Building a Nation: Northern Ireland

I've made my decision @r96Skinner and I'm hoping it's one I don't regret come the end of the season.


As I headed into my third season at Bangor Fuels Arena I had a huge decision to make - do I remain at Bangor and possibly have a struggling campaign at the North Down club or do I jump ship, head to Linfield and possibly try and dominate the local game for a few seasons at least? Well, my decision has been made and I'm hoping when all the smoke "clears" then it's a decision I won't regret.


Yes I've turned down the chance to manage Linfield, arguably the biggest club in the division even if they haven't won the league for the past two seasons. Their current first team squad was too small for my liking and would've needed immediate work even though they offered me a substantial transfer and wage budget. I was flattered but my decision was made.


Just the one signing ended up being made as I didn't want to overly change the entire squad following the unlikely promotion to the top flight and we welcomed young central midfielder Keith Jennings to the club as he arrived from Newington but I was cheesed off when star shot stopper John Kelly went to Dungannon for free, I was "helpless" as I wouldn't sign a new deal.


With just one signing made and one departure this transfer window (thus far) it seems almost pointless doing the squad report as the squad hasn't drastically changed. Just like the last two seasons the back four is going to be remaining the same while I'm going to try and "phase" Andy Long out of the first team since he's a regressing and b doesn't help he's thirty-two. I'm hoping Sean Curran can continue his fine form from last season but no doubt it's going to be difficult.


On the field, preseason went pretty decently as seven games ended up getting played and we won four, drew one and lost twice. Our wins cam all away from home against Comber Rec (3-0), Bangor Young Men (3-0), Rosario (2-0) and Bessbrook United (3-2) while a draw (1-1) happened against Carryduff and our two defeats came against Manchester City U23's side and Holywood.

For the first time since 2008, Bangor Football Club are once again in amongst the elite of the Northern Irish game and I'm not stupid enough to think this forthcoming campaign is going to be an easy one - we are predicted to finish second bottom (Championship champions Dergview are predicted to finish bottom) but I'd be "over the moon" with a tenth place finish, I just want to survive this campaign and then hopefully start building.


Once again we have done reasonably well in the cup competitions and it's a welcome change that we don't need to worry about either the Steel & Sons or Intermediate Cup for at least a season. For the second campaign running we have a chance of winning the League Cup - Linfield beat us one nil in last years final when we were a Championship club, this season we'll face Glenavon. Our run in the Co. Antrim Shield ended in the semi final stage after Linfield edged a seven goal thriller and bottom of the Premiership Dergview awaits us in the fifth round of the Irish Cup.


To say life in the Premiership, for the first time in twelve years has been tough is an understatement and I sure as hell don't like all those red dots but barring the six two home defeat to Ballymena and away defeat to Portadown we haven't been duffed on the scoreline which is decent I suppose. Our league campaign began with an excellent four two win at home to Portadown but then it went downhill. The calendar year has ended with just two league wins out of the previous eleven as Portadown and Dergview were defeated, Coleraine should've been beaten too but despite the hosts being down to ten men, they defended like f**k and "earned" a point.


And we will head into the final 15 league games looking to avoid relegation and an immediate return to hell Championship football but I'm confident enough, with a twenty one point lead currently. we'll be able to avoid bottom spot and the "wooden spoon". Bangor currently have a ten point advantage over Warrenpoint Town who currently occupy the relegation/promotion play-off spot but there's still twists and turns and we are struggling not to concede hence the =11 goal difference. Seven wins, four draws and twelve defeats is the record from our opening twenty three league games.

I really like this concept mate. This is a really good read and all the best with the challenge.

Cheers for the comment @Fola, really appreciate it. It's quite the difficult challenge but something I like now and again.


As predicted, this season has been a tough one to date and I'm sure it'll continue to be tough but I DO NOT regret turning down the chance to manage Linfield. As we head into twenty twenty one, we are down in tenth place but ten points clear of our relegation 'rivals' Warrenpoint who currently occupy the relegation/promotion spot with Dergview bottom so barring a complete disaster, I'd like to think we're safe.


