Crusaders (Northern Ireland)

Crusaders FC is a semi-professional football club who hail from North Belfast in Northern Ireland having been formed in 1898. It is believed that the meeting was held in the house of original committee member, Thomas Palmer.

Many various names were suggested for the new club including Rowan Star, Cultra United, Queen's Rovers, Mervue Wanderers, and the Lilliputians. Committee man, Thomas Wade, suggested Crusaders, and this was agreed upon.

Crusaders started out life with junior affiliation as a new club. The team went on to become champions of the Irish Junior Alliance First Division in 1915-16, 1916-17 and 1917-18 before full senior status was awarded.

'The Hatchetmen' or 'Crues' then played intermediate football for many years, much to the clubs’ frustration who wanted to join the Irish League. It was even suggested that the club considered applying to the League of Ireland and the Scottish League.

Early venues included the Glen, which would later become part of Alexandra Park, Cavehill Road, Simpson's Boiler Fields, Shore Road, opposite the Grove park, and Rokeby Park until Seaview was opened in 1921.

Crusaders went on to win the Irish Intermediate League title on nine occasions starting in 1922-23, in a decade that would bring further competition triumphs in 1922-23, 1925-26, 1926-27 and 1928-29.

The 1930’s were also a happy time for the club with Intermediate League titles following in 1930-31, 1932-33, 1937-38 and 1938-39. War halted proceedings before the Hatched Men added the 1948-49 championship at an opportune time.

Admission to the Irish League was eventually granted in 1950 after Belfast Celtic’s dramatic withdrawal at the end of the 1948-49 season. The club struggled initially before stability was found, which in turn brought success in the Irish Cup.

Jimmy Murdough led the team to third place in the Irish League in 1963-64 before Glentoran were defeated 3-1 in the 1966-67 final under manager Ted Smyth before Crues returned the following season to defeat Linfield 2-0 when Jimmy Todd had taken over team affairs.

Billy Johnston was appointed as Crusaders manager in 1971 leading his side to the Irish League title in 1972-73 prior to a third place finish twelve months later. A second national championship followed in 1975-76.

The second of the title wins resulted in a couple of unforgettable European Cup matches with Liverpool which saw Crues fall to the might of Keegan, Toshack, and the gang at Anfield by just 2-0. The home leg was played before a packed crowd that would certainly not be allowed nowadays under the health and safety regulations.

The successes were not capitalised upon and it took the appointment of player Roy Walker as manager for more honours to grace the Seaview trophy cabinet. Two more Championships were won in the 90’s. Sadly Walker resigned just before the clubs centenary dinner at Belfast City Hall in July 1998.

It was apparent that money at the club was tight. Crusaders have always been the domain of working class men who elect their committee from the members. In 2002 a vote was held to see if the members wished to change the clubs constitution. This was turned down to withhold tradition.

The title resulted in a couple of unforgettable European Cup matches with Liverpool which saw Crues fall to the might of Keegan, Toshack, and the gang at Anfield by just 2-0. The home leg was played before a packed crowd that would certainly not be allowed nowadays under the health and safety regulations.

Ronnie McAteer put away the goals as a succession of managers followed Johnston’s departure to Ballymena United in 1977 but the previous triumphs were not capitalised upon. Ian Russell led the team to the 1979-80 Irish Cup final where Crues went down 2-0 to Linfield.

Crusaders reached the inaugural League Cup final in 1986-87, going down 2-1 to Linfield. It took the appointment of player Roy Walker as manager in 1989 for more honours to grace the Seaview trophy cabinet. A third Irish League title was lifted in 1994-95.

A year later Crues went down 2-1 in the League Cup final to Portadown before returning in 1996-97 when a solitary Padraig Dully goal was enough to see off Glentoran. The same campaign saw the Premier League title lifted at Seaview after the competition had split into two divisions.

Sadly, Walker stunned Crusaders fans and the club by resigning just before the centenary dinner at Belfast City Hall in July 1998. It was apparent that money at the club was tight. Crusaders had always been the domain of working-class men who elect their committee from the members.

Aaron Callaghan took the team to a league third place in 1998-99 before spells as manager from Martin Murray, Gary McCartney while in 2002 a vote was held to see if the members wished to change the club constitution. This was turned down to withhold tradition.

The tight finances inevitably affected playing performances as the club were relegated for the first ever time in 2004-05 under manager Alan Dornan who ended his three year term at Seaview. The appointment of former striker Stephen Baxter would revolutionise the club.

The team bounced straight back up the following season as First Division champions before consolidating in the Premier League. Crusaders were losing finalists in the 2007-08 League Cup, being defeated 3-2 by Linfield.

