The NIFL Premiership (known for sponsorship purposes as Danske Bank Premiership) was established in 2008 with the original Irish Football League formed in 1890. There are currently three levels to the NIFL being the Premiership, Championship and Premier Intermediate League with relegation to four provincial leagues being the Ballymena & Provincial League, Mid-Ulster Football League, Northern Amateur League and Northern Ireland Intermediate League.
Here we meet the teams who started the 2019/20 season the Premiership:
BALLYMENA UNITED
FORMED
1928
GROUND
The Ballymena Showgrounds
BRIEF HISTORY
The Sky Blues have never won the league but have been runner's up on three occasions. They have won the Irish Cup six times - the last time being in 1989.
EVER PLAYED IN EUROPE
Yes. The club first played in Europe in 78/79 when they lost to Belgium side Beveren in Cup Winner's Cup. Up until 2019 they had played 7 ties (14 games) in European Competition with a record of just one win, one draw and twelve defeats - they had never won a tie of aggregate. Their second placed finish in the league for 18/19 qualified them for the 19/20 Europa League where they beat Faroese side NSI Runavik 2-0 on aggregate over two legs in the Preliminary Round. They lost 0-11 to Malmo in the next round.
FACTS ABOUT THE CLUB
Northern Ireland International Nigel Worthington was born in the town in 1961 and played for United from 1979 to 1981. He moved to Notts County in 1981 for a fee of £100,000.
FORMED
1939
GROUND
Loughshore Hotel Arena
BRIEF HISTORY
Rangers played in the lower leagues and then were granted senior status from 1983 to 2003.
EVER PLAYED IN EUROPE
Yes - They played in the Cup Winner's Cup in 76/77 beating Aris of Luxembourg in the First Round before losing to Southampton 3-9 on aggregate. Mick Channon (2), Peter Osgood, Jim McCalliog, Bobby Stokes (2), Austin Hayes (2) and Steve Williams scored for The Saints with Gary Prenter, Gary Erwin and Gary Reid scoring for Rangers.
FACTS ABOUT THE CLUB
Their greatest ever achievement was in 1976 when as a B Division club they best Linfield in the Irish Cup Final in one of the greatest shocks of Northern Irish football.
FORMED
1879
GROUND
Solitude, Belfast
BRIEF HISTORY
The Reds have won the Northern Irish Championship five times in 1906, 1910, 1998, 2013 and 2014. They have also won the Cup eight times with the last time being 1979.
EVER PLAYED IN EUROPE
The club have a long history of European games. They have victories Latvian club Dinaburg (2-1 agg) in the 2007 Intertoto Cup, a 1-0 aggregate victory over Croation side Cibalia in the 10/11 Europa League, a 3-1 win over two legs against Luxembourg side Differdange 03 in 16/17 Europa League and a 4-0 win over Welsh side Barry Town United in the 19/20 Europa League. They played Celtic in the second qualifying round of the 13/14 Champion's League with the Scottish side winning 0-5 on aggregate.
FACTS ABOUT THE CLUB
Cliftonville were an all amateur club until the early 1970s. They are the oldest club in Northern Ireland and their ground Solitude is the oldest as well - they have played there since 1890. Third Tier Newington FC also play at Solitude.
FORMED
1927
GROUND
The Showgrounds
BRIEF HISTORY
Formed after two local clubs in Coleraine Olympic and Coleraine Alexandra merged. They only have on league title to their name which came in 1974. Following a number of years with financial problems the orignal club were liquidated in 2006 with a new club set up Colraine FC Ltd.
EVER PLAYED IN EUROPE
1965/66 saw Colraine making their debut in European competition playing agianst the then Soviet League giants Dynamo Kyiv who won 1-10 on aggregate. In 1982 they famously played Tottenham Hotspur in the Cup Winner's Cup with the North London side winning 0-7 on aggreagate with Garth Crooks (2) and Steve Archibald scoring in the game played in Northern Ireland.
FACTS ABOUT THE CLUB
Jamie McGonigle scored 52 goals in 148 games for the club from 2014 to 2019. He signed from league rival's Crusaders in August 2019 for a fee of £60,000 which broke the record transfer fee for a Northern Irish club. It had stood since 1998 when Glenn Ferguson moved from Linfield to Glenavon in 1998. Stewart Nixon moved to Coleraine in January from Carrick for a fee of £30,000 which is a club record signing.
