Football Journey

Finland. Ranked 22nd. Rather strange high ranking, for compared to Turkey, Denmark, even Cyprus, Finnish football was lagging behind – but strong European performance of particularly Kuusysi in recent years elevated Finland above countries with recognized improvement of the game. The championship formula: 2 points for a win. Second Division played regular championship. The winner was directly promoted and the second best went to promotion/relegation against the 11th in the top league. Two-phased championship of First Division – after the regular phase the league went to second phased: the top 6 played round-robin round for the title carrying their records from the first phase. The bottom 6 played for avoiding relegation carrying their first phase records. Thus, every top league team played 27 games in total. The last was directly relegated and the 11th went to promotion/relegation play-off.
Second Division. 12 teams played regular championship. The last 3 were relegated to Third Division. The interesting thing was the top of the league – 4 teams fought for the top 2 places. Three of them finished with 29 points each. Goal-difference eliminated PPT (Pori), but… goal-difference was not decisive factor for the other two and they went for second place play-off: a bit strange since goal-difference was taken into account to determine 4th place, but not the 2nd. Koparit (Kuopio) had a goal worse goal-difference than Kumu (Kuusankoski) – and justice prevailed in the play-off: Koparit lost 2-4.
Kumu took 2nd place as they should and went to the promotion/relegation play-off.
KPV (Kokkola) won the Second Division championship with 33 points: 13 wins, 7 ties, 2 lost games, 43-18 goal-difference. Clearly the best team this year and rightfully promoted back to top flight.
First Division. The relegation group consisted of the bottom 6 in the first phase and since records were carried over nothing unusual happened. Jaro (Pietarsaari) was last with 11 points. KePS (Kemi) was 11th all the was, finishing with 14 points. Like Jaro, they were wau weaker than the rest of the league, but 11th place gave them a chance to survive – if winning the promotion/relegation play off. Alas, they lost to Kumu 0-2 and 1-0. Thus, KePS was relegated and Kumu (Kuusankoski) happily promoted to First Division. Great success for Kumu,which did not play top league football before.
Up the relegation group were teams already safe: MP Mikkeli – 4th with 22 points,
OTP (Oulu) – 3rd with 22 points.
Reipas (Lahti) 2nd with 29 points and KuPS (Kuopio) 1st with 29 points. KuPS had so-so league presence, but they full of joy at the end of the season.
The championship group was a battle between 2 teams – they finished with equal points the first phase and the second round was thrilling. The other teams more or less went just through the morions, having no chance to surprise the leaders.

Ilves (Tampere) finished 6th with 26 points. Standing from left: Mark Dziadulewicz, Seppo Nikkil?, Petri Ojala, Juha Riippa, Marek Czakon, Miika Juntunen.Front row: Tero Kemppainen, Ilpo Talvio, Mika Malinen, Arto Uimonen, Mika Aaltonen.
HJK (Helsinki) – 5th with 29 points.
Haka (Valkeakoski) – 4th with 30 points.
RoPS (Rovaniemi) – 3rd with 34 points. Second row: Petteri Karila, Miika Tolvanen, Hannu Ollila, Arto Autti, Ari Matinlassi, Jari Europaeus, Petri Nieminen. Crouching: Jarmo Ilola, Pasi Tauriainen, Markku Kallio, Ari Tegelberg, Matti Vikman.
The battle for the title was decided in the final phase – Kuusysi and TPS (Turku) came to it with 32 points each earned in the first phase. Kuusysi had 2-goals better goal-difference,so they won the opening phase, but that was nothing. Eventually, Kuusysi pulled ahead in the last 5 games and TPS (Turku) ended 2nd with 39 points.

Kuusysi (Lahti) dramatically won the championship with 41 points from 17 wins, 7 ties and 3 losses. 51-23 goal-difference. One more strong season for the leading at that time Finnish club. They won their 4th title.
KuPs and Haka met at the Cup final. Both teams were eager to win the trophy, but Haka (Valekeakoski) was outscored 2-3.