Yet again it turned out to be heartbreak in the League Cup final as fellow Premiership side Glenavon defeated us on penalties following a three all draw at a netural venue while our run in this seasons Irish Cup concluded with a semi final exit against Coleraine - we had beaten Premiership sides Dergview and Warrenpoint Town along with amateur league side Immaculata in the previous rounds.


And just like the first part of the Premiership campaign, the second part proved just as difficult despite beginning with an excellent 5-2 away success at title chasing (yes, that does sound weird) Dungannon Swifts but then back-to-back defeats followed before back-to-back victories. The league campaign "signed off" with three wins from the last ten games, including two 4-0 wins against Ballymena and Warrenpoint.


When it was all set and done, I'm delighted that we will be a Premiership club next season as we ended the 2020/21 campaign in tenth place and twelve points clear of second bottom Warrenpoint Town who have to deal with the relegation/promotion playoff. The big surprise is that Dungannon, predicted to finish fourth, ended up as champions and will be in next seasons Champions League. It ended up being an immediate return to the Championship for Dergview as they finished bottom.

Great first season in the top division, well clear of the drop! Massive points and goal difference between you and Derview.

A great first season in the top tier mate, keep it going!

Yeah it was sure a contrast but then again, there's perhaps a reason why Dergview were predicted to finish 11th in the Championship the season they won the title @Sean_, they simply weren't good enough.

Cheers @Dan I'm delighted we survived and now it's all about progression.


Last season we survived in the top flight of Northern Irish football which I was absolutely delighted with and now it's all about progression until I feel that it's time to move on in football management. It ended up being a tenth place finish in the 2020/21 campaign and if I was able to guide the club to a ninth place finish this season, well, I'd be satisfied enough with that.


I ended up making four signings for the forthcoming season as I look to continue the hard work I have started at Bangor as I've enjoyed the past three seasons. Our first signing was centre back Aaron Donnelly who joined from Limavady United and will be solid back-up to begin with, left back Dean Curry arrived from Knockbreda and will be my starting left back, Danny McKee who is a striker came in after Institute released him while our final signing (to date) saw central midfielder Luke Byrne came on a free following his release from Championship club Ballinamallard.


It's a slow enough progress but the squad is still continuing to take shape. We currently have three 'keepers, two of which as quite young but they look promising, we have five centre backs, two right backs, two left backs, six central midfielders, three right wingers, three left wingers, one attacking midfielder and four strikers. I'm contemplating letting two or three players drop down to the reserve team, or releasing them as the squad is quite big for a Northern Irish club who aren't in European competition . . . yet.


And I can't fault at how our preseason preperations went although we didn't play any "big" clubs as eight games were played - two at home and five on our travels. Our five away trips saw us beat Ballymoney 3-1, Bangor Young Men 2-0, Barn United 2-0, Annagh United 3-1, Groomsport 3-0 and draw 1-1 against Ards Rangers while our two home games saw successes against Santos Belfast 5-3 and Rosemount Rec 1-0. I'm still expecting us to have a tough, tough campaign.

You've got a young squad here chum so hopefully a few seasons together and it'll be one of the tougher ones in the league as they get better with age!

Dungannon Swifts won the NI league? That's a first!

And that's perhaps the main problem @Dan, can I keep them all together or will they eventually want to move onto a bigger club? Of course it's never going to be an overnight success but I'd love at least a ninth place finish as that would equal slight progression.

Don't worry @DNZY the Dungannon fans were probably more surprised than yourself.


As we embark on my second season in the Premiership and my fourth overall at Bangor there's no doubt that this is going to another tough campaign ahead as the club are predicted by the media to finish in twelfth place, that's correct ROCK BOTTOM and relegation to the Championship is expected but not by me as I feel the squad is too good (as seen last season's tenth place finish) to be relegated.


It's been a little disappointing on the cup run if you make out the Co. Antrim Shield although defeat to Championship outfit Queens University Belfast, who then went on to beat Glentoran on penalties in the final was a downer nonetheless. It turned out to be an early exit from the League Cup this season as fellow Premiership side Glentoran won 2-0 at The Oval while we'll be looking for some Irish Cup progression as we welcome non-league side Comber Rec to the Bangor Fuels Arena in the fifth round.


