FRIDAY APRIL 8 2011 Celebrating 125 years of Linfield Football Club 3 Linfield Football Club CONTENTS 4 The origins of a football phenomenon 7 Unique glory of European nights 9 Lest we forget the legends 12 Boyhood Blue lives the dream 15 Building bridges 18 David Jeffrey — Mr Linfield Credits & Contacts for Commercial Supplements ADVERTISING PRODUCTION AND FEATURE WRITERS Salesforce NI Anne Nelson EDITORIAL Alex McGreevy beltelsupplements@salesforce- [email protected]. CNS Chris Holt ni.co.uk uk [email protected] Michael Bashford (028) 4483 9787 (028) 9026 4180 (028) 9033 7389 8 Linfield Football Club FRIDAY APRIL 8 2011 Celebrating 125 years of Linfield Football Club 9 Lest we forget the legends or every Linfield fan over the age of be back the next week. 60, the team of 1961/62 was prob- “Even if I had have scored three, I still ably the greatest ever. The names would have made way for the Duke for the Reid, Parke, Gilliland, Irvine, Hat- next match. At the time I was a bit peeved ton, Graham, Wilson, Gough, about that but I suppose looking back, the FAndrews, Stewart, Ferguson, Dickson, Barr, Duke was such a special player, one of the all Scott and Braithwaite are etched into the fab- time greats.” ric of Windsor Park folklore for their seven- Ken Gilliland says it was the highlight of trophy haul. his career. It was never done before and unlikely to “The season started off in the usual Lin- ever happen again (given that a number of field manner and we were winning plenty of the competitions are now defunct). games,” he said. But for a team to make a clean sweep of “We kept knocking teams down but were domestic competitions when strength in never really thinking of where it might lead depth squads were a thing of the future is to. As the season progressed and we picked amazing in itself. up the early trophies, it suddenly became Over the years many of the players have clear that something quite special might reminisced about what they regard as the happen. club’s finest season. “The league play-off game against Porta- Bobby Braithwaite played in 50 of the 59 down at Solitude was a great experience. At games that season. He recalls how the play- the end of the game the crowd surged onto ers didn't think about a possible clean sweep the pitch and they gave us a tremendous ova- until the last few games of the season. The invincibles: The all-conquering seven trophy winning side tion. “The strange thing is that it never really “I still have wonderful memories of the vic- Singing the blues: Peter Thompson celebrates another Irish Cup win occurred to any of us that we could lift all “Of course the final game at Solitude must “Tommy Dickson was one of the greats tory parade down the Shankill Road and up seven trophies until very late in the sea- rank as the most memorable of my Linfield from that time,” he said. to Windsor Park. I don’t think I have ever son,” he remembers. career. The atmosphere was unbelievable. “Then there was Bobby Braithwaite, an- seen anything like it.” “Isaac McDowell (manager) kept us fo- Jimmy Reid scored two and I was fortu- other great player. Billy Ferguson, Tommy A reminder of the seven trophies which Pistol whipped cused on each game and I recall that it was nate enough to score the other on that great Stewart, that was some team at that time. Linfield won: The Gibson Cup (Irish League only after Portadown drew with the Glens to day.” “The only way I got on was when Dickson Championship); Irish Cup, Co Antrim Shield, set up a play-off match for the title that we Phil Scott says he mainly remembers “the was injured. I was like his understudy. I got Gold Cup, City Cup, Ulster Cup, and North- Thompson is Blues’ deadly weapon realised what we could possibly achieve. couple of goals that I scored”. on if the Duke was out but he would always South Cup. eter Thompson has helped competitively for a long time,” re- secure, and raised aloft, many flected Thompson. a trophy in his relatively short “Playing against Shelbourne was a yet supremely fruitful career massive ask for us – they were full at Linfield — yet one in partic- time and were seen as the best team Pular stands out. in Ireland at the time after having In April 2005, just two weeks after some great results in Europe. suffering gut-wrenching defeat at the “As well as that we had just come hands of rivals Glentoran, thanks to off the back of losing to Glentoran and an injury time goal from former week after that