KuPS (Kuopio) were the happy winners and received the coveted Cup. Standing from left: Kari Tissari, Jukka Turunen, Heikki Turunen, Tuomo Hyv?rinen, Jukka Mykk?nen, Janne Savolainen, Markus R?s?nen, Yrj? Happonen. Front row: Vesa Martiskainen, Timo Vesterinen, Harri Nyyss?nen, Jyrki Rovio, Hannu Turunen, Kari Niskanen.
Great success for one of the lesser clubs. This was their 2nd Cup.

The Turkish Cup was contested between Besiktas and Fenerbahce. Ambition, rivalry, unpredictable clash. Fenerbahce was great this season, Besiktas – second best. Perhaps the fact that the title was lost early made Besiktas more eager and they prevented Fenerbahce from winning a double by beating them 3-1.
Such is football life… champions, but no double. In great derbies the winner is never sure, no matter how strong one of the opponents would be otherwise. Schumacher perhaps ate his gloves after losing the final… he came, he won the Turkish championship, but lost the Cup.
Besiktas lost the title, but took revenge on Fenerbahce at the Cup final and ended with a trophy in their hands. Which was wonderful. It may be surprising to many, but this only the second Cup Besktas won – thus, the victory was even sweeter, for Besiktas was lacking trophies when compared to the other two giants of Turkish football.

First Division. 19 teams started the season, 18 finished it. 3 points for a win and no exciting race for the title – two teams dominated the championship, but even they were wide apart. This was the season Turkey really started new era – football was getting better and money were not scarce, for the first time a world-famous player was imported. Of course, players were imported for a long time and some of them were even well-known, but never before a world-class star came to Turkey. Tony Schumacher was the first, signaling new level of ambition in Turkey. True, Schumacher was getting old and his scandalous book created great troubles for him in (West) Germany, practically ruining his late career, but still he was world star. Yet, this event was obscured by a tragedy: Samsunspor lost the whole of their team and coaches in bus accident. Consequently, they did not play in the second half of the season and finished last – 18 games were awarded against them, so the final record is merely statistical, for the team was not doing badly before the terrible accident.
The team Samsunspor lost. They finished last with 19 points – the record they had at the end of the first half of the season – but the Federation recognized the tragedy and Samsunspor was not relegated.
Turkish football was improving and becoming ambitious, but improvement was not wide-spread and there was still big gap between teams and especially between First and Second Division – this season showed it again: all newcomers, promoted from Second Division, ended at the bottom and were relegated back to where they came from. The Federation apparently recognized the existent gap and reduced the top league for the next team by 1 teams and further reduction followed after that.
Kahramanmarasspor AS finished 18th with 23 points. Of course, it was great for their fans to see a season of top level football, but the newcomers were very weak. They won just 4 games (and one was awarded victory against Samsunspor, not won on the field).
Another newcomer – Caykur Rizespor – finished 17th with 35 points and went straight back to Second Division. Standing from left: Orhan, Önder, İsa, K.Turgut, Jurgen Pahl.
First row: Erol, Recep, Bilal, Metin, Harun.
Even the East German defector and long time Eintracht (Frankfurt) goalkeeper Jurgen Pahl was unable to save them.
Eskisehirspor, the third newcomer this season, finished 16th with 41 points and was also relegated right after promotion. True, they lost the battle for survival only on goal-difference, but still lost it.
Altay managed to survive – 15th with 41 points, beating Eskisehirspor on better goal-difference.
Adana Demirspor also managed to escape relegation – 14th with 42 points.
Their rivals Adanaspor finished a place above them, also with 42 points, but beating their rivals on better goal-difference.
Malatyaspor – 12th with 43 points. Only 12th, but the new arrival this season was Carlos (Carlos Roberto Gallo) from Corinthians (Sao Paulo), the goalkeeper of Brazil at the 1986 World Cup (this was his 3rd World Cup, but the only one he actually played). Carlos was still a national team player and will be until 1990. One of the better known around the world players starting to arrive in Turkey – and most of them were goalkeepers so far.
Karsiyaka – 11th with 43 points. The best of Izmir clubs, which was great in terms of city rivalries, but as a whole clubs of Izmir were struggling for a long time.
Sakaryaspor – 10th with 44 points.
Bursaspor – 9th with 44 points. Now, this is the A team – a long time top league member.
Konyaspor – 8th with 46 points.
Boluspor – the best of the weaker teams: 7th with 52 points.
MKE Ankaragucu – 6th with 60 points. Perhaps the gap of 8 points between them and Boluspor signifies the sharp division of quality still existing in Turkish football: there was a group of strong teams and the rest were mediocre. The league was not yet truly competitive and better reduce it.
Trabzonspor – 5th with 64 points. Not a title contender this season, but consistently strong.
Saryer – everything in its own terms: Saryer was always way behind the giants of Istanbul and rather a modest club. Competing for the title was not up to them ever, but currently they had great period and were proud to rub shoulders with the best. This season they battled with Galatasaray for the bronze medals and although they lost, it was still wonderful season: 4th with 68 points!
Clearly a bad season for Galatasaray – with 3 well-known Yugoslavians (Simovic, Prekazi, and Kovacevic) and the Turkish great goal-scorer Tanju Colak, they managed to get only 3rd place and that after fierce battle againts modest Saryer. 69 points – 1 more than Saryer’s, but… 14 less than Besiktas’.
Judging by the squad, Besiktas appear much weaker than Galatasaray. Well… as an example: Zoran Simovic was Yugoslavian national team regular and considered among the top all-time goalkeepers of the country by some – Rade Zalad was relatively little known goalkeeper even in Yugoslavia. Even Les Ferdinand was not known yet – he was loaned by Queens Park Rangers for the season, apparently not needed at home. But Besiktas was way stronger than struggling Galatasaray and left it in the dust. In the same time, Besiktas was not a title contender… 2nd with 83 points.
Fenerbahce reigned supreme: 29 wins, 6 ties, and only one lost match! 103-27: goal-difference of +76! And that when Galatasaray was having the great scorer of the country! 93 points – 10 more than Besiktas and not even thinking of bitter rivals Galatasaray. Fantastic season!

