The NIFL Development League (prior to 2016, the NIFL Reserve League) is an intermediate Association football league in Northern Ireland consisting of the reserve teams of the twelve NIFL Premiership clubs.
Current members (2022–23) Ballymena United Reserves Carrick Rangers Reserves Cliftonville Olympic Coleraine Reserves Crusaders Reserves Dungannon Swifts Reserves Glenavon Reserves Glentoran II Larne Olympic Linfield Swifts Newry City Reserves Portadown Reserves
History The NIFL Development League is the successor to the NIFL Reserve League, which in turn was the successor to the Irish League B Division Section 2 which was formed in 1977, when the B Division split into two sections: Section 1 for intermediate clubs and the other for the reserve teams of senior clubs. Since the foundation of the B Division in 1951, these two categories of teams had competed together. In 1999, Section 1 of the B Division was renamed the Irish League Second Division and Section 2 became the Irish League Reserve League. In 2003, on the formation of the Irish Premier League, the IFA took direct control and the league was renamed the IFA Reserve League. In 2013, the Northern Ireland Football League took over, and the league was again renamed, to the NIFL Reserve League. In 2016, it became the NIFL Development League, with an age restriction imposed on players.
List of champions
Irish League B Division Section 2 Season Champions1977–78 Linfield Swifts1978–79 Linfield Swifts1979–80 Linfield Swifts1980–81 Cliftonville Olympic1981–82 Larne Olympic1982–83 Linfield Swifts1983–84 Linfield Swifts1984–85 Linfield Swifts1985–86 Glentoran II1986–87 Glentoran II1987–88 Linfield Swifts1988–89 Linfield Swifts1989–90 Glentoran II1990–91 Linfield Swifts1991–92 Linfield Swifts1992–93 Glentoran II1993–94 Bangor Reserves1994–95 Bangor Reserves1995–96 Glentoran II1996–97 Crusaders Reserves1997–98 Glentoran II1998–99 Linfield Swifts
Irish League Reserve League Season Champions1999–00 Linfield Swifts2000–01 Cliftonville Olympic2001–02 Glentoran II2002–03 Glentoran II
IFA Reserve League Season Champions2003–04 Linfield Swifts2004–05 Linfield Swifts2005–06 Dungannon Swifts Reserves2006–07 Ballymena United Reserves2007–08 Donegal Celtic Reserves2008–09 Linfield Swifts2009–10 Linfield Swifts2010–11 Linfield Swifts2011–12 Cliftonville OlympicCLIFTONVILLE OLYMPIC SECURE IFA RESERVE LEAGUE TITLE2012–13 Ballinamallard United II
NIFL Reserve League Season Champions2013–14 Cliftonville OlympicCLIFTONVILLE OLYMPIC - RESERVE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS 2013/142014–15 Linfield SwiftsReserve League table2015–16 Cliftonville OlympicOlympic's Silver Lining
NIFL Premiership Development League Season Champions2016–17 Linfield SwiftsLinfield Swifts receive League Champions trophy at Windsor Park2017–18 Linfield SwiftsNI Football League2018–19 Linfield SwiftsNI Football League2019–20 Cliftonville OlympicNI Football League2020–21 cancelled2021–22 Crusaders ReservesNI Football League2022–23 Crusaders Reserves2023–24 Coleraine ReservesNI Football League2024–25 Linfield SwiftsNI Football League2025–26 Glentoran IINI Football League
Summary of champions
Team Wins Winning yearsLinfield Swifts 22 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2014–15, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2024-25Glentoran II9 1985–86, 1986–87, 1989–90, 1992–93, 1995–96, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2025-26Cliftonville Olympic6 1980–81, 2000–01, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2019-20Crusaders Reserves3 1996–97, 2021–22, 2022–23Bangor Reserves2 1993–94, 1994–95Ballinamallard United II1 2012–13Ballymena United Reserves1 2006–07Coleraine Reserves1 2023–24Donegal Celtic Reserves1 2007–081 2005–06Larne Olympic1 1981–82
See also George Wilson Cup NIFL Premiership NIFL Championship NIFL Premier Intermediate League Irish Intermediate Cup Northern Ireland football league system
References