Linfield clinch IL title..

[holidaysong]

Linfield clinched the Carling Premiership title as Robert Garrett's 60th-minute strike helped earn victory against Cliftonville at Windsor Park.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/irish/8645142.stm


Well done to Linfield, that's their 49th Irish League title which they won with a game to spare. They can now have a rest at the weekend ahead of their cup final the following Saturday against Portadown.

[Martinho II]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/irish/8645142.stm


Well done to Linfield, that's their 49th Irish League title which they won with a game to spare. They can now have a rest at the weekend ahead of their cup final the following Saturday against Portadown.


didnt realise portdadown got to a final again for the second year in a row.. Is it Glentoran that are second on the list with alltime championship wins!

[holidaysong]

It is indeed Marty. Glentoran are quite a bit back on 23 with Belfast Celtic on 14.

[Graemerz]

Glens will never catch us. They are forever in our shadow.

[crc]

Glens will never catch us.
Belfast Celtic haven't got much chance either!

[Martinho II]

Belfast Celtic haven't got much chance either!

how many championships have portdadown?
has anyone a list of the alltime championship winners and the ranking list?

[dancinpants]

http://rsssf.com/tablesn/nilchamp.html

[Graemerz]

Belfast Celtic haven't got much chance either!

Nope. Unfortunately they don't. May have been more interesting then. The Glens are ****e. :D

[AnnaghRed]

didnt realise portdadown got to a final again for the second year in a row.. Is it Glentoran that are second on the list with alltime championship wins!

Tis live on bbc2 ni next saturday at 1415

[Mr_Parker]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/irish/8645142.stm


Well done to Linfield, that's their 49th Irish League title which they won with a game to spare. They can now have a rest at the weekend ahead of their cup final the following Saturday against Portadown.

44th Irish League title. Not 49th.

[Dodge]

Ueah, whats the story with th "unofficial" leagues. war time when some clubs didn't enter? (Not looking for aguments BTW, just had never heard about these)

[Graemerz]

Well if the governing body of european football can claim it as a 49th title then I'm pretty sure Linfield can. :)

http://en.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=nir/news/newsid=1482109.html

[Mr_Parker]

Well if the governing body of european football can claim it as a 49th title then I'm pretty sure Linfield can. :)

http://en.uefa.com/memberassociations/association=nir/news/newsid=1482109.html


Nothing unusual in Uefa running a story from a journalist that contains errors. :)

[Den Perry]

Glens will never catch us. They are forever in our shadow.

Just looked at the signature here. How childish, Why would anybody want to envy a club such as yours?

[gspain]

Ueah, whats the story with th "unofficial" leagues. war time when some clubs didn't enter? (Not looking for aguments BTW, just had never heard about these)

Assume they mean the wartime regional league.

Most of the provincial clubs withdrew from the league during WW1 & WW2. It was a 6 team league comprising of the 5 Belfast clubs (Blues, Glens, Celtic, Distillery & Cliftonville) and Derry City during WW2. Glenavon were the only provincial team during WW1.

Linfield won 2 of these leagues during WW1 & 3 during WW2. They were considered unofficial due to the war.

However considering the title didn't leave Belfast until Glenavon brought it to Lurgan in 1952 I think it is fair enough to count them. I'm not 100% sure of this but I know none of the southern teams (Shels or Bohs) ever won the Irish League and I'm pretty sure Glenavon were the first team to take the Gibson Cup out of Belfast.

[Rasputin]

Just looked at the signature here. How childish, Why would anybody want to envy a club such as yours?
Im kind of perplexed as to why longford is in his signature, but sure what ever keeps himself happy.

[Graemerz]

Just looked at the signature here. How childish, Why would anybody want to envy a club such as yours?

We're the biggest club on the island. There is no doubts about it.

[Rasputin]

We're the biggest club on the island. There is no doubts about it.
Or perhaps the biggest club in a very very small ****ty pond, no doubt about it.

[Riddickcule]

We're the biggest club on the island. There is no doubts about it.
That is just hilarious. Wait a second, last time i checked there is no nordie team playing in the Setanta Cup final.

And thats why you fear an AIL. Because you'll actually have to compete.

[oriel]

Slightly off topic, but does anyone know the crowd, even estimated for IFA cup final yesterday ? Portadown website said they took 3,000.

Also as for Linfield claim to be the biggest on the Island, maybe for honours (40 cups & 44 or 49 Lges) thats impressive.

