Larne FC awarded UEFA Club Licence for first time in its history

The Inver Park club announced the news that their application had been granted by Irish Football Association on its website this afternoon saying it "underlines the club’s ambitions to compete in Europe".

Chairman Gareth Clements said: “The award of a UEFA Club Licence for the first time, parallel with a Premiership Club License for the 2020/2021 season, shows the continual strides being made by the club both on and off the pitch.

“The work that goes into preparing these submissions is enormous. They are long, arduous and can be painstaking, hence our pride, joy and sense of achievement upon learning of the award earlier today.

“Massive thanks go to the team, behind the team for making this happen.

“Archie Smyth in his role as Club Secretary was paramount to pulling this together and must be given great credit, the finance team of Jayne Liddle and Raymond Robinson also spent many a long hour on it, as did Andrew McNickle and Niall Curneen amongst other contributors. What an effort.

“This announcement is a real fillip to everyone around the club and strengthens our resolve to get back to Inver Park, as we continue to brave these uncertain days through Covid-19.”

The European Licence has been granted on the basis of Tiernan Lynch’s men playing any potential ties at Seaview, while work continues to bring Inver Park up to the required standard.

Work has already begun at the Church End of the stadium to add infrastructure required for Inver Park to host UEFA club games, and the club are delighted to be working in partnership with Mid and East Antrim council on this project.

Eight other Danske Bank Premiership clubs have also been granted UEFA Licences.

They are: Ballymena United FC; Cliftonville FC; Coleraine FC; Crusaders FC; Dungannon Swifts FC; Glenavon FC; Glentoran FC; Linfield FC.