We Joe again

Cliftonville Football Club are delighted to announce that Joe Gormley has signed a contract extension.

The 35-year-old striker, who made his debut in a Europa League clash with The New Saints on June 30, 2011, has put pen to paper on a deal that will extend his stay at Solitude until the end of the 2025/26 season, with supporters put on red alert for upcoming details of a Testimonial Match this summer.

The leading goalscorer in the history of Ireland’s Oldest Football Club, the first of Joe’s 294 strikes came against Ards on September 20, 2021 – Cliftonville’s 132nd birthday – while his 527th appearance saw him help the Reds qualify for the UEFA Conference League in last weekend’s European Play-Off Final victory over Coleraine.

Four years on from his Cliftonville bow, the former Crumlin Star frontman embarked upon an injury-plagued stint with Peterborough United and, following a brief loan at St Johnstone, he returned to the Reds ahead of the 2017/18 season and immediately picked up where he left off in front of goal.

His strike from the penalty spot against Crusaders on October 5, 2018 saw him break a 57-year-old Club scoring record set when Kevin McGarry netted the last of his 170 goals for the Reds in a League encounter with Bangor on March 4, 1961.

While McGarry – who beat the previous landmark of 127 set by Sid Over – amassed his total after 286 appearances, Gormley needed just 247 to set his own milestone, one which he has since increased substantially while at the same time climbing to third in the Club’s all-time outings list.