It was against the backdrop of historic events related to the foundation of the Northern Ireland state that Linfield embarked on the 1921-22 season - a season by the end of which, the club would have created major history on the football pitch.
On September 7, 1921 just over 100 years ago, the first of the Seven Trophies was won by what was to become a truly historic Linfield team.
In the Alhambra Cup final (the first trophy) Linfield defeated Cliftonville 1-0 at the Oval and the second trophy - the Irish League trophy - was won after home and away league games against each of the five other teams in a 10 game schedule between September and November.
The league title was wrapped up with November wins, 1-0 away to Cliftonville and in the final game, 3-2 away to Distillery.
The third of the Seven Trophies was the City Cup - the programme was identical to the League campaign with 5 home and 5 away games and the final game was a 4-1 win away to Cliftonville on January 21, 1922.
The fourth of the Seven Trophies was the County Antrim Shield which Linfield won 4-1 in a replay on March 1, following a 1-1 draw at the first time of asking.
The fifth of the Seven Trophies was the Irish Cup.
Linfield reached the final courtesy of a first round 5-1 home win against Distillery - despite the sendings off of both McIlveen and Savage (and 2 Distillery players). A goal by Cowan overcame Queens Island in the semi final at the Oval and took Linfield back to the East Belfast venue for the final against Glenavon on March 22.
Irish Cup Final
March 22, 1922
The Oval
Linfield 2 Glenavon 1
(McCracken and Savage)
Alfie Harland
George Gaw
Tommy Frame
Bob Wallace
Gerry Morgan
Jack McIlveen
Tommy Cowan
Dick McCracken
Bill Savage
Sandy McIlreavy
Mervyn Scott
The late Malcolm Brodie wrote of the above success in his centenary history book - "Linfield 100 years".
“Civil unrest which has plagued the province down the years created many problems in the Belfast of this period. For instance, they cut the attendance at the March 22 Irish Cup final against Glenavon to 5000 as the authorities were forced to close Newtownards Road from 1.30 to 6pm. As an alternative, special trams operated on the Albertbridge Road. Savage and McCracken were the scorers in a 2-1 victory for the Blues who wore black and yellow stripes”.
The fifth of the Seven Trophies was won and over the remainder of this anniversary season, Linfieldfc.com will continue to celebrate the winning of each of the seven trophies, not just in this centenary season of the 1921-22 success, but the also the winning of each of the seven trophies in this 60th anniversary year of the historic 1961-62 season, when that legendary team matched the achievements of their illustrious predecessors from 40 years previously.
At this historic centenary anniversary period, Linfield FC celebrates and salutes the triumph of the fifth part of the first historic Seven Trophy success in 1922-22.
The players of that team and their successors of 40 years later wrote a most glorious chapter in the proud and illustrious history of this club and institution.
Linfield FC continues to mark the anniversary season of our 1921-22 centenary triumph and our 1961-62 Seven Trophy success.
The club’s 2021-22 members and season tickets which have been issued this season, all possess the historic image of our 1921-22 immortals.
Team sheets produced for social media have also included portrait images of legendary 1921-22 captain Bob Wallace, goalkeeper Alfie Harland and other heroes from that period.
100 years later, Linfield FC recalls with pride our Irish Cup success in March 1922 that kept the club on course to these truly astonishing achievements.
The players on the team sheet below could never have imagined that their humble success in an Irish Cup competition would be celebrated 100 years later, as one small piece in an epic tale of glorious history and folklore.
Audaces Fortuna Juvat
