Kelvin Old Boys F.C.

Last updated
Kelvin Old Boys
Full nameKelvin Old Boys Football Club
Nickname(s)The Old Boys
Founded1975
StadiumBlanchflower Stadium
ChairmanDavid Bowen
League Northern Amateur Football League

Kelvin Old Boys Football Club, referred to as Kelvin Old Boys, or simply The Old Boys, is a Northern Irish football club based in South Belfast, Northern Ireland. [1] Kelvin Old Boys were founded in 1975 through Kelvin High School until the school closed in 1988. They play in the Northern Amateur Football League. [2] [3] [4] Kelvin Old Boys are a part of the County Antrim & District FA. [5] The club play in the Irish Cup. [6]

Contents

History

Kelvin High School opened in 1958, situated on Rodent Street, South Belfast. It served the communities of Sandy Row, Donegall Road and "The Village". Popularity of football increased in the school in the 1970's. Pupils that left the school had arranged a meeting in 1973 to form an old boys football team, and birthed the Kelvin Old Boys in 1975. [7]

The Old Boys entered the Dunmurry League for the 1975–76 season. The club's first manager was David Bowen, a former head boy at Kelvin High School, with Dennis Shields, a teacher at the school, serving as coach. Home games were played at the school, including training sessions. Bowen is now the club chairman. [8]

In 1983, Kelvin Old Boys applied to play in the Northern Amateur Football League for the 1983/84 season, and won three leagues in a row. Following cup success and another league victory in 1988, it was announced that Kelvin High School would close in 1988, finishing up in 1989.

The club's training was moved to Olympia Leisure Centre, where it continues to take place to the present day. However, the club's home ground had to be moved out of its local area, first to Henry Jones Playing Fields and then to Dixon Park in East Belfast, where it remained for over 20 years.

In 2017, Kelvin Old Boys started fielding youth teams, referred to as Kelvin Youth.

In 2019, Linfield F.C. undertook a partnership with Kelvin Old Boys to play their home games at New Midgley Park the following season so they can once again play in South Belfast. They had been playing their home games at Dixon Park in East Belfast up until the partnership. Prior to this, they played at Kelvin High School in South Belfast up until it's closure in 1988. This left them without a local home pitch for three decades. [9]

Kelvin Old Boys currently play at Blanchflower Stadium. [10]

In August 2025, Kelvin Old Boys announced their 50th Anniversary Dinner. It is scheduled to take place October 4 2025. [11]

Honours

References

  1. ↑ "KELVIN OLD BOYS FOOTBALL CLUB LIMITED overview - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  2. ↑ "Club focus: Kelvin Old Boys". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. 2014-03-23. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  3. ↑ "Northern Amateur Football League :: Kelvin Old Boys". www.thenafl.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  4. ↑ Fullerton, Gareth (2018-06-11). "Junior football club writes brilliant statement to clarify position". Belfast Live. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  5. ↑ "County Antrim & District Football Association". www.countyantrimfa.org. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  6. ↑ "fonaCAB Junior Cup second round recap". IFA. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  7. ↑ Abdellatif, Abdelbaset Jamal; McCollum, Barry; McMullan, Paul (2018). "Serious games: Quality characteristics evaluation framework and case study". 2018 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC). IEEE. pp. 112–119. doi:10.1109/isecon.2018.8340460. ISBN   978-1-5386-3309-0.
  8. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/KelvinYouth/posts/-kelvin-old-boys-fc-established-1975-a-brief-historykelvin-high-school-situated-/1044361620824464/
  9. ↑ Fullerton, Gareth (2019-05-24). "South Belfast football club links up with Linfield to find new home". Belfast Live. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  10. ↑ "Northern Amateur Football League :: Blanchflower Stadium". www.thenafl.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  11. ↑ "Kelvin - Kelvin Old Boys FC - 50th Anniversary Dinner This year marks 50 incredible years of Kelvin Old Boys FC – a milestone achievement that everyone associated with the club, past and present, should be extremely proud of. Over the past five decades, we've built a rich history, collecting league and cup titles, but more importantly, building a legacy of dedication, camaraderie, and passion for the game. This success wouldn't have been possible without the tireless efforts of the volunteers, managers, coaches, committee members, and countless others who gave their time selflessly to keep the club running. To each and every one of you – thank you. To celebrate this golden milestone, we are delighted to invite you to our 🎉 50th Anniversary Dinner 🎉 📍 Europa Hotel – Penthouse Suite 📅 Saturday, 4th October 👔 Dress code: Shirt & Tie 🍽️ Three-course dinner, guest speakers, and live music to follow Limited seats remain, so act fast if you'd like to join us. 🎟️ Tickets: £50 per person 💷 Deposit: £25 (due by Friday 22nd August) 💰 Balance: £25 (due by Friday 5th September) To reserve your seat, please contact: William Laird Club Secretary 📞 07873 489685 📧 kelvinoldboysfc@hotmail.com Let's come together to celebrate the memories, the victories, and the community spirit that makes Kelvin Old Boys FC what it is. KOBFC50YEARSANDCOUNTING 💛💙 | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
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