Coleraine FC Coleraine FC represents the small town of Coleraine on the River Bann, close to Northern Ireland's north coast. The club was formed in June 1927 through the merger of two local sides, Coleraine Olympic and Coleraine Alexandra, at a meeting held in the town's Orange Hall. Among the founders and the club's first player-manager was Irish international John McCandless. In their first-ever Irish League match, Coleraine shocked their more established opponents by beating Cliftonville 4-1.
For much of its history, the club has competed against sides from Belfast while establishing itself as one of the most important clubs outside the capital of Northern Ireland. The nickname The Bannsiders comes directly from the River Bann flowing through the town.
The greatest achievement in the club's history came in 1973-74, when Coleraine won the league championship for the first time, finishing ahead of more established rivals such as Portadown and Crusaders. Alongside that title, the club has added seven Irish Cup triumphs to its honours list, most recently in 2026, when Coleraine beat Dungannon Swifts 3-2 in the final. The club is also the only Irish League side to have won the all-Ireland Blaxnit Cup in two successive seasons, in 1969 and 1970, when it competed against clubs from the Republic of Ireland.
Coleraine also has a notable European history: the club made its continental debut in 1965-66 against Soviet giants Dynamo Kyiv, and in 1982 faced Tottenham Hotspur in the Cup Winners' Cup, losing the tie 7-0 on aggregate.
The team plays at The Showgrounds, a traditional ground in the heart of Coleraine that reflects the club's close connection with its local community.