FORMED
1898
GROUND
Seaview - Belfast
BRIEF HISTORY
Player Intermediate football until the withdrawal of Belfast Celtic in 1949 when The Crues were elected to the top division in their place. They have won the title seven times including recently in 2015, 2016 and 2018.
EVER PLAYED IN EUROPE
Since 1967 the club have been regular competitors in Europe. At the fourteenth time of asking they won a tie in the first qualiying round of the Europa League when they defeated Ekranas of Lithuania 5-2 on aggreagate. This season they beat Faroese club B36 Torshavn in the first qualifying round of the Europa League before Wolverhampton Wanderers beat them 5-2 over two legs.
FACTS ABOUT THE CLUB
The club's main rivals are Cliftonville who they contest the 'North Belfast Derby' with. Brantwood Football Club were their historical rivals when the club played at Intemediate level - the club play on Skegoneil Avenue which is only 500 yards from Seaview.
FORMED
1949
GROUND
Stangmore Park
BRIEF HISTORY
The club has risen from the Mid-Ulster league to the top tier of Northern Irish football in a relatively short period - The Swifts were first elected to the Irish League First Division in 1997.
EVER PLAYED IN EUROPE
The Swifts have played two ties in European competition. In 2006 they lost to Icelandic side Keflavik in the Intertoto cup and then in the 07/08 UEFA Cup they lost to Lithuanian side Suduva 1-4 in aggreagate.
FACTS ABOUT THE CLUB
Stangmore Park is sometimes used as the nominated home ground for teams promoted into the top tier of the Northern Irish football. Warrenpoint Town staged a few of their home games at the start of the 2013/14 season whilst their Milltown home was brought up to standard.
FORMED
1889
GROUND
Mourneview Park
BRIEF HISTORY
Glenavon were the first provincial club to win the title in 1952 and the first to the league and cup double in 1957 which allowed them to be the first Northern Irish team to enter the European Cup (see below). They last won the title in 1950.
EVER PLAYED IN EUROPE
The club have only one aggregate victory in European Competition which came in 1995 when Icelandic club FH were beaten 1-0 on aggregate in the UEFA Cup.
FACTS ABOUT THE CLUB
Player/Manager Gary Hamilton is the current holder of the record for the number of goals scored in a single match in the Northern Irish top tier. He scored an incredible six goals for Portadown against Omagh Town in October 2004.
FORMED
1882
GROUND
The Oval - Belfast
BRIEF HISTORY
One of the most famous names in the Northern Irish game having won the title twenty-three times and Northern Irish Cup twenty-two times.
EVER PLAYED IN EUROPE
In 1973/74 the club famously reached the quarter-final stages of the Cup Winner's Cup where they lost 0-7 on aggregate to German giant's Borussia Monchengladbach. In 75/76 they lost 1-14 on aggregate to Ajax in the UEFA Cup.
FACTS ABOUT THE CLUB
The club has played at The Oval since 1892. It was damaged during the Belfast Blitz of World War II and as a result it was unusable until 1949. The Oval is located near the Port of Belfast - Harland and Wolff's iconic "Samson and Goliath" cranes are visible from inside the stadium - Pictures courtesy of @PeterRMiles
FORMED
1905
GROUND
Brandywell Stadium (temporary home - see below)
BRIEF HISTORY
Became a senior club in 1999. After promotion from the second tier in 2018 the club finished 8th in 18/19 and were bottom of the table when the season was halted due to the current situation regarding the coronavirus outbreak.
EVER PLAYED IN EUROPE
No
FACTS ABOUT THE CLUB
In August 2017 flooding devastated the North-West area of Northern Ireland with their Riverside Stadium home destroyed by water which reached up to 7 feet in some places. The club relocated to Wilton Park home of junior league club Churchill United but following promotion to the top tier they agreed to ground share with League Of Ireland side Derry City.
FORMED
1889
GROUND
Inver Park BRIEF HISTORY
From the early 1970s through to 2008 the club held senior status but when it failed to gain a place in the new top tier of the game it reverted to an intermediate status. The 2019 NIFL Championship title saw them promoted to the top division for the 19/20 season.
EVER PLAYED IN EUROPE
No.
FACTS ABOUT THE CLUB
They have been runner's up in the Northern Irish Cup five times which is a record for the competition without winning it. The club have a Brazlian in thier squad being Pablo Andrade - the 20 year old has also played for Dundalk, Linfield, Newry City and Glentoran.
