Plenty of Happiness When I Caught the Lurgan Blues

“Glenavon Won’t Get Carried Away With Glens Victory” was the Monday morning headline in one Northern Irish newspaper. But still sat bottom of the league, having just doubled their points tally from a dismal 3 to a still paltry 6 with as many as 15 games already played, the obvious question is, why on earth would they? 

Sitting seven points behind second-bottom Crusaders, this would be a perilous position for anyone, and an impressive 3-1 win does not change that. Glenavon have flirted with relegation a few times in recent years; however, things aren’t usually this bad. After all, this is a club who have only been relegated from the top flight once in their entire history and, when that happened back in 2004, they made an immediate return at the first attempt. 

It shouldn’t be like this! Then again, no one is too good to go down whoever they are.

In 1951-52, Northern Ireland’s Glenavon FC became the first side outside Belfast to win the Irish League, and that includes the years before the south gained independence and its clubs left to form their own championship - a very significant achievement. Five years later, in 1957, they also became the first provincial side to complete the league and cup double. Their success did not last, however. In fact, their third and, sadly for them, last league title came just three years after that famous double. But despite sitting eighth in terms of league titles, just behind mid-Ulster rivals Portadown, Glenavon do have 10 second-placed finishes to their name. Also, that 1957 Irish Cup triumph was the first of three in five years and seven in total. The club also have one Irish League Cup triumph to their name and two County Antrim Shields. Don’t let their current plight fool you, Glenavon are a well-established top-flight side and one of Irish football’s notable names.

Glenavon are based in the County Armagh town of Lurgan, a rather charming settlement about a half-hour drive from the capital, Belfast, or 40 minutes on the train. 

Northern Ireland’s largest lake, Lough Neagh, sits just under a couple of miles from the edge of Lurgan town. But the town itself boasts Northern Ireland’s largest urban park, complete with its own lake, albeit man-made, and this is impressive enough in its own right. It may be about 375 times smaller than the vast lough nearby, but considering it sits less than a ten-minute walk from the high street, it is certainly bigger than you’d expect. One might call it a hidden gem. Then again, it’s very easy to find if you know where to look.

Just outside the park is Brownlow House, a Grade A listed 19th-century building built in 1833. It was the ancestral home of the Brownlow family, of whom politician Charles Brownlow, 1st Baron Lurgan was head. The house hosts various events and is majestic to look at.

Aside from its splendid park and the historic residence that sits next to it, the town also boasts an excellent, rather bustling High Street. This retail haven comes complete with loudspeakers serenading shoppers with pop music as they walk down the street, something rather unusual for an outdoor shopping space. Kinda cool though.

This thoroughfare has an excellent mix of chain and independent stores, including an exceptional little second-hand bookshop that the proprietor calls Lurgan’s best kept secret. Rather apt considering it’s hidden away in a pretty small, almost deserted, shopping arcade and could easily be missed by passers-by. The place actually goes by the name High Street Shopping Arcade, and it looked like it was completely empty when I walked past. I almost thought it was closed down. If so, it would have been one of the very few places on the high street that was, however. I’ve already used it, but bustling is definitely the word - unless you can find a better one in your thesaurus.

One other thing very noticeable about the town is how neat and tidy it is. That could also be said about the several other places in Northern Ireland that I’ve visited, however. It is almost as if, after all the country’s violence and troubles of the past, the locals really come together to go the extra mile and take real pride in their towns.

In Lurgan, they also take pride in their football club too. 

Glenavon may not be the most successful side in Irish football history, far from it, but they do still have a very rich history with numerous successes along the way and as I said earlier, just one lone season outside the top-flight.

The Lurgan Blues, as they are known, joined the Irish League in 1911, replacing Dublin side Bohemians, now 11-time champions in the Republic of Ireland. As also noted earlier, their most successful era came in the 1950s and early 60s. Glenavon’s double-winning side of 1956-57 was spearheaded by former Belfast Celtic forward Jimmy Jones. A rough challenge from Jones in a heated Belfast derby away at Linfield on Boxing Day 1948 angered the home support so much that it saw Jones beaten by a baying mob at full-time and lucky to be alive whilst suffering from a broken leg. That incident culminated in Belfast Celtic withdrawing from the league for good. But unlike Belfast’s then premier Catholic side, Jones, a Protestant, would return to football and score 269 goals in 222 games for Glenavon.

