History and Trivia
The first Irish League champions were Linfield, and the first runners-up were Ulster. After the first season, the league expanded to ten clubs, but shrank after only one season to six clubs for the 1892–93 season. Only four clubs competed in 1892–93 and 1893–94, then six clubs for the following season, until a membership of eight was achieved for the 1901–02 season. With the exception of one season (1912–13) in which there were ten clubs, membership stayed at eight until the southern clubs resigned in 1920, anticipating the formation of the separate League of Ireland in what would become the Irish Free State. (The League was suspended from 1915 to 1919 because of the First World War.) Only five and six clubs competed in 1920–21 and from 1921–23 respectively, but expansion began with the admission of four new clubs in 1923, another two in 1924 and a further two in 1927, giving a membership of fourteen from 1927 until the League was suspended in 1940 because of the Second World War. When the League resumed in 1947 it was reduced to twelve clubs, and stayed at this number until 1983 when membership was increased to fourteen. In 1990, a further two clubs brought the membership to sixteen, and the League was divided into two divisions (the Premier and First Divisions) of eight in 1995, with promotion and relegation between the two. In 1996 the results from the Premier Division and the First Division started to be featured on the Press Association vidiprinter. In 1997, membership increased again to eighteen, with ten in the Premier Division and eight in the First Division. Between 1999 and 2003, the League had a record twenty clubs in membership. From 1999 to 2002, ten clubs each competed in the Premier and First Divisions and in 2002–03 there were twelve in the Premier Division and eight in the First Division. In 2003, with the creation of the Irish Premier League, the senior league was reduced to a single division of sixteen clubs, although for the first time with relegation to, and promotion from, a league below (a rump Irish Football League in 2003–04 and subsequently the IFA Intermediate League). In 2008, with the creation of the IFA Premiership, the league was reduced to twelve.
Four clubs – Cliftonville, Glentoran, Linfield and Lisburn Distillery – have retained membership of the League since its inception in 1890: 123 years and 112 seasons (due to eleven suspended seasons). All the League members from 1890 up to and including the 2012–13 season (Irish Football League 1890–2003, Irish Premier League 2003–08, IFA Premiership 2008 to present) are as follows (current members shown in bold):
| Club | From | No. of seasons | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cliftonville | Belfast | 112 | 1890– |
| Glentoran | Belfast | 112 | 1890– |
| Linfield | Belfast | 112 | 1890– |
| Lisburn Distillery | Lisburn | 112 | 1890– |
| Glenavon | Lurgan | 90 | 1911–2004, 2005– |
| Portadown | Portadown | 81 | 1924–2008, 2009– |
| Coleraine | Coleraine | 79 | 1927– |
| Ballymena United | Ballymena | 78 | 1928– |
| Ards | Newtownards | 76 | 1923–2006 |
| Bangor | Bangor | 70 | 1927–2003, 2008–09 |
| Crusaders | Belfast | 63 | 1949–2005, 2006– |
| Larne | Larne | 53 | 1923–40, 1972–2008 |
| Newry City | Newry | 45 | 1923–40, 1983–2011 |
| Belfast Celtic | Belfast | 38 | 1896–1920, 1924–49 |
| Derry City | Derry | 36 | 1929–72 |
| Carrick Rangers | Carrickfergus | 21 | 1983–2003, 2011–12 |
| Dungannon Swifts | Dungannon | 16 | 1997– |
| Omagh Town | Omagh | 15 | 1990–2005 |
| Ballyclare Comrades | Ballyclare | 13 | 1990–2003 |
| Bohemians | Dublin | 13 | 1902–11, 1912–20 |
| Derry Celtic | Derry | 13 | 1900–13 |
| Shelbourne | Dublin | 12 | 1904–20 |
| Limavady United | Limavady | 11 | 1997–2008 |
| Institute | Drumahoe | 10 | 1999–2006, 2007–10 |
| Queen's Island | Belfast | 8 | 1921–29 |
| Armagh City | Armagh | 7 | 1999–2003, 2005–08 |
| Ulster | Belfast | 6 | 1890–94, 1901–03 |
| Barn | Carrickfergus | 5 | 1923–28 |
| Donegal Celtic | Belfast | 5 | 2006–08, 2010– |
| Loughgall | Loughgall | 3 | 2004–07 |
| North Staffordshire Regiment | Army team | 3 | 1896–99 |
| Ligoneil | Belfast | 2 | 1891–92, 1893–94 |
| Oldpark | Belfast | 2 | 1890–92 |
| Ballinamallard United | Ballinamallard | 1 | 2012– |
| Belfast YMCA | Belfast | 1 | 1891–92 |
| Clarence | Belfast | 1 | 1890–91 |
| Derry Olympic | Derry | 1 | 1892–93 |
| King's Own Scottish Borderers | Army team | 1 | 1903–04 |
