Glenavon F.C.

Glenavon F.C. is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the IFA Premiership. The club, founded in 1889, hails from Lurgan and plays its home matches at Mourneview Park. Club colours are blue and white.

In August 2008, the club appointed a new manager, Stephen McBride, a former Northern Ireland international and a popular Glenavon player during his footballing career, playing for the club during the 1990s. McBride's reign lasted seven months before he was relieved of his managerial duties with Glenavon at the bottom of the IFA Premiership. The Director of Football, Alan Fraser, was also relieved from his duties.^[2][3] The club chairman is Adrian Teer.

Glenavon was the first provincial club to win the Irish League title (1951–52) and also the first provincial club to do the league and cup double (1956–57). Glenavon has had a number of talented and famous players, none more so than Wilbur Cush and Jimmy Jones, who were to the fore in "the glory years" of the Fifties. The success of the 1950s is still the benchmark at this Lurgan club, the closest the club have come to achieving a league success since came in the 1993–94 season, when but for two late goals in the final match Glenavon would have been crowned champions. The club's most recent successes have been League runners up 2001–02, Irish Cup winners 1991–92 and 1996–97.

Gary Hamilton was appointed player-manager of the Lurgan Blues in December 2011 following the resignation of Marty Quinn.

European record

Glenavon achieved some notable results in Europe in the 1990s. In the 1992–93 season, they drew both legs of their Cup Winners Cup tie with Royal Antwerp and lost on penalties. In 1995–96 they reached the first round proper of the UEFA Cup (the last Irish League club to do so), and were beaten by Werder Bremen.

Stadium

Mourneview Park is now considered one of the best grounds in the Irish League. Along the side of the pitch runs the Geddis Stand (holds roughly 1700) and on the other side the newly built Glenfield Road Stand (holds roughly 2000). One end of the ground has the Crescent Stand (400 seats, and standing area), and at the other end the Hospital End terracing.

Honours

Senior honours

• Irish League: 3
  • 1951/52, 1956/57, 1959/60
• Irish Cup: 5
  • 1956/57, 1958/59, 1960/61, 1991/92, 1996/97
• Irish League Cup: 1
  • 1989/90
• City Cup: 5
  • 1920/21, 1954/55, 1955/56, 1960/61, 1965/66
• Gold Cup: 4
  • 1954/55, 1956/57, 1990/91, 1997/98
• Ulster Cup: 3
  • 1954/55, 1958/59, 1962/63
• Floodlit Cup: 2
  • 1988/89, 1996/97
• County Antrim Shield: 2
  • 1990/91, 1995/96
• Mid-Ulster Cup: 24
  • 1897/98, 1901/02, 1904/05, 1906/07, 1908/09, 1910/11, 1924/25, 1925/26, 1930/31, 1932/33, 1937/38, 1947/48†, 1957/58†, 1965/66†, 1971/72†, 1976/77†, 1983/84, 1985/86, 1988/89, 1990/91, 1998/99, 2004/05, 2009/10, 2010/11
• North-South Cup: 1
  • 1962/63
• Irish FA Charity Shield: 1
  • 1992/93 (shared)

† Won by Glenavon Reserves

Intermediate honours

• Irish Intermediate Cup: 3
  • 1908/09, 1911/12, 2004/05
• George Wilson Cup: 1
  • 1963/64†
• Bob Radcliffe Cup: 1
  • 1990/91†

† Won by Glenavon Reserves

Junior honours

• Irish Junior Cup: 1
  • 1897/98

Current squad

As of 28 August 2011.

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

Notable players

Notable managers

• Harry Walker
• Jimmy McAlinden

Managers

References

External links

• Glenavon FC Website
• Irish Football Club Project