BelTel Football

Can cash-rich Coleraine wrestle the Gibson Cup away from Windsor Park, or will David Healy guide Linfield to their 58th League title? Will Larne mount a title challenge under Nathan Rooney, or is it finally time for Glentoran to shine under Declan Devine? The new Irish League season kicks off on Saturday, and the BelTel Football team is on hand to give their thoughts on all 12 Sports Direct Premiership teams. Host Keith Bailie, chief sportswriter Steven Beacom and Irish League legend David Jeffrey cast their eye over the forthcoming season on this very special edition of the Belfast Telegraph’s football podcast.

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Leeds United and Northern Ireland legend Stuart Dallas is the special guest on this week’s BelTel Football summer special. The former winger joins Keith Bailie and Steven Beacom to reflect on his incredible playing career that took him from Hagan Park in Coagh to Elland Road and the Premier League. The Cookstown man recalls life in the Irish League, working under Argentine manager Marcelo Biesla, the heartbreaking injury that ended his career and why Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was wrong to call his challenge ‘utter madness’. Dallas also reflects on the ninth anniversary of Northern Ireland’s adventure in French. The King of Lyon will be joined on stage at the Ulster Hall next year by teammates Steven Davis, Josh Magennis and Niall McGinn for special commemorative event, ‘Euro 2016: Ten Years On’

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Businessman and Glentoran Football Club owner Ali Pour joins Keith Bailie and Steven Beacom in the studio for this special edition of BelTel Football. The multimillionaire reflects on the highs and lows of the last six years of life at The Oval and reveals why is still determined to restore the Glens to their past glories. He also makes a case for why Glentoran should receive a huge chunk of public money from the NI Football Fund to rebuild the tired east Belfast stadium.

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Keith Bailie, Steven Beacom and David Jeffrey cast their eye over the 2024-25 season, in the final BelTel Football of the campaign. The panel give each Sports Direct Premiership club a grade, recall their highlights of the season and take a deep dive into the summer transfer market.

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Just eight days after the disappointment of losing an Irish Cup Final, Cliftonville bounced back to secure European qualification with a 2-0 Play-Off win over Coleraine. Manager Jim Magilton joins the BelTel Football panel to discuss the agony losing the cup final and the ecstasy of winning the Play-Off. The former Northern Ireland international also reflects on the tragic death of Cliftonville player Michael Newberry and how the lessons he learnt from his own father’s death helped him deal with the situation. The panel also discuss Sunday football, summer transfer and Queen’s University promotion to the Championship.

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Dungannon Swifts have won the Irish Cup for the first time in their history and our man Steven Beacom has travelled to Stangmore Park for this very special edition of BelTel Football. On Wednesday morning, Steven sat down with NIFWA Manager of the Year Rodney McAree and his assistant Dixie Robinson do discuss Dungannon’s incredible win over Cliftonville at Windsor Park. The two lifelong friends reflect on the cup final, the dramatic penalty shootout and the joyous celebrations on the streets of Tyrone. Meanwhile back in the studio, host Keith Bailie and Swifts reporter Adrian Rutherford discuss Dungannon’s journey from the B Division to Irish Cup glory.

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Cliftonville captain Rory Hale and Dungannon Swifts midfielder James Knowles join Keith Bailie, Steven Beacom and David Jeffrey in the studio for BelTel Football’s Irish Cup Final special. Rory reflects on last year’s final when his brother Ronan scored twice to end Cliftonville’s 45-year wait for Irish Cup glory. James recalls the heartbreaking admin error the forced him to miss the 2013 Final and playing in 2020 Final during lockdown. The panel also discuss Carrick’s play-off win over Annagh United, the managerial situation at Coleraine and the already infamous Inver Brawl.

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20 years to the day, Linfield manager David Jeffrey and Glentoran striker Chris Morgan join Keith Bailie in the studio to discuss one of the most infamous games in Irish League history. On the pitch, Chris Morgan scored a late winner to given Glentoran a 3-2 win in the title decider. But the match was overshadowed by some of the worst crowd trouble ever seen in Northern Ireland as spectators clashed on The Oval pitch. The panel also discuss Dean Shiels’ future at Coleraine, Bangor’s promotion to the Premiership, Newry City’s double relegation and Chris Morgan’s dream of guiding amateur club Rosario into the ranks of the Irish League.

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Is the football nation that gave the world Pat Jennings falling behind when it comes to producing top class goalkeepers? Derry City’s Head of Goalkeeping Michael Dougherty joins Keith Bailie and David Jeffrey in the studio to discuss the future of goalkeeping in the Irish League. Michael discusses the role of the goalkeeper in modern, how clubs must do more to promote young shotstoppers and his role in recruiting the likes of Daniel Gyollia for Glentoran. The panel also discuss Loughgall’s relegation and the thrilling title race at the top of the Championship.

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On Sunday night at Augusta National, Rory Mcilroy defeated Justin Rose in a heart-stopping playoff to win the Masters for the first time in his career. The Holywood man has become the sixth person to complete a career grand slam. In this BelTel Football special, Keith Bailie is joined by the Belfast Telegraph’s Chief Sportswriter Steven Beacom and Chief Audience Editor Gareth Hanna.

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