Milk Cup finals move to Ballymena

Milk Cup organisers have decided that the capacity and facilities at the Coleraine Showgrounds are not adequate, and for the first time in 28 years the tournament finals will not be in Coleraine.

The Coleraine venue's capacity is now under 3,000 while the Ballymena Showgrounds can accommodate 5,000.

The finals will return to Coleraine when facilities are brought up to the required standard.

Milk Cup chairman Victor Leonard said is was a "very difficult" decision for the organising committee to make.

"In our first year we had 16 teams in one age group but the number of teams has trebled and we have now three different age groups and that's behind the major problems on finals night," he added.

"We're putting teams into portacabins and we're finding that some are complaining bitterly and we've had the threat of walk-outs.

"There are health and safety issues. Teams have to cross main car-parks to do warm-ups and warm-downs.

"When you are putting teams like Barcelona, Liverpool and Manchester United in temporary accommodation, which was temporary some 12 years ago, it just doesn't add up.

"We feel very strongly that we will start to lose teams coming to the Milk Cup.

"If we don't do something now the future of the Milk Cup will be jeopardised."

We want your views, log onto our facebook page, or register above.