Ballyclare Comrades F.C.

Ballyclare Comrades
Full name Ballyclare Comrades Football Club
Founded February 1919
Ground Dixon Park, Ballyclare,
County Antrim
Capacity 5,333 (safe capacity 1,800)[1]
Chairman Trevor McCann
Manager Stephen Hughes
League NIFL Championship
2017–18 5th

Ballyclare Comrades Football Club is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Championship. The club hails from Ballyclare, County Antrim and plays its home matches at Dixon Park. Club colours are red and white. The club's rivals are Carrick Rangers and Larne and games between the three clubs are referred to as "The East Antrim Derbies".

History

The club was founded in 1919 by veterans of the First World War, most of them from "C" Company of the 12th Royal Irish Rifles – a battalion made up entirely of East Antrim men, who fought at the Somme and in many other famous First World War battles. From 1990 until 2003, the club enjoyed senior status, but reverted to intermediate status when the Irish Premier League was established and the number of senior clubs was reduced.

The club's reserve team play in the Junior Section of the Ballymena Premier Intermediate League, winning Division 1 in 2011–12, 2012–13 and 2013–14. The club also has a partnership with local youth club Ballyclare Colts, whose sides (from under 11 to under 15 provide players to progress to Comrades' own youth sides at under-17 and under-18 level. The under-18 side play in the IFA Youth League.

The club was relegated to IFA Championship 2 in the 2010–11 season and finished in 6th place in the 2011–12 season, but the following season brought promotion back to Championship 1 after finishing as runners-up behind Championship 2 winners Knockbreda. One of the clubs most famous products was Northern Ireland and Sunderland defender Paddy McNair who attends games when possible. The club finished an impressive 3rd in the 2016/17 season.

Honours

Senior honours

Intermediate honours

† Won by reserve team

Current squad

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

No. Position Player
Northern Ireland GK Paddy Flood
Northern Ireland GK Geoff McKinty
Northern Ireland DF Michael McQuitty
Northern Ireland DF CJ McQuillan
Northern Ireland DF Adam McCart
Republic of Ireland DF Curtis Woods
Northern Ireland DF Dean Youle
Northern Ireland MF Samuel McIIveen
Northern Ireland MF JB Dobbin
Northern Ireland MF Gary Donnelly
Northern Ireland MF Gary Browne
No. Position Player
Northern Ireland MF Jason Johnston
Northern Ireland MF Michael O'Hanlon
Northern Ireland MF Adam Gray
Northern Ireland FW Kyle Mackie
Northern Ireland FW Paul Maguire
Northern Ireland FW Chris Trussell
Northern Ireland FW Thomas Robinson
Northern Ireland FW Eoin Kane
Northern Ireland MF Joe McWilliam
Northern Ireland MF Chris Middleton

References

  1. ↑ Northern Ireland Assembly Answer to Written Question AQW1178/11 Archived 30 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
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