FORMED
1886
GROUND
Windsor Park - Belfast
BRIEF HISTORY
The most successful club in Northern Irish football with 53 league titles and 43 Northern Irish Cup wins to their name. Currently managed by former Preston North End, Leeds United and Fulham player David Healy. He is Northern Ireland's record goal scorer at 36 goals in in 95 appearances. They contest the 'big two derby' or 'Bel Classico' against Glentoran.
EVER PLAYED IN EUROPE
A regular in European football - they beat Faroese side side HB Torshavn and Montenegrin side Sutjeska in the UEFA Cup this season before Azerbaijani club Qarabag won on away goals after a 4-4 draw. In total they have played 119 games in European competition.
FACTS ABOUT THE CLUB
David Jeffrey was the longest serving manager in the club's history - He was in charge between 1997 to 2014 where he won 31 major honours. He is currently the boss of Ballymena United. He also played 369 times for the club between 1982 and 1992.
FORMED
1987
GROUND
Militown
BRIEF HISTORY
The club's first twenty-three years were spent playing in regional leagues. The club were champions of the Mid-Ulster League Division A in 2010 which gained them promotion to the third tier of the game in Northern Ireland. Another promotion and then a play-off victory over Donegal Celtic at the end of the 12/13 season saw them promoted to the NIFL Premiership. 15/16 saw them drop down to the Championship after a defeat on the last day of the season saw them relegated - The club then won the Championship in 16/17 to be promoted back to the top tier.
EVER PLAYED IN EUROPE
No.
FACTS ABOUT THE CLUB
The capacity at their Miltown ground is just 1,450.
Since 1890 the following clubs have won the top division of the Irish Football League/Premiership:
| Team | Titles | Last Title won |
| LINFIELD | 53 | 2018/2019 |
| GLENTORAN | 23 | 2008/2009 |
| BELFAST CELTIC | 14 | 1947/1948 |
| CRUSADERS | 7 | 2017/2018 |
| LISBURN DISTILLERY | 6* | 1962/63 |
| CLIFTONVILLE | 5* | 2013/14 |
| PORTADOWN | 4 | 2001/02 |
| GLENAVON | 3 | 1959/60 |
| COLERAINE | 1 | 1973/74 |
| DERRY CITY | 1 | 1964/65 |
| QUEENS ISLAND | 1 | 1923/24 |
| ARDS | 1 | 1957/58 |
| * denotes shared title |
Six of the previous title winners were in the top division of the game in 2019/20 with the same number not present.
Belfast Celtic were giants of the game in Northern Ireland prior to their withdrawal from the league in 1949. Their Celtic Park ground was used for Greyhound Racing up until 1985 when it was demolished - it is now a small shopping centre. The name has recently been resurrected when Sport & Leisure Swifts (formed in 1978) changed their name to Belfast Celtic in 2019 - for the 19/20 they played in the Ballymena & Provincial League.
Lisburn Distillery (known as Distillery until 1999) are currently members of the third tier NIFL Premier Intermediate League. The club orignated in West Belfast but moved to their current home of the New Grosvenor Stadium in County Antrim.
Portadown are currently top of the NIFL Championship and were looking good for promotion prior to the suspension of football.
Derry City are now members of the League Of Ireland Premier Division and the only Northern Irish side to play in the top tier of the Republic of Ireland.
Queens Island were a Belfast based side and only spent eight seasons in senior football from 1921 to 1929. There were also runner's up three times.
Ards are currently in the NIFL Championship - they lost their spiritual home of Castlereagh Park in 1998 after the club was forced to sell it's prime asset due to financial problems. Plans to build a stadium at Londonderry Park were shelved in 2012 despite a strong campaign from the club's fans to 'Bring Ards FC home'. They currently ground share with local rivals Bangor FC which is around 4 miles from Newtownards.
NIFL Championship for 2019/20
Ballinamallard United
Ballyclare Comrades
Dergview
Dundela
Harland & Wolff Welders
Knockbreda
Loughgall
Newry City
Portadown
PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland)
Queen's University
NIFL Premier Intermediate League for 2019/20
Annagh United
Armagh City
Banbridge Town
Bangor
Dollingstown
Limavady United
Lisburn Distillery
Moyola Park
Newington
Portstewart
Tobermore United
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