CALL FOR MUFA LEGACY PROJECT WRITER
As the Mid Ulster Football Association is now well into its second century from formation in 1887, the Association is now embarking with the support of its sponsor partner Euro-Electrix on a desire to record its long history through the MUFA Legacy Project.
The MUFA story officially starts with its 1887 formation, including the playing of the Mid Ulster Cup, the oldest Divisional Cup in local football. The story continues (and we trust beyond) right up to the challenging years of Covid-19, where in 2020-21 pandemic year we were the only body to have Cups played safely to a conclusion, right across Youth, Junior, Intermediate and Senior levels - a Legacy in itself.
The MUFA has an outline of its history plotted. We now want to record this more formally. We wish to draw out the stories of the many characters in Mid Ulster football, including from Armagh’s William McCrum inventing the penalty kick in 1890, to Newry’s world class goalkeeper Pat Jennings in the 1960s & 1970s, and to Cookstown’s international stars Simone Magill and Stuart Dallas of recent years, in order to provide a Legacy to inspire the local football community going forward, right from the youngest boy or girl.
We have written material and photographs available, as well as some support and guidance offered from the historical department in ABC Council.
The MUFA calls for an MUFA Legacy Project Writer, be it a local writer, amateur or professional, or student who could possibly double up to use as material for his or her own studies, or perhaps there is someone else out there? This could be an opportunity perhaps for a student needing a project to further his or her studies, or maybe a local writer with an interest in the subject. We are open on how the Legacy would be recorded, perhaps starting out on our website before maybe later going into some form of print and publication.
The MUFA would encourage and welcome anyone interested to now get in touch with us.
We could also look at some form of reimbursement for time and effort.
MUFA Legacy Project
1887
MUFA, FORMED 2ND APRIL 1887
- 1887-1888, First & oldest div 1 cup, M-U Cup (Senior), won by Milford
- 1891-1892, First provincial team to win IFA Junior Cup, Newry Wdrs
- 1897-1898, IFA Junior Cup won by Glenavon
- 1898-1899, IFA Junior Cup won by Portadown
1900
- 1907-1908, First provincial team to win IFA Intermediate Cup, Glenavon
- 1909-1910, First Mid-Ulster Shield (Junior) won by Glenavon Res
- 1910-1911, IFA Intermediate Cup won by Glenavon
- MID-ULSTER SUCCESS IN JUNIOR CUP
- 1930-1931, IFA Junior Cup won by Bessbrook
- 1933-1934, IFA Intermediate Cup won by Sunnyside
- 1935-1936, IFA Junior Cup won by Lurgan Rangers
- 1937-1938, IFA Junior Cup won by Lurgan Rangers
- 1944-1945, IFA Junior Cup won by Bessbrook Strollers
- 1945-1946, IFA Junior Cup won by Lurgan Boys Club
- 1946-1947, IFA Junior Cup won by Armagh Whites
1950
- GLENAVON DOMINATE IN SENIOR FOOTBALL
- 1951-1952, First provincial team to win IFA Senior League, Glenavon
- 1955-1956, IFA Intermediate League won by Banbridge Town
- 1956-1957, First provincial team to win IFA Senior Double, Glenavon and first team to have won all 3 IFA Cups, Glenavon
- 1957-1958, First Irish League club to play in European Cup, Glenavon
- 1958, Wilbur Cush, ever present, NI World Cup Quarter Finalist
- 1958-1959, IFA Senior & Intermediate Cups won by Glenavon & Newry T/C