Winning the double gained Glenavon a place in the newly created European Cup, then in its third season. That foray into Europe ended at the first hurdle, however, when a 0-0 draw away at Denmark’s AGF Aarhus was followed by a 3-0 home defeat in front of over 30000 at Windsor Park, Belfast. Not as bad as three years later, though, when their European Cup campaign was over before it even began. The club were drawn against East German side Wismut Karl-Marx-Stadt, now FC Erzgebirge Aue, but the tie never took place. 

Given it was the height of the Cold War, just a year before the Berlin Wall would be built, the British government refused Glenavon’s opponents visas to come to Northern Ireland. UEFA suggested playing the match at a neutral venue abroad, but Glenavon could not afford the extra travel costs that would have been involved, meaning the East Germans were given a bye into the next round. Despite all this, a friendship has developed between the two clubs in recent years. In 2022, a group of fans from Erzgebirge attended a game at Mourneview Park, whilst earlier this year, a match was arranged between the two with the Germans winning 2-0 in Lurgan.

With their three league titles all coming in that heyday period, it means the clubs' only trophy lifts since have come after cup final triumphs, with their most recent successes being Irish Cup final wins in 2013-14 and 2015-16.

Despite Lurgan having a bigger Catholic population, Glenavon supposedly have a predominantly Protestant support. This is similar to most top Northern Irish Clubs, with the obvious exception of Cliftonville. Unlike Linfield and, to a lesser extent, Glentoran, however, their supporters are not overtly Unionist in any big way - or at least it did not seem to look the case when I visited. 

The club’s name is seemingly based on the geography of the area, and is a combination of the Gaelic word "glen" (meaning valley) and the river "Avon". This gives an English translation of "valley of the river”.

In terms of rivalries, Glenavon’s most hated adversaries are Portadown, who are based in the nearby town of the same name. The pair compete in the Mid-Ulster derby. Fellow Lurgan-based sides Lurgan Town and Lurgan Celtic both play outside the top two divisions, so have little in the way of any real rivalry with their more illustrious neighbours.

My visit to Glenavon’s Mourneview Park home was for that 3-1 win against East Belfast side Glentoran, which saw the hosts double their points tally after a shock win. I arrived just over an hour before kick-off and was met with a stadium somewhat devoid of the modernity you might find elsewhere, but far from ramshackle and definitely having a touch of character about it. This, without being truly old skool like, for example, their opponent’s Oval ground. One thing that was definitely fairly new, however, was the scoreboard, and it would be impossible not to see what the score was if, say, you arrived late.

Like many grounds in the league, the stadium is three-sided. In this case, the scoreboard end is empty. I was surprised to notice that the other end consisted of terracing; however, as the few photographs I had seen beforehand suggested the ground was all-seater. It turns out the stand in question had previously consisted of seating but was converted back into terracing before the 2023-24 season. The main stand along one side of the pitch is raised slightly above ground level, whilst away fans are housed on the opposite side.

As Chris Lee points out in his excellent book Shades of Green: A Journey into Irish Football, the name Mourneview Park suggests one might be able to see the mountains of Mourne in the distance. But like him, perhaps because of gloomy weather too, I was unable to see them. The mountains are supposed to have inspired C. S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia.

I paid a £15 entrance fee, and after a look around the club shop, decided, out of interest, to check out the catering options, having been told food could be purchased from a hatch at the back of the terracing. Options were limited and looked rather basic, so I was glad I’d brought a sandwich with me. Having said that, I’ve since read reviews online claiming Glevaon offer the best burgers in the league. Visit and find out for yourself.

Two first-half goals from Davy McDaid, the second an injury-time penalty, laid the foundations for an impressive win. Paul McGovern grabbed a third for Glevaon on 70 minutes before Glentoran scored what would turn out to be nothing more than a consolation six minutes later. The win was a second in four games for new manager Michael O’Connor in what is the former Northern Ireland international's first managerial job. He has previously made over 70 appearances for the club as a player.

Given events on the pitch, it wasn’t surprising that the home support were rather vociferous throughout the game, and their singing and chanting came complete with a drummer who managed to produce quite a din. 

