Ballymena United F.C.
Full name | Ballymena United Football Club | ||
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Nickname(s) | Sky Blues | ||
Founded | 1934 | ||
Ground |
Ballymena Showgrounds, Ballymena, County Antrim | ||
Capacity | 4,390 | ||
Chairman | John Taggart | ||
Manager | David Jeffrey | ||
League | NIFL Premiership | ||
2014–15 | 7th | ||
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Ballymena United is a semi-professional football club from Northern Ireland. Based in Ballymena, County Antrim, the team competes in the NIFL Premiership and plays home matches at the Ballymena Showgrounds.The club is managed by Linfield legend David Jeffrey.
Ballymena United was formed in 1934 as a replacement for the earlier Ballymena F.C. that had folded following a dispute regarding the illegal payment of amateur players.
Nicknamed the 'Braidmen' or 'Sky Blues', latterly because of the colour of the home shirts, Ballymena have a rich history in Irish Cup, having won the competition six times – the most for a provincial club outside of Belfast. The club has never won the league title in its history, but has finished runners-up on two occasions. The club has also won the County Antrim Shield on 5 occasions.
. The main club rivals of Ballymena United would be local club Coleraine. The traditional Boxing Day fixture between the two teams attracts large crowds and is one of the most high profile fixtures in the Northern Irish football calendar.
Honours
Senior honours
- Irish Cup: 5
- City Cup: 1
- 1971–72
- Gold Cup: 1
- 1974–75
- Ulster Cup: 2
- 1960–61, 1980–81
- Festival of Britain Cup: 1
- 1951–52
- Irish League First Division: 1
- 1996–97
- County Antrim Shield: 6
- 1947–48, 1950–51, 1975–76, 1979–80, 2012–13, 2015–16
Intermediate honours
- IFA Reserve League: 1
- 2006–07†
- Steel & Sons Cup: 1
- 1995–96†
- Louis Moore Cup: 1
- 1952–53†
- George Wilson Cup: 2
- 1989–90†, 1990–91†
† Won by Ballymena United Reserves
Source: Ballymenaunitedfc.com
Club staff
Club officials and office bearers
- President: Norman McBurney
- Vice-Presidents: Billy Anderson & David Blair
- Chairman: John Taggart
- Vice-Chairman: Don Stirling
- Chief Finance Officer: Bill Parkinson
- Company Secretary: John Torrington
- Football Secretary: Don Stirling
- Sales and Marketing executive: Brian Thompson
- Matchday Announcer: Davy "Kingo" King
- Community Relations Officer: Iain Black
- Supporter Liaison Officer: Phil Simpson
Coaching staff
- First-Team Manager: David Jeffrey
- First Team Assistant Manager: Brian McLaughlin
- First Team Coach: Vacant
- First Team Goalkeeping Coach: Wes Lamont
- Chief Scout: Paul McAurevey
- Reserve Team Manager: Paul Harbinson
- Youth Team Manager: Clifford Adams
- Youth Team Assistant Manager: John Clarke
- Team Attendant: Bertnel Thompson
- Sports Therapist: Gordon McCartney
- Club Doctor: Dr. Brian Patterson
Managerial history
Dates | Name | Dates | Name | Dates | Name |
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Jul 34 - May 35 | Joseph Miller | Jan 68 - Dec 69 | Alex Parker | Sep 87 - Apr 91 | Alex McKee |
Sep 37 - Nov 38 | Steve Mitchell | Dec 69 - Aug 71 | Alex McCrae | May 91 - Sep 93 | Jim Hagan |
Jun 46 - Sep 46 | William Reid | Aug 71 - Mar 76 | Arthur Stewart | Oct 93 - Oct 94 | Tommy Jackson |
Jun 47 - May 49 | Bob McKay | Mar 76 - Apr 77 | Eddie Russell | Oct 94 - Mar 95 | Gary Erwin |
Aug 49 - May 50 | Billy McMillan | Apr 77 - May 77 | Alex McKee (CT) | Mar 95 - Apr 99 | Alan Fraser |
May 50 - Mar 51 | Norman Kernaghan | May 77 - Jan 79 | Billy Johnston | Apr 99 - May 99 | Shay Hamill (CT) |
Aug 53 - Jun 54 | Samuel Picken | Feb 79 - Feb 82 | Alan Campbell | May 99 - Dec 00 | Nigel Best |
Aug 54 - May 55 | Walter Rickett | Feb 82 - Feb 83 | Ivan Murray | Dec 00 - Jan 01 | George Magill (CT) |
Oct 57 - Jan 60 | Alex McCrae | Feb 83 - Apr 83 | Alec Donald (CT) | Jan 01 - May 5 | Kenny Shiels |
Mar 60 - May 63 | Geoff Twentyman | Apr 83 - Nov 83 | Ian Russell | May 5 - Apr 08 | Tommy Wright |
