Ballymena Showgrounds
Crusaders
Coleraine
Cliftonville
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© Brendan Monaghan Photography
Newry City pictured during the 2022/23 season
Formed as recently as 2013, Newry City's rise through the ranks to the Sports Direct Premiership is nothing short of remarkable.
Emerging after the original club of the same name was the subject of a winding up order in September 2012, the 'new' Newry had to begin life in the lowest tier of the Mid Ulster Football League, Intermediate 'B'.
Winning the title - and promotion - at the first attempt in 2013/14, it took a couple of seasons to lift the Intermediate 'A' title and another subsequent promotion to the third tier of the Northern Ireland Football League.
They finished runners-up in the Premier Intermediate League in 2016/17, winning another promotion to the Championship via a play-off defeat of Armagh City.
Now a senior club, City subsequently finished runners-up again in their first Championship campaign and earned yet another promotion to the top flight via the play-offs.
Unfortunately Newry only survived for one season before suffering relegation back to the Championship whereupon they stayed until the end of the 2021/22 campaign and a successful title winning season that earned them a return to the Premiership.
City go into the 2023/24 season without long term manager Darren Mullen, who was instrumental in their rise through the ranks since their formation but decided to step down after securing their top flight survival for another year. He will be replaced by assistant Gary Boyle.
