History Linfield F.C.

1 history

1.1 formation , years (1886–1918)
1.2 2 seven-trophy seasons (1921–22 & 1961–62)
1.3 roy coyle s 31-trophy haul (1975–1997)
1.4 david jeffrey years (1997–2014)
1.5 feeney & healy (2014–present)

history
formation , years (1886–1918)

a mural in belfast depicting linfield s contribution northern ireland football team, featuring tommy dickson, joe bambrick , elisha scott

the club founded in march 1886 in area of south belfast known sandy row workers @ ulster spinning company s linfield mill. known linfield athletic club, team played on ground @ of mill known meadow. however, success on field meant club had accommodate bigger crowds, brought move ulsterville avenue in 1889. in 1890, bob milne signed club gordon highlanders. scot become key member of team, helping blues lift irish cup @ young age of 20. club stayed @ ulsterville 5 years before housing development on ground in 1894 meant club had move on once again. between 1894 , 1897, linfield played of home games @ opponents grounds until president of club, robert gibson – had donated gibson cup trophy irish league championship – along other club members secured ground lease @ myrtlefield in balmoral area of city.

however, temporary home. club stayed here until 1905, when moved windsor park. club s first silverware @ windsor arrived in 1906–07 season, club lifting both league title , county antrim shield. first of trio of league titles, 1907–08 , 1908–09 league titles follow.

in 1910, team captain bob milne left club legacy 1 of linfield s best ever players. had amassed 9 irish cups, 8 league titles, , had earned 27 international caps ireland during time @ club. scot, marshall mcewan, joined linfield in 1911 @ age of 26. had played blackpool, bolton wanderers , chelsea. mcewan perhaps best remembered performance in 1913 irish cup final, described fans best in years. mcewan retired in 1916, remained in belfast , later opened several businesses. in 1915, irish league suspended result of world war i. in place, temporary unofficial league known belfast & district league set , ran 4 seasons until return of irish league in 1919. unofficial competition, titles during time not counted irish league championships. linfield won competition twice, in 1915–16 along irish cup, , in 1917–18.

the team lifted unprecedented 7 trophies in 1921–22 season.


two seven-trophy seasons (1921–22 & 1961–62)

the linfield squad 1957–58 season included newly signed newcastle united legend jackie milburn.

in 1921–22 season, club achieved clean sweep of domestic competitions entered – irish league, irish cup, county antrim shield, alhambra cup, belfast charity cup, gold cup , city cup. club followed next season winning treble including irish league, irish cup , county antrim shield in 1922–23. in 1927, joe bambrick signed blues, , become 1 of club s all-time top goal scorers. in 1929–30 season, bambrick scored remarkable 94 goals – record surprisingly stood 1 season, until glentoran s fred roberts scored incredible 96 goals during following campaign break bambrick s record. in 1930, bambrick scored 6 goals in 1 game ireland – 7–0 win on wales. 1931–32, 1933–34 , 1934–35 league titles followed linfield, before bambrick left club join chelsea in 1935 having scored 286 league goals in 183 games linfield – remarkable ratio of 1.56 goals per game. irish league once again suspended in 1940 result of second world war, temporary unofficial league set called northern regional league. linfield won league 3 times – in 1942–43, 1944–45 , 1945–46. league ran 7 seasons until return of irish league once again in 1947.

in 1957, jackie milburn famously signed blues player-manager newcastle united, , won ulster footballer of year award performances during first season @ club. milburn s presence dramatically increased average crowds @ matches, belfast telegraph calling signing of century . milburn famous scoring linfield s first ever goals in european competition. in september 1959, scored both goals against ifk göteborg in 2–1 linfield win @ windsor park in first leg of 1959–60 european cup preliminary round tie – club s european debut. milburn irish league s top goal scorer on 2 occasions before leaving club in 1960 join yiewsley. in 1962, forty years after linfield s remarkable seven-trophy season, club repeated feat in 1961–62 season under manager isaac mcdowell. won seven-trophy haul including irish league, irish cup, county antrim shield, gold cup, city cup , ulster cup. won north-south cup final season, conclusion of 1960–61 competition. fixture congestion had meant final not played before end of previous season, rescheduled take place during 1961–62 season. commemorative event held in april 2012, celebrating 90th , 50th anniversaries of 1921–22 , 1961–62 seven-trophy-winning teams.

