Northern Ireland. Without promotion-relegation, the season really boils down to winning the title, the Cup, and eventual battle for the single spot in the UEFA Cup. Winners could get a bit of taste of big European football, the rest would have some talk in the pubs. Mostly that, for only a few clubs tackled the high positions in the league. Carrick Rangers was last with measly 12 points, outsiders in weak league, but so what? No relegation.
The usual could be presented by Cliftonville (Belfast) – here with Celtic (Glasgow) on the left, before a preseason friendly. They finished 5th with 28 points. Effectively, only three teams competed and they were the usual suspects. Glentoran (Belfast) took 3rd position with 34 points.
FC Coleraine – 2nd with 36 points. They got what they aimed for – the UEFA Cup place.
As for the champions, is there any need to name them? Who else, but Linfield. After 17 wins, 5 ties, and 4 losses, they were 3 points ahead of Coleraine. Scored 70 goals, allowed 22 0 no other team came even close to their achievements in both attack and defense.
Linfield was well suited for a double, but in the Cup final they met the bitter rivals Glentoran and there was no winner: 1-1. In the replay Glentoran shattered Linfield’s dream by prevailing 1-0.
Glentoran collected one more Cup, happy to punch Linfield. The Cup Winners Cup was theirs anyway, but a trophy was sweeter. Well done and all, but also so familiar – Linfield and Glentoran winning, as usual.