Bryansburn Rangers F.C.

Bryansburn Rangers
Full nameBryansburn Rangers Football Club
NicknameThe Burn
Founded1974
GroundBallywooley Park, Bangor
ChairmanNorthern IrelandAlan Dempster
ManagerNorthern IrelandAndy Wallace
LeagueNAFL Division 1B
2025-26NAFL Division 1B, 11th
Websitehttp://www.thenafl.co.uk/teams/id/34

Bryansburn Rangers Football Club is a Northern Irish intermediate football club playing in Division 1B of the Northern Amateur Football League.

The club originates from the Bryansburn Area of Bangor, County Down and play their home matches at Ballywooley Park on the Crawfordsburn Road. The club was founded in 1974 and began playing their games at Connor Park at Stricklands Glen in the west of the town, before moving to their current home ground only a few kilometers away. The club joined the Amateur League in 1984 and have played their ever since.[1]

Ballywooley, Home ground of Bryansburn Rangers, 2024.

Bryansburn currently field 4 senior teams in total, along with a full of youth academy, ranging from 2019/20s to 2009s. Both the first team, and second team play in Northern Amateur Football League Division 1B, and 3D, along with a 3rd team that compete in the Down Area League, Division 2. The first team were promoted to Division 1A at the end of 2009–10 season, however 2 back to back relegation's left the team in 1C. After a number of years in 1C, the 1st team gained promotion once again to 1B in the 17/18 season, finishing runners up to 18th Newtownabbey Old Boys F.C. They have been in 1B ever since, recording a best finish of 3rd in the 2018/19 season, losing out on promotion to Grove United F.C. and Dromara Village F.C.

The club competes in a number of cup competitions in Northern Ireland, such as the Steel & Sons Cup, the Irish Cup, the Irish Intermediate Cup, the Clarence Cup and the Border Cup.

In January 2010 the club reached the 5th round of the Irish Cup, hoping for a draw vs one of the big Irish league clubs, they drew fellow Amateur league side Nortel F.C. who at the time were in the Premier Division of the Northern Amateur Football League. The game finished 2-2 on the night, with Nortel winning 5-4 on penalties and booking their place in the round of 16, they would subsequently lose 6-0 to NIFL Premiership side Coleraine.

The first team is currently managed by Andy Wallace, the former Sirocco Works F.C. and Glentoran F.C. Ladies boss took over from former player Andy Thompson, in May 2026, after Thompson and his team spent 3 seasons in charge.

Squad 2024-2025

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK  NIR David Finlay
— DF  NIR Joshua Neeson
— DF  NIR Andy Cooling
— MF  NIR Ryan Weatherhead
— DF  NIR Ryan Galbraith
— DF  NIR Jake Rainey
— MF  NIR Cameron McNicholl
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF  NIR Pater Blair
— MF  NIR Stewart Morrison (C)
— MF  NIR Kyle Mackie
— FW  NIR Josh Patterson
— FW  NIR Ross Graig
— FW  NIR Rory Cubbon
— FW  NIR Ally Ferguson
— FW  NIR David Brady

Honours

Intermediate honours

Junior honours

Down Area Winter Football League

  • Mervyn Bassett Cup
  • 2014
  • Champions of Down
  • 2016, 2026

Notable events

On Sunday 29 March 2015, in the lead up to the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier between Northern Ireland national football team and Finland national football team, Bryansburns home ground 'Ballywooley' was used as a venue for the fans game between the Northern Ireland and Finland fans teams. Former Northern Ireland international Keith Gillespie who made a guest appearance for the Northern Ireland fans team, along with Finnish Legend Jari Litmanen for the Finland fans team. Northern Ireland ran out eventual 3–1 winners.

Notable former players

Notes

  1. ↑ H. Johnstone & G. Hamilton (n.d.) A Memorable Milestone: 75 Years of the Northern Amateur Football League, p. 184

Club officials

  • Chairman: Alan Dempster Northern Ireland
  • Secretary: Ryan Connolly Northern Ireland
  • Treasurer: Davy Armstrong Northern Ireland
  • Groundsman: Allistair Gray Northern Ireland
  • 1st team Manager: Andy Wallace Northern Ireland
  • 1st Coach: Northern Ireland
  • 1st team assistant Managers: Matthew Wylie, Chris Murrary, Josh Cherry Northern Ireland
  • 1st team Team attendant: David Mckeown Northern Ireland
  • Club Captain: Andy Cooling Northern Ireland
  • 2nd team Manager: Ryan Connolly Northern Ireland
  • 3rd team Manager: Kristopher Brown Northern Ireland
  • 4th team Manager: Neil Burch Northern Ireland
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