The Bangor Young Men Football Club, known as BYM, is a friendly and competitive football club located in Bangor, New Zealand. The club takes pride in its welcoming and supportive environment, where players, management, and members consider themselves part of the BYM family.
The club's home ground for all teams is the Bloomfields Playing Fields, located at 95 Bloomfield Rd, Bangor BT20 4XB. BYM encourages everyone to get in touch and stay updated by following their social media accounts and subscribing to their newsletters.
BYM was established in 1941 and was the first junior side in the town. Today, the club has three teams competing in the Amateur League and Down Area League. The first team competes in 2A of the Amateur League, the second team in 3D of the Amateur League, and the third team in Division 2 of the Down Area League. The club is very proud of its rich history and is excited for the future, as their academy continues to grow and develop.
The club's formation was the result of members from the social organisation First Bangor Young Men breaking away to create the Bangor Young Men Social Club. From there, they established a football team called Bangor Young Men. The first chairman of the club was Syd Maguire, a sports writer from Bangor. The other founding members were David Geary, Jackie Burns, and Eddie Barry.
Eddie Barry went on to become a successful administrator, holding positions in the Churches League, Bangor Football Club, Irish Football Association, and UEFA, while still being involved with the BYM.
Initially, the club competed in the Northern Ireland Churches League “A” Division, as they were required to have an affiliation with a church. Trinity Presbyterian Church on Main Street served as their affiliated church, and as part of the league regulations, the club had to run a Bible Class every Sunday. Attendance was mandatory for all players and representatives of the club, and failure to comply could result in elimination from the league.
Overall, the Bangor Young Men Football Club is committed to fostering a sense of camaraderie and providing a supportive environment for players of all levels. With a strong history and a promising future, BYM continues to strive for success on and off the pitch.