We are pleased to confirm that Christopher Crane has agreed to sign a two-year contract with Ards. Left-back Crane, 22, has previously played for Ballyclare Comrades and Portadown.

THE FIRST DRAFT PICTURE OF THE NEW STADIUM HAS BEEN RELEASED FOR MORE DETAILS READ HERE

ARDS F.C. YOUTH DEVELOPMENT OFFICER REQUIRED

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All at Ards F.C are delighted to learn that the club will receive a share of the money granted to NIFL by the National Lottery. Thanks to all National Lottery players!

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BELOW IS  THE IFA & NIFL STATEMENT

Irish Football Association and NIFL thank National Lottery Players for their support
£450k support package from The National Lottery gives lifeline to all NI Football League clubs
The Irish FA is delighted to announce that all Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) clubs will
each receive a share of £450k of financial support as part of a unique partnership with The
National Lottery.
The partnership with The National Lottery will benefit all men’s and women’s clubs in the NI Football
League. It will provide vital support as clubs are either forced to play without fans or not able to
play football at all, owing to COVID-19 restrictions. As a thank you, National Lottery players, who
make a difference every time they buy a ticket, will also get a range of benefits – including free
tickets once stadia have fully reopened and VIP experiences with the Northern Ireland national side.
The clubs are important parts of their communities and the funding recognises their role beyond just
a 3pm kick off on a Saturday afternoon. They provide a source of pride to their local areas and
have been at the heart of their communities through the duration of the pandemic.
The funds will play a key role in ensuring that the clubs can continue to exist and operate during
the pandemic. The money will be distributed by the Irish FA to clubs ensuring their continued
survival.
Patrick Nelson, Chief Executive Officer for the Irish FA, said: “Thanks to National Lottery players,
football clubs are able to protect and enhance the crucial work they do serving their communities
right across Northern Ireland. We’re delighted to play our role in this brilliant initiative.”

Andrew Johnston, Managing Director of the NI Football League, said, “This funding is a huge boost
to our member clubs at a particularly desperate time. We would like to express our sincere thanks
to The National Lottery for their support in safeguarding the immediate future of our clubs.

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Brandon Lewis, said, “Men’s and women’s clubs in the NI
Football League play a vital role in their local communities, and have been facing tough times
recently because of coronavirus restrictions. We are extremely grateful to The National Lottery for this
vital funding package, which will go a long way in helping these clubs keep going until fans are
safely able to return to grounds and stadia.”
Nigel Railton, Chief Executive of National Lottery operator Camelot, said, “The National Lottery and
its players make a massive difference to communities across the UK day in, day out – and have
been doing so for the past 26 years. So we’re really delighted to be working with the Irish Football
Association to support these incredibly important clubs in the Northern Ireland Football League,
enabling them to continue playing such an important role in their local communities. I am a huge
football fan and I think all fans will be delighted to know that their clubs are getting the support
they need.”
The partnerships follows a similar initiative between the FA and National League in England, and the
FAW and Cymru Leagues in Wales. Work continues on a partnership with the Scottish FA. The
money for these initiatives is coming from a National Lottery promotional fund. It is not being funded
by money allocated for National Lottery Good Causes or by Camelot.