roy coyle s 31-trophy haul (1975–1997)

following spell in england playing sheffield wednesday , grimsby town, roy coyle joined club player-manager, taking on reins outgoing manager billy campbell. after tough start managerial career @ club, coyle went on become successful linfield manager in history, winning numerous trophies during time @ windsor park. first season in charge without silverware. in fact, having been irish cup runners-up previous season when coleraine defeated blues 1–0 after 2 replays, linfield suffered 1 of biggest upsets in northern irish football history when b division club carrick rangers defeated blues 2–1 in 1975–76 irish cup final on 10 april 1976. giant-killing act in junior club defeated senior club in irish cup final had happened twice before in cup s history, , not since 1955 – 21 years earlier. club stuck coyle however, , not long before brought silverware club. first honour arrived in 1976–77 season in form of county antrim shield. however, blues suffered defeat in irish cup final third consecutive season when once again lost out against coleraine – losing 4–1. 1977–78 season saw club win irish league, irish cup , ulster cup treble. runners-up in last 3 irish cup finals, time not denied. 3–1 victory on ballymena united secured club s third trophy of season.

coyle retired playing duties in 1980, continued manager. in 1982, future manager david jeffrey joined club following stint in manchester united youth team , played coyle under many of trophy successes, captaining side of time. 1 of coyle s biggest achievements manager leading club 6 consecutive league titles between 1981–82 , 1986–87, equalling record consecutive titles set belfast celtic in 1947–48. 1986 year noel bailie began turn out 25-year career @ club. although defender of time, bailie began left midfielder.

coyle s final trophy linfield manager gold cup in 1989–90. during 15 years @ club had amassed 10 league titles, 3 irish cups, 7 gold cups, 4 ulster cups, 5 county antrim shields, irish league cup, , tyler cup – 31 major honours in total. coyle left club in april 1990. eric bowyer appointed coyle s replacement, relatively unsuccessful reign lasted 2 years until sacked in 1992, david jeffrey leaving club year join ards. next managerial hot seat trevor anderson, brought more silverware club during 5 years in charge between 1992 , 1997, including 2 irish league titles , 2 irish cups. after retiring player in 1996 following one-year spell @ larne, david jeffrey returned club anderson s assistant manager. partnership lasted until anderson resigned on morning of 4 january 1997. anderson later became director of football @ newry town.

david jeffrey linfield manager 7003632100000000000♠17 years, 112 days between january 1997 , april 2014, winning record-equalling 31 trophies during time.


the david jeffrey years (1997–2014)

jeffrey took charge of team in caretaker capacity league match against portadown afternoon, , remained caretaker manager following match against ballyclare comrades in floodlit cup on 7 january. officially appointed manager on permanent basis on 8 january 1997. in first full season in charge led club 3 trophies – league cup, county antrim shield, , floodlit cup – , narrowly missed out on league title champions cliftonville 4 points. jeffrey won first league title manager in 1999–2000 season however, along third consecutive league cup triumph. blues retained league title following season, , won charity shield , county antrim shield. 2001–02 season saw club win cup double, lifting both irish cup , league cup. in 2005, inauguration of setanta cup meant return of all-ireland cup competition first time since 1980. blues qualified league champions, started competition poorly – losing 2–1 away longford town. however, recovered reach final against shelbourne, , although blues major underdogs going match against professional league of ireland opposition, overcame odds become inaugural winners of competition defeating shelbourne 2–0. incidentally, linfield in fact reigning all-ireland champions @ time, having won final staging of tyler cup in 1980 before competition discontinued.