And once again we've found life in the Premiership to be a difficult one as we've been shipping goals at an alarming rate and at one stage also went three straight games without scoring a goal - those defeats came against Glenavon, Linfield and Ballymena - but the side did score for the first time in what felt ages against Crusaders. Our best result in the first part of the league campaign would've been the 5-2 success at home to Glenavon in which we led 4-0 after something stupid like eleven minutes while the end of twenty twenty one ended with a two one defeat against last seasons champions Dungannon but we played well and perhaps deserve a point.


Heading into twenty twenty two we find ourselves in ninth place but the bottom four positions is very tight we only six points separate ourselves and bottom of the table Warrenpoint and we happen to travel there for our next league fixtures so it's a massive six pointer and we must win. Cliftonville are lying top of the table and six points ahead of Dungannon who won the league last season as you all remember.

Damn form really doesnt look great at the moment @Shedender hopefully you can turn it around second half of the season

We have managed to regress slightly this season @Dan which is a little concerning, just hope we can survive though.


It's been a very tough campaign thus far, even tougher than last season which is a little annoying even though we're a positon higher and the midpoint of the campaign than last season but fourteen defeats from twenty two games isn't ideal. The second part of the twenty twenty one twenty twenty two season is upon us and the form needs to pick up or else relegation is a massive possibility.



So whenever the new year came around we found ourselves left in just the one cup competition and that was the Irish Cup but unfortunately that run came to an end this season at the quarter final stage as Linfield easily beat us four one at home while in the previous two rounds, also at Bangor Fuels Arena, we beat amateur league sides Comber Rec and Dromara both by three goals to one.


The second part of the season turned out to be just as bad as the first as the club recorded just two more league wins as both Warrenpoint and Glenavon were defeated and the game against the Lurgan Blues would be the final time the club would record maximum points as Bangor then went on a thirteen game win-less run as the season concluded with a "winner takes all" match away to Carrick which we lost 3-0.


And that meant when the smoke cleared the season concluded we finished in eleventh place, one position lower than last season but this season the club completely regressed which cheesed it off massively. The eleventh place finish means we have to face a team in the Championship in a relegation/promotion playoff in a "get out of jail" card but when you lose twenty five league games, you deserve to be relegated from any division.


Oh dear, barring a miracle our time in the Premiership is coming to an end as Championship side Ballinamallard eased to a three goals to nil victory which annoyed me massively as Steven Gracey's brace and Nathan Jones' goal just before the interval ensured first leg success for the Mallards and we will need to win the second leg by four clear goals OR MORE to ensure our Premiership place for next season - can we do it?


No we can't and sadly I've managed to get my beloved Bangor side relegation and I'm absolutely gutted but it was always going to be an uphill task after that forgettable first leg defeat in Fermanagh. We fell behind on the night which made the tough task even tougher but we won the second leg three goals as a late Sean Curran brace helped but it's relegation and Championship football for the Seasiders next season. Gutted.

Its a shame your hard work is undone with an unfortunate relegation, second season syndrome I'd say! Hard luck pal, rebuild and go again!

Oh indeed @Dan but it's now important we try and make an immediate return to the Premiership and no doubt the pressure will be on.


With relegation confirmed at the back end of last season following a disappointing relegation/promotion playoff defeat at the hands of Ballinamallard United it's very important we try and maintain the squad in an attempt to make an immediate return to the Premiership and this squad no doubt has incredible young talent in the ranks. The pressure is on though as the board expect a second place finish on our return to the Championship while they don't consider either the Steel & Sons or Intermediate Cup to be important but I'd love to win the Steel & Sons Cup as it's one trophy I've failed to win previously.


On our return to the Championship I've ended up making just the three signings as I managed to keep the majority of the squad that got relegated together but some will leave IF we fail to get promotion. I've brought in left back Gary Robinson from Premier Intermediate League side Malachians, attacking midfielder Andy Ward from Dundela and centre back Mark McCartney arrived from Donegal Celtic. I decided to release Stefan McMaster, Luke Murtagh and Matt Lowe as they'll never really play in the first team while Bangor legend Andy Long decided to hang up his boots and although I'd love to get him on the coaching staff, I simply cannot afford his wages at present.


