The 2008–09 IFA Championship (known as the Ladbrokes.com Championship for sponsorship reasons) was the first season of a major overhaul of the league system in Northern Ireland. The 2008–09 Championship consisted of one division of 17 clubs, with the clubs having intermediate status. The Championship served as the second tier of Northern Irish football for this season. With no promotion from the IFA Interim Intermediate League this season, from next season the division would be reduced to 14 clubs, with the newly introduced Championship 2 having 15.
The bottom 3 clubs (Tobermore United, Dergview and Killymoon Rangers) were relegated to the newly introduced Championship 2 for next season.
| Champions | Portadown |
|---|---|
| Promoted | Portadown |
| Relegated | Tobermore United Dergview Killymoon Rangers |
| Matches played | 272 |
| Goals scored | 886 (3.26 per match) |
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2009–10 →
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| Pos |
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
GD |
Pts |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portadown (C) (P) | 32 | 25 | 2 | 5 | 88 | 23 | +65 | 77 | Promotion to 2009–10 IFA Premiership |
| 2 | Donegal Celtic | 32 | 24 | 1 | 7 | 65 | 27 | +38 | 73 | Promotion/Relegation play-off |
| 3 | Loughgall | 32 | 22 | 4 | 6 | 77 | 29 | +48 | 70 | |
| 4 | Ards | 32 | 20 | 5 | 7 | 53 | 26 | +27 | 65 | |
| 5 | Ballinamallard United | 32 | 19 | 6 | 7 | 73 | 47 | +26 | 63 | |
| 6 | Coagh United | 32 | 19 | 4 | 9 | 60 | 43 | +17 | 61 | |
| 7 | Banbridge Town | 32 | 15 | 5 | 12 | 66 | 67 | −1 | 50 | |
| 8 | Ballymoney United | 32 | 12 | 7 | 13 | 41 | 35 | +6 | 43 | |
| 9 | Larne | 32 | 12 | 7 | 13 | 53 | 56 | −3 | 43 | |
| 10 | Carrick Rangers | 32 | 12 | 6 | 14 | 56 | 53 | +3 | 42 | |
| 11 | Glebe Rangers | 32 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 37 | 56 | −19 | 34 | |
| 12 | Armagh City | 32 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 39 | 61 | −22 | 32 | |
| 13 | Limavady United | 32 | 9 | 3 | 20 | 46 | 72 | −26 | 30 | |
| 14 | Ballyclare Comrades | 32 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 34 | 62 | −28 | 30 | |
| 15 | Tobermore United (R) | 32 | 7 | 5 | 20 | 34 | 64 | −30 | 26 | Relegation to 2009–10 IFA Championship 2 |
| 16 | Dergview (R) | 32 | 6 | 1 | 25 | 31 | 84 | −53 | 19 | |
| 17 | Killymoon Rangers (R) | 32 | 4 | 5 | 23 | 33 | 81 | −48 | 17 |
Source: rsssf.com
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.
From next season, the IFA Championship would consist of two divisions, Championships 1 and 2. The IFA Interim Intermediate League was introduced as a temporary league for the 2008–09 season only, consisting of the former members of the IFA Intermediate League (dissolved in 2008) who did not meet the criteria for the new IFA Championship 2; it consisted of 12 clubs. Members of the Interim League had one year to make improvements in order to gain entry to Championship 2 for next season.
10 of the 12 clubs managed to meet the criteria, along with Sport & Leisure Swifts and Knockbreda who both achieved intermediate status, with only Brantwood and Oxford United Stars failing to do so. Harland & Wolff Welders were the champions. There was no promotion from the Interim League which meant that Championship 1 would be reduced to 14 clubs, with Championship 2 having 15.
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