Avoniel F.C.
| Full name | Avoniel Football Club |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1880 |
| Dissolved | 1884 |
| Ground | Beechfield |
| Secretary | Robert Craig |
Avoniel Football Club is a former Irish football club based in east Belfast.
History[edit]
The club was founded in 1880 and named after the Avoniel Distillery on Albert Bridge Road where many of its players worked.[1] The club's first match - a 3 goals to 0 win over Oldpark in November 1880 - was played to rugby football rules,[2] but by the second match (at Cliftonville) it had adopted the Association laws as applied in Scotland.[3][4]
Avoniel was one of the seven founder members of the Irish Football Association in 1881 and played in the first Irish Cup.[5] In the first round, lost 2–0 at eventual winner Moyola Park.[6] An Avoniel protest as to illegal boots on the Park side was dismissed.[7] Later in the year the club was the first opponent for Queen's Island, the clubs playing out a 3–3 draw.[8]
The club reached the semi-final of the 1882–83 Irish Cup, beating Distillery twice after the first match was ended four minutes early with Avoniel 3–1 up.[9] The semi-final against Cliftonville went to a second replay, but Avoniel was handicapped by losing Simm (formerly of Renfrew) after a protest that he had not been in the district for the qualifying period of 4 weeks, and captain Bryan was initially suspended for the tie, even though he had no knowledge of any offence.[10] Bryan was eventually allowed to play and Cliftonville won 2–0.[11] It was actually the fifth Cup tie that season between the sides - they had both been put into the second round after drawing with each other twice in the first.[12]
It was the victim of an unusual theft in December 1883, when, during a home match, the ball was kicked out of the ground, and a James Glenholme ran off with it, being subsequently charged.[13] By 1884 however apathy set in and the club faded away, owing to a lack of playing members.[14] Its last record of note was scratching to Wellington Park in the first round of the Irish Cup in 1883–84.[15]
Ground[edit]
Its ground was Beechfield on the Mountpottinger Road[16] in Belfast.[17] After the club's demise, the stand roof was blown off in a storm.[18]
Notable players[edit]
- David Rattray, defender, who played in the first Ireland international match, against England in 1882[19]
References[edit]
- ^ "The Avoniel Collection". NI Football. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- ^ "Football (Rugby union rules)". Northern Whig: 7. 30 November 1880.
- ^ "Football fixtures". Northern Whig: 3. 4 December 1880.
- ^ The key rule difference was that the Scottish Football Association only permitted straight throw-ins, while the Football Association allowed them in any direction; "Irish Football Association", Belfast News-Letter, 6 February 1882
- ^ "Irish Football Association". Northern Whig: 7. 14 January 1881.
- ^ "Moyola v Avoniel". Northern Whig: 7. 14 February 1881.
- ^ Hawe, Ivor (2005). Silent Heroes. MMV Hawlocost. p. 12.
- ^ "Queen's Island v Avoniel". Belfast News-Letter: 8. 10 October 1881.
- ^ "Distillery v Avoniel - Cup tie". Belfast News-Letter: 8. 4 April 1882.
- ^ "The Irish Football Association". Ulster Echo: 4. 26 April 1882.
- ^ "Irish Football Association Challenge Cup". Belfast News-Letter: 7. 1 May 1882.
- ^ "Avon a laugh". Cliftonville F.C. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
- ^ "Charge for stealing a football". Belfast Weekly News: 6. 20 January 1883.
- ^ "Our football notes". Sport (Dublin): 7. 16 January 1886.
- ^ "Irish Football Association". Belfast News-Letter: 5. 23 May 1884.
- ^ "This day - Irish Football Association". Northern Whig: 1. 12 March 1881.
- ^ Northern Whig, 24 November 1883
- ^ "Another storm". Ballymena Observer: 6. 26 January 1884.
- ^ "International football match". Belfast News-Letter: 3. 20 February 1882.