Bangor seize
Premiership status
IFA INVITATIONAL DIVISION

THE news that Bangor supporters had been hoping for came around half past seven on Tuesday evening - Bangor Football Club will be playing first class football next season.
The club qualified for the new Premier Invitational League, gaining 11th place out of 12, and that means that Clandeboye will see regular visits from the giants of the local game such as Linfield, Glentoran and Cliftonville for the first time since the club was relegated at the end of season 1994/95, exactly 13 years ago. Bangor’s promotion is a tribute to the hard work behind the scenes of many people to make Clandeboye Park a top class venue fit to host the best in local football.
Indeed, Bangor were rated ahead of both Institute and Donegal Celtic in the points criteria applied by the IFA and that is an achievement to be rightly proud of. Now the work will continue to improve the facilities at the ground and the major priority will be to build a team capable of holding its own in what will undoubtedly be a fierce competition and to establish the club in that top ecehelon.
Trevor Best, Bangor FC chairman: "I am delighted that the hard work behind the scenes by all those connected with the club has paid off. The IFA applied the criteria which they laid down and Bangor Football Club qualified on merit for the new Premier League of 12 clubs." The Bangor Chairman continued: "I was also pleased that the fact that the exclusion of Portadown due to their late application did not affect our entry to the league as we finished in 11th place in the order of merit.
I am looking forward to the start of a new era for the club which has been in the doldrums for so long and this makes up for the disappointment of missing out on penalty kicks against Glenavon in the promotion play-offs in the season before last. “This is undoubtedly the best moment for me since joining the board of directors in 1997 and becoming chairman of the club in 2005. I believe that exciting times are ahead for Bangor FC."
Bill Peden, chief executive officer, Bangor FC, said: “Of course I am absolutely delighted and thrilled to see us back where we belong - in the Premier Division of the local game. Many people have done an enormous amount of work in the past six months to put the club in the position of meeting the criteria for the new league and I am very grateful to all those who worked so hard on the project. I think they have now received their reward.
"I am also pleased for players such as team captain Andy Morrow, goalkeeper Ryan Brown and David Irvine who have remained loyal to the club and have always given 100% in every game they played. They have been exemplary players and super examples of local players who want to represent their local club through thick and thin. Now of course we are able to work in earnest to obtain a fully qualified top class manager to build a side which can retain its place in the top division. That is our number one priority now."
Drew Kelly, treasurer, Clandeboye Supporters Club, said: “It’s hard to believe that a year ago we were in grave doubt as to whether Bangor FC would be able to remain at Clandeboye Park or would have to vacate the ground and supporters were facing the prospect of the demise of the club.
“Now we can look forward to competing once again with the best clubs in the province and enjoying the excellent facilities at Clandeboye Park which is now back in the permanent possession of the club.
"I have supported the team since 1948 - in fact I remember my father taking me to watch the side as early as season 1944/45 - and it is just marvellous to see the club on the up again after so many frustrating times in the last dozen years. We are certainly looking forward to a new campaign which will see us back where we belong - among the leading clubs."
PLAYERS’ AWARDS
The Bangor FC annual awards presentations were made on Saturday afternoon. Andy Morrow was chosen as Players’ Player of the Year and goalkeeper Ryan Brown 1 was Directors’ Player of the Year.

BANGOR FC 2007 - 2008

Ex-Premiership Referee Jeff Winter - a guest of Bangor F.C.

BANGOR LADIES - ITS SERIOUS