The lost history of Cliftonville FC

[sirstevefleming]

Great thread.

I went to school around that area. Quite an education in more than one way. Duncairn gardens was fun. I remember a lad from school who lived in torrens who was burnt out.


Also remember portadown playing an Irish cup reply at solitude in the days when portadown used to have a big away following and usually up to no good. The riot made the national bbc news the next morning. I could chat all night about the goings on in the Irish league over the years. Great times.

 

[bluewonder]

Great thread.

I went to school around that area. Quite an education in more than one way. Duncairn gardens was fun. I remember a lad from school who lived in torrens who was burnt out.


Also remember portadown playing an Irish cup reply at solitude in the days when portadown used to have a big away following and usually up to no good. The riot made the national bbc news the next morning. I could chat all night about the goings on in the Irish league over the years. Great times.

Some of the worse rioting normally happened between the Blues and the Glens.

 

[bpfurian]

Great thread.

I went to school around that area. Quite an education in more than one way. Duncairn gardens was fun. I remember a lad from school who lived in torrens who was burnt out.


Also remember portadown playing an Irish cup reply at solitude in the days when portadown used to have a big away following and usually up to no good. The riot made the national bbc news the next morning. I could chat all night about the goings on in the Irish league over the years. Great times.

Likewise, Irish league football was very scary at times taking into account the troubles and all that was happening added another dimension to it.

 

[Shankill Loyal]

The place is an utter cesspit and is a no go club for anyone who does not share their beliefs.

Let's not forget their antics at the 2018 Irish Cup Final, Horrible Bástards.

 

[Myc74]

Let's not forget their antics at the 2018 Irish Cup Final, Horrible Bástards.

I was there mate.
The Coleraine support certainly let the c.unts know what we thought of them

 

[SM™]

Rowdyism?

What balderdash!

Should one youth from the firm of an association football team wish to meet a member of the crew opposite, all one requires is a gentlemanly handshake prior to the aggro and the national anthem afterwards, teeth or no teeth.

We were and are men of honour. The idea of aiming a dart at a scarfer's eye socket is as out of order as working on the Sabbath.

Regards,

Major General Headache (Ret'd)
Georgian Football Correspondent

 

[Lurgan Loyal]

Was that the day a Linfield supporter got onto the pitch and booted one of the DC players? Same day as a hand grenade was thrown over the wall?

The hand grenade match was Linfield v Cliftonville a midweek cup game in 91/92 season at Windsor. I was there in the north stand. When the explosion happened the Reds fans on the Kop cheered as they assumed it was a bomb in the city centre. Little did they know.

 

[jimcornette]

The hand grenade match was Linfield v Cliftonville a midweek cup game in 91/92 season at Windsor. I was there in the north stand. When the explosion happened the Reds fans on the Kop cheered as they assumed it was a bomb in the city centre. Little did they know.

That's the one mate. A lifetime ago and crazy, crazy, days.

 

[BF_Loyalist]

I was there mate.
The Coleraine support certainly let the c.unts know what we thought of them

The only time I ever wanted coleraine to win an Irish cup final.

I hate Cliftonville. An old family friend (he’s passed away now) was a massive Cliftonville fan growing up as a wee boy before the trash started coming in. He switched then his allegiance to crusaders

 

[BF_Loyalist]

The hand grenade match was Linfield v Cliftonville a midweek cup game in 91/92 season at Windsor. I was there in the north stand. When the explosion happened the Reds fans on the Kop cheered as they assumed it was a bomb in the city centre. Little did they know.

Are you sure it was against Cliftonville? I always thought that grenade was against donegall Celtic?

 

[Lurgan Loyal]

Are you sure it was against Cliftonville? I always thought that grenade was against donegall Celtic?

The game I was at was def Blues v Reds.
There could have been another incident at another game though.

 

[Ulsters_No1]

Vile club. Hate them with a passion & everything associated with them

 

[Lurgan Loyal]

Great thread.

I went to school around that area. Quite an education in more than one way. Duncairn gardens was fun. I remember a lad from school who lived in torrens who was burnt out.


Also remember portadown playing an Irish cup reply at solitude in the days when portadown used to have a big away following and usually up to no good. The riot made the national bbc news the next morning. I could chat all night about the goings on in the Irish league over the years. Great times.

Regular trouble with Cliftonville when they came to Lurgan to play Glenavon.

 

[bluewonder]

Regular trouble with Cliftonville when they came to Lurgan to play Glenavon.

No matter where they went they always caused aggro and got a few deserved beatings from the RUC for their trouble.

They played Loughgall in a cup game a few years ago and they went to the police station to lay a wreath to honour their heroes who lost out in a shoot out with the SAS in 1987.