The away fans took up probably over half of the 2000-seat stand they occupied. This may seem a lot for a club that normally attracts around 2500 spectators to their home games, but with Lurgan being only a 30-minute drive from the capital, I guess one should not be too surprised. 

Despite numerous searches online and even contacting the club, I have been unable to ascertain the official attendance for the game. But I can’t imagine there were any more home fans than there were away ones. The clubs’ average league attendance last season was only 1029, although their highest gate was more than 3 times that, possibly when either Glentoran or Linfield, the other half of Belfast’s big two, came to town or perhaps for their derby match against Portadown. I suppose, however, the fact that they have had lower league attendances than many in recent years makes their raucous atmosphere all the more impressive.

By the time you read this, hopefully for their sake, Glenavon might have a few more wins under their belt. But regardless of whether or not they stay up this season, the club will always be an important institution within Irish football. Not only that, but I am certain the club and the beautiful town in which it is situated will host many more visitors like me for years to come - top-flight football or not. After all, those who do make the trip will find the experience just as delightful as I have described. Of that I am also sure.

Gannin' Along the Scotswood Road...

Whilst the players might walk onto the field to Geordie Ridley’s famous, 19th-century written, Geordie Anthem The Blaydon Races, St James’ Park this is certainly not. But although fans of Newcastle United can often be heard belting out this local tune, barely more than three miles away, but some eight divisions lower, Newcastle Blue Star can claim that same ballad as their own, too. Those famous lyrics: “Gannin along the Scotswood road,” are plastered across the fence outside their stadium and why not? After all, based in the Scotswood area of the city, their Scotswood Sports Centre home, or KD Stadium for sponsorship reasons, lies barely a 15-minute walk from Scotswood Road itself.

The original Newcastle Blue Star side played up near the airport and were famed for having won the FA Vase in 1978 when they defeated Barton Rovers 2-1 in the Wembley showpiece. Sadly, in 2009, however, despite having just been promoted to the Northern Premier League Premier Division, the club folded due to unpaid debts.

It was some 9 years later before a new club was formed using the Blue Star name. In 2018, a local businessman named Stephen Best decided to take on the Blue Star title and created a new club that would run teams from u8's right through to senior level. The senior team completed two successive promotions between 2022-23 and 2023-24, taking them from the Northern Alliance Premier Division, which sits at step 7 in the non-league pyramid (the 11th tier overall), to step 5’s Northern League Division One. A third successive promotion was denied at the end of last season when they lost the league play-off final at home to Blyth Town, who secured what was for themselves a second successive promotion. 

That play-off final drew a record crowd of 2151 to the KD stadium, which was interestingly 44 more than were in attendance a year earlier when cross-town rivals Heaton Stannington also hosted the league’s play-off final, again a club record attendance. All the more interesting as ‘The Stan’, as they are often referred to, were the opposition for a big West End versus East End Newcastle derby when I last visited Blue Star just recently. 

The game in question was an FA Cup first qualifying round tie, and having, unlike Blue Star, won their play-off final and then managed to stay clear of relegation in Northern Premeir League East last season, the Stan sat one division higher than their opponents. Blue Star would be looking for an upset. Also, the timing of their promotions means, I believe, this would be the first ever competitive meeting between the two Newcastle-based sides, at least since Blue Star’s 2018 reformation anyway. All that, and local pride was also at stake, so definitely a game of interest across the city and surrounding environs.

I arrived for the big game about 45 minutes before kick-off and admired the fairly new terracing behind one goal, which on an earlier visit had not had its roof added yet. Having eaten earlier, I ignored the burger van and also dodged the large queue at the bar as I didn’t fancy a long wait. Mind, they don’t serve any real ale here, so I wasn’t overly bothered anyway. 

There is also a hut selling cans of beer, but the main bar is inside a big marquee that sits along one side of the pitch. It has a seated stand next to it at the far end, whilst the other side of the pitch has both covered seating and covered terracing. Of course, there is also that new covered terracing at one end. To round things off, there are two small toilet blocks (not a great place to be when a goal is scored – more on that later) and, overall, the facilities are far better than what you’d find at most step 5 grounds, even if the bar does feel a little temporary. In fact, I can emphasise the overall quality by telling you that during the visit of eventual champions Redcar Athletic last season, I overheard one visiting fan exclaim in amazement, “Imagine playing in a ground as good as this every other week!”