Harald ‘Tony’ Schumacher joined Fenerbahce this season and immediately captained them – Fenerbahce was proud to import a true world-star in Turkey and the German no doubt influenced the team with his ferocious ambition, hunger for success, and skill, but hardly the goalkeeper was the sole reason for this great season – after all, he was a goalkeeper… But he brought stability in the back and confidence to his teammates, who would dare to go ahead once sure that their own net was safe. Still, the team was somewhat weaker than Galatasaray as far as names go. And that makes their achievement worthier and more significant.
Fantastic season like that deserves one more photo of the team – here they are the memorable heroes of 1988-89. And keep in mind that pitches were still quite challenging in Turkey – even warrior like Schumacher used trousers instead of shorts. And he was not alone. Great victory and 12th title for Fenerbahce.

Turkey. Ranked 23rd. Second Division. A battle for top position happened only in Group B. In Group A and Group C the leaders were too strong to permit competition. The winners were directly promoted, but the Group B winner was ineligible – it was a B-team of First Division club – and that provided opportunity for reduction of the top league by 1 team in the next season. 18 teams played in each group of the Second Division and 3 points for a win were given. The last 4 teams in each group were relegated to Third Level and among them were
Group A. Nothing interesting at the top – two teams were way too strong and also unequal.
At the other end of the table Kayserispor was last – may be surprising for those following Turkish football in the 21st century, but back in time Kayserispor was practically anonymous lowly club. They finished as outsiders: 7 points behind the 16th, Bitlispor (Group A had 17 teams this season).
Genclerbirligi (Ankara) dominated the championship from start and finished 16 points ahead of the 2nd, Orduspor (which in turn had no rival either, leaving Gaziantepspor 11 points behind). 23 wins, 7 ties, only 2 lost games, 73-24 goal-difference and 76 points. Genclerbirligi was flying and returned to First Division.
Group B. Two teams were entangled in battle for first place, leaving the rest of the league behind. At the bottom, Trabzonspor ended at the last place with 23 points – but relax, it was only the B-team of the top Turkish provincial club.
However, one better known team had horrible season – Zonguldakspor, just relegated from Form Division, where they played often, finished 15th with 43 points and were further relegated down. They lost on worse goal-difference the battle for survival to Sumerbank Beykozspor.
Up the table, Giresunspor ended 8th with 48 points. Not bad for freshly promoted team, but this was nothing compared to the season another newcomer had.
Two teams left the rest of the league behind and fought for 1st place. Neither was well known – Bakirkoyspor and Bursaspor. Well.. Bursaspor was known and regular top-league member, but this was their B team, just promoted from Third Level.
Bakirkoyspor outscored Bursaspor B by 6 goals and ended with best goal-difference, but… 2 points behind the competition. 64 points did not do it…
