A closer look at Linfield F.C.

Cork City face an intriguing trip north of the border in the First Round of the Europa League Qualifiers when they take on Linfield.

Linfield F.C. hail from Belfast and are one of the leading teams in the Danske Bank Northern Ireland Football League Premiership, the top division of the Northern Ireland Football League. Linfield manager is former Northern Ireland international and record goalscorer David Healy, who was appointed in October 2015 to succeed Warren Feeney.

Windsor Park is home to Cork City's opponents and will have a capacity of 18,000 (when current refurbishment is complete). Linfield’s average attendance is about 2,000, which grows somewhat when they play their age old rivals Glentoran. Linfield, nicknamed the Blues, have historically been the most dominant club in Northern Irish football, Linfield hold several domestic records and even two world records.

Established in 1886, the club was one of the eight founding members of the Irish League in 1890, They were the inaugural winners and they are one of only three clubs to have competed in every top division season, having never suffered relegation.

Linfield have won a record 51 league championships to date – more than twice as many titles as any other Northern Irish club and the second-highest tally of national top-flight titles won by any club worldwide – behind the world record of 54 Scottish league titles won by Rangers. Linfield hold the world record for the most trophies won in a single season. In 1921/22, Linfield became the first, and to date only club in the world to achieve the feat of winning seven trophies in one season, and in the 1961/62 season they emulated the feat with a second seven-trophy haul – the only recorded instances in the world of this feat being accomplished.  Linfield have achieved the League and Cup double in Northern Ireland on 23 occasions (most recently in 2011/12).

Linfield qualified for the 2016/17 Europa League by finishing as league runners-up to Crusaders.  In fact, they are perennial qualifiers for UEFA competitions. This will be the Blues’ 46^th season in European action. Linfield first contested the then European Champions Cup in the 1959/60 season. 

They beat Kamraterna (Sweden) 2-1 at home but lost 6-1 in Sweden. Linfield have played a total of 105 European games across the Champions Cup, European Cup Winners Cup, Fairs Cup, UEFA Cup and Europa League. The Belfast team have qualified for the second qualifying stage in each of the last three Europa Leagues, defeating Faroe Islands opposition each season. Linfield’s best ever European performance was to reach the last eight of the old Champions Cup in 1966/67.  They drew their home quarter-final leg 2-2 with CSKA Sofia before going down by 1-0 away.

Linfield played Cork City in the Setanta Sports Cup semi-final in 2007 (the Northern side progressing to the final by 1-0 at Windsor Park). Linfield have faced Republic of Ireland opposition twice before in Europe - in 1979 against Dundalk (Dundalk won 3-1 on aggregate) and in 1984 against Shamrock Rovers (Linfield advancing on away goals).

In terms of playing personnel, their Player of the Season for the 2015/16 campaign at Windsor Park was central defender Jimmy Callacher while Ross Gaynor will renew acquaintance with Cork City during this much anticipated clash. Ardee native Gaynor played in the 2015 Cup Final for the Leesiders against Dundalk before moving north to join Linfield for whom he has scored five goals in thirteen appearances.

Much travelled goalkeeper Roy Carroll, who is in the Northern Ireland squad at Euro 2016, will play for Linfield next season. Skipper Andrew Waterworth was Linfield’s top scorer last season with 22 goals.

The Blues’ current form is difficult to assess as their last game was a 0-2 defeat to Glenavon in the Irish Cup final on 7 May. A Linfield XI are scheduled to play a friendly against Knockbreda on June 23 while Linfield are currently listed at 269^th on the UEFA Club Ranking.