- JENNINGS ARRIVES
- 1959-1960, IFA Senior & Intermediate Leagues won by Glenavon & Newry T/C
- 1960-1961, IFA Senior Cup won by Glenavon
- 1961-1962, IFA Junior Cup won by Newry Utd
- 1962-1963, First provincial team to win All Ireland Cup, Glenavon
- 1964, Pat Jennings OBE (& George Best), debut for NI, 3-2 win
- 1966-1967, IFA Intermediate Cup won by Newry T/C
- JENNINGS STARS
- 1970-1971, IFA Youth Cup won by Sunnyside Crus
- 1972, Pat Jennings OBE, UEFA Cup Winner with Tottenham
- 1973, Pat Jennings OBE, FWA Footballer of the Year, England
- 1973-1974, All Ireland Cup won by Portadown
1975
- 1975-1976, IFA Youth Cup won by Sunnyside Crus
- 1976, Pat Jennings, PFA Footballer of Year, England, only gk & NI player
- 1977-1978, IFA Intermediate Cup won by Dungannon Swifts
- 1978-1979, First MUFA Radcliffe Cup (Intermediate) won by Newry T/C
- OXFORD UTD DOMINATE IN JUNIOR CUP
- 1980, IFA Youth Cup won by Portadown III
- 1980-1981, IFA Intermediate Double won by Newry T/C
- 1981-1982, IFA Junior Cup won by Oxford Utd
- 1982, Pat Jennings OBE, NI World Cup Quarter Finalist
- 1983-1984, IFA Junior Cup won by Oxford Utd
- 1985-1986, IFA Intermediate Cup won by Banbridge Town
- 1986, Pat Jennings OBE, ever present for NI in World Cup Fnls and Record 119 NI caps
- 1987-1988, IFA Junior Cup won by Oxford Utd
- 1988-1989, First team to win 4 IFA Junior Cups, Oxford Utd
- PORTADOWN & LOUGHGALL DOMINATE
- 1989-1990, IFA Senior League won by Portadown
- 1990-1991, All 7 IFA Senior Trophies won by Portadown & Glenavon including IFA Senior Double won by Portadown
- IFA Junior Cup won by Lurgan Celtic
- 1991-1992, IFA Senior & Intermediate Cups won by Glenavon & Dungannon Swifts
- IFA Youth Cup won by Portadown III
- 1992-1993, First team to win 5 IFA Junior Cups, Oxford Utd
- 1994-1995, First team to win 6 IFA Junior Cups, Oxford Utd
- IFA Intermediate League won by Loughgall
- 1995, Ivan Marshall, IFA Vice President until death in 2003
- 1995-1996, IFA Senior & Intermediate Leagues won by Portadown & Loughgall
- IFA Junior Cup won by Hill Street
- 1996-1997, IFA Senior Cup & Intermediate League won by Glenavon & Loughgall
- 1997-1998, Record equalling 4 in a row IFA Intermediate Leagues, Loughgall and IFA Intermediate Double won by Loughgall
- IFA Senior League, Tier 2, won by Newry T/C
- First team to win record 7 IFA Junior Cups, Oxford Utd
- RISING M-U INTERMEDIATE SUCCESS
2000
- 2001-2002, First provincial team to win 4 IFA Senior Leagues, Portadown
- 2002, Aaron Hughes, appointed captain, regular until 2011
- 2002-2003, IFA Senior League, Tier 2, won by Dungannon Swifts
- IFA Junior Cup won by Windmill Stars
- 2003, Neil Lennon, UEFA Cup Finalist with Glasgow Celtic
- 2003-2004, IFA Inter League, Tier 1 & 2, won by Loughgall & Coagh United
- 2004-2005, All 3 IFA Cups won by Portadown, Glenavon & Hill Street
- IFA Intermediate League won by Armagh City
- 2005-2006, IFA Junior Cup won by Derryhirk Utd
- 2007-2008, Record equalling 2nd IFA Inter Double, Loughgall
- 2008-2009, IFA Intermediate League won by Portadown
- 2009-2010, IFA Intermediate League won by Loughgall
- 2010-2011, IFA Intermediate League, Tier 2, won by Warrenpoint Town
- 2011-2012, IFA Youth Cup won by Glenavon III
- IFA Intermediate League, Tier 2, won by Coagh United
- IFA Intermediate Cup won by Newry C/T
- IFA Youth Cup won by Armagh City Youth