Belfast Celtic FC

I think now is the time to be re-forming this once great club, as i feel the Irish League would be a better league with them back in it.

I know a lot of people think that this is a no go area, but i really do believe that it can happen , sure their will be loads of problems to start with.

People will ask where will they play as Celtic Park is a shopping centre, but their is plenty of land near to where they use to play and their is a community crying out for its own club..sadly Cliftonville don't quite fit that bill.

Belfast Celtic would be a great crowd puller and would bring a much needed boast to the Irish League, all supporters be they from Linfield would am sure welcome this and once Belfast Celtic have worked their way back upto the Irish Premier then things would really begin to hot up.

I don't know... Belfast Celtic, the name alone could cause problems. And the catholic community of Belfast has Cliftonville to support, which seems to be accepted by fans of e.g. Linfield and Glentoran. If Cliftonville doesn't attract huge amounts of fans, maybe they should promote Cliftonville more rather than re-found a team that's long gone ?


By the way, when and why did Belfast Celtic disappear ?

it just won't happen. i hear no one up here crying out for it or prepared to invest in starting them up. football is struggling enough to survive without another team tbh. in fact, i'm not even sure the name can be used again (copyright etc?). all their original fans must be very old by now and younger fans have their own team, i'd assume. remember, it's 60 odd years since they last played competitive football.
anyway, donegal celtic are playing over in the west of the city these days.
its a nice idea but maybe best leaving a good legacy and not end up ruining it?

i posted a belfast celtic link (with some history) in the links thread if you need to know. i think it raises money for charity these days.
no political raking of embers please.

I know that Elisha Scott was a famous Belfast Celtic goalkeeper that went on to play for Liverpool; can you name any more famous Belfast Celtic players?

didnt charlie tully go to glasgow celtic and mae a great name for himself?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Thunderblaster

I know that Elisha Scott was a famous Belfast Celtic goalkeeper that went on to play for Liverpool; can you name any more famous Belfast Celtic players?

---

I know I'll leav eout a couple of really obvious ones but here goes

charlie Tully as mentioned
Mickey Hamill - George Best of the early part of the last century.
Sammy Curran - Blind Sammy scored for fun 99 goals one yera I believe
Bud Aherne - got quite a few caps for Ireland.
Jimmy Jones - victim of the infamous Boxing Day game but became a real star with Glenavon later
Jimmy McAlinden
Peter O'Connor 11 goals v Glenavon in one game
johnny Campbell -scored the goals that beat Scotland
Davy boy Martin


Just a few names - there are many I've forgotten.

I think the IL league really needs the likes of Belfast Celtic & Derry City back to bring life into the league, for too long the dominance of Glentoran & Linfield has left the league uninteresting.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ifcp1

I think the IL league really needs the likes of Belfast Celtic & Derry City back to bring life into the league, for too long the dominance of Glentoran & Linfield has left the league uninteresting.

---

Alot of people think the Irish League and the eircom League should merge.

There is no chance of Derry City EVER re-joining the iL. All-Ireland league is an exciting prospect but it won't do anything to attract more people to domestic football.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Speranza

it won't do anything to attract more people to domestic football.

---

It might go to ensure a decent TV deals is got which would mean more exposure and media coverage, more of the general football veiwing public attend live games, which would lead to more sponsorship and more money, allowing clubs to invest in better players or development of players, which would mean better football which would more or better quality TV viewing which would mean more exposure and media coverage, more of the general football veiwing public attend live games, which would lead to more sponsorship and more money, allowing clubs to invest in better players or development of players, which would mean better football which would more or better quality TV viewing which would mean more exposure and media coverage, more of the general football veiwing public attend live games, which would lead to more sponsorship and more money, allowing clubs to invest in better players or development of players, which would mean better football which would more or better quality TV viewing which would mean more exposure and media coverage, more of the general football veiwing public attend live games, which would lead to more sponsorship and more money, allowing clubs to invest in better players or development of players, which would mean better football which would more or better quality TV viewing .... and an overall better league ..... everyone wins !! ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Speranza

it won't do anything to attract more people to domestic football.

---

That's a bit rash Speranza. It would rejuvenate both leagues and make the overall package much more appealing to TV Stations. Which would in-turn bring in more punters.

It'd almost be impossible to NOT attract more to the games, given the low base we're starting from.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

It'd almost be impossible to NOT attract more to the games, given the low base we're starting from.

---

Exactly .... it cant get much worse.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ifcp1

I think the IL league really needs the likes of Belfast Celtic & Derry City back to bring life into the league, for too long the dominance of Glentoran & Linfield has left the league uninteresting.

---

Aye since the end of the 90s where the crues and ports dominated. Donegal Celtic and Cliftonville have overtaken Belfast Celtic and I can't see it happening nor getting that much support

Cliftonville and Donegal Celtic have absorbed most of the nationalist/republican support now to be really honest, so I don't believe there would be the demand for another team.

Also, what makes you think a new Belfast Celtic would be anymore successful than Cliftonville. Cliftonville are not a bad mid-table outfit, infact, they have some good players and stop time wasting, may go up a place or two.

Secondly, where would this team by financed from? Who would want to invest in a new team that would take ages to build up in a failing Irish League ran by the moronic and embarrassing football association?

It would be very much better if somebody pumped a few bob into Cliftonville.

*BTW, although Crusaders were probably the team certainly of the 1990s, big deal! That was a few years of history from the Irish League running since 1890. Glentoran have won the league 22 times and the scum, sorry, have to be unbaised, Linfield have won it 45, comming on 46 times. I think that goes to show the strangle-hold the two have on the league.

I think the only way that Belfast Celtic could ever exist as a football team again is if a new all Ireland league was set up.

Can you imagine the following a team with 'Celtic' in it's name would get in Ireland, as long as it was in a proper league.
Their honeymoon period could be better than that experienced by Derry City on our return to Senior footy. Massive crowds and media interest.

Pipe-dream maybe but who knows.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Krstic

Can you imagine the following a team with 'Celtic' in it's name would get in Ireland, as long as it was in a proper league.

---

Would you really want half of the 'out for the day and i have the jersey' type Celtic fans though, you dont want sunshiners ... you want fans that'll stay with you when your four nil down away on a Stupic Tuesday in the rain, to be honest there are not many of them in the Celtic support over here.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by A face

Would you really want half of the 'out for the day and i have the jersey' type Celtic fans though, you dont want sunshiners ... you want fans that'll stay with you when your four nil down away on a Stupic Tuesday in the rain, to be honest there are not many of them in the Celtic support over here.

---

Whether I would want it or not is irrelevant.
The reality is, if an All-Ireland League was created and entry was by way of Franchise, then a team carrying the name of Belfast Celtic would undoubtably be a big draw. As would games involving them and Linfield,Glentoran,Derry City,Shamrock Rovers,Bohemians....blaady dee blaah.

The fact that the name of the club is still alive a half century after they last played football, gives it a chance however remote, to play again.

Solitude... what a great name for a stadium.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Krstic

Can you imagine the following a team with 'Celtic' in it's name would get in Ireland, as long as it was in a proper league.


.

---

There is they are called Donegal Celtic from suffolk area of West Belfast.. They play in IL 1st division and are second in their league with a good chance of maknig the playoff spot.

Also Lurgan Celtic Currently in IL 2nd Division.

Making the play off spot will do them no good, their ground is nowhere near up to standard.