Glenavon F.C.

Football club infobox
clubname = Glenavon


fullname = Glenavon Football Club
motto = Be Just and Fear Not nickname = The Lurgan Blues, The Mourneview Aces, The Bridesmaids
founded = 1889
ground = Mourneview Park, Lurgan
Co. Armagh
capacity = 5,000 [ [http://www.worldstadiums.com/europe/countries/united_kingdom/northern_ireland.shtml www.worldstadiums.com] ]
chairman = Adrian Teer
manager = Stephen McBride
director of football = Alan Fraser
league = IFA Premiership
season = 2007/08
position = 12th
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pattern_la2=|pattern_b2=|pattern_ra2=
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Glenavon F.C. is a Northern Ireland football club playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1889, hails from Lurgan and plays its home matches at Mourneview Park. Club colours are blue and white.

The club has recently appointed a new manager, Stephen McBride, after the departure of Terry Cochrane. Cochrane's reign as manager lasted only five months, after replacing Colin Malone who was serving his second spell as manager. McBride is a former Northern Ireland international and was a hugely popular Glenavon player during his footballing career, playing for Glenavon during the 1990s, including playing under recently appointed Director of Football Alan Fraser. The club chairman is Adrian Teer.

Glenavon was the first provincial club to win the Irish League title (1951-52) and also the first provincial club to do the league and cup double (1956-57). Glenavon has had a number of talented and famous players, none moreso than Wilbur Cush and Jimmy Jones, who were to the fore in "the glory years" of the Fifties. The success of the 1950s is still the benchmark at this Lurgan club, the closest the club have come to achieving a league success since came in the 1993-94 season, when but for two late goals in the final match Glenavon would have been crowned champions. The club's most recent success's have been League runner's up 2001-02, Irish Cup winners 1991-92 and 1996-97.

European record

Glenavon achieved some notable results in Europe in the 1990s. In the 1992-93 season, they drew both legs of their Cup Winners Cup tie with Royal Antwerp and lost on penalties. In 1995-96 they reached the first round proper of the UEFA Cup (the last Irish League club to do so), and were beaten by Werder Bremen.

Stadium

Mourneview Park is now considered one of the best grounds in the Irish LeagueFact|date=August 2008. Along the side of the pitch runs the Geddis Stand (holds roughly 1700) and on the other side the newly built Glenfield Road Stand (holds roughly 2000). One end of the ground has the Crescent Stand (400 seats, and standing area), and at the other end the Hospital End terracing.

Honours

Senior honours

*Irish League: 3
**1951/52, 1956/57, 1959/60
*Irish Cup: 5
**1956/57, 1958/59, 1960/61, 1991/92, 1996/97
*Irish League Cup: 1
**1989/90
*City Cup: 5
**1920/21, 1954/55, 1955/56, 1960/61, 1965/66
*Gold Cup: 4
**1954/55, 1956/57, 1990/91, 1997/98
*Ulster Cup: 3
**1954/55, 1958/59, 1962/63
*Floodlit Cup: 2
**1988/89, 1996/97
*County Antrim Shield: 2
**1990/91, 1995/96
*Mid-Ulster Cup: 17
**1897/98, 1901/02, 1904/05, 1906/07, 1908/09, 1910/11, 1924/25. 1925/26, 1930/31, 1932/33, 1937/38, 1983/84, 1985/86, 1988/89, 1990/91, 1998/99, 2004/05
*North-South Cup: 1
**1962/63

Intermediate honours

*Irish Intermediate Cup: 3
**1908/09, 1911/12, 2004/05
*Mid-Ulster Cup: 5
**1947/48†, 1957/58†, 1965/66†, 1971/72†, 1976/77†
*Bob Radcliffe Cup: 1
**1990/91†

† Won by Glenavon Reserves

Junior honours

*Irish Junior Cup: 1
**1897/98

Current squad

Notable players

*Paul Byrne
*William Liggett
*Jackie Denver
*Wilbur Cush
*Glenn Ferguson
*Jimmy Jones
*Ray McCoy
*Gerard McMahon
*Stephen McBride
*George Best
*Paul Og Grant

Notable managers

*flagicon|Northern Ireland Harry Walker
*flagicon|Northern Ireland Jimmy McAlinden

Managers

* Harry Walker (1950-1954)
* Jimmy McAlinden (1954-1968)
* Ted Smyth (1968)
* Joe Kinkead (1968-1969)
* Jimmy Jones (1969-1972)
* Eric Adair (1972-1973)
* Brian Campbell (1974-75)
* Alan Campbell (1975-1978)
* Billy McClatchey (1978-1979)
* Billy Sinclair (1979-1982)
* Terry Nicholson (1982-1991)
* Alan Fraser (1991-1994)
* Nigel Best (1994-1998)
* Billy Hamilton (1998)
* Roy Walker (1998-2000)
* Colin Malone (2000-2003)
* Alfie Wylie (2003-2004)
* Tommy Kincaid (2004-2005)
* Jimmy Brown (2005-2006)
* Colin Malone (2006-2007)
* Terry Cochrane (2008)
* Stephen McBride (2008-present)

References

External links

* [http://www.glenavonfc.com/ Glenavon FC Website]
* [http://www.irishfootballclubproject.co.nr Irish Football Club Project]