Coleraine F.C.

Coleraine F.C

Full name	Coleraine Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Bannsiders
Founded	1927
Ground	The Showgrounds, Coleraine (Capacity: 13,132 (safe capacity 2,496)[1])
Chairman	Hugh Wade
Manager	Oran Kearney
League	IFA Premiership
2010–11	7th
Home colours Away colours

Coleraine F.C. is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1927, hails from Coleraine, County Londonderry and plays its home matches at the Showgrounds. Club colours are blue and white. Oran Kearney is the manager.

Coleraine is one of the most successful clubs,outside of the "Belfast Big Two" of Linfield and Glentoran^{[citation needed]}, having won the Irish League title once (in 1973–74) and the Irish Cup on five occasions, most recently in 2002–03. It is also the only Irish League club to have won two successive all-Ireland competitions, lifting the Blaxnit Cup in 1969 and 1970.

History

Coleraine Football Club was founded in June 1927 at a meeting in the local Orange hall. The club was formed out of a merger between two local sides: Coleraine Olympic and Coleraine Alexandra. The original club colours were all white, hence the club's original nickname – the Lilywhites. The new club secured its first trophy in the 1931–32 season, defeating Ballymena United 3–0 at Solitude to win the Gold Cup.

In 1948, Coleraine reached its first Irish Cup final, going down 3–0 to Linfield. 1953 brought another appearance in the final and another defeat, again to Linfield, this time by five goals to nil. The 1950s saw the City Cup won for the first time (1953–54) and a second triumph in the Gold Cup (1958).

In 1961, chairman Jack Doherty persuaded Bertie Peacock to sign for Coleraine after he left Celtic. It would prove to be one of the most important transfers in the club's history. In 1965, Coleraine won the Irish Cup for the first time, defeating Glenavon 2–1 at Windsor Park, with goals from Shaun Dunlop and Derek Irwin. Coleraine thus gained its first experience of European football, against Soviet outfit Dynamo Kiev. Coleraine also won the first two Blaxnit all-Ireland cups in 1969 and 1970. Coleraine faced Kilmarnock in the 1970 Fairs Cup, and after a 1–1 draw in the first leg, the Bannsiders pulled off an historic 3–2 victory thanks to a Des Dickson hat-trick.

In 1972, the Irish Cup was won again, this time by beating Portadown 2–1, with goals from Des Dickson and Ivan Murray. The Holy Grail of the Gibson Cup was finally captured in 1974. Under the management of Bertie Peacock, the squad consisting of the likes of Des Dickson, Johnny McCurdy, Ivan Murray, Michael Guy and Vince Magee clinched the title ahead of Portadown. Bertie Peacock resigned in 1974 and Ivan Murray and Johnny McCurdy took over the reins. Murray continued as manager until 1978 and during his spell in charge the Irish Cup was won twice more – both times against Linfield. In 1975, it took three games before a goal from Jim "Chang" Smith in the second replay proved decisive. The 1977 victory was more emphatic with Liam Beckett, Des Dickson, Frankie Moffatt and Michael Guy scoring to give Coleraine a 4–1 victory. It was to be the club's last major trophy for 26 years.

In the 1980s there were two more cup finals, in 1982 and 1986, ending in defeats to Linfield and Glentoran respectively. For three seasons in a row in the mid-1980s the club finished second in the league behind Linfield, but in the first part of the 1990s Coleraine struggled. In 1995 they dropped into the First Division. Under Kenny Shiels, Coleraine won the inaugural First Division title and in its first season back in the top flight, won the Ulster Cup and came agonisingly close to the title, being pipped late on by Crusaders.

After a poor start to the 1999–2000 season, Shiels resigned and was replaced by Marty Quinn, who rallied the team to finish second in the league behind Linfield and reach the Irish Cup semi-finals and the Coca-Cola Cup final. The next 2 seasons saw Coleraine finish fourth both times – potential title challenges being ruined by inconsistency. In 2002–03, Coleraine ended the season in third place and reached their first Irish Cup Final since 1986. In the final, they faced Glentoran as massive underdogs as the east Belfast side were looking to complete a clean sweep of trophies. After an early strike from Gareth McAuley was harshly ruled out, Coleraine kept going and scored through Jody Tolan. Despite increasing Glentoran pressure, Coleraine held on and the trophy famine was over. The following season saw the club reach the Irish Cup final again, but this time it was Glentoran who emerged triumphant.

The club's well-publicised financial problems had already overshadowed much of the 2003–04 season (despite a substantial donation from Cold Feet actor and Coleraine fan James Nesbitt) and at its end the club was forced to operate on a reduced budget, with several top players leaving. Despite this a top six finish was still achieved. The summer of 2005 saw more budget cuts and several big names leaving the Showgrounds, but this time the main concern for fans was the very future of the club. In August, the Inland Revenue filed for a winding-up order against Coleraine due to debts of £1.3 million. The Friends of Coleraine, worked tirelessly to persuade the High Court to postpone the hearing to allow them to put together a business plan to show that the club could be viably run. Eventually the court ruled in the club’s favour and they were allowed to enter administration and a steering committee was set up to run the club.

