We’ve got your number

Regular readers of our Matchday Magazine will know all the facts and figures behind each new week at Cliftonville Football Club – and the past fortnight has made for particularly interesting number crunching.

Last month’s County Antrim Shield clash with Crusaders saw Joe Gormley clock up his 200th outing for the Reds, while Stephen Garrett was honoured for reaching 300 appearances on the same night.

Gormley’s double against Ballinamallard United on Saturday, meanwhile, made it eight consecutive Premiership home victories over the Fermanagh side, whose sole Solitude success came on their first ever visit back on September 8, 2012.

Daniel Hughes likewise bagged a brace at the weekend to make it three goals in two games – with last week’s late conversion against Carrick Rangers of particular interest to our statisticians. For not only did it ensure Hughes became just the 31st player to reach double figures of strikes for the Club since the Premier League’s inception in 1995, it was also Cliftonville’s 600th Premiership goal at Solitude and 75th at home to Carrick.

That clash with David McAlinden’s men – whom we also meet on League Cup Quarter Final duty on Wednesday evening – was, meanwhile, the Reds’ 2875th League game, 780th in the Premiership, 55th overall showdown with the Gers and came on the back of Rory Donnelly and Gormley each netting penalties against Dungannon Swifts, the first time Cliftonville had scored two spot-kicks in the same game since Ciaran Caldwell and John Connolly did so in a 3-1 victory over Linfield on December 10, 2010.

Every edition of The Red Eye keeps supporters fully updated on all the latest stats and trivia surrounding each new game so, if you’re not a regular reader, why not make a start when our next issue is released for the November 25 clash with Ballymena United?

Number crunching
2875: The 3-0 victory over Carrick Rangers was Cliftonville’s 2875th League game
2514: Days between the most recent occasions on which the Reds netted two penalties in one game
780: That meeting with Carrick was our 780th Premiership fixture
600: Daniel Hughes’ strike against the Gers was Cliftonville’s 600th Premiership goal at Solitude
300: Stephen Garrett made his 300th appearance in the clash with Crusaders
200: Joe Gormley represented the Club for the 200th time in the same game
75: Hughes registered the Reds’ 75th home goal versus Carrick
55: Last Saturday’s encounter was our 55th meeting with Carrick
31: Hughes is the 31st Cliftonville player to hit double figures in the top flight
8: The Reds have won eight consecutive Premiership home games against Ballinamallard
1: The Mallards’ only Solitude victory came on their first ever visit