Ballymena United F.C.

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Ballymena United
Ballymena United.png
Full name Ballymena United Football Club
Nickname(s) Sky Blues
Founded 1934
Ground Ballymena Showgrounds,
Ballymena, County Antrim
Ground Capacity 4,390
Chairman John Taggart
Manager Glenn Ferguson
League NIFL Premiership
2014–15 7th

Ballymena United is a semi-professional football club from Northern Ireland. Based in Ballymena, County Antrim, the team competes in the NIFL Premiership and plays home matches at the Ballymena Showgrounds.

Ballymena United was formed in 1934 as a replacement for the earlier Ballymena F.C. that had folded following a dispute regarding the illegal payment of amateur players.

Nicknamed the 'Braidmen' or 'Sky Blues', latterly because of the colour of the home shirts, Ballymena have a rich history in Irish Cup, having won the competition six times – the most for a provincial club outside of Belfast. The club has never won the league title in its history, but has finished runners-up on two occasions. The club has also won the County Antrim Shield on 5 occasions.

The current manager is Glenn Ferguson, who took over on 31 December 2011 following the departure of Roy Walker three weeks previously. The main club rivals of Ballymena United would be local club Coleraine. The traditional Boxing Day fixture between the two teams attracts large crowds and is one of the most high profile fixtures in the Northern Irish football calendar.

Club history

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Honours

Senior honours

Intermediate honours

† Won by Ballymena United Reserves
Source: Ballymenaunitedfc.com

Club staff

Club officials and office bearers

  • President: Norman McBurney
  • Vice-Presidents: Billy Anderson & David Blair
  • Chairman: John Taggart
  • Vice-Chairman: Don Stirling
  • Chief Finance Officer: Bill Parkinson
  • Company Secretary: John Torrington
  • Football Secretary: Don Stirling
  • Sales and Marketing executive: Brian Thompson
  • Matchday Announcer: Davy "Kingo" King
  • Community Relations Officer: Iain Black
  • Supporter Liaison Officer: Phil Simpson

Coaching staff

  • First-Team Manager: Glenn Ferguson
  • First Team Assistant Manager: Norman Kelly
  • First Team Coach: Lee Doherty
  • First Team Goalkeeping Coach: Wes Lamont
  • Reserve Team Manager: Paul Harbinson
  • Youth Team Manager: Clifford Adams
  • Youth Team Assistant Manager: John Clarke
  • Team Attendant: Bertnel Thompson
  • Sports Therapist: Gordon McCartney
  • Club Doctor: Dr. Brian Patterson

Managerial history

Dates Name Dates Name Dates Name
Jul 34 - May 35 Northern Ireland Joseph Miller Jan 68 - Dec 69 Scotland Alex Parker Sep 87 - Apr 91 Northern Ireland Alex McKee
Sep 37 - Nov 38 Scotland Steve Mitchell Dec 69 - Aug 71 Scotland Alex McCrae May 91 - Sep 93 Northern Ireland Jim Hagan
Jun 46 - Sep 46 Scotland William Reid Aug 71 - Mar 76 Northern Ireland Arthur Stewart Oct 93 - Oct 94 Northern Ireland Tommy Jackson
Jun 47 - May 49 Scotland Bob McKay Mar 76 - Apr 77 Northern Ireland Eddie Russell Oct 94 - Mar 95 Northern Ireland Gary Erwin
Aug 49 - May 50 Northern Ireland Billy McMillan Apr 77 - May 77 Northern Ireland Alex McKee (CT) Mar 95 - Apr 99 Northern Ireland Alan Fraser
May 50 - Mar 51 Northern Ireland Norman Kernaghan May 77 - Jan 79 Northern Ireland Billy Johnston Apr 99 - May 99 Northern Ireland Shay Hamill (CT)
Aug 53 - Jun 54 Scotland Samuel Picken Feb 79 - Feb 82 Northern Ireland Alan Campbell May 99 - Dec 00 Northern Ireland Nigel Best
Aug 54 - May 55 England Walter Rickett Feb 82 - Feb 83 Northern Ireland Ivan Murray Dec 00 - Jan 01 Northern Ireland George Magill (CT)
Oct 57 - Jan 60 Scotland Alex McCrae Feb 83 - Apr 83 Scotland Alec Donald (CT) Jan 01 - May 05 Northern Ireland Kenny Shiels
Mar 60 - May 63 England Geoff Twentyman Apr 83 - Nov 83 Northern Ireland Ian Russell May 05 - Apr 08 Northern Ireland Tommy Wright
Nov 63 - Dec 64 England Dave Hickson Nov 83 - Dec 83 Scotland Alec Donald (CT) Apr 08 - May 08 Northern Ireland Jim Grattan
Jan 65 - Oct 66 Scotland George Smith Dec 83 - Jun 84 Northern Ireland Jim Platt May 08 - Dec 11 Northern Ireland Roy Walker
Dec 66 - Jan 67 Northern Ireland Norman Clarke (CT) Jun 84 - Apr 85 Northern Ireland Alan Campbell Dec 11 Northern Ireland Joe McCall (CT)
Sep 67 - Dec 67 England Dave Hickson May 85 - Sep 87 Northern Ireland Jimmy Brown Dec 11 - Present Northern Ireland Glenn Ferguson

Source: Ballymenaunitedfc.com

Records

Wins

  • Record Home League Victory: 8–0 v Cliftonville, (18 September 1965); 8–0 v. Glenavon (8 March 1975); 8–0 v. Distillery (8 December 1979)
  • Record Away League Victory: 8–0 v. Newry Town (17 December 1994)
  • Most League Wins in a Season: 21 in 28 matches (1996/97)
  • Fewest League Wins in a Season: 3 in 22 matches (1956/57)

