Official Supporters Clubs
Amalgamation of Official Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs
THE Amalgamation was formed seven years ago by two life long Northern Ireland Supporters, Alex Steele and Gary Hancock. Their aim was to co-ordinate the independent supporters clubs which existed at the time, into a structure which would establish a formal line of communication between the fans and the IFA.
We are officially recognised by the IFA as the voice of the Northern Ireland team's supporters.
Why should my club join?
Benefits for yourselves will include:
The opportunity for your club's representatives to influence the strategy of the Amalgamation.
As well as your views being expressed at meetings, we are always looking for enthusiastic members to go for committees and other offices within the Amalgamation. These officers are then the people who will have direct contact with the IFA and other organisations. Amalgamation officers sit on the IFA's Community Relations Steering Group which advises on the very successful Football for All scheme run by Michael Boyd.
Co-ordinated travel to matches.
We always bring some form of transport from Belfast to home matches, both U21 and Full internationals. (Useful if individual clubs don't have the required numbers to book transport for themselves.) Other transport goes from Antrim, Armagh, Cookstown, Dromore, Drumreagh, Hillsborough, Larne and Londonderry.
By getting together for away travel, we can get group discounts and arrange coaches from your accommodation to the match venues. In October 2002, we took 500 fans from the sunny sands of Benidorm to the match venue in Albacete, 130 miles away.
Camaraderie
We also encourage camaraderie between supporters and will be arranging football tournaments between clubs and 'Question and Answer' nights with Northern Ireland Managers, Jim Boyce, etc. Our greatest achievements to date have been:
- the Spain '82 reunion dinner at the Culloden in April 2002 where we got the '82 squad together for the first time in 20 years, in the process raising £7500 for Meningitis Research Foundation.
- a further dinner in the Culloden in May 2004 which brought together members of the Northern Ireland World Cup Squads of 58, 82 & 86 to benefit a local charity "Heartbeat". After this dinner the Amalgamation was able to fund three Heart Monitors at a cost of £8500, which have now been handed over to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Belfast.
- a number of other initiatives to benefit charities in countries we visit as supporters have also taken place and are still ongoing.
How often are meetings?
We meet three to four times per year, each time at a different club's location. Be prepared to travel throughout Northern Ireland .
What's the cost?
Annual dues for each club are £25, which covers administration costs.
Officers
Amalgamation Chairman: Phil Smyth philsmyth@btinternet.com
Amalgamation Secretary: Phil Hernberg phil.hernberg@bt.com
Amalgamation Treasurer: Jim Rainey nifans@tiscali.co.uk
Amalgamation Clubs
- 1st Banbridge: Mark Magill
- 1st Dromore: Campbell McCreedy
- 1st Glentoran:
- 1st Lisburn: Distillery: Brian Halliday
- 1st Shankill: Roy Martin
- Antrim: Darren Veighy
- Armagh: Davy Whittle
- Banbridge Loyal:
- Bangor: David Watson
- Black Dog Loyal: Martin Moore
- Carnmoney: Neil Clarke
- Castlederg: Nigel Fyffe
- Castlereagh: Trevor Magee
- Cloughmills: Samuel Forsythe
- Cookstown: Ted McKinney
- Drumreagh Loyal: Phil Smyth
- Dunmurry Rec NISC: Bryan Halliday
- Glengormley: John Magee
- Hillsborough: Gregory McComb
- Laganside: Jim Rainey
- Larne: Gordon McKay
- London NISC: Owen Shepherd
- Londonderry: Russell King or David McGaughey
- Lower Shankill: Steven Weir
- Newtownabbey: Glen Meikle
- Norn Ire Lads, 1st Ballymena NISC: Steven Bell
- North of England: northofenglandnisc.co.uk
- North Coast: Phil Hernberg
- Portavogie N.I.S.C: Alan McAleer
- Queens NISA:
- Scottish NISC: ScottishNISC@hotmail.com
- Spirit of 82: Lawrence Fletcher
- South Belfast: Stanley Polley
- Spirit of Ulster: Adie Manning
- Worldwide NISC: Gary Rogers
By Marshall Gillespie
