NIFL Reserve League
Country | Northern Ireland |
---|---|
Founded |
2003 1999–2003 (as Irish League Reserve League) 1977–1999 (as Irish League B Division Section 2) |
Divisions | 1 |
Number of teams | 12 |
Domestic cup(s) | IFA Intermediate Cup |
Current champions | Ballinamallard United II (2012–13) |
Most championships | Linfield Swifts (17) |
The NIFL Reserve League is an intermediate Association football league in Northern Ireland consisting of the reserve teams of the twelve NIFL Premiership clubs.
Current members (2013–14)
- Ards II
- Ballinamallard United II
- Ballymena United Reserves
- Cliftonville Olympic
- Coleraine Reserves
- Crusaders Reserves
- Dungannon Swifts
- Glenavon Reserves
- Glentoran II
- Linfield Swifts
- Portadown Reserves
- Warrenpoint Town Reserves
History
The NIFL Reserve League is the successor to the Irish League B Division Section 2 which was formed in 1977, when the B Division split into two sections: Section 1 for intermediate clubs and the other for the reserve teams of senior clubs. Since the foundation of the B Division in 1951, these two categories of teams had competed together. In 1999, Section 1 of the B Division was renamed the Irish League Second Division and Section 2 became the Irish League Reserve League. In 2003, on the formation of the Irish Premier League, the IFA took direct control and the league was renamed the IFA Reserve League. In 2013, the Northern Ireland Football League took over, and the league was again renamed, to the NIFL Reserve League.[1]