The KD stadium can easily be reached from Newcastle city centre by getting the number 1 bus towards Slatyford, which takes about 20 minutes. As the aforementioned match in question was a cup game, if a replay were needed, then away fans wouldn’t have to travel far with it also being a derby. In fact, the number 37 or 38 buses would take you from the centre of town to Heaton Stan’s Willow Park home in a similar timeframe, probably slightly quicker. The two stadiums are just under 4.5 miles apart as the crow flies.

I couldn’t tell you exactly how many Stan fans were in attendance for the game, but there were a fair few. That number included my friend, and Heaton Stan car park attendant, Imran, who demanded to know who I would be supporting. As a Tyneside local, I have watched both clubs on numerous occasions and I informed him I would be strictly neutral for the occasion.

As for the overall total, the official attendance was 813. Although that may seem rather low compared the 2000+ here at the end of last season for the play-off final, it was still comfortably higher than the 441 Blue Star averaged for regular season league games in 2024-25 or the 449 they’d averaged so far this campaign. Heaton Stan averaged a little under 400 when at home, and in terms of numbers, both teams did very well for the levels they played at.

The game itself was hard fought, with chances few and far between. 0-0 at the break, as the second-half wore on, a replay seemed more and more likely. But then something big happened - with barely three minutes left on the clock, I went to the toilet. 

There I was stood in the toilet block doing my thing when huge cheers ripped through my ears. The Blue Star ultras behind the goal, mostly young kids, were evidently in pandemonium mode. They’d been banging their drum and making noise for much of the game, but this was another level. I came back outside just as things were calming down, and my fears were true - I had missed a Blue Star goal.

Eventually, many hours later, I would be able to watch a replay of the goal online, having already had it described to me. An angled drive from the right by pacey forward Leon Burke had flown into the net. 1-0 to the hosts.

The goal briefly brought the visitors to life, but it was too little too late and the upset was complete. The home side, currently sat a division lower, had caused an upset and beaten their city rivals to gain a place in the next round of the cup.

At full-time, I headed back to the bus stop. My mate and his Stan contingent looked miserable, but the home support definitely had huge grins on their faces.

There are many reasons to come to the city of Newcastle. I could tell you all about its famed nightlife or give you all the tourist office spiel, but another thing that attracts many is the football. Yet whilst football fans instantly think of Newcastle United, and yes Newcastle may be a one-club city in terms of professional football, delve a little further and there are plenty more footballing delights available to you. 

Blue Star are a brilliant alternative to the professional game and a cracking day out for any footballing groundhopper. However, the Tyneside area is also littered with various other clubs at differing levels in the main non-league pyramid down to step 6, or the national league system as not many realise it’s officially called. There are also plenty more options below that for those who really are keen. In Newcastle specifically, you can also add Newcastle Benfield to the list in steps 6 and above. Playing in the same division as Blue Star, their ground situated in the east end of the city is roughly a 35-minute walk from Heaton Stannington. 

Also, with it being so difficult to get United tickets these days, you may find non-league is your only option when trying to catch the beautiful game in this fine city - and if you do, you will not be disappointed!

Why a Bunch of Amateurs From Auckland Are Representing Oceania at the Club World Cup Despite the Fact the City Has a Perfectly Good Professional Side

Long day explaining there’s two clubs in Auckland.

All the best for Saturday @AucklandCity_FC , we're backing you. 💪 pic.twitter.com/XE1WCUHaRJ

— Auckland FC (@fc_auckland) June 16, 2025

In 2024, Auckland FC won the A-League Premiership, finishing top of the regular season table in their first ever campaign. Unfortunately, they would lose out in the semi-finals of the finals series and therefore miss out on a place in the Grand Final. But for the newly formed franchise, it was still, nonetheless, a rather successful season. 

Yes, Auckland has a rather prosperous professional soccer side, and they sit alongside fellow Kiwis Wellington Phoenix who have represented New Zealand in Australia’s top flight professional A-League for 18 years now. 

So how come instead of Auckland FC, it was a bunch of amateurs and part-timers in the form of Auckland City who took the field to represent the city as well as country, and of course continent, in FIFA's brand new revamped Club World Cup yesterday which is supposed the feature the world’s biggest club sides (and got walloped 10-0 in the process)?