Fascinating and well deserved victory of Bursaspor B – or Bursaspor Amateur: take either name and will be no wrong. 19 wins, 9 ties, 6 losses, 56-25 goal-difference, 66 points. Rarely newcomers from Third Division win the upper championship and second teams win hardly ever. Which at the end is the their undoing… as a second team of Bursaspor, Bursaspor B was ineligible for promotion. Still, the victory was sweet.
Group C. No rivalry for top position, yet, it was exciting season – at least for one club. No surprises from newcomers from third level – Uzunkopruspor, for instance, was the season’s outsider, finishing last 7 points behind Duzcespor, 17th.
Up the table, Eyupspor finished 13th with 40 points.
Newcomer Ayvalikgucu ended 11th with 45 points – not bad.
Freshly relegated from First Division Kocaelispor was unable to recover strenght – 7th with 50 points.
Kusadasispor had good season – 3rd with 62 points.
Perhaps Denizlispor, just relegated, wanted to climb back to First Division, but was not up to the task – 2nd with 66 points.
Zeytinburnuspor (Istanbul) was wonderful this season: 28 wins, 1 tie, 5 losses, 80-23 goal-difference and 85 points. They left Denizlispor 19 points behind and finished with the best record in all Second Division groups – earning 9 points more than the winners of Group A Genclerbirligi. Not only that, but this was historic season for one of smaller clubs of Istanbul – Zeytinburnu was going to play top league football for the first time in their history. Good luck to them!

Denmark. Ranked 24th.
B93 was unable to get promoted this season and remained in the Second Division. Top row from left: Arne Nielsen (træner), Claus Pedersen, Christian Koldbech, Peter “Tysker” Svendsen/Krøyer, Ahmed Nur, Carsten Jørgensen, Tom Jensen (manager).
Middle row: Claus Mortensen, Allan Supperi, Henrik Petersen, Allan Henriksen, Chris Hansen, Frederik W. Nielsen, René Johansson, Frank Husum, Kenneth Beck, Kurt Olsen (holdleder).

Front row: Wlady Jatczak, Thomas Lykke, Per Rasmussen, Bo Nielsen, Leif Funcke Nielsen, Thomas Olsen.
Esbjerg FB also failed to go up.
KB (Copenhagen) – or Kjobenhavens Boldklub 1876 – and
Viborg FF came on top of Second Division and were promoted.
Three teams battled for the title in the top league. Bronshoj BK was last with 13 points. B 1913 finished 13th also with 13 points, but better goal-difference than Bronshoj. Both Teams were relegated. Nothing very exciting up the table – the three leading teams were stronger than the rest.
Lyngby BK lost the race for the title, finishing 3rd with 38 points.
Also with 38 points, but with 2 goals better goal-difference than Lyngby, Brondby IF took the silver medals.
OB Odense had splendid season: 17 wins, 7 ties, only 2 lost games, 45-19 goal-difference and 41 points. Eventually, they manage to pull ahead of their pursuers.
Life was great – OB Odense or Odense BK won their 3rd title. Sponsorship was still weird affair in Denmark – 7 different companies displayed their logos on the shirts of the champions. Danish fans were used to this for a long time.
Brondby IF and Ikast fS met at the Cup title and the final went into overtime. The final result, however, does not suggest fierce contest: Brondby won 6-3.
Brondby IF was clearly the best Danish club at that time -starting from 1985, they so far missed winning a trophy in only one year and now added the Cup – their 1st – to the 3 titles already in their hands. Brondby IF was surely establishing itself as the powerhouse of Denmark. And Peter Schmeichel was ascending along with the club.

