Crusaders Football & Athletic Club was formed in the year 1898. It was strictly "no pay-no play". The Crues had arrived!
The first meeting of the Club is believed to have been held at 182 North Queen Street, Belfast, the home of Thomas Palmer who, along with James McEldowney, John Hume and Thomas Wade, was a member of the original committee. Many names were suggested for the club, including Rowan Star, Cultra United, Queen's Rovers, Mervue Wanderers and the Lilliputians. Thomas Wade felt that a name of more internat
ional significance should be adopted and he suggested 'Crusaders', after the medieval Christian knights. Initially the club was only able to undertake friendly fixtures until it was admitted to one of the local junior leagues. Players were compelled to pay a match fee of two pence before they could take the field. The very first competitive game of which there is any existing record was on the 10th December, 1898. It came in the North Belfast Alliance against opponents named Bedford and reports state that, "after a splendid game Crusaders won by 5 to 2."
1900-1949
Crusaders went on to compete in the Dunville Alliance, Ormeau Junior Alliance, Alexandra Alliance, Woodvale Alliance and Irish Football Alliance until their election to the Irish Intermediate League in 1921. The Crues became one of the top junior clubs in the country, but in spite of winning an impressive collection of trophies, including the Intermediate League championship in 1925/26, all applications for entry to the senior Irish League were turned down. Such was the frustration that consideration was given to making application either to the Scottish Football League or to the League of Ireland. The team played at a variety of venues before settling at Seaview in 1921. Earlier home venues included the Glen (which later became part of Alexandra Park), Cavehill Road, Simpson's Boiler Fields, Shore Road (opposite the Grove) and Rokeby Park. Seaview was officially opened on Saturday, September 3, 1921 by William Grant MP, prior to kick-off in an Intermediate League fixture against Cliftonville Olympic. The Second World War meant that there was no football played by the Crues between April 1941 and September 1946.
1949-1976
Belfast Celtic's dramatic withdrawal from the senior ranks in 1949 resulted in Crusaders being elected in their place in time for the start of the 1949-50 season. Their first competitive game as a senior club was on August 20, 1949 and resulted in a 1-0 City Cup win at Portadown. The season, however, was tough going for the 'Hatchetmen', as they were known, and they had to apply for re-election after finishing in 11th place out of 12 clubs. As has always been the case, however, Crusaders never lacked determination. Under the player-managership of Jackie Vernon they recovered to win their first senior trophy in the 1953-54 season by defeating Linfield 2-1 in the final of the Ulster Cup. The 1950s were not easy in spite of the presence in the side of some excellent individuals and the end of the 1957-58 season saw another application for re-election. The 1960s brought some much-needed success. The Crues won the Ulster Cup once more and the County Antrim Shield twice but these successes were overshadowed by two unexpected victories in the Irish Cup finals of 1967 and 1968 against the might of Glentoran and Linfield respectively. So, too, did European competition as a consequence. There were other significant happenings in the same decade. In July 1966 the original social club, dressing rooms and administration areas were destroyed by fire. They were replaced some four years later by the present bigger and better facilities. There was more unprecedented success in the 1970s, with the Irish League championship trophy twice finding a home at Seaview, in 1973 and 1976.
1976-2000
The second championship triumph resulted in the never-to-be-forgotten European Cup-tie with Liverpool which saw the brave Cruemen fall to the might of Keegan, Toshack, et al. at Anfield by just 2-0. The home leg which followed was played before a crowd hanging from the rafters that would undoubtedly give the current health and safety legislators a heart attack. Although performances in the 1980s were steady, they certainly were not spectacular and the club paid the penalty for not building on earlier successes. Manager Jackie Hutton had no money with which to buy players but he did the club a great service when he somehow completed the deal which brought Roy Walker to Seaview. Hutton was quick to recognise the leadership qualities in Walker and saw him as his potential successor. At the same time, local businessman Harry Corry, pumped some desperately-needed sponsorship money into the club. As the revival began, southern businessman Tony O'Connell also became involved. It was a partnership that was to produce the most successful spell in the club's history. Walker took over as player-manager in September 1989, two years after his arrival as a player. One of his first tasks was to apply for re-election as the Crues finished 13th out of 14 clubs. Walker's sides - he dubbed them "the team with no boots" - went on to win nearly everything in sight whilst wealthier and bigger-supported clubs could only watch and wonder. There were two further championship titles won (1995 and 1997) whilst Crusaders also finished runners-up in 1993 and 1996. Other trophies won were the County Antrim Shield (1992), Ulster Cup (1993) and Gold Cup (1996). In turn, this meant more expeditions into Europe as the Crues took on teams from Switzerland, Denmark, Lithuania and Georgia within a five-year span. In addition to the first team and the reserves, teams at under-16 and under-18 level were introduced as the club looked to nurture and develop local talent in the area. Roy Walker resigned as manager in July 1998, just prior to the club's centenary dinner celebrations at Belfast City Hall. Since then, lack of funds has seen the Seaview fortunes decline, with Dublin-based managers Aaron Callaghan and Martin Murray both resigning after one year apiece in charge. Post-2000
Former player Gary McCartney took over the managerial reins in July 2000. The team retained Premier League status after a nail-biting play-off success over Lisburn Distillery in May 2001 but McCartney resigned just over 12 months later because of the limited budget at his disposal. Popular veteran defender Alan Dornan was appointed as his successor at the end of June 2002 and the side retained their Premier League status that season under his guidance, although the squad was very inexperienced and often included six or seven teenagers. Dornan was eventually sacked as Crusaders boss in February 2005 as the Crues lay at the bottom of the table, despite having guided the team to the County Antrim Shield final (although ultimately they lost in the final to Linfield). Former striker and fans' favourite Stephen 'Stanley' Baxter was appointed as manager but, despite an improvement in results, he could not keep the club in the Premier League. Crusaders lost out to Glenavon in a relegation play-off. The relegation was the first time Crusaders had ever been relegated from any league, and meant an end to 56 consecutive seasons of senior football. Happily, though, they bounced back the following year under Baxter by claiming a Treble haul - the Intermediate League Cup, the Steel and Sons Cup and of course the IFA Intermediate League Championship. After their first season back in the top flight after promotion, the Hatchetmen finished in a very creditable 6th place. In the 2007/08 season, the Crues finished in 7th position in the League after a somewhat inconsistent start to the season. They appeared in two finals, losing the Co. Antrim Shield, 2-1 to Glentoran, and the Irish League Cup, 3-2 to Linfield. During 2008/09, Crusaders finished in the top three of the League for the first time in ten years and also won their first Irish Cup final since 1968. Thanks to a Mark Dickson goal, in a 1-0 victory over Cliftonville at Windsor Park on 9 May 2009, Stephen Baxter claimed his first senior trophy as manager of the Club and took the club into European action against Macedonian outfit Rabotnicki in the Europa League. Crusaders has always drawn its support from the working class people of North Belfast, from these members it elects its committee and its particular ethos. At an EGM in June 2009 the members voted to change the Club’s constitution to become a "company limited by guarantee". This in order, to help facilitate a proposed move to a new stadium at the North Foreshore. Also at this time Chairman Jim Semple stood down and was replaced by Stephen Bell and a new Management Committee were also elected. In October 2009 work begins on installing the Irish League’s first ever 3G pitch and a new floodlighting system at Seaview. There are also plans at an advanced stage for two new all-seater stadiums to be erected at the end of this season. (read less)
Pre-1900
Crusaders Football & Athletic Club was formed in the year 1898. Thomas Wade felt that a name of more international significance...