“Long day explaining there’s two clubs in Auckland”, posted Auckland FC on X, and with many no doubt confused, I thought I’d investigate further.

For the recent history of football in Auckland, we can go back to 1999 and the formation of the Auckland Kingz who played in the now defunct Australian National Soccer League (ANSL). Auckland thus played outside of the league structure in their home nation of New Zealand, much like the situation that sees several Canadian teams play in USA’s Major League Soccer and some Welsh teams play in the English league system. 

When the A-League was formed in Australia in 2004 to replace the ASNL, the Kingz were themselves supplanted by the New Zealand Knights. The Knights lasted only 3 seasons before themselves stepping aside for Wellington Phoenix to take their place as New Zealand’s representatives in the A-League, and thus leaving the Auckland area no longer with a professional club.

The A-League would remain without an Auckland-based side until 2024 when new franchise Auckland FC, owned by Premier League side AFC Bournemouth’s proprietor Bill Foley, made their debut in the competition. But, despite finishing top of the regular season, Auckland FC were not given a spot in the AFC Champions League Elite as would normally be the case. 

Due to being based in New Zealand, which in terms of football comes under the jurisdiction of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), Auckland are unable to enter a competition ran by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) of which Australia has been a member since 2006 when they left the OFC for pastures new. This means AFC’s premier club competition is for Auckland FC out of bounds. Oceania has its own Champions League competition but, playing in an Australian League and not a New Zealand competition, there was no route into that competition either. 

“A black hole or purgatory,” is what one New Zealand sports commentator called it when discussing the matter of being unable to play in continental competitions on a local sports radio station earlier today. This is an issue very much relevant right now with it impacting representation in FIFA’s new Club World Cup currently taking place and having been shone into the spotlight with Auckland city’s performance last night. Whether or not these problems surrounding international representation for New Zealand’s two biggest clubs can ever be resolved is perhaps a discussion best left for another day. However, if the only two professional clubs in Oceania’s most successful country cannot enter Oceania competitions and therefore cannot represent Oceania in FIFA’s new showpiece, then who can? A side composed of amateurs, apparently. Here’s that story.

Football in New Zealand is split into three amateur/semi pro regional leagues and, under the current format, the top clubs from each league qualify for a championship group alongside the reserve sides of the two aforementioned A-League clubs. At the completion of this Championship group, the top two sides face off in a Grand Final to determine the champion of New Zealand.

Since their formation in 2004, Auckland City have won the New Zealand Football Championship regular season twelve times and the Grand Final eight times. The club also has thirteen OFC Champions League titles to its name and, having had the best record of any club in that competition over the past four years, they were asked to represent the confederation at this year’s Club World Cup. But, despite their domestic and continental success, on the world stage Auckland City genuinely are real minnows of the global game. Something easily reflected in their player salaries and OPTA ranking, for example.

Whilst FC Bayern Munich, the club’s opponents in their opening match, might boast Harry Kane who earns reportedly 470,000€ a week, Auckland’s players have a salary cap of NZ$150 a week or just under 80€. Even compared to their A-League city rivals the difference is stark with the average A-League player earning AU$2862 a week or just under 1600€, almost 20 times what the highest paid Auckland City player can earn. 

Another example of their status, or lack of it, are the OPTA Power Rankings, a global team ranking system for club sides. FC Bayern are currently ranked 6th, whereas Auckland City sit in 5072nd place, one place above a Portuguese 5th tier side, one below a top flight side from Burundi. No wonder Bayern won 10-0! 762nd is the ranking of Auckland FC.

Auckland City's part-timers include a primary school teacher, an insurance broker, a sales representative at Coca-Cola, a car salesman, a barber, and several students, one of whom will sit an exam from his hotel room during the tournament.

The differences between the two Auckland clubs are astounding never mind the gap between them and Bayern. 

The Club World Cup represents all confederations and continents – even ones, in footballing terms, as obscure as Oceania. So, minnows they may be, but as number one in OFC, albeit due to their country’s two professional sides opting to play in a foreign land, they have earned their right to appear on the world’s stage.