the 2005–06 season successful of jeffrey s tenure, blues achieving clean sweep of 4 domestic competitions; irish premier league, irish cup, irish league cup, , county antrim shield. however, did fail retain setanta cup defending champions when narrowly beaten 1–0 @ windsor park in semi-finals eventual winners, drogheda united. in april 2010, former captain noel bailie made 1,000th appearance club when played in 0–0 draw against crusaders in league. few days later, linfield won 49th league title after 1–0 home win against cliftonville. following year, landmark 50th league title arrived during club s 125th anniversary year. bailie retired football in april 2011 @ age of 40, after making 1,013 appearances club in competitions since making debut against ballymena united in march 1989. linfield subsequently retired number 11 shirt in honour. in 2011–12 season, linfield won league , cup double third consecutive season , sixth time in 7 seasons – record 51st league title, 42nd irish cup win, , 23rd double overall.

linfield , crusaders lining before 2013–14 county antrim shield final. linfield go on win shield 4–1 on penalties. david jeffrey s final trophy linfield manager.

the 2012–13 season undoubtedly low ebb club under jeffrey s reign. blues off pace of league campaign – season encapsulated in 3–1 home defeat newly promoted ballinamallard united in october 2012. cliftonville eventual champions, securing fourth league title after defeating linfield 3–2 @ solitude on 13 april 2013. crusaders secured runners-up place, leaving blues in third place – distant 29 points behind champions. club went out of 2013 setanta sports cup after heavy aggregate defeat in quarter-finals, went out of league cup @ semi-final stage, , exited irish cup in fifth round after replay. club s first irish cup defeat in 4 years first time in 16 years had lost opening tie of competition.

when 2014 setanta sports cup confirmed in december 2013, club opted not enter competition, citing inconvenient fixture scheduling, reduced prize money, , difficulty faced linfield supporters attending away games reasons behind withdrawal. however, club did not rule out future participation. league champions cliftonville withdrew competition similar reasons, next 2 highest placed sides previous season s league table (ballinamallard united , coleraine) being drafted in replacements. in february 2014, jeffrey announced stepping down @ end of 2013–14 season, bringing end trophy-laden reign after 17 years. in march 2014, blues lifted county antrim shield record 43rd time defeating crusaders 4–1 on penalties following 0–0 draw after time in final. significant milestone jeffrey – 31st , last trophy linfield manager, equalling roy coyle s record. jeffrey still had opportunity win record-breaking 32nd trophy manager in form of 2013–14 league title. however, despite topping league table of season, blues had settle runners-up spot, 6 points behind champions cliftonville. jeffrey s reign came winning end 5–2 victory on glenavon on final day of 2013–14 league season.

feeney & healy (2014–present)

former northern ireland international warren feeney succeeded jeffrey linfield manager. feeney had been player-assistant manager @ english conference premier side salisbury city @ time of appointment. cousin, lee feeney, played linfield in 2 different spells between 1997–1999 , 2002–2003. former blackburn rovers player, andy todd, appointed feeney s assistant. feeney s full season in charge of club ended without silverware. blues challenged league title of season, had settle runners-up spot second successive season, behind champions crusaders. 1 positive season team s record in 4 big 2 league derbies against glentoran, of blues won 3 , drew other. lowest point of season team undoubtedly shock 1–0 loss against second-tier side ballyclare comrades in second round of 2014–15 league cup, while 2014–15 irish cup campaign ended when eliminated in quarter-finals after losing 3–2 eventual runners-up portadown.

in may 2015, blues invited compete in setanta sports cup scheduled take place in june 2015. club declined once again, inconvenient fixture scheduling still remaining concern. competition cancelled, when suitable fixture dates not agreed upon. blues top of table after 10 games of 2015–16 nifl premiership season, feeney s reign came end in october 2015, when resigned become assistant manager (and subsequently manager) of english football league 2 side newport county.

former northern ireland striker , country s all-time record international goalscorer david healy appointed feeney s successor, andy todd staying on healy s assistant manager. however, in january 2016 todd departed club join newport county , reunite warren feeney, had subsequently been promoted county s manager following departure of john sheridan. todd once again became feeney s assistant manager.