Albania – ranked 25th. Formula and structure: first, still 2 points were given for a win. First Division had 12 teams. The championship had 2 stages – first the regular league season and after that the top 6 played among themselves for the title. The bottom 6 played relegation tournament – last 2 teams were relegated. All teams carried on their first-stage records to the second stage.
The Second Division.
First, Naftetari (Qyteti Stalin), which won Second Division Group B in 1987-88, but lost the promotion/relegation play-off against Dinamo (Tirana) did not play at all this season. Their absence reduced the Second Division teams by one – 10 played in Group A and 9 in Group B. The formula was the same as in the First Division – two stages with points earned in first stage carried to the second. The group winners were promoted. Originally, the bottom half of the groups played for avoiding relegation – but this became immaterial at the end, for the system was restructured for the next system: Third Division was eliminated and all third division teams (plus Naftetari) were included in the Second Division, which was to have 3 groups. So, only the winners mattered and they were Tomori (Berat) in Group A and Luftetari (Gjirokaster) in Group B – both promoted to the top league.
First Division. The rule for point deduction for exceeding limit of red/yellow cards was still in force and thus Beselidhja (Lezhe) had 3 points deducted, Partizani (Tirana) – 2 points, and Apolonia (Fier) lost 1 point (Second Division 31 Korriku (Burrel) and Studenti (Tirana) had 4 points deducted). However, the rule was future-oriented: deductions were applied to the next season and did not affect the current one: all teams finished with full records – unlike the penalties in the Second Division, where deductions were applied to the current season.
Because records from stage were carried to the second, hardly any changes occurred in the final tournaments. Traktori (Lushnje) ended last and Skenderbeu (Korce) was 11th – both teams were relegated. They were in the same places in the opening stage and remained on the bottom in final stage.
Flamurtari (Vlore) was 2nd in the relegation group of the final stage, ending 8th overall – same as their first-stage finish.
Vllaznia (Shkoder) topped the relegation group, thus, ending 7th overall – they preserved their position in the opening stage as well.
In the championship group Beselidhja (Lezhe) stepped a place down – they were 5th in the opening stage, but 6th after the final stage. Very likely the season ended for them in the first stage.
Labinoti (Elbasan) moved up a place – from 6th in the opening stage to 5th after the final stage.
Apolonia (Fier) finsihed 4th with 33 points – no change at all.
Dinamo (Tirana) was 3rd with 42 points. Same place in first and second stage.
Partizani (Tirana) – 2nd with 45 points. They really tried to run for the title, but remained second-best in both stages.
17 Nentori (Tirana) won the title just like they did the previous season. First in the opening stage with 32 points and first in the second stage again, adding 16 more points. At the end they had 48 points from 21 wins, 6 draws, and 5 losses. 58-25 goal-difference. This was their 14th title, thus equalizing Partizani (Tirana) and Dinamo (Tirana) record.
The Cup final was Tirana derby – Partizani vs Dinamo. The clash ended scoreless 0-0 and a replay was staged. In the second match Dinamo won 3-1.
Partizani finished this season with nothing – twice second meant no trophy, a real disappointment.
Dinamo (Tirana) was quite happy with winning the Cup – the championship was lost, but a trophy was won anyway. Thus, they won their 11th Cup and equalized Partizani (Tirana) record.
If anything, this season made the future exciting – who would be the most successful Albanian club? Three teams won equal number of titles and 2 equal number of Cup.