Being the weakest of all the confederations by far, the OFC has only been allocated one spot in the Club World Cup with UEFA being given as many as 12 places in the 32-team tournament. But nonetheless, there they are, Auckland City, proudly representing Auckland, New Zealand, and, of course, Oceania on that global soccer platform they have been afforded. This despite being poor relations in the own city and even playing in the same league as their professional neighbour’s reserve side. All this whilst said professional neighbours stay at home.

Third Lanark (1872 - 1967) and Cathkin Park (Includes a poem by James M. Gowland)

Cathkin Park is a public park in the south of Glasgow but it once housed a football ground which was home to the now defunct Third Lanark 

From the Stadium Guide:

The last professional match played at Cathkin Park had been a 3-3 draw against Queen of the South on the 25th of April 1967.

In the next decades the ground slowly fell into disrepair, but has never been completely demolished. There are currently still a few terraces left standing, though largely overgrown and in poor state. In recent years a group of volunteers started the task to renovate the ground.

Echoes of the Past by James M. Gowland 

In Cathkin Park where echoes of the past reverberate all around,

Of fervent hordes who once turned up to this old historic ground,

Of stars who once graced its hallowed grass 

Of crosses, shots, and the odd misplaced pass,

In Cathkin Park where echoes of the past quietly put themselves on display

In remembrance of a time now viewed in black, white, and grey,

The roar of the crowd replaced by an eerie hush,

And a dog with his leg cocked up against a bush,

In Cathkin Park where echoes of the past mean sadness replacing joy,

Gone is the last-minute winner and the cries of the exuberant ball boy,

The party would eventually come to an undignified end,

Wounds might heal but there’s a sadness you just can’t mend.

In Cathkin Park Where echoes of the past fill the senses and the mind

But only for those with whom the story is intertwined,

What are essentially just a lonely remaining few, 

The slowly dying cast of those who already knew,

In Cathkin Park where echoes of the past still linger in the air,

But many who wander by are very much unaware,

They do not know what was sadly lost,

They could guess the price but they will never know the cost,

In Third Lanark we now forget a club once known throughout the land

Brought down by a financial mess it could sadly not withstand,

A club gone for good but its past can still found,

In Cathkin Park where echoes of the past reverberate all around.

Last Chance To Visit East Belfast’s Oval?

You may not get many more chances to visit one of the ultimate vintage delights of the football ground world. With plans to completely rebuild the Bet Mclean Oval, this East Belfast must-see that tops many a groundhopper’s wish list will not be around for much longer, or at least not in its current iconic form.

With its two nostalgic green roofed stands that sit along either side of the pitch and its old skool uncovered curved terracing behind either end this historic venue is waiting approval for a full remodelling as the Plan Belfast website reports:

In February 2024, Glentoran Social Partnership submitted a planning application proposing the redevelopment of the existing stadium by way of demolition of both existing stands and construction of two new spectator stands with reconfiguration of existing standing terracing at goal ends, new turnstiles and associated siteworks including new floodlighting, additional car parking and improved circulation routes to provide an overall capacity for 6000 spectators on site.

The Oval has been the home of Irish Premiership side Glentoran since 1892 with the pitch rotated to its current position in 1903 and since then the venue has in time turned into the gem we see today.

What is classed as The Oval’s main stand is raised above pitch level which gives those seated there a spectacular view. The small section of once terracing below it is nowadays all-seater, but it is the area above where some of the famed sights of the Belfast skyline can be marvelled. There is, of course, an excellent view of the field of play but the scene that stands out is that of Belfast’s dockyards complete with the iconic Harland and Wolfe shipyard cranes. This is supplemented by the rocky Cavehill that overlooks the city further away in the background and together they create a stunning canvas of this engrossing metropolis. It must also be noted that The aforementioned shipyard cranes take on further intrigue when you realise that the famed Titanic ship was built here at these acclaimed yards.

Opposite the main stand across the pitch, the nowadays all-seater section is also covered with a big green roof. But that stand, which is often no longer in use on matchdays, does not offer the same magnificent views when sat in it.

For those wanting a real old-school experience, however, standing with the flock who congregate on the stadium’s large curved terracing at either end is a must and despite the rounded nature, you are never actually too far from the action wherever you stand. At one end there is a large grassy bank above said terracing and from there you can also stand and watch the game.