The club went on to defeat Instsitute to win the North West Senior Cup for the 17th time. Premier League survival was ensured on the pitch and in June 2006, the Friends of Coleraine formally took control of the club and appointed a new board. In 2008 the club reached the Irish Cup final, but lost 2–1 to Linfield.

On the 27th March 2010, Coleraine narrowly lost on penalties against Glentoran in the final of the Co-Operative Insurance Cup.

Supporters

Coleraine's loyal fans refer to themselves as The Blue and White Army and can usually be heard cheering on the team from the Railway End on matchdays. Coleraine fans see Ballymena United as being their biggest rivals, perhaps due to an inferiority complex, and chants are usually directed at Ballymena fans during matches. The biggest game of each season is the boxing day fixture with rivals Ballymena United and it is usually the most anticipated amongst supporters.

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Gavin Cullen 2 DF Howard Beverland 3 DF Damien McNulty 4 MF Micheal Hegarty 5 DF Kyle McVey 6 DF David Ogilby 7 FW David Scullion 8 MF Stephen Lowry 9 FW Curtis Allen 10 FW Leon Knight 11 MF Ryan McIlmoyle 12 DF Aaron Canning

No. Position Player 13 MF Darren McCauley 14 DF John Watt 15 FW Shane Jennings 16 MF Gareth Tommons 17 MF Peter Spratt 18 MF Ciaran Clarke 19 DF Chris Rodden 20 GK Michael Doherty 22 DF Daibhibd McIvor 23 MF Ryan Doherty 24 FW Cathair Friel 33 DF Mukendi Marc

Notable former players

Jimmy Kelly Clancy McDermott Willie McFaul Bertie Peacock Harry Gregg Felix Healy Fay Coyle Allan Hunter

Terry Cochrane William Fernie [(Derek Cook)] Michael O'Neill Jim Platt Ray McCoy Tony O'Doherty Steve Lomas

Gareth McAuley Bryce Moon Leon Knight Mark McWalter Victor Hunter Rory Patterson Davy O'Hare Stephen Carson

Staff

• President: Andy Magowan
• Chief Executive: John Mairs
• Chairman: Colin McKendry
• Vice Chairman: Hugh Wade
• Treasurer: Sam Turtle
• Secretary: Dessie Brown
• Chaplain: Rev Robert McMullan
• Committee Members: Raymond Kennedy, Raymond Pollock, Jim Boyce, William Huey, Stevie Lennon, Hunter McClelland, Nevin Oliver, Basil Killough, Ivan Kyle, Fred Crawford
• PA Announcer: Alan Simpson
• Technical Manager: Chris White

• Manager: Oran Kearney
• Assistant Manager: Trevor McKendry,
• 1st Team Coach: Wesley Gregg,
• Goalkeeper Coach: Gregg Shannon,
• Physio: Alan Millar,
• Club Doctor: Dr J Kerr
• Reserve: Pat McFadden & Drew Coyles
• Colts: Ollie Mullan, Mark Crawford,Trevor Hogg and Damien McNamee
• Team Attendant: Damien Cooper
• Chief Steward: Derek Stewart
• Groundsman: John McLaughlin
• Merchandising Team: Dessie Monahan, Nigel Johnston, Raymond Smyth, Carol Smyth, Scott Smyth
• Media Officer: Steven Crawford
• Website Team: Aaron Mullan, Andrew Gillan, Andrew 'The Godfather' Wallace, Stevie Lennon
• Programme Team: Garvagh, Kilrea & District CSC – Hunter McClelland, Frank Sloane, Steven Morrow, Andrew Gillan, John Mairs, Steven Crawford, Damian Mullan, Robert McMullan, Tommy McCallion, Nichola Forgrave, Trevor Hogg, Derek Simpson

Honours

Senior honours

• Irish League: 1
  • 1973/74
• Irish Cup: 5
  • 1964/65, 1971/72, 1974/75, 1976/77, 2002/03
• Irish League Cup: 1
  • 1987/88
• City Cup: 2
  • 1953/54, 1968/69
• Gold Cup: 4
  • 1932, 1958, 1969, 1975
• Ulster Cup: 7
  • 1965/66, 1968/69, 1969/70, 1972/73, 1975/76, 1985/86, 1996/1997
• Top Four Cup
  • 1968/69
• Irish League First Division: 1
  • 1995/96
• Blaxnit Cup: 2
  • 1968/69, 1969/70
• Irish News Cup: 1
  • 1995/96
• North West Senior Cup: 19
  • 1952/53†, 1954/55, 1955/56, 1957/58, 1958/59, 1960/61, 1964/65, 1967/68, 1980/81, 1981/82, 1982/83, 1987/88, 1988/89, 1991/92, 1994/95, 2001/02, 2004/05, 2007/08, 2009/10

† Won by Coleraine Reserves

Intermediate honours

• Irish Intermediate Cup: 2
  • 1964/65†, 1968/69†
• George Wilson Cup: 4
  • 1954/55†, 1985/86†, 1991/92†, 1995/96†
• Craig Memorial Cup: 2
  • 1984/85†, 1986/87†

† Won by Coleraine Reserves

References

1. ^ Northern Ireland Assembly Answer to Written Question AQW1178/11

External links

• Official Website
• Irish Football Club Project