A BBC Northern Ireland documentary to be aired on Monday night will present a “ripping yarn” about Glentoran’s remarkable triumph in the Vienna Cup in 1914.
So says author and lifelong Glens fan Sam Robinson who helped explore the background and history of the first ever professional British team to lift a trophy on mainland Europe.
In ‘Belfast's Victory in Vienna: A Footballing Odyssey’ , presenter Holly Hamilton and Sam retrace the steps of the inaugural winners of the Vienna Cup.
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A group of 13 working class men, some of whom worked in the shipyards, travelled 3,500 miles over the course of 14 days to take on Europe’s finest.
Their adventure included an arduous three day journey from Belfast to Prague before taking in the sights of Berlin, Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest.
“We wanted to look at this incredible journey that took these men from the Newtownards Road to Franz Ferdinand’s summer palace (in Austria),” said Sam. “It’s just a ripping yarn.
“The Vienna Cup is part of the folklore of Glentoran football club and it was an odyssey framed by the sinking of the Titanic, World War One and the Home Rule Crisis.
“The backdrop to the story is incredible and what these 13 Glentoran players achieved when they went to central Europe to play these high end teams is remarkable.”
The BBC documentary highlights how nothing, from an infamous pub crawl to a missing goalkeeper, would stand in the way of Glentoran making history in Europe.
At the time, the feat barely registered in the newspapers of the day back in Belfast, but the Vienna Cup still has pride of place in the Oval boardroom today.
- Belfast's Victory in Vienna: A Footballing Odyssey airs on Monday, May 2 at 10.40pm on BBC One Northern Ireland. It is also available on BBC iPlayer.
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