Jamie Mulgrew, an eleventh league title with Linfield and the thirst for additional success

“My phone kept buzzing with messages, but I was so tired, I went straight to sleep — I hadn’t realised I’d set the record!”

For Linfield captain Jamie Mulgrew, final Tuesday night time was identical to some other. The 38-year-old midfielder spent the night teaching the membership’s under-18s. As soon as house, he watched the soccer, then went to mattress. But for Mulgrew and Linfield, this was a record-breaking night.

The televised match was between Linfield’s two closest rivals: Glentoran drew towards Larne, confirming Linfield as champions for the 57th time, a world document. That success confirmed Mulgrew’s eleventh league winner’s medal — setting a nationwide document and becoming a member of an unique international membership. It was a unprecedented achievement in essentially the most peculiar of circumstances.

“In some ways, it was an anti-climax,” Mulgrew admits. “You would always prefer to win it on the pitch.” The title was confirmed with six matchdays remaining.

Solely 4 lively skilled footballers — Dinamo Zagreb’s Arijan Ademi (13), Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller, James Forrest of Celtic and former TNS full-back Chris Marriott (all 12) — have received extra league titles than Mulgrew’s at one European membership. But there may be one key distinction: Linfield have been considerably much less dominant domestically than any of these golf equipment. Larne entered this season as back-to-back champions and, since 2013, Crusaders had received three league titles and Cliftonville two.

Mulgrew, who turns 39 in July, insists these title-less campaigns make his successes extra pleasing, highlighting the five-year hole between titles from 2012 to 2017.

“You never know if it’s going to be your last one and that makes them sweeter,” he gives. “The hunger for more never disappears.”

Mulgrew celebrates profitable final season’s League Cup together with his youngsters (Printed with the permission of Jamie Mulgrew)

Mulgrew started his profession at Glentoran, Linfield’s major Belfast rivals.

He made two first-team appearances, together with throughout their 2004-05 league success. Linfield approached Mulgrew that summer time, with the 19-year-old’s contract expiring, and he determined to hitch the membership he had supported in his youth. That 2005-06 season noticed Linfield full a clear sweep of all 4 home trophies, however a recurring medial knee damage restricted Mulgrew’s recreation time.

For successive seasons, the midfielder was concerned in title-winning squads however missed the minimal look threshold to assert a winner’s medal.

Mulgrew, who has 26 trophies and counting at Linfield, believes his ascent to the captaincy was born of getting to struggle for recognition in a dressing room of serial winners. “That squad I joined was full of leaders and big personalities,” he explains. “You had to adapt to those standards. Back then, it was only 14-player matchday squads, so you constantly had that pressure of performing and working hard.”

His longevity is made extra outstanding given his taking part in fashion; Mulgrew is a combative midfielder snug at carrying the ball, shuffling previous opponents and drawing free kicks as a result of his low centre of gravity. Whereas no statistical measurement is out there, he’s extensively thought of to be the Irish League’s most fouled participant.

But he has different qualities which can be arguably extra vital: always instructing team-mates on positioning, what runs to make, when to push up the pitch and when to sluggish a recreation down. He credit his management to his early years on the membership.

“I was shaped by that pressure to win and perform, of needing to know how to train, to set an example on and off the pitch, to have the right combination between confidence and staying humble… and that hunger,” he says. “To use criticism as fuel. That is what I try to instil in my team-mates and the youngsters I coach.”

Mulgrew swaps pennants with Celtic’s Scott Brown forward of a Champions League qualifier in 2017 (Craig Williamson – SNS GroupSNS Group through Getty Photos)

One of many midfielder’s largest duties helps new gamers combine right into a profitable tradition.

“The pressures at Linfield are unique — winning trophies is everything,” says Mulgrew. “I joined the club so young, that environment is all I have ever known. But others take time to adjust. It is our job to make them comfortable, but our responsibility for them is more than that — we need to win for them. If they join a winning team, that pressure lifts.”

Mulgrew will nearly actually not surpass the outstanding tally of 1,013 Linfield appearances set by his former team-mate, Noel Bailie, however he’s closing in on the 800-game landmark. There has beforehand been curiosity from elsewhere. In 2011, a yr after his two worldwide appearances for Northern Eire, Mulgrew’s Linfield contract was expiring and he attracted curiosity from Colombus Crew and Portland Timbers in Main League Soccer. The midfielder travelled to the USA for separate trial durations however determined towards a transfer.

In 2021, Linfield went full-time; an improve from their earlier semi-professional standing. This was not with out threat, with a number of of Mulgrew’s long-term team-mates deciding to maneuver elsewhere as a result of private circumstances. But, for Mulgrew, the chance to change into full-time, aged 34, was too good to show down.

His work exterior soccer was centred on afternoons, with the brand new mannequin releasing up his evenings to spend together with his spouse and three younger youngsters. “That decision, without doubt, has prolonged my career.”

Mulgrew fires off a shot throughout a UEFA Convention League play-off in 2022 (Liam McBurney/PA Photos through Getty Photos)

For Mulgrew and his team-mates, this season’s trophy carry may have added poignance.

In June 2024, the membership’s physiotherapist, Paul Butler, handed away instantly aged 37. Six months later, Michael Newberry — the defender who spent three and a half seasons at Linfield earlier than becoming a member of Cliftonville final summer time — died on his twenty seventh birthday.

“What has happened in the past year is hard to come to terms with,” says Mulgrew, whose brother-in-law handed away in 2023. “We are able to overlook how anybody, regardless of how well-known or profitable, are simply individuals and all of us undergo the identical feelings.

“For us, being in a crew surroundings and entering into to coach on daily basis collectively is a vital help community. Everybody right here has helped one another. We have now a very robust altering room, you’ll be able to preserve the normality with the banter and the help. We genuinely get pleasure from spending time with one another.

“This squad has great character and resilience, too, that is borne out through our results this season but also coming through everything we have together.”

Mulgrew has already dedicated himself to Linfield for subsequent season, which can take him as much as his fortieth birthday. “I won’t outstay my welcome,” he says. “I will know when it’s time to move aside.”

He believes he must hearken to his physique extra, admitting to taking part in by means of muscular ache earlier within the marketing campaign. That’s indicative of his relentless want to be concerned however, as of late, he has to compromise.

Mulgrew begins his UEFA Professional teaching licence subsequent week and whereas present Linfield supervisor David Healy has beforehand mentioned he’s “keeping the seat warm for him” and sometimes consults his captain as he “knows the club inside out”, the midfielder insists his focus is on including to his success on the pitch.

Mulgrew provides: “I already want my 12th title.”

(Prime picture: Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Photos)