Contract Update

Out:

Mark Dickson - to the Crues, despite being offered a new deal

Tim Mouncey - to Portadown, despite being offered a new deal. See a pattern emerging?

Tommy Stewart - probably - been offered a new contract and asked to mull it over, but still hasn't decided. Glentoran, Glenavon and Derry City are waiting in the wings, and it'll be a disgrace if he goes.


Staying:

Jamie Mulgrew - signed a new 3-year deal. The only piece of good news this week


In:

Stuart Addis - 2-year deal. When even Larne rejected him and many IL fans saying Addis was always good for a couple of goals a season for their team, you know the dude is dodgy and not Linfield standard.

Conor Hagan - 1-year deal, signed as a right-back cover, thus he'll be played out of his best position, Centre Midfield (ANOTHER CM). Quelle surprise. Ask Tommy Stewart, Mark Dickson, Tim Mouncey, Jamie Mulgrew, Damian Curran...


All very worrying. And apparently there's worse to come...

Contract Renewals Part 1

It's that time of year when our intransigent manager hands out contracts, or not. No other time of year is appropriate, as trophies win contracts. Apparently.

Anyway, here's what's been decided thus far:

Stephen Douglas – 2 years [ correct decision, despite his inconsistency, there's not many good IL RBs out there ]

Kris Lindsay – 2 years [wrong decision. Seemingly always injured, 1 year would have been risky enough, I'd have even released him, his performances since Xmas have been dodgy to say the least ]

Noel Bailie – 1 year [correct, as long as he's a back-up player ]

Oran Kearney – 1 year [correct decision, let's see if he can stay injury-free ]

William Murphy – 1 year [correct ]

Jim Ervin – 1 year [correct, despite his long-term injury, it's right to stay loyal to him ]

Glenn Ferguson – 1 year [see Noel ]

In addition, Glenn Ferguson has been granted a Testimonial season in recognition of his quite outstanding and lengthy service in Linfield’s cause.

Pat McShane and Tim McCann have both been released. [both correct decisions, Pat has been a great servant to Linfield, and Tim never let us down despite hardly getting a look-in and being unlucky with injuries ]

Of the rest, Tommy Stewart is thinking over a contract offer, I can only imagine it's reduced to part-time, and I know a megabucks offer from Glenavon has been made to him, I can see him leaving, and I wouldn't blame him for a second. Rather to Glenavon than the other Glens from the East, put it that way.

Mark Dickson has apparently been made an offer but is likely to sign for the Crues, I'd hand him another one-year contract.

Tim Mouncey was due to head to the Ports, but now, due to their non-qualification for the Invitational League, that now looks all up in the air. I'd release him, 'ill' too often.

More still to come...

Linfield Nostalgia - The Early Days

Well narrated video about the formation and development of Linfield FC:

Linfield Online: 1930 Irish Cup Final

Classic old footage, a couple of minutes in. BAT was at it :).

Linfield 2 Coleraine 1 - TREBLE DOUBLE!

Irish Cup Final, Windsor Park, Saturday 3rd May 2008

Team: Mannus, Lindsay, O’Kane, Murphy, Bailie, Mulgrew, Gault, McAreavey (Dickson 46), Kearney (Curran 87), Ferguson, Thompson
Subs not used : Stewart, McShane, Downey

Scorers: Thompson 2

Attendance: approx. 10000 (6000 Linfield fans)


A great day out, the weather stayed good, and Linfield managed to clinch an historic treble double, the first in 115 years. This team will go down in Linfield and IL history.

Quick summary, Coleraine had the better of the first half, though not as dominant as most of the press were making out, Linfield performed poorly, couldn't string 2 passes together, were outbattled and were deservedly booed off at the break.

Second half was a different tale. Maccers came off for Dicko, Jamie moved into the middle and we seemed to have more shape and composure. Peter Thompson, in what must be some kind of record, scored his second match-winning double in 3 years, the first, shrugging off the defender, beating him for pace and slotting home after a dummy from Spike let him through, then he scored a great one-on-one goal after being released by Spike again, two great opportunist goals. We then played out the rest of the game comfortably without excelling.

Well done DJ and players. I was particularly pleased that the team came into the bottom bar with the trophy after the match to let the fans congratulate the players and lift the Cup.

The evening was one big alcohol-fuelled celebration in the Edinburgh Club. What a day and what a night.

Next season is going to be the biggest challenge yet, with signs that a major refurbishment of the squad is necessary. But for now, we'll celebrate another trophy.

Thursday is the next major date, with contract renewals being announced. I expect Tim McCann, Pat McShane (retiring), Tim Mouncey (Portadown) and possibly Mark Dickson (Distillery) to be released, with Tommy Stewart (Glenavon) going in September when his contract is up, possibly to Glenavon.


Thompo's photos, for the last time (farewell, and thanks for the memories) here.

My poor photos here.

Gareth Irvine's photos here.

Press Eye photos here.

Very poor quality match highlights available here:



Better quality highlights here:

Linfield Crossbar Challenge

On Sky Sports:

Linfield Crossbar Challenge