George Tate
First formed in 1886 by a few men employed in the Linfield mill of the Ulster Spinning Company, the Linfield football club played its early games on a piece of spare ground. It soon caught the popular fancy and after three seasons secured a larger and more suitable ground. It had various other removals until it finally settled down at its present headquarters at Windsor Park, reputed to be the largest and best equipped ground in Ireland.
Like other clubs, Linfield have had their bad times, notably when they were for two seasons homeless, and again in the season 1888-9 when they succeeded in defeating Notts Forest in the first round of the English Cup, only to find Notts Forest claim the match because Linfield had played an ineligible man. But, as George Tate will tell you tonight, they were big enough to overcome these setbacks, and today Linfield have a proud and enviable reputation in Irish football.
On Saturday Raymond Glendenning will broadcast a commentary on part of their match against Cliftonville at Windsor Park.