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Category: News 2025-26
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Bangor’s 2025/26 season was officially rounded off with the annual end-of-season Awards Dinner, which took place at the Clandeboye Lodge Hotel on Friday night.
Celebrating the achievements of the players and management staff during a successful first season back in top-flight football since 2008/09, as well as paying tribute to the volunteers and supporters for their efforts throughout the campaign, it was a fitting way to sign off an excellent year that culminated in a 10th-placed finish and Sports Direct Premiership survival.
With a four-course meal and a light-hearted atmosphere as the successes and triumphs of the past nine months were reflected on, it was a nice way to round off the current season before turning the focus towards trying to make it another memorable campaign in 2026/27.
As for the Awards, the five main prizes on offer were swept up by two players – Harry Lynch and Tiarnan Mulvenna.
Gifted defender Lynch has been a revelation in his first campaign in yellow and blue after his arrival from Glenavon last summer – and that was reflected by the 19-year-old taking home three club awards.
The Warrenpoint man was named Young Player of the Year, Manager’s Player of the Year and Clandeboye Bangor Supporters Club Player of the Year, while he also received a special prize in recognition of his maiden call-up to the Northern Ireland Under-21 squad in March.
Belfast native Mulvenna, meanwhile, also took home two individual accolades after another campaign where he was a mainstay in midfield.
The 28-year-old, who has enjoyed two and a half excellent years in the Bangor shirt to date, received the Players’ Player of the Year and Board of Directors’ Player of the Year awards.
Having also been nominated for Goal of the Season at the NI Football League’s awards after his 25-yard wonder-strike against Glentoran in November, it has been a superb year for the midfielder with just shy of 100 appearances for the club under his belt.
Meanwhile, there were presentations for Michael Halliday and Robbie Garrett, who have now drawn the curtains on their respective distinguished playing careers.
Evergreen striker Halliday gave eight years of outstanding service to Bangor in addition to 11 years at his boyhood club Glentoran between 1999 and 2010, with those two spells sandwiching stints with Crusaders, Lisburn Distillery, Dundela and Knockbreda in between.
The 46-year-old won the Ballymena League, Premier Intermediate League and Championship titles as well as the Steel and Sons Cup and the McReynolds Cup in Bangor colours, scoring 49 goals in 140 appearances for the club.
He also claimed three Irish League titles, two Irish Cups, six League Cups, four County Antrim Shields and the Setanta Cup in an exceptional career spanning four different decades – and fittingly ends it as a Premiership player.
On Friday night, in recognition of his contributions to the Seasiders’ rise back up the leagues and his wider career, Halliday received a special award and a framed shirt – plus a rapturous applause – as a token of appreciation.
A framed shirt was also handed to teak-tough midfielder Garrett, who spent two seasons at Clandeboye Park during which he helped Bangor achieve promotion to the Premiership and then stay there.
Prior to that, the 38-year-old enjoyed two excellent spells at Linfield, during which he collected four Irish League titles, while also plying his trade for Portadown and Glenavon prior to his arrival at Bangor in the summer of 2024.
In addition to his outstanding career in the Irish League, Garrett enjoyed spells in England at Stoke City, whose Academy ranks he initially rose through, and Canada with FC Edmonton – he had a spell on loan there from Linfield in 2013.
And the Belfast man received five senior Northern Ireland caps, meaning that he can reflect on a career during which he made a significant mark on the club and international stage.
Across his two years on the seaside, Garrett made 63 appearances, scoring two goals, and he too received a big round of applause as he walked up to collect his framed shirt.
At the other end of the age scale, a special prize was also handed out to Alfie Mitchell, whose brilliant performances in his first campaign with his home town club saw him called up to the Northern Ireland Under-19 squad.
The 17-year-old, who signed from Cliftonville last summer, made his debut at that level in March in a 1-0 victory over Kazakhstan in an Under-19 Euro qualifier in Romania and was named Man of the Match after a fine display in defence.
As with Lynch, it is satisfying to see Bangor players giving international recognition for their performances and efforts – and shining when they are given the opportunity.
It was a memorable night and Bangor thanks the Clandeboye Lodge for their hospitality, as well as everyone who came along to celebrate a highly successful 2025/26 campaign.
 
 
AWARDS SUMMARY:
  • Legend award: Michael Halliday
  • Clandeboye Bangor Supporters Club Player of the Year: Harry Lynch
  • Young Player of the Year: Harry Lynch
  • Players’ Player of the Year: Tiarnan Mulvenna
  • Manager’s Player of the Year: Harry Lynch
  • Board of Directors’ Player of the Year: Tiarnan Mulvenna
  • Award in recognition of Northern Ireland Under-19 call-up: Alfie Mitchell
  • Award in recognition of Northern Ireland Under-21 call-up: Harry Lynch
  • Special presentations of framed shirts: Michael Halliday and Robbie Garrett

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