Cyprus – ranked 26th. First Division was going to be reduced from 15 to 14 teams next season, so 3 teams were relegated and 2 promoted. Still 2 points were given for a win. No change at the top.
Evagoras (Paphos) won the Second Division with 39 points, followed by Alki (Larnaca) with 37 points. Both teams were promoted to the top league- rather, returning to it. Omonia (Aradipou) was the absolute outsider of First Division, finishing with 5 points. Single win, 13 goals scored and 81 received. Above them were two more outsiders, however, much stronger than Omonia (Aradipou) – Keravnos finished 14th with 21 points and EPA – 13th, also with 21 points, but better goal-difference than Keravnos. Those were the three relegated teams. Aris was 12th, but hardly in any danger during the season – they finished with 26 points.
Not much commotion up the table:
Pezoporikos was 7th with 28 points.
APOEL topped the weaker teams in this championship – 3rd with 34 points. Only two teams fought for the title – Apollon ended 2nd with 40 points, scoring, however, most goals this season: 61.
Familiar winners – Omonia (Nicosia) collected their 16th title. They finished with 43 points from 17 wins, 9 draws, 2 lost games, and 60-22 goal-difference.
The Cup finals opposed AEL to Aris and AEL prevailed 3-2.
AEL (Limassol) won their 6th Cup. Well done.

Norway. Ranked 27th. Two of the successful clubs in the 1970s won the trophies this season, a sense of deja vu.
Success is success, depending on the relative measure of it: Sandefjord who promotion from III Division to Second Division this year. This was great for club, fans, city.
In the Second Division the group winners were directly promoted and the second-placed had a chance to go up if winning the promotion/relegation tournament including the 10th team in the First Division.
Fyllingen topped Group A with 43 points – 13 wins, 4 ties, 5 losses, 43-20 goal-difference.
Djerv 1919 clinched second place with 41 points, beating Bryne by a point.
Similar close battle in Group B:
Stromsgodset won the championship with 45 points – 13 wins, 6 ties, 3 losses, 42-24 goal-difference. Nice return to top flight. Top row from left: Harald Ramsfjell (trener), Kjell Bjørkli, Ulf Camitz, Geir Andersen, Odd Johnsen, Geir Heggdal, Einar Sigmundstad (trener).
Middle row: Frank Hovland (oppmann), Morten Lilleberg, Glenn Knutsen, Torkel Knudsen, Vegard Hansen, Frode Johannessen, Lars Groven, Ole Viggo Walseth, Odd Roar Kirkebø (materialforvalter)
Sitting: Arne Gustavsen, Geir Bakke, Ronny Hvambsal, Terje Dokken (sportslig leder), Juro Kuvicek, Halvor Storskogen.
HamKam finished 2nd with 42 points, 1 point ahead of Mjondalen.
First Division: two outsiders and one domineering leader. Mjolner ended last with 15 points and Sogndal – 11th with 18 points. They were directly relegated. Valerengen was unlucky – 10th with 23 points and going to the promotion/relegation play-off. They were the team receiving most goals in the championship: 52.
Start was lucky – 9th with 23 points, in safety only thanks to better goal-difference than Valerengen.
With 30 points, Brann finished 7th. Third row from left: Erling Mikkelsen, Jan-Erik Larsen, Arve Mokkelbost, Rune Enehaug (fysio), Jon Schjelderup (lege), Teitur Thordarson (trener), Trygve Larsen (keepertrener), Arne Wilhelmsen (oppmann), Kjell Jensen, John Reigstad.
Middle row: Mons Ivar Mjelde, Åge Lie, Per Egil Ahlsen, Redouane Drici, Dan Riisnes, Per Hilmar Nybø, Ketil Elvenes, Lars Moldestad, Atle Torvanger, Olafur Thordarson, Trond Johannessen.
Front row: Henrik Bjørnstad, Amadou Njie, Jan Erik Storvik, Jan Erlend Kruse, Trond Nordeide, Jan Eivind Brudvik, Roy Wassberg, Einar Arne Roth, Tore Hadler-Olsen.
Molde lost the bronze medals om worse goal-difference – 4th with 37 points.
Tromso clinched bronze.
Rosenborg finished confident 2nd with 44 points, but were incapable of challenging the leader.

