The 1896–97 Irish League was the 7th edition of the Irish League, the highest level of league competition in Irish

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

. The league comprised six teams, an increase from the four of the previous season.

Glentoran Glentoran Football Club is a professional football club based in East Belfast, Northern Ireland, that plays in the NIFL Premiership. The club was founded in 1882 and has since won more than 130 major honours. They are one of three Northern Iris ...

won the championship for the second time.

Season summary

After two seasons of historically low numbers of just four teams, two teams were elected into the league for the 1896–97 season:

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foot ...

(who from 1901 onwards would become more commonly known as "Belfast Celtic") and the

North Staffordshire Regiment The North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, which was in existence between 1881 and 1959. The 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot was created on 21 April 1758 from the 2nd Battali ...

, the second British Army team to compete in the league after the

Lancashire Fusiliers The Lancashire Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that saw distinguished service through many years and wars, including the Second Boer War, and the World War I, First and World War II, Second World Wars. It had many diffe ...

who competed in the 1891–92 season. Neither side had a ground, meaning all their matches were played at their opponents' grounds.

Teams and locations

League standings

Results

League

2nd/3rd place play-off

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3–2 Linfield (

Solitude Solitude, also known as social withdrawal, is a state of seclusion or isolation, meaning lack of socialisation. Effects can be either positive or negative, depending on the situation. Short-term solitude is often valued as a time when one may wo ...

, Belfast)

References

External links

Northern Ireland - List of final tables (RSSSF)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Irish League 1896-97 1896-97 1896–97 domestic association football leagues Lea