Knocking on history’s door

He’s charted almost a century-and-a-half of Cliftonville’s history but now the Club’s Heritage Development Officer needs your help to bridge an unexplained gap in the archives.

Though tomorrow’s County Antrim Shield first round fixture represents the Reds’ 11th official encounter with Knockbreda, the sides did meet in a 1995 friendly of which there is no known record.

The game played on the Upper Braniel Road was the first engagement between Cliftonville and Breda, all of whose subsequent encounters have come in the last 16 years.

The Reds claimed four friendly wins alongside one draw and one defeat between 2010 and 2015, while all four competitive clashes between the teams have come in the first round of the Shield.

It is, however, details of that friendly fixture 31 years ago that remain elusive and if you were there or know anything about the day – including the result, Cliftonville’s squad and scorers – Heritage Development Officer Paul Treanor would be very grateful for any information.

Fixture history
July 22, 1995
Friendly: Knockbreda Parish ?-? Cliftonville

June 26, 2010
Friendly: Knockbreda 1-2 Cliftonville

June 25, 2011
Friendly: Cliftonville 2-1 Knockbreda

June 26, 2012
Friendly: Cliftonville 3-2 Knockbreda

July 8, 2013
Friendly: Knockbreda 1-1 Cliftonville

July 19, 2014
Friendly: Knockbreda 2-1 Cliftonville

July 21, 2015
Friendly: Knockbreda 0-6 Cliftonville

September 19, 2017
Co Antrim Shield first round: Cliftonville 6-0 Knockbreda

September 10, 2019
Co Antrim Shield first round: Cliftonville 4-0 Knockbreda

October 10, 2020
Co Antrim Shield first round: Cliftonville 2-1 Knockbreda

September 21, 2021
Co Antrim Shield first round: Cliftonville 9-0 Knockbreda