Loughgall: Meet Europe's smallest settlement with a top-flight team

Dean Smith has been in charge of Loughgall since 2016.

There are just 282 residents of the County Armagh village Loughgall, but the success of their football teams means that this sleepy village is about to get a whole lot busier next season.

Loughgall sealed their return to the Irish Premiership as Championship winners with a 3-1 win against Dundela on Saturday.

They will now play top-flight football for the first time since 2007 and as a result the village will become the smallest settlement in Europe to have a team in the top tier of football.

Relief at 'finally getting over the line'

Their manager and former player Dean Smith believes it is "the biggest achievement" in the club's history and even said there is a running joke in the village that his squad, "make up 10% of the population when we train on Tuesdays and Thursdays!"

The Villagers won the league with two games to spare, and Smith, who has been at the helm since 2016, hailed his players for their effort this term.

"The players this year have been phenomenal and we are so glad to finally get it over the line. We've been in a bit of a 'no man's land' as we were nine points clear with a far superior goal difference but we hadn't mathematically won the league yet.

"Against Dundela I thought we were superb and to clinch it the way we did, is a great achievement for the club. The village is very proud and everything is so exciting at the minute.

"To go up as champions, it gives the players that wee bit extra time to prepare and get their heads around next season in the Premiership" he said.

"You look at the other clubs in the Championship and some of the financial resources they have. We don't have that, but what we do have is a great board and volunteers at the club that work very hard, along with some very good players.

"The team spirit and togetherness we showed won us the league" he added.

Loughgall were beaten 2-0 by Irish Premiership side Glentoran in the League Cup earlier in the season.

'We don't want to stand still'

Loughgall won promotion to the Irish Premiership in 2010, but declined to join the top flight as they felt they needed to continue to upgrade their facilities before making the jump.

Smith believes that the facilities the club have now ensure the Villagers ready for top-flight football.

"I've been at the club six-and-half years now and every year we have been taking baby steps forward which will get us where we want to be.

"The club has bought into what we are doing as a coaching staff, but the facilities the club has now are great.

"We have our own gym, a cyro-spa on site, a 3G pitch and obviously a grass pitch as well, so you know, the structures are in place to go up.

"We have done a lot of improvements to the ground and they will continue do that over the close season again as we don't want to stand still."

The 46-year old is already bracing himself for the huge challenge that stepping up to the Irish Premiership will bring, but is confident that his side can rise to the challenge.

"We are excited to go up. we know it will be a very tough season next year, but we believe in what we are asking from the players and we are more than capable of holding our own in the league."

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