With twenty goals scored in twenty six games the last time we were in the Championship, star striker Sean Curran will once again be the key part of the team while I'm hoping Danny McKee can bag more than the two goals he did last season from the position of just behind the lone striker (he's currently being trained there) - centre backs Aaron Donnelly and Neil Marshall while centre midfielders Keith Jennings and Luke Byrne and wingers Darren Henry and Kieran Meade will be also key players throughout the campaign. I'm hoping Jonathan McDowell can continue to progress between the sticks.


And finally on the field we had quite a good preseason if you can ignore the defeat to Bournemouth Under 23's and the draw away to Orangefield although we could've and perhaps should've won the latter. Although we didn't really play any 'massive' clubs from our country, I'm pleased enough we managed to keep four clean sheets from our seven games that ended up being arranged.

A season in the lower division might be what the team needs. Better chance to develop the younger players and get moral up.

Relegation was hard to take @Sean_ but deserved as we were woeful last season and simply conceded too many goals but we'll be back.


With the club sadly back in the Championship, the second tier of Northern Irish football, this season the pressure will be on us as the chairman expects an immediate return to the Premiership and whether that's via league success or the playoff system, well, he doesn't give a monkeys. The best news throughout the summer is we managed to keep the majority of the squad that got us relegated so they can help us make a potential promotion push.


We haven't done terribly in the cup competitions this season if we can ignore our short run in the Intermediate Cup and that forgettable defeat to non-league side Carnlough. When you're missing three key players due to international duty (including first choice 'keeper) for a CAS trip to Premiership side Cliftonville, well you don't really stand a chance and we lost six one while the same team beat us at the quarter final stage of the League Cup. We will travel to fellow Championship side Donegal Celtic while we once again failed to win the Steel & Sons Cup, losing on penalties to Knockbreda following a scoreless draw but when you see the stats you will need to question how we lost.


I mean really, how the hell did we end up losing the S&S Cup final on penalties? We had a goal chalked off when it shouldn't have been but that's just an excuse as we had plenty of other opportunities.


But our league form has been top notch and the players seem to be eager to make a return to the Premiership as the side have lost just the once, crashing 4-1 away to Warrenpoint but we had ten men at nil each but we have had a little blip (even though we haven't been losing) as w e have picked up just one win from our last four league games and at times, when not playing overly well, been stealing points - the sign of champions or just a lucky side this season?


And with just eleven league games remaining it's our league title to lose as we've an eleven point gap from second placed Harland & Wolff Welders and third placed Limavady.

Probably expected, but a superb return to the Championship and looks like an imminent return to top flight football. Hate those stats for the final! Haven't we all had those matches

An immediate return is looking good thus far @Dan but it's also important that we don't get compliant. Whether we secure promotion or not, I don't know whether I'm going to head 'pastures new' in the summer or not.


Even though I never wanted to be back in this hell hole league, we are and it's up to me to ensure it's a one season jobby in the Championship and things have been looking rosy so far as we are eleven points clear at the top with eleven league games remaining while we've only got the minimum of one Irish Cup game to play as well.



And speaking of the Irish Cup, our run in this seasons competition ended at the sixth round stage at the hands of fellow Championship (and relegated last season) side Warrenpoint Town who defeated us two one at Milltown while the side recorded a convincing three goals to nil victory in the previous round against another Championship side in Donegal Celtic at Donegal Celtic Park. On the team that dumped us out, 'point made the final, losing to Glentoran 4-3.


The second part of the league campaign turned out to be a mixed bag which was a little annoying as the side won just six of the final eleven Championship fixtures - drawing three (all one apiece) and losing two (both two nil) but I wasn't concerened as I'm sure the league title was heading to Bangor Fuels Arena and an immediate return to the top flight. The campaign ended with back-to-back 1-1 draws away to Institute and home to Limavady in which we played well in both games but just couldn't keep the lead/find a winner.


But we are back in the Premiership at the first time of asking and that's the only thing that was important to us as I would've risked being sacked if we had failed. The club finished seven points ahead of runners-up Harland & Wolff Welders who will face Warrenpoint in a two-legged playoff, the winner of that will face Ballinamallard in a relegation/promotion playoff. Sean Curran was once again excellent in the second tier and beat us previous record (was twenty goals) as he bagged twenty one times. Dundela ended up being relegated, as did Moyola who lost a relegation/promotion playoff to Premier Intermediate League runners-up Dunloy.

