Historically the league for the entire island of Ireland. It became Northern Ireland’s national league after the partition of Ireland in 1921.
Glenavon were the first club outside of Belfast to win the league in its first 62 years of existence 1951-52
Derry City won the league in 1962-63 but left the league in 1972 to join the League of Ireland
In 1995–96 until 2002–03, the senior League was split into two divisions: the Premier Division and First Division.
In 2003, the Irish Football Association took direct charge of Northern Ireland’s top flight with the creation of the Irish Premier League (IPL). As in England and Scotland, the old Irish Football League retained a separate existence, but controlling only two feeder leagues: the First Division and Second Division.
In 2004, the IFA took over control of the remaining IFL divisions and renamed them as the IFA Intermediate League First Division and Second Division, effectively winding up the Irish Football League after 114 years.
Northern Irish League is ranked 42 out of 55 leagues in coefficient points.
The coefficient of a club is calculated by adding the total number of points it obtains in a given season in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League
Linfield are the most successful of the Irish league clubs with 56 league titles.
Glentoran second most with 23
Stevie Cowan (Portadown) 132 goals in 170 appearances
Vinny Arkins (Portadown) 248 goals in 405 appearances
Garry Haylock (Linfield, Portadown, Glenavon, Glentoran, Ards) 206 goals 351 appearances
Peter Thompson (Linfield) 230 goals in 413 appearances
Glenn Ferguson (Ards, Glenavon, Linfield, Distillery) 503 goals in 1040 appearances
Stephen Mcbride (Glenavon, Linfield, Bangor, Crusaders) 275 goals in 568 appearances
Gary McCartney (Glentoran) 192 goals 328 appearances
Paul Heatley (Cliftonville, Carrick, Crusaders) 168 goals in 359 appearances (still playing)
Jordan Owens (Crusaders) 192 goals in 480 appearances (still playing)
Andrew Waterworth (Ards, Distillery, Glentoran, Linfield, Glenavon) 204 goals in 535 appearances
Joe Gormley (Cliftonville) 194 goals 349 appearances (still playing)
Martin McCaughey 313 goals in 482 appearances (Linfield)
Glenn Ferguson 50k (Glenavon-Linfield)
Jamie McGonigle 74k (Coleraine-Crusaders)
Shay McCartan 106k (Ballymena-Glentoran)
Lee Bonis 107k (Portadown-Larne)
Patrick Kelly (Coleraine-West Ham) 450k
Trai Hume (Linfield-Sunderland) 216k
Rory Patterson (Glentoran-Plymouth Argyle) 203k
Paul Smyth (Linfield-QPR) 144K
Andy Smith (Glentoran-Preston North End) 130k
Ruaridhi Donnelly (Cliftonville-Swansea) 113k
Gavin Whyte Crusaders-Oxford) 104k
Stewart Elliot (Glentoran-Motherwell) 100k
Jordan Stewart (Linfield-Swindon) 64k
Michael Ingham (Cliftonville-Sunderland) 45k
