Latest news with #LinfieldFC
BBC News
30-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Linfield: Some fans 'determined to destroy' clubs reputation
Reputational damage has been caused to Linfield Football Club due to a "small element" of fans, according to chairman Roy Belfast club were fined €10,000 (£8,727) for the "racist and/or discriminatory behaviour of its supporters" and €2,000 (£1,745) for the lighting of fireworks in Windsor Park during their Champions League qualifier against Irish Premiership champions were also handed a partial stadium ban, which is suspended for two McGivern said: "Some supporters only come to the bigger games and indulge in sectarian behaviour and light pyrotechnics and it has to stop." Speaking to BBC News NI, the chairman said the board had spent spent long hours discussing the problem of sectarianism over a number of said the club held meetings with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), supporters groups and local representatives."We try to make progress and promote positive behaviours and to an extent it has worked, but when big games come around there is an element who seem determined to damage the reputation of the club, not just financially, but also it is very important to us, our reputation, in terms of sponsorship," he said. Responding to the sanction at the time, Linfield noted their "extreme disappointment", adding: "This sanction is as a result of sectarian chanting and the use of flares by individuals who would profess to be our supporters."The club has repeatedly urged its supporters to refrain from all forms of sectarian and discriminatory chanting at our games and also to avoid the use of pyrotechnics." Linfield manager David Healy said the board are "at their wits' end".Healy said a "very small minority" had "let the club down", and emphasised the vast majority of supporters make up "a brilliant fan base".The Windsor Park game finished 1-1 with Dubliners Shelbourne progressing 2-1 on aggregate.
Irish Times
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
‘F**k the pope and the IRA' heard in Windsor Park after Shelbourne goal
Strains of 'Ohhh the SFC' echoed around terraced streets in Belfast on Wednesday evening as Shelbourne FC fans chanted their anthem approaching Windsor Park football stadium. Tricolours were carried by the Dublin team's supporters along a stretch of road saturated with Union Jack and loyalist paramilitary flags in the south of the city. Police Land Rovers circled the area from before teatime. Five days earlier, a controversial bonfire with asbestos on the site was set alight in the nearby Village area off the Donegall Road ahead of the Twelfth. READ MORE For many Shels supporters, this was their first trip to Windsor in what was a second leg Champions League qualifier against Linfield FC. Eighteen coaches and an estimated 1,400 fans travelled from Dublin for the 7.45pm kick-off. Under a warm evening sun, a sea of red jerseys cheered and sang their way through the visitors' entrance on the Boucher Road. Uniformed police officers were close throughout. Richie and Emma Deasy from Blanchardstown in northwest Dublin drove up with their two children. It was their first time in Belfast for a match. Ger Martyn, Adam Leonard and Amy Rooney were the among the fans who travelled from Dublin to Belfast for the Shelbourne vs Linfield match. Photograph: Seanín Graham 'We're big Shels fans, we're looking forward to it. There's a lot of police around but it's fine; it's reassuring. There was no issue at the first leg (at Tolka Park in Dublin) last week,' said Mr Deasy. Segregation remains at Windsor, the home ground of Linfield – the club owns the land the stadium is built on – and the international Northern Ireland team. Linfield's entrance gate is at the Lisburn Road end. Despite this, some Linfield fans went through the Boucher side, and sectarian abuse was hurled between a small number of rival fans, causing police to intervene. Earlier, Dubliner Amy Rooney was among the throng of Shelbourne supporters entering the grounds. She has never been to Windsor before. 'There's always a bit of nervousness coming up here but it's good fun,' she said. Her friend, Adam Leonard, insisted: 'we don't want any hassle. I've been following Shels since I was a nipper. I'm 26 now and my dad used to bring me,' he added. 'We just want to get through to the next round.' Inside the grounds – also referred to as the national stadium – the Linfield stand swelled with more than 4,000 fans. It was awash with Union Jack and Ulster banner flags. Once a bastion of Protestantism, Windsor was seen as a no-go area for generations of Catholics. Linfield did not sign Catholic players until the late 1980s but has signed hundreds since then, from underage through to senior level. This includes current striker Matthew Fitzpatrick from west Belfast who played Gaelic football for Antrim. High-profile campaigns to eradicate sectarianism from the soccer stands have been ongoing for decades. Yet, as the warm up for teams got under way ahead of Wednesday's match, a UVF paramilitary flag was held aloft at the Linfield end. Minutes after Shelbourne scored their goal, roars of 'f**k the pope and the IRA' were chanted. When Linfield equalised with a penalty, part of the West stand – Linfield's stand – erupted into The Billy Boys, an overtly sectarian song. Banned by the Irish FA in 2014, the song contains the line 'we're up to our knees in Fenian blood'. The club was warned it would face 'severe punitive sanctions' if its supporters continued singing any variations of it. [ Shelbourne survive spirited Linfield to reach Champions League second round qualifiers Opens in new window ] During the final six minutes of extra time an announcement came over a loudspeaker that the Boucher gate would remain closed for an extra 15 minutes (so as to ensure the fans did not clash on the way out). The 1-1 draw knocked Linfield out of the Champions League Euphoric Shelbourne fans stayed behind and continued their chants before a loud chorus of 'Ole, Ole, Ole'. Shelbourne's Paddy Barrett, Evan Caffrey and Mipo Odubeko celebrate after the game. Photograph: INPHO/Ryan Byrne When they emerged, a queue formed at a George Best statue outside the grounds. Red and white scarves were tied around the neck of the bronze statue where dozens of Shelbourne supporters posed for photographs. Another fan, Ger Martyn, was already looking forward to their next game and said he was glad there was no trouble. 'I think 99 per cent of both sides of fans are here for a good time. They want their teams to go on to the next round. No one can legislate for the 1 per cent,' Mr Martyn said.
BBC News
03-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Midfielder Fallon joins Coleraine from Linfield
Midfielder Stephen Fallon has joined Coleraine after leaving Irish Premiership champions Linfield upon the expiration of his 28-year-old won six league titles, two Irish Cups, three League Cups and a County Antrim Shield during his nine years with the Blues after arriving from Swansea has been a bit-part player in recent seasons due to a number of injury becomes the Bannsiders' third summer addition after the arrival of Kodi Lyons-Foster from Glentoran and Joel Cooper from the Blues."He's had a difficult few years with injury but having spoken to the medical staff here, they have been isolated injuries and we feel we can get on top of that and get him right," Coleraine boss Ruaidhri Higgins told the club's website."Once we get him right then we have a hell of a player on our hands. He's a talented midfield player and one of the best in the country."He knows how to win, he has been a really key player in some of Linfield's title wins and he brings that respect straight away when he walks into the changing room."
