premier Division and eight in the First Division. In 2003, with the creation of the Irish Premier League, the senior league was reduced to a single division of sixteen clubs, although for the first time with relegation to, and promotion from, a league below (a rump Irish Football League in 200304 and subsequently the IFA Intermediate League). In 2008, with the creation of the IFA Premiership, the league was reduced to twelve.

Four clubsCliftonville, Glentoran, Linfield and Lisburn Distilleryhave retained membership of the League since its inception in 1890: 122 years and 111 seasons (due to eleven suspended seasons). All the League members from 1890 up to and including the 201112 season (Irish Football League 18902003, Irish Premier League 200308, IFA Premiership 2008 to present) are as follows (current members shown in bold):

Club From No. of seasons Years
Cliftonville Belfast 111 1890
Glentoran Belfast 111 1890
Linfield Belfast 111 1890
Lisburn Distillery[note 1] Lisburn[note 2] 111 1890
Glenavon Lurgan 89 19112004, 2005
Portadown Portadown 80 19242008, 2009
Coleraine Coleraine 78 1927
Ballymena United[note 3] Ballymena 77 1928
Ards Newtownards[note 4] 76 19232006
Bangor Bangor 70 19272003, 200809
Crusaders Belfast 62 19492005, 2006
Larne Larne 53 192340, 19722008
Newry City[note 5] Newry 45 192340, 19832011
Belfast Celtic[note 6] Belfast 38 18961920, 192449
Derry City Derry 36 192972
Carrick Rangers Carrickfergus 21 19832003, 2011
Omagh Town Omagh 15 19902005
Dungannon Swifts Dungannon 15 1997
Ballyclare Comrades Ballyclare 13 19902003
Bohemians Dublin 13 190211, 191220
Derry Celtic Derry 13 190013
Shelbourne Dublin 12 190420
Limavady United Limavady 11 19972008
Institute Drumahoe 10 19992006, 200710
Queens Island Belfast 8 192129
Armagh City Armagh 7 19992003, 200508
Ulster Belfast 6 189094, 190103
Barn Carrickfergus 5 192328
Donegal Celtic Belfast 4 200608, 2010
Loughgall Loughgall 3 200407
North Staffordshire Regiment Army team 3 189699
Ligoneil Belfast 2 189192, 189394
Oldpark Belfast 2 189092
Belfast YMCA Belfast 1 189192
Clarence Belfast 1 189091
Derry Olympic Derry 1 189293
King's Own Scottish Borderers Army team 1 190304
Milford Milford 1 189091
Lancashire Fusiliers Army team 1 189192
Milltown Belfast 1 189192
Royal Scots Army team 1 189900
St Columb's Court Derry 1 190102
Tritonville Dublin 1 191213

Before goal difference was introduced, if the top two teams finished the season with the same number of points, the championship title was decided by a play-off. Nine such championship play-offs took place over the years as follow:

Season Winners Score Runners-up
189596 Distillery 21 Cliftonville
189899 Distillery 20 Linfield
190405 Glentoran 31 Belfast Celtic
190506 Cliftonville 00 Distillery
Replay Cliftonville 33 Distillery
191011 Linfield 32 Glentoran
193738 Belfast Celtic 22 Derry City
Replay Belfast Celtic 31 Derry City
194950 Linfield 20 Glentoran
196061 Linfield 20 Portadown
196162 Linfield 31 Portadown

On one occasion (190506), the championship title was shared after Cliftonville and Distillery could not be separated after two play-off matches.

Linfield were the first team to win the championship on goal difference in 199293, when they finished level on 66 points each with Crusaders, but eight goals better with a +34 goal difference to Crusaders' +26.

Linfield have won the League championship the most times (50).

From 1890 to 1921, when the Irish League was an all-Ireland competition, no southern clubs (from what would become the Irish Free State and later the Republic of Ireland) ever won the championship. During this period, three southern clubs participated in the League: Bohemians, Shelbourne and Tritonville. The highest place achieved by any of these clubs was second, by Shelbourne in 190607.

No club from outside Belfast won the League championship until Glenavon took it to Co. Armagh in 195152. In 195758, Ards became the first team from Co. Down to win the League, and in 196465, Derry City were the first Co. Londonderry team to do so. Of the 111 championships, the title has only been taken out of Belfast on ten occasions. The most successful provincial club is Portadown, with four championships.