| Lancashire Fusiliers | Army team | 1 | 1891–92 |
| Milford | Milford | 1 | 1890–91 |
| Milltown | Belfast | 1 | 1891–92 |
| Royal Scots | Army team | 1 | 1899–00 |
| St Columb's Court | Derry | 1 | 1901–02 |
| Tritonville | Dublin | 1 | 1912–13 |
Before goal difference was introduced, if the top two teams finished the season with the same number of points, the championship title was decided by a play-off. Nine such championship play-offs took place over the years as follow:
| Season | Winners | Score | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1895–96 | Distillery | 2–1 | Cliftonville |
| 1898–99 | Distillery | 2–0 | Linfield |
| 1904–05 | Glentoran | 3–1 | Belfast Celtic |
| 1905–06 | Cliftonville | 0–0 | Distillery |
| Replay | Cliftonville | 3–3 | Distillery |
| 1910–11 | Linfield | 3–2 | Glentoran |
| 1937–38 | Belfast Celtic | 2–2 | Derry City |
| Replay | Belfast Celtic | 3–1 | Derry City |
| 1949–50 | Linfield | 2–0 | Glentoran |
| 1960–61 | Linfield | 2–0 | Portadown |
| 1961–62 | Linfield | 3–1 | Portadown |
On one occasion (1905–06), the championship title was shared after Cliftonville and Distillery could not be separated after two play-off matches.
Linfield were the first team to win the championship on goal difference in 1992–93, when they finished level on 66 points each with Crusaders, but eight goals better with a +34 goal difference to Crusaders' +26.
Linfield have won the League championship the most times (51).
From 1890 to 1921, when the Irish League was an all-Ireland competition, no southern clubs (from what would become the Irish Free State and later the Republic of Ireland) ever won the championship. During this period, three southern clubs participated in the League: Bohemians, Shelbourne and Tritonville. The highest place achieved by any of these clubs was second, by Shelbourne in 1906–07.
No club from outside Belfast won the League championship until Glenavon took it to Co. Armagh in 1951–52. In 1957–58, Ards became the first team from Co. Down to win the League, and in 1964–65, Derry City were the first Co. Londonderry team to do so. Of the 111 championships, the title has only been taken out of Belfast on ten occasions. The most successful provincial club is Portadown, with four championships.
A total of 12 different teams have won the championship.
In the early years, Army regiments stationed in Ireland participated in the League: the Lancashire Fusiliers in 1891–92; the North Staffordshire Regiment for three seasons from 1896–99; the Royal Scots in 1899–00 and the King's Own Scottish Borderers in 1903–04.
The longest gap between Irish League championships was 77 seasons (excluding the 11 suspended seasons) between Cliftonville's wins in 1909–10 and 1997–98.
The record for consecutive titles is six, held jointly by Belfast Celtic (1935–40 and 1947–48) and Linfield (1981–87).
Historically, with relatively few league fixtures each season, the Irish League organised a number of other competitions for its members. While some of these enjoyed considerable prestige over the years, they have been phased out over recent seasons due to fixture congestion caused by the expansion of the league and reduced spectator interest. These competitions were: the City Cup; the Gold Cup; the Ulster Cup and the Irish League Floodlit Cup.
In addition, clubs still compete in their respective regional cup competitions: the County Antrim Shield (for clubs within the jurisdiction of the North-East Ulster F.A., also known as the County Antrim & District F.A.); the Mid-Ulster Cup (for clubs within the jurisdiction of the Mid-Ulster F.A.); and the North West Senior Cup (for clubs within the jurisdiction of the North-Western F.A.).
In 1961–62, Linfield famously achieved the feat of winning seven trophies: the Irish League; Irish Cup; City Cup, Gold Cup; Ulster Cup; County Antrim Shield; and North-South Cup.
On the following occasions, teams have completed a league campaign unbeaten:
| Season | Team | Number of games played |
|---|---|---|
| 1892–93 | Linfield | 10 |
| 1894–95 | Linfield | 6 |
| 1903–04 | Linfield | 14 |
| 1921–22 | Linfield | 10 |
| 1926–27 | Belfast Celtic | 22 |
| 1928–29 | Belfast Celtic | 26 |
| 1980–81 | Glentoran | 22 |
The first ever Irish League match to be broadcast live on television took place on 24 September 2007 when Sky Sports showed Cliftonville and Linfield draw 2–2 at Solitude.
Read more about this topic: IFA Premiership
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