A century in the making

In May 1924 Billy Mullen saw that long held ambition come to fruition when an application to join the Irish League was successful. Since pre-Great War days Portadown had been a hotbed of junior football, but now the local clubs threw their weight behind this new venture.

Billy Mullen and Thomas Cordner were selected as the club's reps to the Irish League and they immediately set about building a squad capable of competing with the best clubs in the country.

There was a real buzz around the town as the big day was awaited with great anticipation. When the fixture list was published, the 23rd August 1924 was the date for the opening round of fixtures and for Portadown as visit to The Oval.

The result turned out to be a disappointment but it was the beginning of a great adventure which lead to many achievements over the past century.

Almost one hundred years to the day Glentoran were again the opponents for the Ports last weekend as the Shamrock Park men set out on a second century of senior football and all that it may bring.