Saturday 25th November 2023 – Northern Ireland Premier League – Solitude, Belfast
On 21 August 1979 over 1,900 police officers were on duty for a football match, the most there had ever been in attendance at a football match in the UK. This was no Manchester, North London, Merseyside or even Old Firm derby, but one that had more at stake than just local bragging rights.
Belfast in the last year of the Seventies wasn’t a place for the fair hearts, and an early season meeting between two rivals in a county cup competition had the potential to spill over into a major flashpoint off the pitch. With the security forces already stretched across the city, having to provide such high levels of policing for a football match was probably not at the top of their agenda.
Cliftonville v Crusaders may only be separated by a mile and a half, but fifty years ago, but a Group Stages match in the Ulster Cup at the start of the 1979/80 season at Seaview saw the police out in force to prevent any trouble.
Today, a calm has descended over Belfast, the past being history and the future being opportunity. In the present was another football match, another local derby. This was one game I’d been keen to attend from some years, having never visited Solitude, the historic home of Ireland’s oldest football club. I’d pencilled in the date, then hoped that the game wasn’t shifted for TV. A day trip is easily doable to Belfast from London, getting an early flight to George Best Airport just a few miles from the city centre, then returning at 6pm.
Belfast’s four topflight clubs effectively anchor the four quarters of the city, and each have stadiums which ooze history. In the North there’s Seaview, home to Crusaders which once sat on the edge of the water (hence the name); to the South is Linfield, who play at the redeveloped National Stadium, Windsor Park; to the West is Solitude, but it was to the East where I headed first – The Oval.
As a Lewes fan I’m used to the compliments from away fans and ground hoppers about the merits of a visit to the Dripping Pan. The location, the name, the locally sourced beer and food. It is a ground and spectator experience we are incredibly proud of, but whisper this quietly, there are other must-see grounds in the United Kingdom, and right near the top of that list is The Oval, home to Glentoran.
It would have been rude not to have paid a visit as I was so close by, exiting the airport just over a mile away. A twenty-minute walk sees you approach the ground from the east, with the Goliath crane at the Harland and Wolff shipyard perfectly framed by the green corrugated iron stands. The gates were wide open, the groundsman welcoming and happy to chat with pride about the ground. Whilst it would almost certainly be another title-free season (Glentoran were last champions in 2009), they could still claim to have the best ground in the league.
Belfast is a great walking city, with plenty of fine hostelries to find refreshment at. The Deer’s Head in the centre was my lunch venue of choice – a superb, traditional pub which brews its own beer and had an amazing menu. The lunch time kick off between Man City and Liverpool provided the atmosphere in the pub and the conversation about football in the Irish league flowed, although it was surprising that none of those, I was chatting to were heading to the Cliftonville game.
As I got closer to the ground more fans joined me on the walk. Home fans and away fans mixed, although there was some friendly banter, there was no animosity, and noticeably, there was no police. There were smiles on the faces of the fans, looking forward to the game as the home fans converged on the entrance, nestled at the end of a road of terrace houses.
Solitude is Ireland’s oldest football ground, having first opened its doors in 1890. The Main Stand dominates the ground, opened in 1950, originally with a capacity of 2,500 but today the upper tier is closed off, with the capacity of the whole ground today restricted to just over 2,500. The former Cage End was replaced in 2008 with a smart all-seater stand, with the changing rooms underneath, having been shifted from the Craven Cottage-style house in the corner of the game.
Cliftonville came into the game with a four-point lead over Crusaders, and within touching distance of Larne and Linfield at the top of the table. Today was primarily about three points to keep the hopes of a top two finish alive rather than local bragging rights. The Crusaders fans at the far end of the ground welcomed the sides with a big flag and a couple of flares, the home supporters preferring a roar of encouragement.
It was unsurprisingly a cagey opening, with neither side able to get the ball into the danger areas. In the 11th minute an off the ball incident whilst the players prepared for a free-kick to be delivered saw 19 of the 20 outfield players throwing their handbags around, whilst the Crusaders physio, on the pitch to treat the supposed injured party also getting involved. Three yellow cards dished out and play could resume.
It was a niggly affair with both sides making excessive claims for cards to be dished out regularly but finally the deadlock was broken in the 35th minute when Ronan Hale’s header was saved but Joe Gormley was on hand to scramble the ball home.
The visitors made some tactical changes at half-time and came back into the game in the second period. However, it was against the run of play that Cliftonville doubled their lead in the 68th minute when the Hale brothers combined again for the senior, Rory to poke the ball home from close range.
There was still time for substitute former Brighton & Hove Albion striker Ben Wilson to end his run of four games without a goal when he fired home from a narrow angle with only three minutes remaining. That was my cue to head out and into my waiting taxi for the 15-minute drive back across the city to the airport. So many football fans make the reverse journey every weekend, heading across to Merseyside, Manchester or London to watch a Premier League game, when there’s some decent games played in real historic stadiums on the doorstep in Belfast. Go, even if it is to see the majesty of The Oval, the
The Ball is Round 
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