Carrick Rangers
Encyclopedia
Carrick Rangers is a semi-professional, Northern Irish
football
club playing in the IFA Premiership
. The club, founded in 1939, hails from Carrickfergus
County Antrim
and plays its home matches at Taylors Avenue. Club colours are amber and black. The current manager is Stephen Small who was appointed on 26 April 2006.
Carrick Rangers have two bitter rivals, Larne
and Ballyclare Comrades.
From 1983 until 2003, the club enjoyed senior
status, but reverted to intermediate status when the Irish Premier League
was established and the number of senior clubs was reduced from 20 to 16. The club's greatest achievement was winning the Irish Cup
in 1976, when, as a B Division team they beat Linfield
in the final in one of the greatest cup shocks. Having qualified for the following season's European Cup Winners Cup the club very creditably reached the last 16 before going out 9–3 on aggregate to English club Southampton
.
On 2 May 2011, the club secured a return to top flight football for the first time since the 1994–95 season, after being crowned champions of the 2010–11 IFA Championship 1
.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club playing in the IFA Premiership
IFA Premiership
The IFA Premiership – formerly the Irish Premier League, and before that the Irish Football League–and still known in popular parlance simply as the Irish League, is the national football league in Northern Ireland, and was historically the league for the whole of Ireland. Clubs in the league are...
. The club, founded in 1939, hails from Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus , known locally and colloquially as "Carrick", is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 27,201 at the 2001 Census and takes its name from Fergus Mór mac Eirc, the 6th century king...
County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
and plays its home matches at Taylors Avenue. Club colours are amber and black. The current manager is Stephen Small who was appointed on 26 April 2006.
Carrick Rangers have two bitter rivals, Larne
Larne F.C.
Larne F.C. is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in IFA Championship 1. The club, founded in 1889, hails from Larne and plays its home matches at Inver Park. Club colours are red and white...
and Ballyclare Comrades.
From 1983 until 2003, the club enjoyed senior
Northern Ireland football league system
The Northern Ireland football league system is structured as two series of interconnected football leagues across Northern Ireland.-Structure:...
status, but reverted to intermediate status when the Irish Premier League
IFA Premiership
The IFA Premiership – formerly the Irish Premier League, and before that the Irish Football League–and still known in popular parlance simply as the Irish League, is the national football league in Northern Ireland, and was historically the league for the whole of Ireland. Clubs in the league are...
was established and the number of senior clubs was reduced from 20 to 16. The club's greatest achievement was winning the Irish Cup
Irish Cup
For the equivalent tournament in the Republic of Ireland, see FAI Cup.The Irish Cup is the national cup knock-out competition in Northern Irish football. Inaugurated in 1881, it is the fourth oldest national cup competition in the world...
in 1976, when, as a B Division team they beat Linfield
Linfield F.C.
Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team....
in the final in one of the greatest cup shocks. Having qualified for the following season's European Cup Winners Cup the club very creditably reached the last 16 before going out 9–3 on aggregate to English club Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
.
On 2 May 2011, the club secured a return to top flight football for the first time since the 1994–95 season, after being crowned champions of the 2010–11 IFA Championship 1
2010–11 IFA Championship
-Stadia and locations:-League table:-Results:Each team plays every other team twice for a total of 26 games....
.
Current squad
- As of 9 June 2011.
Intermediate honours
- Irish League B Division/IFA Championship 1: 7
- 1961–62, 1972–73, 1974–75, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1982–83, 2010–11
- Irish Intermediate Cup: 3
- 1975–76, 1976–77, 2010–11
- Daily Mirror Trophy: 1
- 2003–04
- Steel & Sons CupSteel & Sons CupThe Steel & Sons Cup is an intermediate football competition in Northern Ireland run by the North East Ulster Football Association . The competition culminates in the final which has traditionally been played on Christmas Day...
: 2- 1961–62, 1967–68
- Louis Moore Cup: 2
- 1963–64, 1969–70
- Northern Amateur Football LeagueNorthern Amateur Football LeagueThe Northern Amateur Football League, also known as the Northern Amateur League and often simply as the Amateur League, is an association football league in Northern Ireland. It contains 13 divisions...
: 2- 1948–49, 1951–52
Junior honours
- Minor League: 1
- 1941–42
- County Antrim Junior Shield: 1
- 1941–42