Northern Ireland: IFA Premiership 2008-2009 Review

The destination of the Northern Irish IFA Premiership was never in hesitation as Belfast has been the breeding ground of many title-winning sides, the question remained whether it was heading eastwards to Glentoran or to the southbound stadium of Windsor Park, residents of Linfield FC.

Glentoran ultimately refuted the efforts of their cross-capital adversary to claim the championship with a slender one-point margin on the very last day of the season, beating Cliftonville 3-1 to deliver the trophy in spectacular fashion. The gap between Northern Ireland’s domineering duo remained constricted from August to May, while Linfield cannot be faulted for their efforts and were positioned perfectly to leapfrog the leaders if Glentoran excruciatingly stumbled in the latter stages. The Glens ruled the roost to bring about a curtain fall on Linfield’s three prosperous years of domestic crowns.

A special mention to former Linfield talismanic striker Glenn Ferguson, whose release at the end of the campaign came as a huge wonder due to his scintillating form and service to the nation’s top-flight tier over the preceding two decades. Turning 40 in July, an age when the majority of professionals from generations gone by are seriously considering their next form of work, should not disperse the interest of other IFA Premiership outfits as Ferguson’s staggering potency in the six-year box is a rare ability worth fighting for - as 285 goals in his 11-year stay at Linfield verifies. Lisburn Distillery will be Ferguson’s home for the next 12 months, where it is expected he will wrap up a legendary and long-distinguished career.

2009/10 Qualification To European Competition:

Glentoran – UEFA Champions League, first qualifying round,

Crusaders – UEFA Europa League, second qualifying round

Linfield – UEFA Europa League, first qualifying round

Lisburn Distillery FC – UEFA Europa League, first qualifying

Relegated: Bangor were demoted after it was announced that they would not renew their Domestic License due to ‘financial difficulties experienced as a result of the current economic climate resulting in a lack of sponsorship, poor attendances and spiralling costs’. Dungannon Swifts survived, despite finishing bottom and then securing their status with victory in the Relegation Play-Off on the away goal ruling.

Promoted: Portadown FC

Clean Sheets
Linfield - 18
Glentoran - 12
Lisburn Distillery - 12
Cliftonville - 12
Ballymena United - 12
Crusaders - 11
Coleraine - 10
Institute - 9
Bangor - 8
Glenavon - 7
Newry City - 5
Dungannon Swifts - 4

Champions Count
Linfield - 48
Glentoran - 23
Belfast Celtic (disbanded) - 19
Lisburn Distillery - 6
Crusaders - 4

Highest Home Score: Linfield 7 Institute 0

Highest Away Score: Dungannon Swifts 3 Crusaders 6

An average of 2.71 goals were scored in every IFA Premiership match, an accumulation of 618 over 228 fixtures.