Football

Teacher in charge

Mr M Winters

Staff and teams

Under 18: Mr M Winters
Under 16: Mr P Thompson / Mr R Johnston

Overview

Football is a sport that is extremely popular in Senior School and has flourished in Grosvenor throughout the years. The boys owe a great deal of gratitude to former teacher Mr. Derek Moore for its inclusion as a school sport. Mr Moore led the successful delivery of football for over 30 years.

The U16 Team after defeating Our Lady & St Patrick’s College, Knock 2-1 in the final of the Belfast Schools’ Cup in March 2022.

The School is a member of the Belfast and District Secondary Schools’ Football Association, competing in the Under 16 and Under 18 Belfast Cup on an annual basis. The School also competes in the prestigious Northern Ireland Schools’ Football Association Cup each year at Under 16 and Under 18 level. On top of this, the School is a member of the Under 18 Belfast Grammar Schools’ League, playing home and away each year against Methody, RBAI, Bangor Grammar, Regent House and Campbell College.

The School has also enjoyed recent success in football, winning the Danske Bank Schools’ Cup at Under 18 level two years in a row in 2015/16 and 2016/17, under the excellent management of Mr Tomkins. The first final was a gruelling contest against Ballyclare High School at Ballymena Showgrounds, in which the boys held their nerve in a penalty shootout to win the trophy for the first time in eleven years. The following year, with many of the players playing in their second final, the team won 3-1 against St. Columb’s College, Derry at Seaview after extra-time to secure the cup for the second year in a row. As recently as March 2022, the U16 Team defeated Our Lady & St Patrick’s College, Knock 2-1 in the final of the Belfast Schools’ Cup.

Over the years, many Grosvenor pupils who have represented the School in football have also represented Northern Ireland Schoolboys’ Under 16 and Under 18 teams. Recently, Callum Byers, who currently plays for Dungannon Swifts F.C., played for the Northern Ireland Schoolboys’ Under 18 team in 2015/16; Josh Kelly, who currently plays for Ballymena United F.C., played for the Northern Ireland Schoolboys’ Under 18 team in 2016/17; and former pupil Matthew Lusty played for the Northern Ireland Schoolboys’ Under 16 team in 2018/19.

Each year, Year 12-14 pupils are given the opportunity to train each Monday at Orangefield Park to bolster their skills and develop as a team. They are also given an abundance of competitive matches to represent their School. As a team, we play our home fixtures Dixon Park Playing Fields, the home of Sirocco Works F.C. This year, the school has been pleased to announce its first European football tour to Valencia, in partnership with Inspire Sport. It is hoped that a tour will take place on a two-year basis, to ensure all Year 13 and 14 pupils have to opportunity to go on one tour.

Belfast Schools’ Cup Final - March 2022

Grosvenor Grammar School 2 - 1 Our Lady and St Patrick’s College, Knock