“Spirit of the Eighties” – Banbridge Town
Our final official matchday programme this year, returns again on Saturday, the final home league game of 2024.
Banbridge Town are our opponents and in issue number 6 we have a “Distillery Connection” article on Peter Watson, who won the Irish Cup with The Whites and managed The Town and of course he won a Northern Ireland cap… and you can find out a bit more of the “story” behind that cap in a two-page spread.
We have changed the cover for this edition and run with a picture of “Ten-four”, Gary Clifford, celebrating his goal against Linfield at Windsor Park on …the 21st December…2002. The Whites had an early “Whites’ Christmas” that year with the wee man to the right of Gary, bagging a hat-trick and the matchball in a 4-1 victory, yes it was John Martin. Hard to believe it was 22 years ago and you can find out about that game and other games over the years with Dawson Simpson’s “On this day” feature amply illustrated with some great archive images from David Hunter.
Elsewhere, Distillery manager Barry Johnston reflects on last week’s win at Portstewart, and Cameron Moore’s visitors’ piece is on the back page along with the team squads.
A quality programme for £2 (eight pages, A5, full colour) and Neil Partridge will be selling them just inside the gate through the turnstiles.