Defeats

  • Record Home League Defeat: 0–8 Belfast Celtic, (5 November 1938); 0–8 Cliftonville, (17 November 2012)
  • Record Away League Defeat: 1–9 Derry City, (23 August 1937); 0–8 Ards, (12 February 1949)
  • Most Defeats in a Season: 20 in 26 matches (1936/37)
  • Fewest Defeats in a Season: 3 in 28 matches (1996/97)
  • Most Draws in a Season: 16 in 36 matches (1999/2000)

Goals

  • Most Goals Scored in a Season: 82 in 26 matches (1939/40)
  • Fewest Goals Scored in a Season: 20 in 22 matches (1976/77)
  • Most Goals Conceded in a Season: 87 in 26 matches (1936/37)
  • Fewest Goals Conceded in a Season: 21 in 22 matches (1980/81)
  • Most Clean Sheets in a Season: 9 in 22 matches (1980/81)

Source: Ballymenaunitedfc.com

Leading goalscorers by season

Season Name Goals Season Name Goals Season Name Goals
2010–11 Scotland Gary McCutcheon 15 1992–93 Scotland Neil Candlish 16 1974–75 Northern Ireland Gary Erwin 18
2009–10 Scotland Kevin Kelbie 16 1991–92 Scotland Neil Candlish 18 1973–74 Northern Ireland Paul Kirk 30
2008–09 Northern Ireland Neil Teggart 12 1990–91 Northern Ireland Des Loughery 15 1972–73 Scotland Sammy Frickelton 14
2007–08 Scotland Kevin Kelbie 16 1989–90 Northern Ireland Lindsay Curry 14 1971–72 Northern Ireland Jim Martin 44
2006–07 Scotland Kevin Kelbie 17 1988–89 Northern Ireland Paul Hardy 21 1970–71 Northern Ireland Jim Martin 16
2005–06 Scotland Kevin Kelbie 16 1987–88 Northern Ireland Billy Pyper 13 1969–70 Unknown
2004–05 Northern Ireland Rory Hamill Northern Ireland Oran Kearney 8 1986–87 Northern Ireland Jonathan Speak 17 1968–69 Unknown
2003–04 Northern Ireland Shea Campbell 14 1985–86 Northern Ireland Jonathan Speak 18 1967–68 Unknown
2002–03 Northern Ireland Shea Campbell 38 1984–85 Northern Ireland Alan Campbell Jnr 15 1966–67 Unknown
2001–02 Northern Ireland Peter Withnell 16 1983–84 Northern Ireland Jonathan Speak 11 1965–66 Northern Ireland Mal McDonnell 34
2000–01 Scotland Scott Drummond 8 1982–83 Northern Ireland Paul Malone 23 1964–65 England Arthur Thomas 40
1999-00 Northern Ireland Glenn Hunter 23 1981–82 Northern Ireland Paul Malone 20 1963–64 Unknown
1998–99 Northern Ireland Glenn Hunter 19 1980–81 Northern Ireland Paul Malone 27 1962–63 Northern Ireland K Halliday 26
1997–98 Republic of Ireland Barry Patton 26 1979–80 Northern Ireland Paul Malone 28 1961–62 Northern Ireland Jimmy Small 23
1996–97 Northern Ireland Ciaran Feehan Northern Ireland Des Loughery 16 1978–79 Northern Ireland Sammy McQuiston 18 1960–61 Northern Ireland Hubert Barr 31
1995–96 Scotland Mark McWalter 13 1977–78 Northern Ireland Barry Brown 13 1959–60 Northern Ireland Eddie Russell 14
1994–95 Republic of Ireland Barry Patton 13 1976–77 Northern Ireland Jim Martin 6 1958–59 Unknown
1993–94 Northern Ireland Jonathan Speak 13 1975–76 Northern Ireland Barry Brown 28 1957–58 Unknown

Source: Ballymenaunitedfc.com

Players

First-team squad

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

No. Position Player
1 Northern Ireland GK Dwayne Nelson
2 Northern Ireland DF Tony Kane
3 Northern Ireland DF Stephen McBride
4 Northern Ireland DF Patrick McNally
5 Northern Ireland DF Johnny Taylor
6 Northern Ireland MF Mark Magennis
7 Northern Ireland MF Gary Thompson
8 Northern Ireland MF Gavin Taggart
9 Northern Ireland FW Darren Henderson
10 Scotland MF Allan Jenkins
11 Northern Ireland MF David Cushley
12 Northern Ireland MF William Faulkner
14 Wales FW Matthew Tipton
15 Northern Ireland MF Eoin Kane
No. Position Player
16 Northern Ireland FW Matthew Shevlin
17 Northern Ireland DF Michael Ruddy
18 Northern Ireland GK Alan Blayney
19 Northern Ireland MF Matthew Ferguson
20 Northern Ireland DF Benny Quigg
21 Northern Ireland DF Jim Ervin (captain)
22 Northern Ireland DF Kyle McVey
23 Northern Ireland MF Leroy Millar
24 Northern Ireland MF Nathan Hanley
25 Scotland DF Gareth Rodger (On loan from St.Johnstone)
27 Northern Ireland FW Neil Gawley
31 Northern Ireland DF Kyle Crawford

Internationals

This is a list of players with appearances at international level while playing for Ballymena United.

Source: Ballymenaunitedfc.com

See also

Northern Irish football clubs in European competitions

References

External links

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