Sunday football: protests on the cards if Irish League presses ahead with regular soccer on the Sabbath

Both the Presbyterian and Free Presbyterian churches have responded to a call from the league’s chief executive for “adult conversations” around a major shake-up of local football, including scheduling matches to take place on Sundays.

The chair of the Free Presbyterian’s Government and Morals Committee said one of the key issues is the perceived value of a player to a club if they refuse to play on a Sunday.

"I know a few people involved in the Irish League that would be against [Sunday football] too,” he said.

"It is discrimination against Christians. Christians who want to play – they’re going to be left that they can’t play… or they won’t be allowed to play, because what club is going to want someone who is half there and half not.”

Earlier this week, Northern Ireland Football League chairman Gerard Lawlor said people involved in football would have to come out of their comfort zones for the good of the sport.

Unveiling a new five-year strategy aimed at helping to grow the local game, Gerard Lawlor said: “I'm a traditionalist and we all want to play at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon, but to evolve and develop we need to come outside of our comfort zone. All I'm asking for is people to soul search. I'm asking for adult conversations.”​

Although the ban on Sunday football was lifted in recent years, only a small number of games have taken place on the Sabbath, including this year’s Irish Cup Final between Ballymena United and Crusaders.

"There are all sorts of provisions made for everybody, but it seems to be that there is not much provision made for Christians," Rev Dane said.

He also said that although similar proposals have been rejected in the face of strong opposition in the past, the issue of regular fixtures on a Sunday is repeatedly being put back on the agenda.

"They don’t accept that – they just come back at us,” he said.

“They just keep going and they don’t seem to accept ‘no’ for an answer.”

Rev Dane said there “is a resolve in the Christian community,” ensure the Sabbath day is respected, and added: “I know there are some Christians who wouldn’t take the Lord’s day as seriously as others, but I know, within the Irish League, managers, trainers and players who have said that they won’t be taking part on a Sunday."

Asked if he expected to see protests against football on a Sunday if the league adopts a new policy, Rev Dane said: “I would think so, yes.”

A spokesperson for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) said: “While the Northern Ireland Football League’s five-year-plan does not explicitly mention staging matches on a Sunday, in a wide-ranging plan, it does state that it will ‘explore the benefits of changes such as match-days…’ which, I assume, could include Sundays.

“In 2008 the General Assembly of our Church expressed its ‘concern’ at the Irish Football Association’s decision to permit competitive football on Sundays as it would, in the words of the resolution ‘…hinder or diminish attendance of Sunday worship, thus interfering with Christian practice as an established aspect of societal life.’"The spokesperson said that while the church recognises that attitudes in society, in relation to sporting and other events on Sundays, “have continued to evolve, and that such events are more commonplace today,” the position of the Presbyterian Church remains unchanged.In a statement, the PCI added: “Having said that, we welcome the NIFL’s chief executive’s call for ‘adult conversations’.

"We hope that this wider consultation and engagement will involve Christian players who place their faith in Jesus and play to honour and serve Him, alongside club staff, and supporters who may not wish to participate, and feel excluded, if regular Sunday fixtures become mainstream.”

The statement goes on to say: “It is, therefore, important that as far as possible, those making decisions on any future changes, seek to be as inclusive as possible, taking into account the views of all who love the game”.

A spokesperson for the Church of Ireland said they would not be commenting at this time.

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