Knockbreda Football Club (formerly Knockbreda Parish) is an intermediate-level,

Northern Irish The people of Northern Ireland are all people born in Northern Ireland and having, at the time of their birth, at least one parent who is a British Nationality Law, British citizen, an Irish nationality law, Irish citizen or is otherwis ...

football club who are due to play in the

NIFL Premier Intermediate League The NIFL Premier Intermediate League (Known as the Playr-Fit NIFL Premier Intermediate League for sponsorship reasons) is the third level of the Northern Ireland Football League, the national association football league in Northern Ireland, and t ...

in the 2024–25 season, following relegation from the

NIFL Championship The Northern Ireland Football League Championship (known as the Playr-Fit Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the second level of the Northern Ireland Football League, the national football league in Northern Ireland. Clubs in the Championsh ...

. They hail from

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and play their home matches at Breda Park, on the Upper Braniel Road located in the east of the city. The club was formed after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, c.

1947 It was the first year of the Cold War, which would last until 1991, ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Events January * January–February – Winter of 1946–47 in the United Kingdom: The worst snowfall in the country i ...

.H. Johnstone & G. Hamilton (n.d.) ''A Memorable Milestone: 75 Years of the Northern Amateur Football League'', p. 205 and played in the Irish Churches' League before joining the

Northern Amateur Football League The Northern Amateur Football League, also known as the Northern Amateur League and often simply as the Amateur League, is an association football league in Northern Ireland. It contains 13 divisions. These comprise four intermediate sections: ...

1989 1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...

. Intermediate status was achieved on promotion to Division 1B in

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. In

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

, the club was admitted to the

IFA Championship The Northern Ireland Football League Championship (known as the Playr-Fit Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the second level of the Northern Ireland Football League, the national football league in Northern Ireland. Clubs in the Champion ...

History

Knockbreda Football Club was formed in 1947. Originally Knockbreda Parish, they played their football for 42 years in the Irish Churches' League, before joining the

in 1989. Starting in Division 2C, ‘Breda won promotion of 2A in the first three seasons. Off the field, the committee realised they would have to make some major changes in order to become an Intermediate Club. In 1996, they acquired the current facilities at Upper Braniel, and after winning 2A, were promoted to 1B that same season. Promotion to 1A soon followed, and the club enjoyed a three-year stint at that level, before joining the Premier Division in 2000. After relegation in 2007, the club spent a year in 1A before promotion to the re-vamped

IFA Championship 2 The Northern Ireland Football League Championship (known as the Playr-Fit Championship for sponsorship reasons) is the second level of the Northern Ireland Football League, the national football league in Northern Ireland. Clubs in the Championsh ...

in 2009. During the spell in the NIAL, the club won the Clarence Cup twice, the Border Cup once, but by far the greatest success was the WKD

Irish Intermediate Cup The Irish Intermediate Cup is a Northern Irish football competition for teams of intermediate status, including NIFL Premiership reserve sides. It is a straight knock-out tournament and is currently sponsored by McCombs Coach Travel. The cu ...

in 2009. The early driving force behind the club was one of its founders, Fred Duke who died in 2010. For the last two decades the club's main driving force, beginning in the Churches' League right up the IFA Championship, has been one of the current directors and Secretary, Colin Russell. After four years in Championship 2, in

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the club won promotion to Championship 1 for the first time. The club for a while was well known for "Beau" a Labrador dog who would act as "Balldog" at home games. In the 2022–23 season, despite finishing bottom of the

, the club would be spared automatic relegation due to Warrenpoint Towns enforced relegation. The club would defeat Ballymacash Rangers 4–2 over two legs in the promotion/relegation play off to retain their Championship status. The following season, the club would be relegated in April 2024 following a defeat to Ballyclare Comrades, ending Bredas 11-year stay in the second tier, having spent much of the season rooted to the foot of the table.

Current squad

Honours

Intermediate honours

(level 3): 1 **

: 1 **2008–09 * Border Cup: 1 **2004–05

References

External links

Official Website

Official Twitter Page

Official Facebook Page
{{NIFL league Association football clubs in Northern Ireland Association football clubs established in 1948 NIFL Championship clubs Association football clubs in County Down 1948 establishments in Northern Ireland