A total of 12 different teams have won the championship.

In the early years, Army regiments stationed in Ireland participated in the League: the Lancashire Fusiliers in 189192; the North Staffordshire Regiment for three seasons from 189699; the Royal Scots in 189900 and the King's Own Scottish Borderers in 190304.

The longest gap between Irish League championships was 77 seasons (excluding the 11 suspended seasons) between Cliftonvilles wins in 190910 and 199798.

The record for consecutive titles is six, held jointly by Belfast Celtic (193540 and 194748) and Linfield (198187).

Historically, with relatively few league fixtures each season, the Irish League organised a number of other competitions for its members. While some of these enjoyed considerable prestige over the years, they have been phased out over recent seasons due to fixture congestion caused by the expansion of the league and reduced spectator interest. These competitions were: the City Cup; the Gold Cup; the Ulster Cup and the Irish League Floodlit Cup.

In addition, clubs still compete in their respective regional cup competitions: the County Antrim Shield (for clubs within the jurisdiction of the North-East Ulster F.A. (also known as the County Antrim & District F.A.); the Mid-Ulster Cup (for clubs within the jurisdiction of the Mid-Ulster F.A.); and the North West Senior Cup (for clubs within the jurisdiction of the North-Western F.A.).

In 196162, Linfield famously achieved the feat of winning seven trophies: the Irish League; Irish Cup; City Cup, Gold Cup; Ulster Cup; County Antrim Shield; and North-South Cup.

On the following occasions, teams have completed a league campaign unbeaten:

Season Team Number of games played
189293 Linfield 10
189495 Linfield 6
190304 Linfield 14
192122 Linfield 10
192627 Belfast Celtic 22
192829 Belfast Celtic 26
198081 Glentoran 22

The first ever Irish League match to be broadcast live on television took place on 24 September 2007 when Sky Sports showed Cliftonville and Linfield draw 22 at Solitude.

Relegation and promotion history

Between 1995/96 and 2002/03, the league was split into two divisions, with promotion and relegation between the two as follows.

Season Relegated to First Division Promoted to Premier Division
199596 Bangor Coleraine
199697 - Ballymena United
Omagh Town
199798 Ards Newry Town
199899 Omagh Town Distillery
19992000 Lisburn Distillery Omagh Town
200001 Ballymena United Ards
200102 - Lisburn Distillery
Institute

At the end of the 2002/03 season, the league was reformed as the single-division Irish Premier League. Four clubs were relegated to intermediate football, and thereafter there has been relegation and promotion between the senior Irish League and the top intermediate league below (now the IFA Championship).

Season Relegated Promoted
200203 Armagh City
Ballyclare Comrades
Bangor
Carrick Rangers
-
200304 Glenavon Loughgall
200405 Crusaders
Omagh Town
Armagh City
Glenavon
200506 Ards
Institute
Crusaders
Donegal Celtic
200607 Loughgall Institute
200708 Armagh City
Limavady United
Larne
Donegal Celtic
Portadown
Bangor
200809 Bangor Portadown
200910 Institute Donegal Celtic
201011 Newry City Carrick Rangers

Notes

  1. ^ Changed name from Distillery to Lisburn Distillery in 1999.
  2. ^ Moved from Belfast to Ballyskeagh in 1980.
  3. ^ Known as Ballymena until 1934.
  4. ^ Sold home ground in Newtownards in 2002, and subsequently played in Carrickfergus, Belfast and Bangor.
  5. ^ Changed name from Newry Town to Newry City in 2004.
  6. ^ Changed name from Celtic to Belfast Celtic in 1901.

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.irishfa.com/the-ifa/news/3002/northern-ireland-football-lines-up-on-sky-sports/
  2. ^ "Irish League gets TV deal". BBC News. 2002-09-03. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/northern_ireland/2234219.stm. 
  3. ^ Carling to sponsor Premiership
  4. ^ IFA unveils Carling as new Premiership sponsor
  5. ^ "Portadown out of Premier League". BBC News. 2008-05-13. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/irish/7398872.stm. 

External links


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