Northern Ireland – the second oldest league in the world, but what a sorry state… Obscurity. Twelve semi-professional clubs competed in closed league, no promotion and relegation, and hardly any decent players. There was much ups and downs, yet, the league was more or less dominated by the two ‘big clubs’ from Belfast – Linfield and Glentoran. Belfast was represented by few other clubs – Crusaders, Cliftonville and Distillery – but they played smaller role. Even the big clash between Catholics and Protestants was more likely to happen in Glasgow, not in bullet ridden Belfast. And nothing really new happened on Northern Irish stadiums this year. Ballymena United was the absolute outsider – last with 10 points, but nothing to worry about since there was no relegation to a lower division.
Up on top – not much either.
Glenavon (Lurgan) were 3rd – comfortably third, 3 points ahead of the next pursuer, but not even dreaming of higher place – they finished 6 points behind the silver medalists. Which meant only one thing: no UEFA Cup for Glenavon – Northern Ireland had only single allotment.
Second place meant playing international games, however briefly. It was taken by usual suspects – Glentoran.
The squad is only a matter of record, as ever, but the season was not very strong – Glentoran were much stronger than the rest of the league, but were not contenders. Except for the derby, they did not challenge Linfield.
So it was a one-horse race. Linfield lost a single match during the campaign. They had no rivals. Won 19 out of 22 total matches, outscored the league by far – 65 goals. The second best was Glentoran with 59.
Linfield finished 6 points ahead of their rival and collected their 31st title. But it was not all – the champions also reached the Cup final. The other finalist was curious one: Ballymena United, the weakest team in the league.
A relatively young by Irish standards modest club, founded in 1928, Ballymena United never won anything. A club normally found in the lower half of the league table – the only thrill the local derby with Coleraine. A dismal season, suddenly compensated by progress in the Cup. Ballymena had a chance… before the match was played. They lost 1-3.
They lost, predictably, but they lost to the champions and thus, as Cup finalists, got to play in the European Cup Winners Cup. Bit success for the lowly club. But this is almost everything to be said about the ‘Braidmen’ – dissatisfaction and increasingly sinking reputation of the Cup Winners Cup were based on participants like Ballymena United. The other thing which should be mentioned is the the clubs kit – perhaps the first club in Northern Ireland using shirts advertisement.
As for the winners, it was their 31st Cup. A curious parity – 31 titles and 31 Cups, won at the same time.
A double, supremacy in everything, record numbers of wins – such achievers are usually legendary. And perhaps this squad is legendary in Belfast. But nowhere else… it is modest, anonymous team. Few players appeared for Northern Ireland, but left no lasting memories. Perhaps Peter Rafferty is the best example – the star of Linfield played only few matches for the national team and did not attract the interest of English or Scottish clubs, even those of lower divisions. The crème of Northern Ireland never played at home, it is easy to draw conclusion about the strength of the supreme champions.