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Belfast United F.C.

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For the proposed English Premier League football club, see Belfast United (proposed football club).
Belfast United F.C.
Full nameBelfast United Football Club
Nickname(s)United, the Ulsterites[1]
Founded1915
Dissolved1927
GroundUlster Cricket Ground
ManagerJimmie Magowan
LeagueBelfast and District League

Belfast United Football Club is a former Irish football club which played competitive football during the First World War.

History

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The Irish League went into abeyance after the 1914–15 season, owing to the First World War. In order to keep the game going, five of the Belfast clubs agreed to form an unofficial continuation, the Belfast & District League; one club, Belfast Celtic, refused to join, on the basis that the competition was to be on a professional rather than an amateur basis.[2] With an uneven number of clubs, one side would be without a game each weekend, which provided the impetus for the formation of a new club, Belfast United, under the management of Jimmie Magowan, Belfast Celtic's coach.[3]

The club's first game was a 1–1 draw at Distillery on 18 September 1915.[4] Despite the alleged interest in the club, it did not attract fans, given the existing loyalties within the city, and, as Belfast Celtic had continued playing in the Irish Intermediate League, United did not pick up its supporters. United's first win, over Glenavon in October 1915, was only seen by a "meagre" crowd.[5] It was also handicapped by not having its own home ground for its first two seasons.

After finishing winless in 1916–17, the club found a ground in Ballynafeigh. This did at least help with the team rising from the foot of the table, and in 1917–18 it had its only victories in the Irish Cup, reaching the semi-final. In the last four United lost 2–1 at Grosvenor Park to Belfast Celtic; the winner came with 10 minutes to go, although McDaid for United also saved a penalty almost straight from the kick-off.[6] The club had also played in the Gold Cup (played to a league structure) from 1915 to 1916, but again without success, its first match win not coming until its twelfth game in the competition, 1–0 against Cliftonville in March 1918.[7]

United finished the 1918–19 season £200 in debt, and, with Belfast Celtic not only returning to senior football, but winning the District League title, United's application to join the revived Irish League was considered redundant - only the clubs playing in the League in 1914 were admitted to its reincarnation in 1919.[8][9] The club sold two players to Arsenal to clear the debt,[10] and continued to field its second XI at Ballynafeigh in the Intermediate League for the 1919–20 season, with the aim of keeping a first XI to play friendly matches and in Cup competitions.

Such a business model did not prove productive, and the last appearance of the senior XI was in a 2–1 defeat at Glentoran in the first round of the 1920–21 Irish Cup; it took a late Scraggs penalty to put the Glens through, and they went on to win the trophy.[11] The second XI in effect became the first XI, and continued to play Intermediate League football until 1926–27; that season, the club finished bottom, with 4 wins and 26 defeats in 30 matches,[12] and was relegated to the second division.[13] In a bid to avoid disaster, United made a quixotic application to join the Irish League instead, which was admitting two new members.[14] The club lost in the vote to Coleraine and Bangor.[15] Following that rejection, the club disappears from the record.

Colours

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The club wore broad black and white striped shirts, black shorts, and black socks.[16]

Ground

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The club originally did not have a permanent home ground; in the 1915–16 season, it played every match at its opponent's ground,[17] other than the two matches against Glenavon, which were played at The Oval[18] and at Distillery's Grosvenor Park.[19] This was due to Glenavon having to play all of its wartime fixtures in Belfast.

From August 1917, the club rented the Ulster Cricket Ground at Ballynafeigh.[20] As part of the deal, the intermediate side Ulster United became the Belfast United reserve side.[21] It sought a new ground in Ballymacarrett at the close of the season, but was unable to find one, so returned to Ballynafeigh for the 1918–19 season.[22] However, in February 1918 United gave up its lease because of the state of the pitch and played all senior matches away from home; this did not affect its reserve XI.[23]

Notable players

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References

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  1. ^ "Belfast Celtic v United". Ireland's Saturday Night: 4. 9 March 1918.
  2. ^ "Glenavon Football Club". Lurgan Mail: 4. 14 August 1915.
  3. ^ "Association football". Belfast News-Letter: 3. 13 September 1915.
  4. ^ "Belfast and District League". Belfast News-Letter: 3. 20 September 1915.
  5. ^ "Belfast United win their first match". Belfast News-Letter: 2. 18 October 1915.
  6. ^ "Belfast Celtic v United". Ireland's Saturday Night: 4. 9 March 1918.
  7. ^ "Belfast United v Cliftonville". Belfast News-Letter: 2. 26 March 1918.
  8. ^ "Ulster athletic revival". Sport (Dublin): 15. 14 June 1919.
  9. ^ "Alterations to rules". Northern Whig: 3. 31 May 1919.
  10. ^ "Irish Sport gossip". Sunday Mirror: 15. 28 September 1919.
  11. ^ "Glentoran v Belfast United". Belfast News-Letter: 2. 31 January 1921.
  12. ^ "Intermediate League". Lisburn Standard: 6. 29 April 1927.
  13. ^ "Irish Intermediate League's annual meeting". Northern Whig: 3. 16 June 1927.
  14. ^ "In football circles". Belfast News-Letter: 3. 6 June 1927.
  15. ^ "Coleraine and Bangor for senior league". Northern Whig: 4. 9 June 1927. Rossville F.C. was also turned down.
  16. ^ "Belfast United football team". Larne Times: 10. 13 October 1923.
  17. ^ "Association notes". Belfast Telegraph: 4. 13 September 1915.
  18. ^ "Belfast United win their first match". Belfast News-Letter: 2. 18 October 1915.
  19. ^ "Belfast United v Glenavon". Belfast News-Letter: 3. 29 November 1915.
  20. ^ "Belfast United v Glenavon". Lurgan Mail: 4. 17 November 1917.
  21. ^ "Sport up north". Sport (Dublin): 11. 25 August 1917.
  22. ^ "Belfast United's prosperity". Sport (Dublin): 3. 1 June 1918.
  23. ^ Justice (22 February 1919). "Football notes". Northern Whig: 4.
  24. ^ "Irish Sport gossip". Sunday Mirror: 15. 28 September 1919.
  25. ^ "Close season chatter". Derby Daily Telegraph: 5. 16 June 1923.
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