We are back in the Premiership after just one season away and I'm hoping this season will be better than the last top flight season when unfortunately we ended up being relegated, losing in the relegation/promotion playoff which was hard to take. The media have us predicted to finish in tenth place and I'd be happy with that if we can cut out our inconsistency from the last time.


I ended up bringing in four players but I did find it (at times) hard to find "quality". Shot stopper Johnny McCullough and centre midfielder Niall Hanna had agreed pre-contracts from both Donegal Celtic and Limavady United respectively while Josh McCarten comes in from Albert Foundry and Richard Wallace arrives from Dergview. I decided to release Ciaran Doherty, Eugene Ferry, Matthew Dempster, Gerard McMullan, John Clarke and Aaron Dalzell whenever their contracts had expired while Neil McMinn went to Institute on a free.


And this is the current first team squad ahead of our Premiership return and there hasn't been much change and just like last season and the previous one/two Sean Curran will be key to whether we survive our not as he's our goalscorer while I'm hoping Keith Jennings/Luke Byrne can help be create (if they can stay fit, not always get suspended) while the wingers Josh McCarten/Darren Henry and Kieran Meade/Philip Tuffey will also be crucial towards our potential success and Andy Ward, in that attacking midfield position, needs to bag more goals.


Our preseason wasn't terrible as eight games ended up being played and our three defeats came at home to much superior opposition as Bradford, Huddersfield and Rotherham beat us while the side drew at home to Holywood - our four wins came against Bayern Money, Bangor Young Men, Oxford Sunnyside and Bangor Swifts. I couldn't have asked for a tougher start to the league campaign as we travel to Linfield.

Well done on a dominant season last time around mate, looked plain sailing as expected. Hopefully now you can press on and begin to make a name for the club in the top tier, third time of asking.

No new kits for the season?

Bayern Money?! That's actually a team?

I suppose we'll see what happens this season @Dan but I cannot afford another relegation back to the Championship and will need to ensure that doesn't happen. Nah, I've decided to keep the same kits as last season to a) make it realistic and b some/most smaller Irish League teams don't change their kits every season.

They are indeed @DNZY the club play in the Northern Irish Ballymena SM Division Three although I don't know if they either exist in real life or are still going.


We are back amongst the Northern Irish elite after just one season in the Championship and although it's good to be back I can guarantee this season is going to be another tough one and we are predicted to finish the campaign in tenth place so the pressure is on to avoid not just automatic relegation but the relegation/promotion playoff against either the second or third placed club in the Championship.


It's been a mixed bag in this season cup competitions. Our run in the Co. Antrim Shield ended at the quarter final stage as Cliftonville won an eight goal thriller at Bangor Fuels Arena while Glenavon ended our hopes in the League Cup, winning four one at Mourneview Park and then we will face Championship side Warrenpoint at home which will be very tough and a potential banana skin.


The return to the Premiership has been a lot more enjoyable than two seasons ago even though we've still been inconsistent and on our return to the top flight they could've gave us an 'easier' game than Linfield away who then ultimately beat us three one. At one stage of the first part of the campaign we suffered four straight defeats while the calendar year ended with four games without a win - two draws and two defeats but we did end our losing streak against Cliftonville, drawing nil each.


And with fifteen league games remaining the side will return in the New Year lying up in seventh position as twenty three games have been played - our record is eight wins (we won just eight games the last time in the Premiership, so barring a complete disaster, that'll be beaten), four draws and eleven defeats with a minus five goal difference and we're on twenty eight points currently. It's been a mixed bag. I'm expecting our star striker Sean Curran to become our all-time record goalscorer, he needs just three goals.

Form isn't that bad on your return to the top flight fella, strong second half and you can begin to plan for next season remaining here.

I agree @Dan that the form at this stage of the campaign is a lot better than it was the last time we were in the Premiership but it's important it's maintained because I do not want to be relegated for a second time.


