League: NIFL Championship 2024/25

Armagh City

Formed in 1964 as Milford Everton in the village of Milford just outside Armagh. They renamed as Armagh City in the late 80s after relocating to the city.

Originally playing at the Mill Field in Armagh, the club moved to their current ground – Holm Park – in 1993.

The Eagles joined the Irish League ranks in 1999, finishing 7th in the second level First Division. The following season brought a third place finish and a first senior cup victory in the form of the Mid-Ulster Cup.

Unfortunately the two campaigns after that saw the club finish bottom although a marked upturn in fortunes during the 2003/04 season brought a runners-up spot and a promotion play-off, albeit an unsuccessful one, against Cliftonville.

Armagh went one better the following term, winning the First Division by six points and earning promotion to the top flight for the first time in the history of the club.

Finishing 14th out of 16 clubs that season, City improved on that the year after rising to tenth in the standings but the wooden spoon brought relegation at the end of the 2007/08 campaign.

A period of rebuilding was reflected in a position in the lower half of the table in 2008/09, and then bottom spot and a further relegation the season after that.

Consolidating their position within the third tier Championship 2 for a couple of years, the club roared back with a vengeance with a third place finish before then going to finish top with an 11 point cushion and winning the Bob Radcliffe Cup for the third time as well as ending up as losing finalists in the IFA Intermediate Cup.

Back in Championship 1, City finished 7th and 3rd in successive seasons, and claimed the Bob Radcliffe Cup once more. During this period three consecutive Mid Ulster Cup finals were also reached, although every one was ultimately unsuccessful.

At the end of the 2016/17 season City lost a play-off with Newry City and were duly relegated back to the third tier, where they remain to this day.

Ards

In existence since 1900, the story of Ards is one of great success coupled with modern day uncertainty but there is no doubt the North Down club are one of the mainstays of senior domestic football in Northern Ireland.

Beginning life in the junior ranks Ards made the move into Irish League circles just after WW1, establishing themselves as a senior club before making their mark with a first Irish Cup victory in 1927.

Another Irish Cup triumph followed in 1952 sparking a first golden era for the club with the Gold Cup and Co. Antrim Shield arriving at Castlereagh Park before, for the first and so far only time, Ards were crowned Irish League champions at the end of the 1957/58 season.

This earned the club a place in the European Cup, only the second Irish League club to rub shoulders with the continental elite, whereupon they were paired with eventual runners-up, French club Stade de Reims.

The 60s resulted in several near misses in the league but a four-goal Billy McEvoy inspired Irish Cup victory at the very end of the decade produced another crack at Europe, this time against Italians AS Roma and a 0-0 draw at home.

But this was a mere taster for the 1973/74 campaign when Ards lifted no fewer than four pieces of silverware (Irish Cup, Ulster Cup, Gold Cup and Blaxnit All-Ireland Cup), finished just a point off the pace in the league and defeated Belgian outfit Standard Liège at home in the UEFA Cup!

Since then, however, success has largely eluded the club other than a brief flurry in the early 90s when, under Roy Coyle, the Co. Antrim Shield and League Cup were claimed in successive seasons.

Then, at the turn of the century, Ards left their legendary and much missed Castlereagh Park ground after financial circumstances demanded it’s sale to a property consortium and have since ground shared with Cliftonville, Carrick Rangers, Ballyclare Comrades and, latterly, near neighbours Bangor.

On the pitch, Ards have flitted between the Premiership and Championship (or equivalents) and while fortunes may fluctuate the club have maintained a strong and loyal following which is the envy of many.

Annagh United

Formed in 1963, the Portadown-based side currently play in the NIFL Championship after gaining promotion as Premier Intermediate League champions at the end of the curtailed 2019/20 season.

Annagh were admitted to the third level Second Division for the 2003/04 campaign, finishing 11th out of 12 teams. However, a few seasons of consolidation followed during which Annagh regularly finished mid-table before, at the end of the 2014/15 season, a second placed finish was secured and with it promotion to the Championship.

A couple of season in the Championship saw Annagh struggle in the lower reaches resulting in relegation back to the Premier Intermediate League. A 10th place finish in 2017/18 as the club regrouped was then followed by securing the runners-up spot and a promotion play-off defeat to PSNI.

However, Annagh went one better the following season, being declared winners of the PIL and clinching a return to the Championship.