However, I think their attendances and recent euro record would maybe put a litte dent in that claim, I think their avg lge crowd is only 1,800, thats about the same as a side in 4th or 5th in LOI PD would expect or even a challenging FD side.

[ifk101]

Slightly off topic, but does anyone know the crowd, even estimated for IFA cup final yesterday ? Portadown website said they took 3,000.

Also as for Linfield claim to be the biggest on the Island, maybe for honours (40 cups & 44 or 49 Lges) thats impressive.

However, I think their attendances and recent euro record would maybe put a litte dent in that claim, I think their avg lge crowd is only 1,800, thats about the same as a side in 4th or 5th in LOI PD would expect or even a challenging FD side.

There's an attendance thread on the Irish League Supporters forum that should answer your question(s). Some recent attendances figures are posted below.



1st March
Crusaders v. Glenavon - 1969

2nd March
Cliftonville v. Lisburn Distillery - 416
Coleraine v. Institute - 738
Linfield v. Portadown - 1573

9th March
Glentoran v. Institute - 761
Linfield v. Dungannon Swifts - 1187

13th March
Ballymena United v. Portadown - 881
Crusaders v. Newry City - 675
Glenavon v. Dungannon Swifts - 250
Institute v. Lisburn Distillery - 250

16th March
Cliftonville v. Linfield - 1979
Institute v. Crusaders - 300
Newry City v. Coleraine - 184

19th March
Portadown v. Coleraine - 1979

20th March
Dungannon Swifts v. Cliftonville - 345
Linfield v. Ballymena United - 1610
Lisburn Distillery v. Crusaders - 250
Newry City v. Glentoran - 640

23rd March
Cliftonville v. Glentoran - 1307
Dungannon Swifts v. Coleraine - 320
Linfield v. Glenavon - 1346
Lisburn Distillery v. Newry City - 105

25th March
Crusaders v. Ballymena United - 648

3rd April
Coleraine v. Portadown - 937
Glentoran v. Dungannon Swifts - 1119
Lisburn Distillery v. Ballymena United - 160

6th April
Ballymena United v. Coleraine - 1300
Glenavon v. Institute - 200
Linfield v. Glentoran - 4385

8th April
Cliftonville v. Crusaders - 902

10th April
Dungannon Swifts v. Linfield - 1160
Lisburn Distillery v. Institute - 90

13th April
Coleraine v. Newry City - 469

17th April
Crusaders v. Glentoran - 1279
Glenavon v. Lisburn Distillery - 300

[Graemerz]

Almost 9000 at the Cup Final. The biggest crowd at an Irish Cup Final since 2006.

[oriel]

Thanks for posting those figures up guys. Some really terrible lge crowds, but also some are ok.

Also not a bad crowd at all at the IFA cup final.

[holidaysong]

10th April
Lisburn Distillery v. Institute - 90

Surely, that has to be near enough a record low for a top flight match!

[gspain]

Surely, that has to be near enough a record low for a top flight match!

Ever been to Belfield???

[pineapple stu]

Now now!

148 is the lowest I've ever seen in Belfield for a Premier Division game, and that on a Sunday afternoon against Cobh when Dublin were playing in Croke Park at the same time.

[gspain]

Now now!

148 is the lowest I've ever seen in Belfield for a Premier Division game, and that on a Sunday afternoon against Cobh when Dublin were playing in Croke Park at the same time.

wrists suitably slapped.

I actually remember 5 at kickoff. Think it was 92/3 in the first division. Horrible day with most games cancelled. Pitch was perfect as usual. Crowd was 5 at kickoff (in fairness most
would have thought it was off) 3 college and 2 Limerick. It got up to approx 40 by halftime.

[Den Perry]

We're the biggest club on the island. There is no doubts about it.

Why would anybody envy a club so long linked with bigotry?

[pineapple stu]

wrists suitably slapped.

I actually remember 5 at kickoff. Think it was 92/3 in the first division. Horrible day with most games cancelled. Pitch was perfect as usual. Crowd was 5 at kickoff (in fairness most
would have thought it was off) 3 college and 2 Limerick. It got up to approx 40 by halftime.
Proof that, in percentage terms, our attendances are increasing faster than anyone else's. :)

[osarusan]

Why would anybody envy a club so long linked with bigotry?
Because they win things.

