Armagh City F.C.

Armagh City
Full name Armagh City Football Club
Nickname(s) The Eagles
Founded 1964 (as Milford Everton)
Ground Holm Park, Armagh
County Armagh
Ground Capacity 3,000
Chairman Philip Johnston
Manager Marty Rice
League NIFL Championship 1
2015–16 NIFL Championship 1, 3rd

Armagh City Football Club is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Championship.

History

The club was founded in 1964 as Milford Everton, and originally hailed from the village of Milford, just outside Armagh city, but changed their name in 1988 on relocation to Armagh. The club played at the Mill Field, Armagh from 1988 to 1993, when it moved to its current home, Holm Park.[1] The club's colours are azure and black stripes. Former player Marty Rice was named first team manager on 10 July 2010, having been assistant to Ivor McGucken at the start of the 2009–10 season.

The club achieved senior status in 1999, but reverted to intermediate status in 2003 when the Irish Premier League was established and the number of senior clubs was reduced from 20 to 16. In 2005, however, City gained promotion to the Premier League, but after three more seasons at senior level, the club failed to gain a place in the 12-club IFA Premiership and reverted once more to intermediate status as a member of the IFA Championship.

The original name of Milford Everton was in honour of the founders' favourite English team Everton. Milford was the village were the penalty kick was first introduced in 1890 when local goalkeeper William McCrum suggested a way to combat illegal challenges near to goal.[2] Milford Everton eventually bought and refurbished the McCrum Institute in the early 1980s as they strove to improve facilities for the 'B' Division.

During the 2011–12 season Armagh City entered into negotiations with various bodies including the IFA, Armagh City and District Council and SportNI to secure funding to replace their grass pitch with the latest, FIFA approved, 3rd generation pitch. The pitch was laid in summer 2013 and opened in September 2013. The first game for the first team was on 14 September 2013 - a 5–1 win against Lurgan Celtic in the Bob Radcliffe Cup.

In the 2011-12 season Armagh City F.C youth created history by winning their first ever national trophy, the Harry Cavan Irish Youth Cup, defeating Cliftonville 1-0 in the final with a goal from Barry Quinn, the side was managed by John Hynds and Martin Grimley, and captained by Matthew Hynds.

Honours

Senior honours

Intermediate honours

Junior honours

Current squad

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

No. Position Player
Republic of Ireland GK John Connelly
Northern Ireland GK Sean Morgan
Northern Ireland GK Aaron Wright
Northern Ireland DF Paul Carville
Northern Ireland DF Luke Grimley
Northern Ireland DF Ultan Lennon
Northern Ireland DF Conor McAnallan
Northern Ireland DF Ryan McGerrigan
Northern Ireland DF Dara Noonan
Northern Ireland DF Eoin Toal
Northern Ireland DF Conor Kerr
Northern Ireland DF Gary Lawless
Northern Ireland MF Liam Cullen
Northern Ireland MF Keith Kearney
No. Position Player
Northern Ireland MF Jordan Bell
Northern Ireland MF Andy Hoey
Northern Ireland MF Kevin Keegan
Northern Ireland MF Eamonn Kelly
Northern Ireland MF Andy Moore
Northern Ireland MF Shea McGerrigan
Northern Ireland MF James Nesbitt
Northern Ireland MF Sean Mallon
Northern Ireland FW David Masterson
Northern Ireland FW Conor McNamee
Northern Ireland FW Shea Campbell
Northern Ireland FW Barry Quinn

Staff

See also

References

  1. ↑ Armagh City Football Club: The First 50 Years (n.d.), p.17.
  2. ↑ "Home of the Penalty Kick". 2009-08-12.

External links

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