Agent David Purse opened the stadium gates towards the end of the Crusaders-Portadown game in January 1980. Suddenly several gunshots were heard from a car. Wallet died instantly. Killed by the IRA during a football game.

After Liverpool, Berlin and Buenos Aires (parts 1 and 2), Standing Stand highlights a new city in our Football Cities series: Belfast. Belfast Football City is a journey through the clubs that have shaped Northern Irish football and are currently or active in a region where politics and football are unwilling to intertwine.

Northern Ireland’s most successful Catholic club, Belfast Celtic, disappeared in 1949 after several sectarian incidents and never returned. The Protestant Crusaders replaced the fourteen-time national champions in the Northern Ireland competition.

Derry City withdrew from the Northern Ireland league in 1973 as sectarian tensions escalated. Twelve years later, the club from Derry/Londonderry are making a unique comeback in the Irish league.

The originally Protestant Cliftonville saw itself back in Catholic territory due to the many forced relocations in Belfast and with fanatical and politically conscious Catholic supporters in the stands of Solitude stadium (cover photo Belfast Football City).

Protestant record champion Linfield has not played an away game at Cliftonville for nearly thirty years. Reportedly too dangerous for a club that only signed Protestant players for decades.

Glentoran, who played in the ancient Oval, grew to become Linfield’s arch-rival. Perhaps the 1914 European Cup winners could have had more success had they not turned down their most famous supporter, George Best…

The Belfast and Derry/Londonderry clubs have little respect outside the country’s borders, but are very important to the local communities within. Each and every club relies on volunteers and passionate supporters. The numbers may not be impressive, but the fidelity follows. These clubs are all unique in their experience, history and location.

Belfast Football City paints a picture of a struggling city and country in the twentieth century, and how the country is returning to its peak after decades of terror.

Wouter Scholema (Dokkum, 1988) is a historian and, among other things, prescribes stands standing.