Once again life in the Premiership has been tough but a lot more enjoyable than two seasons ago which as everyone knows ended in relegation back to the Championship and that better not happen this time around but we've already equaled our win total from that season iirc as we picked up eight wins in the first part of the campaign and are currently seventh - can we get "over the line" and survive?


Wow. I'm shocked to announce that we have won the Irish Cup following an undeserved three one victory over Linfield but whether that means we'll be in Europe next season remains to be seen but I doubt it. I'm stunned we won the competition because our route to the final wasn't exactly easy as we had to beat Championship side Warrenpoint, fellow Premiership duo Dungannon Swifts and Glenavon and then another Championship side in Institute at the semi final stage before our success over the Blues in the final.


Oh deary me, I don't know what's happened in the second part of the campaign but our form ended up being dreadful as my Bangor side won just four of the remaining fifteen league games and that simply isn't acceptable and makes our Irish Cup success make no sense. Sean Curran became our all-time leading scorer when he bagged a treble against Ballinamallard but then didn't score a league goal for like a decade afterwards. Our league campaign ended up two perhaps undeserved defeats away to Crusaders and "away" to fierce rivals Ards.


It went down to goal difference in the end and because ours was terrible compared to both Glentoran and Crusaders its ourselves who have ended in the dreaded relegation/promotion playoff spot in which we will face H&W Welders over two legs but based on our current form, we deserved automatic relegation and if Ballinamallard had won just one more game then it would've happened and I wouldn't have complained.


Our first leg against Harland & Wolff Welders at Tillysburn Park in the relegation/promotion playoff we had to come from two goals down to salvage a draw. Goals from Jay Magee and Ryan Deans early in either half had given the Championship side a two goal lead but a brace from our left winger Kieran Meade salvaged a draw.


Well, that was a vicious kick in the proverbial nuts as it's an immediate return to Championship football as we've been relegated and once again I've devastated because just look at how late the Welders goal came, in the second minute of stoppage time at the end of the game Elliot English struck and has relegated us back to the second tier. I don't know how I stay on as manager but if no decent job (a newly promoted club I can build) becomes available then I'll need to stay put.

Umm, what on earth happened to that early season form! Shocker to have been relegated after that

So if you'd drawn one of the games, you would have stayed up? Hopefully you can bounce back up next year. Also, how do you get through seasons so fast? I can't believe you've done 8 seasons already!

I've no idea @Dan but it upset me man!

That's correct @Parker26 but unfortunately that didn't happen. The seasons in the PIL (third tier) were quite short once I got past the midseason part but in reality, I don't have much of a life.


So once again we have been relegated back to the Championship and it cheesed me off as we shouldn't have even been in the position in the first place but c'est le vie, it's happened and it's also important we make a second immediate return to the Premiership.


I've ended up bringing in four players this summer in an attempt to make an immediate return to the top flight and it better happen or else around four star players including Sean Curran will leave as they've demanded one season in the second tier. I've brought in Daryl Earley on loan from Linfield, Ian Lafferty has come in from Nortel while both Philip King and Aaron McGuinness have signed from "unattached". Centre back duo Kyle Crawford and Michael Edgar have been released as they both refused new deals due to being unhappy because of lack of first team football.


This is the squad that'll see us make a straight return to the Premiership, or so I'm hoping. I'm a little annoyed we'll need to kick off the campaign without Sean Curran since he unfortunately got injured in a preseason friendly and I still don't know whether I'm going to start Danny McKee or Ian Lafferty. I'm once again expecting "big" things from our wingers Darren Henry and Kieran Meade as I've been disappointed with them at times last season. We've a solid back four and decent shot stopper although could easier be better too.


Thought preseason went quite well as the side suffered just one defeat from the eight friendlies that ended up being arranged and that came against Arsenal U23's at home while the side won their other two home friendlies against Scottish side Edinburgh City and Abbey Villa. Our five preseason trips saw us beat Bangor Young Men, Lurgan Town, Killyleagh (sorry @DNZY), Bessbrook United while the side drew against Immaculata.

Becoming a real yo-yo club here, will be good for the development of the younger players though I suppose.

What an absolute shocker of an away kit, I can confirm I will not be buying one this year

It's okay, it's only a friendly. As if you'd beat them competitively.