Ballyclare Comrades F.C.

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".

Ballyclare Comrades
Full nameBallyclare Comrades Football Club
FoundedFebruary 1919
GroundDixon Park, Ballyclare,
County Antrim
Capacity2,398 (538 seated)[1]
ChairmanTrevor McCann
ManagerStephen Small
LeagueNIFL Championship
2022–23NIFL Championship, 6th

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 NIFL Development League for under 20s. 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 club's most famous products was Northern Ireland and Sunderland defender Paddy McNair who attends games when possible. Gareth McAuley, now of Rangers, and Michael Smith (Hearts) both played for the Comrades before switching to professional football.

The club finished an impressive third in the 2016–17 season, losing out in a promotion playoff to Institute. The club continues with the ambition of getting back into the NIFL Premiership.

Current squad

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Northern Ireland NIR Declan Breen (On loan from Cliftonville)
2 DF Northern Ireland NIR Caomhan McGuiness
3 DF Northern Ireland NIR Lee McCune
4 DF Northern Ireland NIR Owen McConville
5 DF Northern Ireland NIR Howard Beverland
6 MF Northern Ireland NIR Conall McGrandles
7 MF Northern Ireland NIR Liam Hassin
8 FW Northern Ireland NIR Calvin McCurry
9 FW Northern Ireland NIR Darius Roohi
10 FW Northern Ireland NIR Callum Ferris
11 FW Northern Ireland NIR Cillian Gilmour
No. Pos. Nation Player
12 DF Northern Ireland NIR Harry Wylie
13 GK Northern Ireland NIR Robbie Mather
14 DF Northern Ireland NIR Justin Hill
17 MF Northern Ireland NIR Ethan Simpson (On loan from Larne)
18 FW Northern Ireland NIR Michael Morgan (On loan from Cliftonville)
19 GK Northern Ireland NIR Gerard Walker
22 DF Northern Ireland NIR Bobby Higgins
24 MF Northern Ireland NIR Gary Donnelly (Captain)
25 MF Northern Ireland NIR Alan McMurtry
28 FW Republic of Ireland IRL Cathal Farren

Honours

Senior honours

Intermediate honours

† Won by reserve team [2]

References
  1. "Dixon Park". Ballyclare Comrades. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  2. "Honours". Ballyclare Comrades FC Website. 23 April 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
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