Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Ballyclare Comrades F.C.

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Chairman
  
Trevor McCann

League
  
NIFL Championship 1

Manager
  
Stephen Hughes

Founded
  
1919

Ballyclare Comrades F.C. Club focus Ballyclare Comrades BelfastTelegraphcouk

Full name
  
Ballyclare Comrades Football Club

Ground
  
Dixon Park, Ballyclare, County Antrim

Ground Capacity
  
5,333 (safe capacity 1,800)

2015–16
  
NIFL Championship 1, 8th

Ballyclare Comrades Football Club is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Championship. The club hails from Ballyclare, County Antrim and plays its home matches at Dixon Park. Club colours are red and white. The current manager is Stephen Hughes, who combines his role with continuing to be youth co-ordinater. His assistant manager is Eddie Hill and first team coach is William Waite. The club's rivals are Carrick Rangers and Larne and games between the three clubs are referred to as "The East Antrim Derbies".

Contents

Ballyclare Comrades F.C. Survival is the name of the game for Ballyclare Comrades manager

History

Ballyclare Comrades F.C. Bangor Football Club Northern Ireland Bangor FC Official Site

The club was founded in 1919 by veterans of the First World War, most of them from "C" Company of the 12th Royal Irish Rifles - a battalion made up entirely of East Antrim men, who fought at the Somme and in many other famous First World War battles. From 1990 until 2003, the club enjoyed senior status, but reverted to intermediate status when the Irish Premier League was established and the number of senior clubs was reduced.

Ballyclare Comrades F.C. wwwballyclarecomradescomcssimageslogopng

The club's reserve team play in the Junior Section of the Ballymena Premier Intermediate League, winning Division 1 in 2011–12, 2012–13 and 2013–14. The club also has a partnership with local youth club Ballyclare Colts, whose sides (from under 11 to under 15 provide players to progress to Comrades' own youth sides at under-17 and under-18 level. The under-18 side play in the IFA Youth League.

Ballyclare Comrades F.C. Ballyclare Comrades BallyclareFC Twitter

The club was relegated to IFA Championship 2 in the 2010–11 season and finished in 6th place in the 2011–12 season, but the following season brought promotion back to Championship 1 after finishing as runners-up behind Championship 2 winners Knockbreda. One of the clubs most famous products was Northern Ireland and Sunderland defender Paddy McNair who attends games when possible.

Senior honours

  • Ulster Cup: 1
  • 1997–98

    • Intermediate honours

    Ballyclare Comrades F.C. Damage In The Box BALLYCLARE COMRADES Dixon Park

  • Irish League B Division: 6
  • 1960–61, 1962–63, 1973–74, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1988–89
  • IFA Intermediate League Second Division: 1
  • 2006–07
  • Irish Intermediate Cup: 9
  • 1925–26, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1953–54, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1989–90
  • B Division Knock-out Cup: 2
  • 1983–84, 1988–89
  • George Wilson Cup: 4
  • 1955–56, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1993–94†
  • Steel & Sons Cup: 6
  • 1943–44, 1960–61, 1974–75, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1986–87
  • Clarence Cup: 3
  • 1980–81†, 1982–83†, 1983–84†

    • † Won by reserve team

    Current squad

    Ballyclare Comrades F.C. Damage In The Box BALLYCLARE COMRADES Dixon Park

    Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

    References

    Ballyclare Comrades F.C. Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA