Newington F.C.

Newington Football Club
Full nameNewington Football Club
Nickname(s)The ‘Ton, The Swans
Founded1979 (as Jubilee Olympic)
GroundInver Park, Larne
ChairmanThomas Duffy
ManagerPaul Hamilton
LeagueNIFL Championship
2023–24NIFL Championship, 8th of 12

Newington Football Club (previously known as Newington Youth Club) is a semi-professional Northern Irish football club playing in NIFL Championship. The club originates from the Newington area of Belfast and ground shares with NIFL Premiership side Larne.[1]

Current squad

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Northern Ireland NIR Dean Smyth
2 DF Northern Ireland NIR Tiarnan McAuley
3 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Aodhfionn Casey
4 DF Northern Ireland NIR Francis Rice
5 DF Northern Ireland NIR Kevin Bradley
6 MF Republic of Ireland IRL Richard Gowdy (Captain)
7 FW Northern Ireland NIR Ben McCaul
8 MF Northern Ireland NIR Paul Donnelly
9 FW Northern Ireland NIR Darren Stuart
10 FW Northern Ireland NIR Patrick Downey
11 FW Northern Ireland NIR Darren Murray
12 DF Northern Ireland NIR Callum Parker
14 FW Northern Ireland NIR Finlay McMullan
15 MF Northern Ireland NIR Conal McGrandles
16 MF Northern Ireland NIR Robbie Morrow
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 MF Northern Ireland NIR Peter McKiernan
18 MF Northern Ireland NIR Seamus Duffy
19 MF Northern Ireland NIR Caolan McBride
20 MF Northern Ireland NIR Gerard Storey
21 MF Northern Ireland NIR Jackson Reid
22 FW Northern Ireland NIR Shea Brennan
23 MF Northern Ireland NIR Jack Reilly
24 GK Northern Ireland NIR Rian Brown
25 MF Northern Ireland NIR Kieran Ward
26 MF Northern Ireland NIR Joshua Diver
28 FW Northern Ireland NIR Conall Curran
29 FW Republic of Ireland IRL Fiontan O'Boyle (On loan from Ballymena United)
30 FW Cayman Islands CAY Jacobbi Tugman
31 FW Cayman Islands CAY Elijah Seymour

History

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The club was formed in north Belfast as Jubilee Olympic Football Club in 1979 and joined the Dunmurry League in 1980. The club changed its name to Newington Youth Club in 1986, won its first trophy—the Breen Cup—in 1987 and became the dominant team in the Dunmurry League for the remainder of their affiliation. In 1990–91 Newington became the first Dunmurry League club to win the County Antrim Junior Shield.

The club joined the Northern Amateur League in 1994. They played in Division 2C and won five trophies, including the league title in their first season. The following season saw them win Division 2B, gaining promotion to the top junior division of the Amateur League in the process.

Their greatest achievement in junior football came on 1 May 1997 when they won the biggest prize in junior football – the Irish FA Junior Cup. Newington defeated Fermanagh team Lisbellaw United in the final. A Division 2A title followed and soon the club was elevated to intermediate status, gaining a place in Division 1B in 2000. Newington continued to go from strength to strength, winning 1B at the first attempt, followed by the Division 1A title in 2001–02. However, Newington's facilities at their home ground (Muckamore Park, Antrim) failed to meet the required standards to gain promotion to the Amateur League Premier Division.

In 2004–05, Newington reached the quarter-finals of the Steel & Sons Cup, automatically qualifying for the County Antrim Shield; and their first match against senior opposition. A 2–0 defeat at Lisburn Distillery. At the end of that season, the club finished runners-up in Division 1A, but recent improvements to Muckamore Park meant that this time promotion to the Premier Division was realised.

In 2005–06, only eleven years after joining the League in its lowest division, Newington won the Amateur League title (and Border Cup) at the first time of asking. This season also saw the club reach the quarter-finals of the Irish Cup, losing out to Larne. In 2007–08, the club reached the semi-finals of the Irish Intermediate Cup, and in 2008–09 won the Amateur League title for the second time.

On 14 January 2012 the club managed what the BBC described as "one of the biggest shocks in Irish Cup history" when they defeated Glentoran 1–0 in the fifth round at the east Belfast giant's own ground, The Oval. Rated 20–1 by bookmakers to win the match, the club triumphed through Neil Quinn's goal and were drawn to face Dungannon Swifts in the sixth round.[2]

On 24 May 2013, the biggest game in the club's history, they achieved promotion to NIFL Championship 2, the third tier of national football. They faced Mid-Ulster Football League champions Dollingstown in a two-legged play-off for promotion, and won the tie on the away goals rule after it finished 4–4 on aggregate. A 3–2 away defeat followed by a 2–1 home win was enough to seal promotion.[3]

In 2016, the NIFL Championship 2 underwent a renewal, transforming into the NIFL Premier Intermediate League. Newington, a notable club during this transition, achieved significant success in the subsequent seasons.

In 2017, Newington clinched the Steel and Sons Cup. In 2021 they once again were named victors of the same cup.

The 2021/22 season saw Newington excel in the Premier Intermediate League, claiming the title and earning a promotion to the NIFL Championship. They finished ahead of Bangor F.C. by 7 points and Armagh City F.C. by 11 points.

Entering the 2022/23 NIFL Championship, Newington landed in 9th place, consolidating their position in the league. This period reflected their adaptability and marked a phase of growth for the club in the competitive football landscape.

After previously being known as Newington Youth F.C., the club are now known as Newington Football Club.[4][5]

Grounds

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The club originates in the Newington area of Belfast, although owing to the lack of facilities for junior and intermediate clubs in north Belfast they have played home matches at Muckamore Park in Antrim, at Brantwood FC on Skegoneill Avenue, Richardson Park in Dunmurry, and The Cliff in Larne. In 2008, the club became involved in a partnership with IFA Premiership club Crusaders, with a view to securing funding for a new, shared ground in north Belfast. As part of the arrangement, Newington used Crusaders’ ground Seaview for home matches in 2008–09, marking a return to home matches in the club's native north Belfast. From the 2013–14 season, the club's first season in NIFL Championship 2, until 2017–18, the club played at Seaview again. In 2018, the club moved to share Solitude with Cliftonville[6] They would play there until 2023, when they would move to Inver Park to groundshare with Larne.

Honours

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Intermediate honours

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Junior honours

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  • Irish Junior Cup: 1
    • 1996–97
  • County Antrim Junior Shield: 1
    • 1990–91

Sources

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References

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  1. ^ "Club licensing decisions announced". Irish FA. 27 April 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2023.
  2. ^ Newington Youth Club in shock Irish Cup win over Glentoran
  3. ^ "NEWINGTON YC WIN ON AWAY GOALS TO SECURE CHAMPIONSHIP 2 PLACE". ifachampionship.com. 25 May 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  4. ^ "Newington FC reach Tennent's Irish Cup Third round". Irish Football Association. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  5. ^ "County Antrim & District Football Association Senior Shield Teams". County Antrim FA. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  6. ^ Northern Ireland Football League
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