Association football in Northern Ireland
Encyclopedia
Association football in Northern Ireland, widely known as football or sometimes as soccer (to avoid confusion with Gaelic football
), is one of the most popular sports in Northern Ireland
. Despite low match attendance at domestic league games, many people have an interest in the English Premier League or the Scottish Premier League
.
The governing body in Northern Ireland is the Irish Football Association
(IFA) (not to be confused with the Football Association of Ireland
(FAI) in the Republic of Ireland).
is the organising body for football
in Northern Ireland
, and was historically the governing body for the whole of the Ireland
until the FAI split away. The IFA has a permanent seat on the International Football Association Board
, which is responsible for the laws of the game.
The Northern Ireland Women's Football Association (NIWFA) is the IFA's women's football
arm. It runs a Women's Cup, Women's League and the Northern Ireland women's national football team
.
. Some of the major teams include Portadown FC, Glentoran FC and Linfield FC (although Derry City play in the FAI's League of Ireland
). A notable historic club was Belfast Celtic
, which won nineteen championships before resigning from the league and disbanding after a sectarian riot at its Boxing Day match against Linfield. Derry City FC also left the league following security issues arising from the Troubles
, eventually to play in the League or Ireland. In the past some Irish League clubs could draw respectable crowds, on a par with the English and Scottish leagues, but these have fallen heavily over the years.
The Milk Cup
is a successful international youth tournament held annually in Northern Ireland, in which clubs and national teams from anywhere in the world may compete. Northern Ireland also played host to the 2005 UEFA
Under-19 European Championships.
The Setanta Sports Cup
was set up by its sponsors, television channel Setanta Ireland. It is an all-island tournament (two groups of four, then semis and final) featuring eight teams, four being from the League of Ireland and four from the Irish League. Despite fairly low turnouts for each jurisdiction's leagues, the Setanta Cup drew relatively successful gate receipts and in its three-year existence has had one winner from the North (Linfield
in 2005).
is one of the oldest international teams in the world. It originally played as the Ireland national team until 1950 with players selected from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and competed in the British Home Championship
which it won eight times.
The team enjoyed a period of success in the early and mid-80s in which it qualified for two World Cups, most notably in the 1982 tournament in which it topped Group 5 above Spain, Yugoslavia and Honduras to proceed to the second round. After a poor run of form in the late 1990s and first few years of the 21st century, and a corresponding slump in the FIFA World Rankings
, there was a subsequent revival in the team's fortunes with home wins over Spain
and England
. The team came close to qualifying for the 2008 European Championships, and is taking part in a new Nations Cup
competition in 2011 along with Wales
, Scotland
and the Republic of Ireland
.
Since 1968, Cronin argues that the sport has failed to include the Catholic community with Catholic clubs being either forced out of existence or or transferring their allegiance to the FAI. Hooliganism and sectarianism have remained problems throughout the Troubles and up to the present day. Northern Ireland football grounds have been described as "useful sites of public displays of political affiliation", and internal divisions between groups involved in political violence in the mid 1990s was reflected in the supporters of various clubs. Incidents of violence include trouble after Linfield player Conor Hagan was struck by a rocket fired from the crowd, and disturbances between Linfield and Glentoran fans at the 2008 Boxing Day match between the two clubs.
In addition to problems in domestic football, the Northern Ireland international team has also suffered from sectarian problems. In 2002 Celtic player Neil Lennon announced that he would no longer play for Northern Ireland because he received a death threat, and death threats appeared on the walls of loyalist areas including in his home town of Lurgan, Co Armagh.
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
), is one of the most popular sports in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Despite low match attendance at domestic league games, many people have an interest in the English Premier League or the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
.
The governing body in Northern Ireland is the Irish Football Association
Irish Football Association
The Irish Football Association is the organising body for association football in Northern Ireland, and was historically the governing body for Ireland...
(IFA) (not to be confused with the Football Association of Ireland
Football Association of Ireland
The Football Association of Ireland is the governing body for the sport of association football in the Republic of Ireland. It should not to be confused with the Irish Football Association , which is the organising body for the sport in Northern Ireland.For the full history, statistics and records...
(FAI) in the Republic of Ireland).
Governing body
The Irish Football AssociationIrish Football Association
The Irish Football Association is the organising body for association football in Northern Ireland, and was historically the governing body for Ireland...
is the organising body for football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, and was historically the governing body for the whole of the Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
until the FAI split away. The IFA has a permanent seat on the International Football Association Board
International Football Association Board
The International Football Association Board is the body that determines the Laws of the Game of association football.-Operations:...
, which is responsible for the laws of the game.
The Northern Ireland Women's Football Association (NIWFA) is the IFA's women's football
Women's football (soccer)
Women's association football has been played for many decades, but was associated with charity games and physical exercise in the past before the breakthrough of organized women's association football came in the 1970s. Before the 1970s, football was basically seen as a men's game...
arm. It runs a Women's Cup, Women's League and the Northern Ireland women's national football team
Northern Ireland women's national football team
The Northern Ireland women's national football team represents Northern Ireland in international women's football.-World Cup record:-Current squad:Northern Ireland squad for 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers versus France on 27 and 31 March 2010...