In fairness I know a few red men through work who are decent lads who follow them for the football however the club itself is rancid from top to bottom.

 

[Myc74]

The only time I ever wanted coleraine to win an Irish cup final.

I hate Cliftonville. An old family friend (he’s passed away now) was a massive Cliftonville fan growing up as a wee boy before the trash started coming in. He switched then his allegiance to crusaders

Yep, as much I've no love for Ballymena, Linfield etc I'll always want to see any Protestant club beat that shower of bastards.
Disgusting what they've turned a once respectable club into.
Whatever they touch, they destroy

 

[Ronnietheranger]

Great thread and great stories lads. I worked in East Belfast in the mid 90's and no idea of the history of Cliftonville. I took in a game at WP between Linfield & Cliftonville one Saturday and remember walking from the Sandy Row RSC up to the game, through some houses & then over a railway bridge to the park. the Blues (who were top) lost 3-2 I think. I've never heard a home support abuse their own team as much as I did that day lol. Slightly off topic but I used to drink in the Great Eastern on the Newtonards Road and there was a wee barman in there who I got friendly with he used to tell me the stories of when he was growing up in New Barnsley (?) until his family was burnt out by the provos - scary stuff.

 

[baystatebear]

He is on that, a poster on here sent me it.its cover of a book about Belfast Celtic and he also sent me a black and white photo of the squad in front of big crowd which he’s in.i have a few photos up stairs of players and they are postcards and printed on the back is the IFA logo.he played for one season 1913/14 but it was very much at the end of his career as he’d been playing since around the 1880’s and I often think that he must have known some of our gallant pioneers.the family have two Glasgow cup medals (runners up).he also played for Clyde when a certain mr William struth was at Clyde before coming to Rangers

Speaking of Belfast Celtic, it wouldn't surprise me if, in the not too distant future, that Cliftonville might officially petition the IFA, to change the name of the club to 'Belfast Celtic'.

I'm sure there probably is some kind of 'Trust' legally empowered to look after the interests and history of the original Belfast Celtic whose agreement would obviously need to be obtained. But I believe it inevitable that that we shall see the return to the Irish League of 'Belfast Celtic' in some iteration in the foreseeable future. Cliftonville are merely warming their place.

 

[colidot]

I have very vivid memories of my first visit to Solitude, it was as a14 year old Ballymena United fan to attend the 1970 Irish Cup Final against Linfield. At the time both clubs protested because the final wasn't at the Oval, which would have held a far bigger crowd. As it was the crowd was restricted to 16,000 and the ground was absolutely packed. Linfield won 2-1, both goals scored by Phil Scott, his grandson the current blues player Jordan Stewart is the spitting image of him. There was a lot of bother outside the ground after the game between Linfield fans and some of the locals, with the result that Linfield were banned from going there until relatively recently.
Pre-troubles Belfast really was a very different place. My three aunts moved up from rural Co. Antrim to work there and one of them managed a shop in Sandy Row for many years. My brother and I used to call with her and as early teenagers we walked all over Belfast, up the Donegal Road, across the Falls to the Shankill, through the Markets. Van Morrison's album, Astral Weeks, always reminds me of those days.

Not only was that my first visit to solitude, it was also my first ever game. Our school organized a trip from Omagh and there was a lot of trouble before the game. The “trouble” seemed to be great craic but I wasn’t allowed to join in and was ushered into the ground. Solitude in those days was a proper football ground and the huge crowd was buzzing. A great memory,

 

[SimonLeBon]

Nice to see the Blues tanned them 3 nil tonight in North Belfast. Fantastic away result.

 

[Arcadian]

So cursing the pope isn't new then!

Aye, and it's not new for pant wetters on our side to berate fellow prods for a few sour words aimed at the leader of the world's largest paedophile ring and his bitterest supporters.
Meanwhile they overlook the mhanks infiltrating every area, club, affiliation, establishment right under their noses, telling themselves they are the better man for allowing them to get away with it.

 

[savus]

I have very vivid memories of my first visit to Solitude, it was as a14 year old Ballymena United fan to attend the 1970 Irish Cup Final against Linfield.

I was at that game as well. I must have been twelve.

Making my way home I was waiting for a bus up to Ballysillan. The first of the yahoo gang were coming out of the streets from The Bone to attack the Linfield supporters and they actually walked passed me as I waited at the bus stop. I suppose I was very lucky not to be beaten up.
The bus came and I remember looking out the back window as the poet gang clashed with the Linfield supporters.

What has happened to that club breaks my heart. I went there often by myself on a Saturday when I’d nothing to do.
Even though the football was pretty dire there in the late ‘60s I suppose in some ways those matches at the Solitude played a part in me discovering that football was my thing.