Nov 63 - Dec 64 | Dave Hickson | Nov 83 - Dec 83 | Alec Donald (CT) | Apr 08 - May 8 | Jim Grattan |
Jan 65 - Oct 66 | George Smith | Dec 83 - Jun 84 | Jim Platt | May 8 - Dec 11 | Roy Walker |
Dec 66 - Jan 67 | Norman Clarke (CT) | Jun 84 - Apr 85 | Alan Campbell | Dec 11 | Joe McCall (CT) |
Sep 67 - Dec 67 | Dave Hickson | May 85 - Sep 87 | Jimmy Brown | Dec 11 - Mar 16 | Glenn Ferguson |
Source: Ballymenaunitedfc.com
Records
Wins
- Record Home League Victory: 8–0 v Cliftonville, (18 September 1965); 8–0 v. Glenavon (8 March 1975); 8–0 v. Distillery (8 December 1979)
- Record Away League Victory: 8–0 v. Newry Town (17 December 1994)
- Most League Wins in a Season: 21 in 28 matches (1996/97)
- Fewest League Wins in a Season: 3 in 22 matches (1956/57)
Defeats
- Record Home League Defeat: 0–8 Belfast Celtic, (5 November 1938); 0–8 Cliftonville, (17 November 2012)
- Record Away League Defeat: 1–9 Derry City, (23 August 1937); 0–8 Ards, (12 February 1949)
- Most Defeats in a Season: 20 in 26 matches (1936/37)
- Fewest Defeats in a Season: 3 in 28 matches (1996/97)
- Most Draws in a Season: 16 in 36 matches (1999/2000)
Goals
- Most Goals Scored in a Season: 82 in 26 matches (1939/40)
- Fewest Goals Scored in a Season: 20 in 22 matches (1976/77)
- Most Goals Conceded in a Season: 87 in 26 matches (1936/37)
- Fewest Goals Conceded in a Season: 21 in 22 matches (1980/81)
- Most Clean Sheets in a Season: 9 in 22 matches (1980/81)
Source: Ballymenaunitedfc.com
Leading goalscorers by season
Season | Name | Goals | Season | Name | Goals | Season | Name | Goals |
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2010–11 | Gary McCutcheon | 15 | 1992–93 | Neil Candlish | 16 | 1974–75 | Gary Erwin | 18 |
2009–10 | Kevin Kelbie | 16 | 1991–92 | Neil Candlish | 18 | 1973–74 | Paul Kirk | 30 |
2008–09 | Neil Teggart | 12 | 1990–91 | Des Loughery | 15 | 1972–73 | Sammy Frickelton | 14 |
2007–08 | Kevin Kelbie | 16 | 1989–90 | Lindsay Curry | 14 | 1971–72 | Jim Martin | 44 |
2006–07 | Kevin Kelbie | 17 | 1988–89 | Paul Hardy | 21 | 1970–71 | Jim Martin | 16 |
2005–06 | Kevin Kelbie | 16 | 1987–88 | Billy Pyper | 13 | 1969–70 | Unknown | |
2004–05 | Rory Hamill Oran Kearney | 8 | 1986–87 | Jonathan Speak | 17 | 1968–69 | Unknown | |
2003–04 | Shea Campbell | 14 | 1985–86 | Jonathan Speak | 18 | 1967–68 | Unknown | |
2002–03 | Shea Campbell | 38 | 1984–85 | Alan Campbell Jnr | 15 | 1966–67 | Unknown | |
2001–02 | Peter Withnell | 16 | 1983–84 | Jonathan Speak | 11 | 1965–66 | Mal McDonnell | 34 |
2000–01 | Scott Drummond | 8 | 1982–83 | Paul Malone | 23 | 1964–65 | Arthur Thomas | 40 |
1999-00 | Glenn Hunter | 23 | 1981–82 | Paul Malone | 20 | 1963–64 | Unknown | |
1998–99 | Glenn Hunter | 19 | 1980–81 | Paul Malone | 27 | 1962–63 | K Halliday | 26 |
1997–98 | Barry Patton | 26 | 1979–80 | Paul Malone | 28 | 1961–62 | Jimmy Small | 23 |
1996–97 | Ciaran Feehan Des Loughery | 16 | 1978–79 | Sammy McQuiston | 18 | 1960–61 | Hubert Barr | 31 |
1995–96 | Mark McWalter | 13 | 1977–78 | Barry Brown | 13 | 1959–60 | Eddie Russell | 14 |
1994–95 | Barry Patton | 13 | 1976–77 | Jim Martin | 6 | 1958–59 | Unknown | |
1993–94 | Jonathan Speak | 13 | 1975–76 | Barry Brown | 28 | 1957–58 | Unknown | |
Source:[1]
Players
First-team squad
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Internationals
This is a list of players with appearances at international level while playing for Ballymena United.
- Jackie Mahood (1 cap)
- Jimmy McCambridge (2 caps)
- Jock McNinch (3 caps)
- Jim Platt (1 cap)
Source: Ballymenaunitedfc.com
See also
Northern Irish football clubs in European competitions
References
- ↑ http://www.ballymenaunitedfc.com/historypre201415/records/sbs/index.php Ballymenaunitedfc.com
External links
- Official Ballymena United Website
- Ballymena United page on the IPL Website
- Ballymena United Statistics and Results at the Irish Football Club Project
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