[EalingGreen]

Why would anybody envy a club so long linked with bigotry?
Why do you support the national team of a country so associated with, oh I dunno, child clerical abuse, alcoholism, drugs, guns, organised crime, third world economics, stabbings, cute hoordom and that obnoxious twa t Bono?

After all, those are the sorts of reason why I support my* national team...

P.S. Feel free to substitute "Paramilitarism" for "Bono" (which I still think gives us marginally the better deal)

[Den Perry]

Why do you support the national team of a country so associated with, oh I dunno, child clerical abuse, alcoholism, drugs, guns, organised crime, third world economics, stabbings, cute hoordom and that obnoxious twa t Bono?

After all, those are the sorts of reason why I support my* national team...

P.S. Feel free to substitute "Paramilitarism" for "Bono" (which I still think gives us marginally the better deal)

How typical of you to take something out of context. However, if they are the reasons you support your national team, shame on you.

For the record, I asked why would anybody "envy" such a club, not why they would support them. You should read posts properly before responding and making an idiot of yourself

[oriel]

Surely, that has to be near enough a record low for a top flight match!

Newry regularly 'pull' in crowds of under 100 for some league games (Dec/Jan time), the IL 'premiership' has to be one of the lowest crowds and worst standards of any top flight division in Europe.

I cant think of any other leagues that would be of poorer standard for teams 4th place and lower. Maybe Wales & Lux ?

[Rasputin]

However, I think their attendances and recent euro record would maybe put a litte dent in that claim, I think their avg lge crowd is only 1,800, thats about the same as a side in 4th or 5th in LOI PD would expect or even a challenging FD side.
Jesus christ thats our average attendance over the past few seasons and we havnt won anything since 1997.

[dantheman]

Donegal Celtic promoted back into the IPL, beat institute last night, goal in the last 4 minutes.

[pineapple stu]

Newry regularly 'pull' in crowds of under 100 for some league games (Dec/Jan time), the IL 'premiership' has to be one of the lowest crowds and worst standards of any top flight division in Europe.
Maybe, but so what? Does it really matter? (And we all know where it ranks - roughly - in Europe through the UEFA rankings)

People who go on and on and on about small clubs baffle me.

[AnnaghRed]

The setanta and uefa rankings clearly give many southern fans the horn over how they can lord it over the IL, but attendances at setanta games would indicate that IL fans couldn't give a fiddlers
f(_)ck about games v southern teams.

[EalingGreen]

How typical of you to take something out of context. However, if they are the reasons you support your national team, shame on you.

For the record, I asked why would anybody "envy" such a club, not why they would support them. You should read posts properly before responding and making an idiot of yourself
(Only just noticed this, btw)

For the record, Osarusan answered your original question. I, however, was pointing out the predictability of the other aspect of your post, whereby you only have to see mention of "Linfield", "Northern Ireland" or "IFA" etc and you immediately start spitting out the "bigots" comments. It's like Pavlov ringing a bell in his kennel...

Now I'm no fan of Linfield (Heaven Forbid!) and there's a whole lot wrong about that club which could keep me going all day, but in certain respects (inc. politics, religion), the club is making big efforts to move on.

You might try the same...:rolleyes:

[Dodge]

The setanta and uefa rankings clearly give many southern fans the horn over how they can lord it over the IL, but attendances at setanta games would indicate that IL fans couldn't give a fiddlers
f(_)ck about games v southern teams.

Setanta attendances prove southern fans culdn't give a toss about games v Northerners either, so whats your point again?

[Mr_Parker]

Maybe, but so what? Does it really matter? (And we all know where it ranks - roughly - in Europe through the UEFA rankings)


Not quite, but I am not sure how UEFA came up with these numbers as IL did not submit attendance figures during this period afaik.

http://i805.photobucket.com/albums/yy337/Mr_Parker2009/europeanattendances.jpg

[pineapple stu]

I meant in quality (the UEFA rankings as per Bert Kassies). Despite doing the attendances thread, I'm not actually that interested in penis comparisons about how clubs should be ashamed of only having x at their games.

[OwlsFan]

http://rsssf.com/tablesn/nilchamp.html

Interesting. At a quick look only 10 were won outside of Belfast, including one by the team I supported as a boy, Ards. I followed a team in every league in Ireland, Northern Ireland, England (all 4 divisions) and Scotland (3 divisions)

Never heard of Belfast Celtic before to be honest. Seems such a shame that they were wound up having been so successful

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfast_Celtic_F.C.