they won the league Windsor Park favourite Chris Morgan, and we felt that we had blown that, a loss that would see them ultimate- “But we went down to Dublin and ly miss out on the league title, the we got the goals and then battled to Blues headed south for the very first the end and I'll never forget the cel- Setanta Cup final. ebrations after it. It was a brilliant Facing them were Shelbourne – performance and an amazing day all the big-spending kingpins of Irish round, certainly the highlight of my football; a team that had come with- career.” in a whisker of qualifying for the Most of the players at that time group stages of the Champions point to the 'clean sweep' season as League, managed by another ex-Lin- their highlight but Thompson felt it field hero, Pat Fenlon. important to take a step back. David Jeffrey's men weren't given “For me that Setanta Cup win was a hope. the springboard for what we would go However, in a terrific display of on to achieve the following season,” character not least in bouncing he added. “The catalyst was actu- back from that heartbreaking ally the defeat to Glentoran, we defeat at the Oval, the Blues knew at that point that we didn't saw off the Dubliners in their want to ever have to suffer that own back yard with Glenn sort of disappointment Ferguson opening the again and used it to our scoring and Thompson advantage. providing the clincher. “I think in football you For the striker, it was have to know what it is a moment that tops all like to feel disappoint- others in a career that ment. It gives you a has seen him win the hunger and desire to lot, several times over, ensure that you don't domestically. experience that feel- “It was the first year of ing often. The 'clean the competition and there sweep' season was was an excitement surround- amazing to be part of ing it because it was the first but for me, it all time that teams from here had started when we played League of Ireland teams beat Shelbourne.” 10 Celebrating 125 years of Linfield Football Club FRIDAY APRIL 8 2011 FRIDAY APRIL 8 2011 Celebrating 125 years of Linfield Football Club 11 It’s all over: Robert Garrett reacts as Linfield lose to Up and running: Michael Dundalk in the Setanta Cup Carvill scores the Blues’ en route to crashing out of first league goal of the the all-Ireland competition season against Distillery hey say success breeds success vals Glentoran to remind the Blues and nowhere has that weary they have no divine right to silverware maxim been given more lus- in the final of the County Antrim Shield. tre than in the corridors of Around the international stadium, Windsor Park. changes are afoot with the Govern- TLinfield’s domination of the domes- ment announcing millions in funding tic football scene is as old as the league to upgrade Irish League stadiums. itself, and under the glittering 14-year Indeed the future sure looks bright stewardship of David Jeffrey, the Blues and with the reigning Carling Premier- have cemented their reputation as ship champions top of the league once Northern Ireland’s pre-eminent club. again and through to the semi-finals of This season, there was a sense of in- the Irish Cup, Blues fans are confident evitability as Linfield marched to the another season of success beckons. first final of the season, only for old ri- Some things just never change. Actions not words: Striker Mark McAllister celebrates his goal as Linfield tightened their grip on top spot with a win at Portadown It’s a rout: Peter Thompson celebrates as Linfield hit 11 against Kilmore Rec en route to the County Antrim Shield Cup final Up for the cup: Peter Thompson scores from the spot as Linfield make the Irish Cup last four after winning on the road at Dungannon European dreams: Noel Bailie and Alan Blayney hug after securing a 0-0 draw against Rosenborg Heavens above: David Jeffrey looks for some divine inspiration 10 11 14 Celebrating 125 years of Linfield Football Club FRIDAY APRIL 8 2011 Linfield Football Club 15 A message from Umbro... CANNOT think of a time in the last eight Noel Bailie I made my debut with in the years as Umbro Account manager to Lin- first team and is a an unbelievable credit to field Football club when I haven’t felt any- the game. In the current stable of Umbro thing other than an incredibly warm players Mark McAllister and Philip Lowry welcome when i drive through the blue are recent acquisitions to Windsor but were Igates into Windsor Park.