Ards Football Club is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club playing in NIFL Championship. The club is based in Newtownards, but plays its home matches at Clandeboye Park in Bangor, which it rents from rivals Bangor to play home games. The club colours are red and blue.
Ards F.C. was founded in 1900. Originally operating as a factory team, the club entered the Irish League in 1923. Based at Castlereagh Park, the club won its first Irish Cup in 1927. After playing at intermediate level during World War II, Ards rejoined the league in 1947. Ards won its second Irish Cup in 1952. After winning the 1957–58 Irish League, the club qualified for a 1958–59 European Cup tie against Stade de Reims. The club won its third Irish Cup in 1969.[1] While the club won several titles in the 1973–74 season and had further cup successes in the 1990s, mounting financial problems culminated in relegation and the proposed sale of Castlereagh Park in 1998.[2]
Castlereagh Park
Ards were forced to sell their Castlereagh Park home in 1998 to try to reduce their debts. The stadium remained tended for another three years while plans for a new ground further down the road were developed. In 2002, Castlereagh Park was demolished as planned. Ards hoped to play at a new community-owned site, a short distance from Castlereagh Park that was due to be developed in 2010 by the local council. This plan was later shelved, and the club are still the "nomads" of Northern Irish football.[citation needed] During the time since Ards left Castlereagh Park, they have shared football grounds at Cliftonville's Solitude and Carrick Rangers' Taylors Avenue, their rivals Bangor's ground, Clandeboye Park and Ballyclare Comrades' ground, Dixon Park.[citation needed]
First top-flight return: 2013–14
For the 2012–13 season they played their home games at Clandeboye Park and were promoted to the NIFL Premiership for the 2013–14 season and went straight back down that season. Ards 2014–15 season was a season of change, with many players coming and going from the club and the season ultimately ended in disappointment with them finishing 3rd. The 2015–16 was a better one with Ards reaching the league cup final by knocking out premiership sides Ballinamallard United and Coleraine before losing 3–0 in the final to Cliftonville at Solitude. Ards kept a comfortable hold at the top of the table before becoming league champions on the last day of the season beating Loughgall to secure their promotion back to the Premiership after a two-year absence.
Second top-flight return: 2016–17
Amidst proposed new plans for a stadium to be built on the grounds of Movilla High School,[3] Ards returned to the top-flight once more under the stewardship of Niall Currie, who sought to bolster his squad with no less than 15 new signings. These included experienced Premiership players such as Ballymena United centre-back Johnny Taylor, and former Glenavon striker Gary Liggett. Other recruitments included defender Stuart McMullan and French striker Guillaume Keke, both signed from Larne. Ards started the season with a credible 2–2 draw with Cliftonville and went on to win their next three games in a row to become early leaders at the top of the league table. Following Niall Currie's move to manage hometown club Portadown the club appointed Glentoran legend Colin Nixon as his replacement.
Londonderry Park
Plans were under-way to develop Londonderry Park as the new grounds for the team. Planning officials gave Ards Borough Council the go-ahead on the £3.8million plan in October 2010.[4]
In 2009, supporters launched a campaign, 'Bring Ards FC Home', in which they publicised the need in the media and had discussions with politicians. Back as far as November 2008, the Council had discussed the need for a new Ards stadium. It was decided in April 2009 that Londonderry Park, on the Portaferry Road in Newtownards, was the best option and the Ards Council accepted the tender for redevelopment of the site in September 2010.[5] Plans included upgrades to the existing grass surfaces and the addition of new synthetic surfaces, and to allow for the possibility of future upgrading to meet regulations should the need arise. However, in August 2012, it was announced that Ards Borough Council would not be proceeding with the new stadium, and the plans were shelved.[6][7]
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