 |
Gareth McAuley has been a
potent goalscoring threat
from West Brom's defence |
We're now at the business end of the season with most of the
important matters about to be decided. So, will there be glory or frustration
for Northern Ireland's players at club level?
English Premier
League
At the wrong end,
Sunderland, who have been without
PaddyMcNair through injury for most of the season, look to be all-but relegated.
 |
Will Grigg hasn't been on
fire for struggling Wigan |
English Football
League Championship
Brighton look nailed-on for a return to top-flight football for
the first time since 1983, so giving
Ollie Norwood a first chance to experience
Premier League football next season. Also in the mix for promotion are
Leeds
United (
Stuart Dallas) who are in the play-off positions.
Lee Camp has been a long-time relegated with
Rotherham. They could be
joined by two of
Wigan (where
Will Grigg has struggled for form),
Blackburn (who
have been denied the services of the injured
Corry Evans for much of the
season),
Burton (with
Tom Flanagan a regular in defence) or
Nottingham Forest
(with
Jamie Ward back in the team after a loan spell at the aforementioned Burton).
English Football
League One
 |
Will Caolan Lavery score goals in the
Championship for the Blades next season? |
English Football League
Two
 |
Luke McCullough has been
injured, but will be playing
in a higher division in 2017/18 |
Luke McCullough has just come back into the
Doncaster team after
a lengthy injury as they claim an immediate return to League One. In the
play-off spots are
Stevenage who have a strong young Northern Ireland
contingent (Ben Kennedy,
Dale Gorman,
Ryan Johnson and Nathan Kerr) among their
senior squad while
Cambridge (
Adam McGurk), and
Accrington (
Billy Kee and
ShayMcCartan) are still in with a slim chance of making the play-offs.
National League
Hoping for a return to league football are
Jeff Hughes'
Tranmere who are guaranteed a play-off spot as a minimum, but still harbour
slim hopes of automatic promotion. Also in with a shout of the play-offs are
Matt McClure's
Aldershot.
 |
Steven Davis captained
Southampton in the EFL
Cup final at Wembley |
FA Cup
All Northern Ireland interest in the English Cup has been
extinguished, with the last representative,
Shane Ferguson of
Millwall exiting
at the quarter-final stage.
EFL Cup
Steven Davis captained
Southampton to the League Cup final
where they were unfortunate to lose out to Manchester United at Wembley.
Scottish Premiership
Brendan Rodgers has managed
Celtic to absolute domination of
Scottish football with the league title wrapped up on 2nd April. The battle for
best of the rest and Europa League qualification is currently being led by
Niall McGinn's
Aberdeen with
Lee Hodson's
Rangers in third.
Tommy Wright's
St
Johnstone still retain hopes of also claiming a Europa League spot depending on
results in other competitions.
 |
Can Liam Boyce's goals keep
Ross Co in the Premiership? |
Inverness, who have
Billy McKay on loan from Wigan, are
adrift at the foot of the table and seem doomed to relegation. The play-off
spot could fall to the
James McPake captained
Dundee, a resurgent Motherwell managed
be
Steve Robinson or
Ross County who's safety could be dependent on the goals
of
Liam Boyce.
Scottish Championship
Hibernian, managed by
Neil Lennon, have claimed the
Championship title giving the recently signed
Brian McLean the chance to play
Premiership football next season. In the play-off spots are
Greenock Morton's
JamieMcDonagh.
Still in danger of dropping out of the Championship are
St
Mirren with
Conor Brennan and
Jordan Thompson (on loan from Rangers) among their
squad.
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Cup is at the semi-final stage, with Hibs to face
Aberdeen and Celtic to face Rangers.
Scottish League Cup
The League Cup was won by
Rodgers'
Celtic in
November as they defeated
Aberdeen (who brought
McGinn on as a late substitute)
3-0 in the final.
 |
Ryan Brobbel has been playing
regularly for a dominant TNS |
Welsh Premier League
Ryan Brobbel has won the Welsh title in his first season
with
The New Saints.
Conall Murtagh seems likely to be playing Europa League
next season with Bala Town who are currently in third place.
Welsh Cup
The Welsh Cup final will be contested by TNS and Bala.
Welsh League Cup
Brobbel has also claimed a winner's medal in the League
Cup as
TNS defeated Barry 4-0 in the final in January.
 |
Josh Carson has struggled
for a place in a resurgent
Linfield team |
Irish Premiership
At the foot of the table
Portadown (
Robbie Garrett) have
long been adrift following a 12 point deduction though they retain a slim mathematical
hope of avoiding automatic relegation and qualifying for the relegation
play-off ahead of
Carrick.
Irish Championship
Warrenpoint have secured the Championship title and their
first signing for Premiership football,
Alan Blayney.
Irish Cup
The Irish Cup Final will be contested by Linfield and
Coleraine.
 |
Kirk Millar has helped
Linfield to a first trophy
in three seasons |
NIFL Cup
Ballymena continued their recent cup successes with a 2-0
final win over
Carrick. Both sides fielded a number of Northern Ireland
Under-21s, past-and-present with
Ross Glendinning,
Tony Kane,
Jim Ervin (BUFC)
and
Patrick McNally (CRFC) all featuring in the decider at Seaview.
Regional Cups
Permanent Transfers
Liam Nolan (Southport to Accrington Stanley) BBC
Rory McArdle (Bradford City to Scunthorpe United) BBC
Jamie Sendles-White (Swindon Town to Leyton Orient) TotalSwindon BBC