A goal from Mark Dickson helped Crues to a 1-0 victory over Cliftonville in the 2008-09 Irish Cup final, prior to the club replacing the Seaview pitch with an artificial surface. Plans were made to move to a new stadium at Duncrue by the docks until EU funding was rejected.

To see the glorious day at Windsor Park against Cliftonville, click here. 

The team ended as league runners-up in 2010-11 which led to Europa League football, as the club was rewarded with a tie with Fulham who won through 7-1 on aggregate on their way to the final. Consolation came when the League Cup was lifted with a 1-0 win over Coleraine in Ballymena.

Crusaders had reached consecutive Irish Cup finals at Windsor Park in the same period both against Linfield. In 2010-11 the Blues won 2-1 with Declan Caddell netting the consolation. Twelve months later the team lost 4-1 as Colin Coates scored the Hatchet Men goal.

The finances from the Europa League games helped the club to erect two new stands at Seaview. Both ends were fitted with identical covered seated stands accommodating over 600 fans. The Vincent Street Stand also had seats fitted on the old terracing.

Crues won the 2012 Setanta Cup, played for by the best sides north and south of the border when Derry City were defeated. In 2012-13 the team went down 4-0 in the League Cup Final to Cliftonville. The same two sides competed in the 2013-14 final when Crusaders went down in a penalty shoot-out.

In the 2014-15 season the Hatchetmen gained their first ever aggregate win in European competition when they defeated FK Ekranas of Lithuania before bowing out in the next round to Brommapojkarna.

The team went on to lift the Premiership title of 2014-15 with the goals of Paul Heatley and Declan Caddell helping along the way. Crusaders retained the league title for the first time in their history in the 2015-16 season.

Baxter’s side couldn’t quite make it three in a row as they finished as runners-up in 2016-17. However, they weren’t to be denied their seventh league title for long as they were crowned as NIFL Premiership champions in 2017-18.

Goals from Jordan Owens, Philip Lowry and Ross Clarke helped Crusaders to a 3-0 victory against Ballinamallard United in the 2018-19 Irish Cup final. Jamie McGonigle led the scoring in the truncated 2019-20 campaign when play was halted owing to the COVID-19 pandemic with Crues finishing in third place.

Crusaders FC will play in the NIFL Premiership in season 2020-21.

My visits

Wednesday 3rd February 2010

My first ever visit to Ulster was into its second day of watching the League Cup semi-finals and groundhopping. The weather on had not been the most clement and I was tired and weary after probably overdoing the walking on top of the previous evenings libations. 

The train from my previous ground, Bangor, took me back into the capital with one ground left to call in on, so I could relax the following morning and have a longer Wednesday night out! I found my way to the square next to City Hall and luckily for me the required bus was soon pulling in. 

The journey didn’t take long to get me along Shore Road to Crusaders FC as we travelled adjacently to the railway line and motorway, past a shopping centre and a couple of pubs who definitely favoured the loyalist community judging by the murals. 

Seaview appeared locked from the main road but I saw life in the clubhouse behind the stand down Vincent Street. Going inside the clubhouse I found the friendly steward, who showed me out into the old fashioned stadium so I could have a look around and take photos. 

I was greeted by some old boys watching the action out on the pitch, where youngsters were making use of the 4G synthetic surface. This had been laid the previous November and was proving a real bonus as their had been no postponements since, which had led to decent crowds as well assisting financially from Crues being able to hire the pitch out.

I really liked this place as it took me back to grounds of England back in the 1980’s, One side had a covered side terracing and segregation down one side, a bit like a mini Burnley in days gone by, and an elevated seated stand opposite. I can imagine it being excellent for atmosphere. Both ends consisted of open terracing.

The bad news was that the club was looking to relocate away from its traditional neighbourhood in the future. Fortunately, the members put their collective feet down and funding was rejected.

The artificial pitch brought in the revenue required to fight off any future move as future third tier side Newington FC moved in as tenants.

Wednesday 4^th January 2017

I was back in Belfast primarily for the previous evening’s game between Cliftonville and Carrick Rangers, but I had sensibly booked an evening flight back to London the next day so that I could squeeze the maximum from my visit.

With the knowledge that Seaview had changed since I last called, I set out on the bus up York Road and then down St Vincent Street to the social club where once again I was allowed through to take my photos.

Indeed, Seaview was different with two new covered seated stands behind either goal and the near side stand was now fitted with seats. It was a really neat arena, even if I’d have preferred the terracing to remain down the side.

Once done I said my thank you to the kind staff before catching the bus back into the city before heading east to visit Dundela and then Glentoran as well as a good walk back into the town via the redeveloped Titanic Quarter.