It’s set to be an interesting summer at Strangford FC as the club prepares to make an historic switch from the Newcastle League to the Northern Amateur Football League.
Current co-manager Frankie Black says the decision is “for the future of the football club” and “about progression” as he reflected on the move.
Strangford have played in the Newcastle League since its formation in 1981 but, after a large group of senior players approached the management team of Frankie Black and Martin Craig, the wheels were set in motion for a move into the newly formed 2D division, introduced as part of the NAFL’s restructuring for the 2026/27 season.
Black, who has managed the first team alongside Craig since 2024, is also a member of the club committee and played for Strangford in the famous 1998 Bobby Dalzell Cup final victory over Maghera.
He explained how the move first came about at the start of last year’s pre-season.
“We have a leadership group with the older players at the club.
“They came to us as managers and said, ‘We’re interested in making the jump here, will you back us?’
“They can see the youth coming through and the class that’s there, and they want to go on a journey with the club,” he said.
Former Strangford player Black went on to explain that the move has been in the pipeline for more than a decade.
The club’s first-ever youth team was established under the stewardship of the current first-team management duo, alongside Russell Swail, Fintan Marquess and Brendan Kerr.
That was 14 years ago, and the youth section has steadily grown to include multiple teams, from under-8s through to under-17s.
Black explained that the move is a necessary step to allow the club’s youth structure to continue developing.
“Everything was set in place 14 years ago, and we’ve lost young players over the years by being in the Newcastle League, but now we’re pushing in the right direction.”
