Built by Association

On this 145th anniversary of the formation of the Irish Football Association, we celebrate the pioneering role that Cliftonville Football Club played in the organisation’s establishment.

The fourth-oldest governing body in the world was founded at a meeting in Queen’s Hotel in Belfast on November 18, 1880 – an assembly convened by John McCredy McAlery in alliance with accomplice Robert Kennedy.

Having created Cliftonville FC the previous year, the duo noted that, while other Clubs had since been formed and friendlies were a welcome occurrence, a governing body with its own constitution was needed to regulate and promote the game.

Queen’s Hotel was situated where Donegall Street meets York Street

A few weeks on from staging Cliftonville’s first ever Annual General Meeting, the Queen’s Hotel – which was situated where Donegall Street meets York Street in Belfast City Centre – welcomed representatives of the Reds, Distillery, Moyola Park, Avoneil, Oldpark, Knock and Alexander, with the initial President being Major Spencer Chichester of Moyola Park.

They agreed that football locally should be governed by ‘Irish’ rules, rather than the ‘Scottish Association’ rules used up to then, further concurring that competitive games were necessary and, in February 1881, Cliftonville’s first ever competitive fixture saw the team defeat Oldpark 2-0 in an Irish Cup tie that also bears the distinction of being the inaugural North Belfast Derby.

Cliftonville were closely involved in setting up Ireland’s international football team and, in addition to supplying many players, hosted some of the side’s early fixtures.

The pioneering McAlery was also involved in establishing Ireland’s second competitive trophy, the Charity Cup, with Cliftonville also competing for the FA Cup before being instrumental in creating the County Antrim Football Association and their accompanying Senior Shield in 1888.

Football had grown so much by this stage that it was felt a League should be formed and it goes without saying that Cliftonville were at the forefront of founding the Irish League for its inaugural season in 1890, alongside Linfield, Oldpark, Ulster, Glentoran, Milford, Clarence and Distillery.

The rest, of course, is history and, on this 145th anniversary of the IFA’s creation, Cliftonville’s influence on the development of football in Ireland cannot be understated and, as we approach a century since McAlery’s death at the age of 76, we look forward to our supporters joining us in special acknowledgement of his contribution to our Club this coming Saturday, with further details to be confirmed in the days ahead.