20.8.13

Cliftonville 1879-1910



John McAlery was responsible for the introduction of Association Football to Ireland. McAlery was a Belfast based clothier who imported tweeds from Scotland. In 1878 he was in Scotland on honeymoon when he saw a game of  football being played.
On his return to Belfast McAlery arranged for 2 Scottish teams, Queen's Park and Caledonian (Inverness), to play an exhibition match at the Ulster Cricket Ground. Queen's Park won 3-2.


The exhibition match took place in October 1878 and the following year McAlery decided to try and set up a football club to play Scottish Association Rules (which differed from those of the Football Association). He placed the above advertisement in the Belfast press and enlisted the support of fellow members of Cliftonville Cricket Club.
Cliftonville became a major force in Irish football (which, in the early days, focused almost exclusively on Belfast).  


Cliftonville

Honours
1879
Foundation.
An inauspicious start, losing 2-1 against a team of Rugby players known as Quidnunces and 9-1 to Caledonian.



1880

 John McAlery instigates the foundation of the Irish Football Association. He is secretary up until 1888


1881
Lost in the final of the first edition of the Irish Cup, 1-0 to Mayola Park
Irish Football Association Challenge Cup inaugurated


1882
Lost in the final of the Irish Cup , 1-0 to Queen's Island
4 Cliftonville players in Ireland’s first international XI, McAlery as captain


1883
Beat Ulster 5-0 to win Irish Cup for the first time

Irish Cup

1884


Belfast Charity Cup

1885



1886
Played in FA Cup



Belfast Charity Cup
1887
Lost 3-1 to Ulster  in cup final

Belfast Charity Cup

1888
Beat Distillery 2-1 to win Irish Cup
Played in FA Cup

Irish Cup
Belfast Charity Cup

1889


Belfast Charity Cup

1890
Moved to Solitude.
Lost 3-0 to  Gordon Highlanders in a  cup final replay
The Irish Football League founded.
(Belfast & District League)


1891



1892


County Antrim Shield

1893
Lost 5-1 to Linfield in cup final



1894



County Antrim Shield
1895



1896



1897
Beat Sherwood Foresters 3-1 in cup final


Irish Cup
Belfast Charity Cup

1898



County Antrim Shield
1899



1900
Beat Bohemians 2-1 in cup final


Irish Cup
1901

Division A Ireland
Irish Cup

1902



1903



1904



1905



1906


Irish League

1907
Beat Shelbourne 1-0 in cup final replay

Irish Cup
Belfast Charity Cup

1908


Belfast Charity Cup

1909
Beat Bohemians 2-1 in cup final replay

Irish Cup
Belfast Charity Cup

1910


Irish League


1897