County Antrim Shield: Why has the name “Ned” been engraved on the shield for so long?

The cup began a successful period for Roy Coyle’s side, who won the League Cup the following season before competing in the UEFA Intertoto Cup soon after.

The years surrounding the millennium proved to be difficult for the team who lost their home ground, Castlereagh Park, in 2000, but the cameo gave fans something to laugh about during their anniversary dinner 15 years after the win.

“When they got the trophy in 2009 at Solitude, they asked: ‘Do you know a guy called Ned?’ Then he showed me the back of the cup and his name was still there.”

“We had a good laugh because Ards will always have his name on the cup, and that’s when we took the picture.

“Now, if Ned were still alive, it would be funny that we’re still talking about this.”

The Ards’ only appearance in the Championship since then was in 2004, but they were beaten 2-0 by Linfield, so their name has remained on the cup four times, three times on the front and on the back.

Now the name has been removed, Ards can not only retain the title of longest name on the cup, but also the only name to be removed.