With the NIFL Championship season kicking off, Irish League expert and journalist Lewis Bennett shared his thoughts with us on the season ahead.
Who are the players and teams to watch across the NIFL Championship this season?
They all are! What I’ll say firstly about the Championship is that the clubs are so close-knit; between boards, fans, players and so on, there’s definitely a culture of everyone knows everyone that makes it such a fascinating league to follow. It really is brilliant and I’d recommend anyone who’s not watched it to give it a go. In terms of clubs to watch, my home town club Bangor is considered one of the favourites to win the league this season in their second season back in the Championship after a turbulent few years in the club’s history, and adding a player of Matthew Ferguson’s calibre definitely makes it a strong side as he’s been among the top scorers in the league in the past couple of seasons, and the likes of Ben Arthurs and Scott McArthur are quality in attacking areas too. Newry City are the relegated side this season from the Premiership and they’ll be in contention again, they have Adam Salley who was the Championship’s top scorer a couple of seasons ago and can really turn a game on its head. Institute finished in the play-off for Premiership promotion last year and they only just missed out, they play a great brand of football under Kevin Deery, and likewise Annagh United under Ciaran McGurgan who are always there or thereabouts. Dundela were up there too and, while they weren’t eligible for a Promotion Licence last year due to their ground dimensions, they will apply for one this year and with a player like young Aaron Prendergast up top, they’ll be a threat too. Limavady United and Armagh City are newly promoted and will take points off teams, too. It’s really competitive.
How would you describe football in NI to someone who has not watched it before?
There’s definitely a bit of charm about Irish League football you maybe wouldn’t find in the likes of maybe the top leagues in the world. Clubs and their communities are inextricably linked, and the clubs here really are built on foundations laid by the fans. There’s a big input from volunteers in making the league a success and it definitely has played a part in the league’s growth in recent years, and that exists from the top to the bottom of the game. In terms of what’s on the pitch, there’s definitely an ambition for further improvement and it is attractive football at a reasonable price that teams are encouraged to play. European performance has been a hot topic and, let’s face it, this hasn’t been a good summer for clubs from Northern Ireland in Europe, but there is the motivation to improve and it has led to discussion of topics like so-called ‘seasonal change’ and other things that can be done. What’s consistent, though, is you can never be too far above the supporters, and the supporters’ input and commitment to their clubs is important to domestic football being in good health in Northern Ireland.
What are your predictions for the NIFL Championship?
The Championship is notorious for being unpredictable, it really is a league where any team can beat any team and it throws up surprises so routinely. Last season, although Portadown went in as pre-season favourites and lived up to that by winning the league, Institute finished in the promotion play-off place in second after being second from bottom the season before, while Bangor defied the odds as the newly promoted team in the league to finish third. I don’t think there’s a clear favourite this time around, but you’ve the likes of Bangor, Newry City, Dundela, Annagh United and Institute who are competitive and can challenge for the league, but you’ve also the likes of Harland and Wolff Welders who have a bit of energy about them while Limavady United and Armagh City are new this season and can also ask questions. As I say, it’s very hard to call.
How can readers continue to follow your work?
You can read my website Football Chatters where I have written a number of pieces on the Irish League and Northern Ireland team, or you can also follow me on Twitter @bennettlewis75
The cover image to this article is courtesy of NIFL.
Callum McFadden 