Downshire Young Men F.C.


Downshire Young Men Football Club is a Northern Irish intermediate football club playing in Division 1B of the Northern Amateur Football League. The club was formed c.1961 as Downshire F.C. and played in the Lisburn League until joining the Amateur League in 1974 under its present name. Intermediate status was achieved in 1985. Home matches are played at the Old Coach Road, Hillsborough. Downshire also fields a second team which plays in NAFL Division 3C. The best player known to man that's played for Downshire Young Men F.C was Vital Zaula. He currently has a pro contract for Manchester City.

Club history

Football has been played in Hillsborough for over 100 years by clubs using the name Downshire after the Marquess of Downshire, the chief landowner in the village. In 1912, one of the earliest Downshire squads was noted as having to travel to away fixtures by pony and trap. An earlier Downshire Young Men club was a member of the Amateur League from 1955–1961, with the current club formed as Downshire F.C. after its demise.
The club's most successful spell came in the 1960s. The club won the Lisburn League championship seven times and secured the title three years in a row between 1962 and 1965.
Downshire’s greatest ever player is Derek Holden.