.
Competitions
The domestic league is the IFA PremiershipIFA Premiership
The IFA Premiership – formerly the Irish Premier League, and before that the Irish Football League–and 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...
. Some of the major teams include Portadown FC, Glentoran FC and Linfield FC (although Derry City play in the FAI's League of Ireland
League of Ireland
The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
). A notable historic club was Belfast Celtic
Belfast Celtic
Belfast Celtic Football Club was a football club in Northern Ireland that was founded in 1891, and was one of the most successful teams in Ireland until forced to withdraw from the Irish League in 1949.-History:...
, which won nineteen championships before resigning from the league and disbanding after a sectarian riot at its Boxing Day match against Linfield. Derry City FC also left the league following security issues arising from the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
, eventually to play in the League or Ireland. In the past some Irish League clubs could draw respectable crowds, on a par with the English and Scottish leagues, but these have fallen heavily over the years.
The Milk Cup
Milk Cup
The Milk Cup is an international youth football tournament held annually in Northern Ireland. The cup matches are mainly played in the North Coast area of Northern Ireland, with matches taking place in the towns of Portrush, Portstewart, Castlerock, Limavady, Coleraine, Ballymoney, Ballymena and...
is a successful international youth tournament held annually in Northern Ireland, in which clubs and national teams from anywhere in the world may compete. Northern Ireland also played host to the 2005 UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
Under-19 European Championships.
The Setanta Sports Cup
Setanta Sports Cup
The Setanta Sports Cup, commonly known as just the Setanta Cup, is a club football competition featuring teams from both football associations on the island of Ireland...
was set up by its sponsors, television channel Setanta Ireland. It is an all-island tournament (two groups of four, then semis and final) featuring eight teams, four being from the League of Ireland and four from the Irish League. Despite fairly low turnouts for each jurisdiction's leagues, the Setanta Cup drew relatively successful gate receipts and in its three-year existence has had one winner from the North (Linfield
Linfield F.C.
Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team....
in 2005).
National team
The Northern Ireland national football teamNorthern Ireland national football team
The Northern Ireland national football team represents Northern Ireland in international association football. Before 1921 all of Ireland was represented by a single side, the Ireland national football team, organised by the Irish Football Association...
is one of the oldest international teams in the world. It originally played as the Ireland national team until 1950 with players selected from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and competed in the British Home Championship
British Home Championship
The British Home Championship was an annual football competition contested between the United Kingdom's four national teams, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from the 1883–84 season until the 1983–84...
which it won eight times.
The team enjoyed a period of success in the early and mid-80s in which it qualified for two World Cups, most notably in the 1982 tournament in which it topped Group 5 above Spain, Yugoslavia and Honduras to proceed to the second round. After a poor run of form in the late 1990s and first few years of the 21st century, and a corresponding slump in the FIFA World Rankings
FIFA World Rankings
The FIFA World Rankings is a ranking system for men's national teams in association football, currently led by Spain. The teams of the member nations of FIFA , football's world governing body, are ranked based on their game results with the most successful teams being ranked highest...
, there was a subsequent revival in the team's fortunes with home wins over Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
and England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
. The team came close to qualifying for the 2008 European Championships, and is taking part in a new Nations Cup
Celtic Cup (football)
The Nations Cup is a biennial international association football tournament involving the national teams of Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales.- History :...
competition in 2011 along with Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
, Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
and the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
.
Problems
Sectarian tensions have long been a cause of conflict at football matches in Northern Ireland, and crowd trouble marred games throughout the twentieth century. In 1949, Belfast Celtic withdrew from the Irish League after years of sectarian crowd problems culminated in a Boxing Day match against Linfield at Windsor Park which ended in a pitch invasion and riot in which Belfast Celtic's protestant centre forward, Jimmy Jones, suffered a broken leg.Since 1968, Cronin argues that the sport has failed to include the Catholic community with Catholic clubs being either forced out of existence or or transferring their allegiance to the FAI. Hooliganism and sectarianism have remained problems throughout the Troubles and up to the present day. Northern Ireland football grounds have been described as "useful sites of public displays of political affiliation", and internal divisions between groups involved in political violence in the mid 1990s was reflected in the supporters of various clubs. Incidents of violence include trouble after Linfield player Conor Hagan was struck by a rocket fired from the crowd, and disturbances between Linfield and Glentoran fans at the 2008 Boxing Day match between the two clubs.
In addition to problems in domestic football, the Northern Ireland international team has also suffered from sectarian problems. In 2002 Celtic player Neil Lennon announced that he would no longer play for Northern Ireland because he received a death threat, and death threats appeared on the walls of loyalist areas including in his home town of Lurgan, Co Armagh.
See also
- Football in Northern Ireland
- Association football in the Republic of IrelandAssociation football in the Republic of IrelandAssociation football, more usually known as football or soccer, is the team sport with the highest level of participation in the Republic of Ireland ....
- Sport in IrelandSport in IrelandIn Ireland many sports, such as boxing, hockey, rowing, cricket, rugby union, Gaelic football and hurling, are organised in an all-island basis, with a single team representing the whole of Ireland in international competitions...