Belfast Celtic!

The Golden Miller

This is a topic that annoys me greatly. By far the biggest and most supported club the country has ever seen, who drew support across the whole island, continues to be absent from Irish football for near 70 years now! When will it be reformed?

It continues to operate on the IFA board, and now those who "hold the rights" to the club have been leasing the name out the past few years.

It should never went into a hiatus, it's demise started the death of Irish football. But even so, the original incarnation could still be revived. Not a spiritual successor, the original incarnation, still sitting on the board of the IFA, it's members having voting rights and everything to this day.

Why isn't this club being reformed? Surely there's a huge appetite for it in West Belfast? Instead of opening museums, running camps and leasing the name out, surely the powers that be can actually revive the club for real?

For all the faults and corruption of the FAI, it's darkest hour was watching while this club went under, instead of like Derry, saving it and taking it down here. The football community watched for over a decade as the team toured after resigning from the league, and did nothing to help and save them. It's baffling.

What's more baffling is the continued failure to revive the club, when the option continues to be there. Am I missing something? The club literally still has a licence and place in the league if it reformed!

The Golden Miller

Amazing, no one has an opinion. Too consumed by English football. The irony being, the reason for that exodus of support to England, was the death of Belfast Celtic!

muffler

I'll play along. Have you contacted the directors of the club or indeed the IFA?

The Golden Miller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120992549#Comment_120992549

I've actually contacted those involved directly in the club, those who know people who hold the licence.

Can't get a straight answer out of them tbh.

And what do you mean you'll play along? You think this is some wind up thread? Irish football died with Belfast Celtic, teams went from 20,000 gates, to 2,000

CrabRevolution

It does sound like a windup to be honest. Belfast Celtic never played in the League of Ireland (not counting pre independence Irish League), yet were somehow responsible for all the attendance at all LOI clubs?

artanevilla

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category%3ADefunct_association_football_clubs

You could make an argument for any one of these to come back. I'd like to see Drums back myself, they could bring a crowd and there'd be a Northside Dublin Derby of consequence.

muffler

I'm not sure about these "Irish football died" comments. Irish football was alive and well the last time I went to a match which was last weekend.

Belfast Celtic have a team in Belfast in 2023 so what's the purpose of the thread?

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120994140#Comment_120994140

It's called a Golden Miller special.

The Golden Miller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120993348#Comment_120993348

Belfast Celtic drew support all over the island and were just referred to as Celtic, hence the Glasgow club often still referred to as "Glasgow Celtic". Up until this point, interest in the Irish game was on par with Scotland and not far behind England.

After the demise of Belfast Celtic, huge interest was lost in domestic football across the island, and many went supporting Glasgow Celtic. Then match of the day was introduced, and that was the nail on the coffin.

Belfast Celtic were a huge club by international standards, way beyond even other clubs on the island, who also had 20000+ gates at the time. But once Celtic withdrew, it was a case of "our team is gone, not going to support another team domestically". Some did, but the exodus of interest in the game here fell off a cliff

The Golden Miller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120994140#Comment_120994140

I support Shels. Irish football died relative to what it once was, don't be ridiculous.

That isn't the original incarnation, but a team renting the licence. They still have a licence and spot to compete, but for some reason still aren't being reformed.

I mean, imagine the original incarnation were reformed and joined the League of Ireland? What a boost financially and from a publicity stand point, while also spreading the league's geographical spread. It would be huge for domestic football.

Only problem is that would probably dwarf every other team in time

The Golden Miller

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120993980#Comment_120993980

It's not the same. Teams like Drums, Home Farm etc, over the years got involved in mergers, name changes and whatever, their spot and licence passing on to new entities.

Belfast Celtic however, retained their licence and there was no successor entities, which still stands to this day.

On top of that, Shels moved into the area where a club like Drums once drew support, whereas there's still a huge void not filled in West Belfast, where there's potential mammoth support if done right.

I dunno, if I had the money it's something I'd be looking at. All these investors come and look here, and that golden opportunity continually going over everyone's head!

ben.schlomo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121004665#Comment_121004665

I'd sooner see teams from Tipperary, Carlow/Kilkenny and Mayo (planned) join the league.

artanevilla

It's the same void that Sporting Fingal and the likes tried to fill in Dublin. Just because there is population doesn't mean they are all clamouring for a football team. There are four major football teams in Belfast already.

What's Cliftonville's average attendance?

Weepsie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120993256#Comment_120993256

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120993256#Comment_120993256

More nonsense. Massive emigration in the 60s , and more more having a tv by 1960s with approx 80% of them getting highlights of games from elsewhere in that same year. All sorts of other reasons why attendances dropped.

They withdrew from the league in 49 yet attendances still remained strong for the following decade. 20,000 came to see a man utd play rovers in 57 too

Case of 2+2=5 with you as ever