Linfield FC
Crest
about the team
Looking forward to their 125th anniversary in 2011, Linfield FC stand tall as the most successful club in Northern Irish football history. They've won the Northern Irish league a record 49 times, with current manager David Jeffrey winning 25 trophies in his 13 years at the club.
Linfield play their home games at Belfast's Windsor Park, which is also used by the Northern Ireland team for their international fixtures. The club's fiercest rivals are Glentoran FC, and they traditionally play each other on Boxing Day in what is Northern Ireland's biggest fixture.
Honours
Irish League Championship: 49 times
Irish FA Challenge Cup: 40 times
League Cup: 29 times
Gold Cup: 31 times
Ulster Cup: 15 times
County Antrim Shield: 41 times
All Ireland Cup: 4 times
Finest hours
Aside from their haul of domestic trophies, Linfield reached the quarter-finals of the European Cup in 1967, narrowly losing to CSKA Sofia. In 1970, the club lost out to Manchester City in the European Cup Winners Cup, losing 1-0 at Maine Road, winning the return leg 2-1, but eliminated by the away goals rule.
Linfield again came close in 1984, when they took on Greek side Panathanikos. Trailing 2-1 after the first leg, Linfield took a 3-0 lead in the first half in Belfast, before the Greeks pulled back 3 goals to progress in the second. Most recently, the club were minutes away from a match against AC Milan before opponents Copenhagen scored deep into injury time.
Folk heroes
Linfield captain Noel Bailie has a remarkable record at the club, having played over 1,000 games in over 20 years at Windsor Park. In the club's history he sits alongside Tommy Dickson, who captained Linfield to a clean sweep of 7 trophies in 1961-62.
Legendary goalscorer Glenn 'Spike' Ferguson scored 285 goals for the club, while Martin McGaughey won the European Silver Boot for his exploits in the mid-1980s. Newcastle and England legend 'Wor' Jackie Milburn is also a Linfield hero, having had a spell at the club in the late 1950s.
All-time best XI
George Dunlop, Ken Gilliland, Peter Rafferty, Noel Bailie, Terry Hayes, Tommy Dickson, Billy Murray, Davy Cochrane, Lee Doherty, Joe Bambrick, Martin McGaughey
facts
Founded:
1886
Nickname:
The Blues
Ground:
Windsor Park
Manager:
David Jeffrey
League:
IFA Championship
Top Goal Scorer:
Martin McGaughey
Kit:
Blue shirts, white shorts
Motto:
Audaces Fortuna Juvat - Fortune Favours the Brave