Lillestrom had no rival: 16 wins, 4 ties, 2 losses, 31-13 goal-difference and 52 points. Rosenborg scored almost twice more goals than Lillestrom – 56 – and another 6 teams had scored equal or more goals than the champions, including the outsider Sogndal, but no team came close the the deffensive records of the leader – the next best were Tromso and Kongsvinger, allowing 25 goals each. Lillestrom had a handful of national team players – Fjortoft, Soler, Grodas, Halle, and the Swedish right full back Schiller.
Splendidly won 5th title – after such a season Lillestrom was expected to win more… and did not.
Viking and Molde reached the Cup final and in it Viking prevailed 2-1.
Like Lillestrom, Viking (Stavanger) became known to the world in the 1970s, when they were one of the best Norwegian teams. And now it looked like that together with Lillestrom they were going to be leading club in the 1990s. But the future was less interesting than the present: Viking won their 4th Cup and proud of it.

Northern Ireland. Ranked 28th. No contest season and world record.
Distillery was last with 12 points.
Larne – 10th with 28 points.
Ballymena United – 9th with 29 points.
Glenavon – 5th with 44 points.
Bangor – 4th with 45 points.
Coleraine – 3rd with 50 points.
Glentoran – 2nd with 55 points.
Linfield was once again the champion – 7 years in a row! They had no challenger at all: 21 wins, 2 ties, 3 losses, 58-19 goal-difference, 65 points. 10 points ahead of Glentoran.
Linfield was not world-famous and powerful club internationally, but they made a world record this year on a scale unreachable for any other club no matter name, money, popularity: they won their 40th title.
The Cup final was played between Larne and Ballymena United. With Linfield so strong domestically, it was even surprising to see low-placed clubs at the final, but that was that. Ballymena prevailed 1-0.
Wonderful success for a team having otherwise poor season, based largely on ties – Ballymena United ended with most ties in the league (11). Back Row (left to right): Alex McKee (Manager), Paul Hardy, Jim Scott, John Heron, Damien Grant, Billy Pyper, Stephen Young, John Garrett, Billy McCready (Physiotherapist). Front Row (left to right): Joss Arbuthnott, ?, John McKee, Dessie Loughery, Michael Smyth, Ricky Simpson, Dermot Doherty.
This was the 7th Cup for Ballymena United. Also their last… but who would tell at the happy moment?

Eire. Ranked 29th. Tough battle for the title and interesting double. Rules: teams played 3 times against each other – this to make longer season for small leagues, and 3 points for a win were given. University College Dublin AFC clinched 2nd place in Second Division on better goal-difference and was promoted.
Bray Wanderers lost the race for promotion to University College.
Sligo Rovers was last in the Second Division with 14 points – quite a downfall for a club no long ago playing solid First Division football.
Two outsiders in the top league: Waterford United was last with 18 points and Cobh Ramblers – 11th with 21 points. Both relegated.
Up the table nothing much until the very top.
Shamrock Rovers had weak season – 7th with 29 points.
Derry City and Dundalk fought for the title. Eventually, Dundalk lost, finishing 2nd with 51 points.
Derry City had strong run from start to end and won the championship with 53 points: 24 wins, 5 ties, and 4 losses, 70-21 goal-difference. Excellent success!
And there was more: Derry City reached the Cup final, where they met Cork City. The final ended undecided – 0-0 – and replay was scheduled. In it Derry City prevailed 1-0.
A double! What a season! If the photos are in fact one and the same, the reason is plausible:
May be for another club such fuss would be overdoing it, Derry City deserves as many photos as possible: this was their only 2nd title, 1st Cup, 1st double! This season was their strongest in history. The most memorable because of that.