Wakehurst FC (Northern Ireland)

Wakehurst are a team from Ballymena who play in the IFA Championship 2, the third level of football in Northern Ireland. Formed in 1969, they used to play on the Ballymena Showgrounds Pitch 2, which backed onto the ground of Premier League favourites Ballymena United. However, they had to move in 2009, as the pitch wasn't seemed suitable for the league.

So at the moment they share with Tobermore United, but with a view to moving in with Moyola Park at their spanking new Mill Meadow ground when it's finally built. Their fans though still think this is too far from Ballymena, as they're not too happy about the 40 mile round trip required to attend home matches, But their future in the Irish League depends on them continuing to play on an appropriate ground, which shy of sharing with Ballymena United isn't looking likely for a while.

The club have played happily along through their 40 odd years in football with little in the way of trophies coming their way. They started life in the Ballymena & District league before moving onto the Northern Amateur league, stepping up to their current level in 2003. In fact the only bit of silverware in their cabinet is the County Antrim Junior Shield that they won in 1990.

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