Limavady United F.C. Explained

Clubname:Limavady United
Fullname:Limavady United Football & Athletic Club
Nickname:"The Roesiders"', '"The Lims"
Founded:c. 1955
Ground:The Showgrounds, Limavady
County Londonderry
Capacity:1,500 (274 seated)
Manager:Paul Owens
League:NIFL Championship
Season:2023–24
Position:NIFL Premier Intermediate League, 1st of 14 (champions; promoted)
Pattern La1:_blue_hoops
Pattern Ra1:_blue_hoops
Leftarm1:FFFFFF
Body1:003EE1
Rightarm1:FFFFFF
Shorts1:003EE1
Socks1:003EE1
Pattern La2:_yellowhoops
Pattern Ra2:_yellowhoops
Leftarm2:000D5B
Body2:FFF000
Rightarm2:000D5B
Shorts2:FFF000
Socks2:FFF000
Website:http://www.limavadyunitedfc.com/

Limavady United Football Club is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Championship.The club comes from Limavady, County Londonderry, and plays home matches at the Showgrounds. Club colours are royal blue shirts with white trim, blue socks and royal blue shorts. Away colours are all yellow. The current manager is Paul Owens.

History

There have been many football clubs in Limavady, dating back to 1880, when Alexander, a founding member of the Irish Football Association was formed by the Alexander Cricket Club. Alexander merged with another local club, Wanderers, in 1884 to form Limavady F.C.[1] Club historian David Brewster, however, dates the current Limavady club's formation to 1955.[2]

After a long time as a junior team, the club joined the senior Irish Football League in 1997–98, and reached its first Irish Cup semi-final in over a century in 2003–04. In 2008, the club lost its senior status when it failed to gain admission to the new IFA Premiership.

In April 2013, three players received suspensions after being found guilty of breaching IFA betting rules on one of the club's league matches.[3]

The club won the NIFL Championship 2 in the 2015–2016 season but were denied promotion to NIFL Championship 1 as they were unsuccessful in applying for a licence. However they were promoted as winners of the Premier Intermediate League in 2016–2017. They would be relegated at the end of the 2018/19 season.

Following a stay in the PIL, the club would make their NIFL Championship return following a 3–0 win away to Lisburn Distillery, also securing the league trophy.[4]

Carlos Tevez loan

In September 2011, the club vice chairman David Brewster issued a fax to Manchester City, offering to take Argentinian International Carlos Tevez on loan after the player had refused to go on as a substitute in a UEFA Champions League fixture. The club offer suggested that they would ensure Tevez stayed match fit and would avoid being cup tied, but asked that City continued to pay his reported £200,000 per week wages, a figure higher than Limavady's entire turnover for a year.

The offer, although meant as tongue in cheek became global headline news with some news agencies believing the offer to be a serious one. The story gained the club brief worldwide recognition although Manchester City themselves did not respond.[5]

Honours

Senior honours

7

Intermediate honours

2

1

2

3

1

10

2

Junior honours

External links

Notes and References

  1. Northern Whig, 8 December 1884; Belfast Newsletter, 12 October 1880
  2. David Brewster (2017), Up the Lims, Chapter Five and 'Limavady United F.C. Family Tree'.
  3. Web site: Three Limavady United players banned over betting scandal. 18 April 2013. BBC Sport. 19 April 2013.
  4. Web site: Roesiders Sweep to Title Clinching Victory. 23 April 2024. NIFL Website. 23 April 2024.
  5. Web site: Limavady United's loan offer to Manchester City's Carlos Tevez. 28 September 2011. BBC News. 19 April 2013.