NIFG

The UEFA Nations League was announced in 2014 and commenced in 2018. It provided guaranteed matches on what had previously been friendly matches along with a centralised TV contract to ensure equitable financial distribution across all European football associations.  Divided into four divisions ("Leagues") initially based on FIFA rankings, each league was then divided into four groups with each team playing each other home and away with promotion and relegation based on final group rankings. Overall tournament rankings then provided a backdoor for entry into the play-offs for "major" tournaments, the FIFA World Cup or UEFA European Championships, for teams that had not qualified through the traditional qualifying groups. At the time of the tournament's initial seeding in December 2017, Northern Ireland were the 21st ranked team in Europe which placed them in League B. Northern Ireland's Record Season Rank Div Rank

- Northern Ireland Matches in Manchester Away Venue P  4 -  W 0 -  D  0 -  L 4 -  F  2 - A  24 Win% 0% - Pts% 0% 005. Manchester Football Ground Address: Upper Chorlton Road, Whalley Range, Stretford Tenants: Manchester RFC Capacity: 6,000+ (1885) Surface: Grass Status: Demolished. Now residential (adjacent to army drill hall/field hospital) Co-Ordinates:  53.4569, -2.2648 Links: England Football Online 1896 2024 049. Old Trafford Address: Sir Matt Busby Way, Trafford, Stretford Tenants: Manchester United FC (1910-date) Capacity: 80,000 (1909) ,   56,385 (1985) ,   74,310 (2019) Surface: Grass Major Events: 1966 FIFA World Cup, 1996 UEFA European Championships, 1915 FA Cup Final, 2003 UEFA Champions League Final; Rugby League World Cup Finals; Rugby League Premiership/Super League Finals 1987-date. Status: In use Co-Ordinates: 53.4631, -2.2913 Links: ManUtd.com 1930 1966 2005 (Jonny Blair) 051. Maine Road   Address: M

The legend goes that when John McAlery couldn't find anyone for his new football club, Cliftonville, to play he turned to Knock Lacrosse Club and suggested they form a football wing. Knock also seem to have fielded a rugby team around this time. Thence, Knock FC reportedly became Ireland's second football club and a match-up between Cliftonville and Knock was the first match on Irish soil between Irish teams. Founder members of the Irish Football Association in 1880, Knock moved into their new Bloomfield Ground in 1881. The following year were given the honour of hosting Ireland's first international, no doubt aided by the IFA's chairman, Jack Sinclair, also a player for Knock. Indeed, knock supplied five players for each of Ireland's first two internationals, more than any other club. Knock quickly began to fade from prominence. They enjoyed their last Irish Cup win in 1881/82, 4-0 over Malone. The following season they changed their name to Down Athletics and they

Conor Bradley enjoyed an excellent breakthrough season with Liverpool. Although their title challenge faltered in the closing months he did claim a Carabao Cup win in February. ENGLAND Premier League Third Place [Champions League qualification]: Liverpool ( Conor Bradley ) Relegated: Sheffield United ( Oliver Norwood ) Championship Runners-Up : Ipswich Town ( Kieran McKenna , manager) Play-Offs: Southampton ( Shea Charles ), West Bromwich Albion ( Callum Marshall [loan]) Relegated: Rotherham United ( Shane Ferguson, Ciaran McGuckin ); Huddersfield Town ( Brodie Spencer ) League One League One champions Portsmouth featured Paddy Lane (pictured), Gavin Whyte and Terry Devlin among their squad Champions: Portsmouth ( Gavin Whyte, Terry Devlin, Paddy Lane ) Runners-Up: Derby County ( Conor Washington, Darren Robinson ) Play-Offs: Bolton Wanderers ( Dion Charles, Eoin Toal ); Oxford United ( Ciaron Brown ) Relegated: Carlisle United ( Alfie McCalmont ); Fleetwood Town ( Carl Johnston, Steph