Despite the vastness of the place - about 55,000 once crammed in for a European Cup Winners’ Cup tie with Glasgow Rangers - crowds usually sit around the 2,500 mark giving an almost non-league feel with the ability to move around more freely, especially with segregation rarely in place. Indeed, no partitioning of away supporters, except for bigger matches such as the Big Two derby with arch-rivals Linfield, means fans regularly move from one end to the other at half-time. This allows those in attendance to always be stood behind the goal their side is shooting towards and involves walking through the car park behind the main stand past the club shop, burger van, and bar underneath the stand.

I mention attendance, and for the recent midweek match v Loughgall that I attended just 1,670 were present. This was significantly lower than the 2,500 a local I spoke to seemed to think would turn out. He claimed Glens usually attract 3,000 spectators but a mixed start to the season and the alternative of a Liverpool Champions League match on the telly would reduce the numbers. Much of his sentiments may well have been true but, obviously, his figures were slightly out. For further proof of this, last season’s home average was 2,451.

As for an official capacity, some claim The Oval could hold as many as 25,000 nowadays but if you read elsewhere It is said the current safe capacity of the ground is listed at just over 6,000. That 6,000 figure is backed by the fact that temporary seating had to be installed to allow 8,072 to turn up for the 2015 Irish Cup final that Glentoran hosted and won whilst Windsor Park was being redeveloped. 6,000 odd, however, is, cup finals aside, more than enough to fit in all the regulars plus away fans and have plenty of tickets to spare.

The Oval has a rather interesting history and had to be almost completely rebuilt after the war thanks to bombing in 1941 which saw the ground lay in ruin. A memorial tablet situated atop the grass bank to the right of the main stand describes the events that caused so much damage and tells of German bombs hitting the venue and the ruined grandstands that they left behind. It was due to the proximity of the earlier mentioned shipyards, of great importance to the allies, that Thee Oval got caught up in the Belfast Blitz and most of the ground became the flattened ruin that it ended up. 

The bombing meant the stadium would, of course, have to be rebuilt and the current main grandstand was opened in 1953. Meanwhile, planes roaring low overhead are still these days a constant feature at the venue but fear not  - this is due to the proximity of George Best Belfast City Airport and not the return of the Luftwaffe!

Since that post-war rebuild, there has been little change over the years since. This has given us the historic venue many have come to love but has also meant that in recent years the ground has needed regular repairs to meet modern day health and safety standards and hence why a complete rebuild is wanted.

Although mostly hosting local Northern Irish opponents who are of little note internationally, there has, over the years, however, been the odd appearance of big name opposition. Arguably, The Oval’s most famous night was when Portuguese side Benfica visited in 1967 for the first leg of a European Cup first round tie. The visitors from Lisbon had already won the European Cup twice that decade and included in their line-up the late great Eusébio, star at the World Cup in England a year earlier. 

Despite having just won the twelfth Irish league title of their history only months earlier, part-timers of Glentoran were given no chance against one of Europe’s biggest and most successful clubs.

The over 40,000 spectators in attendance had come from all over the island to watch the match and could not believe their luck when the home side were awarded and scored a penalty after just 10 minutes. Glentoran unbelievably held onto their lead until four minutes from time when hopes of a famous victory were dashed by none other than Eusébio himself. According to Malcolm Brodie of the Belfast Telegraph, Eusébio’s shot “hit the net like a rocket leaving the launching pad”. 

It was an away goal that, in the end, would prove vital for the visitors. In the second leg over in Lisbon, the minnows from East Belfast heroically held out for a 0-0 draw but that was sadly not quite enough to stop them from exiting the competition by the barest of margins.

Whilst due to the nature of modern UEFA competitions, top-class European opposition has not visited for many years and possibly never again will you can still take in a match and enjoy this arena in all its splendour for a few more years yet. Even if the opposition is mostly part-time and instead of Ronaldo or Messi you get McClean and Donnelly you will still have an unforgettable experience. 

The lack of a huge five-figure crowd and big name players that would almost remind you of a scene from Match of the Day or the Big Match in the 1970s, in the unlikely event you were ever able to witness it, does not matter. This grand old venue definitely has the distinct reminder of halcyon days gone by and a sensation that you will struggle to find elsewhere in the footballing world - especially in the modern arenas of today.

Catching a game at The Oval - A must when in Belfast.